Disconnect switch

Abstract

A disconnect switch and grounding apparatus therefor particularly adapted for use in gas insulated substations. The disconnect switch comprises a chamber having a pair of electrical conductors entering the chamber. Supporting the conductors and insulating them from contact with the chamber itself are insulators, which may be sealingly placed so as to prohibit the escape of the gas. A fixed contact member electrically attached to the first of the pair of conductors and a movable contact member is electrically attached to the second pair of conductors. A movement mechanism to move the movable contact members so as to make and break contact with the fixed contact member. A grounding strip electrically attached to the movable contact member, positioned so as to come in contact with the chamber wall immediately after the breaking of contact between the fixed and the movable contact members. The movement mechanism comprises a linkage having two links, the first link attached at one end to the movable contact member and the other end connected to the second link, the other end of the second link being connected to a shaft member. The shaft member sealingly extends through the wall of the chamber having attached to it on the outside of the chamber a handle for causing the shaft to rotate. The shaft upon rotation engages the linkage causing the movable contact member to make or break contact with the fixed contact member and respectively the ground strip to move away from or come in contact with the wall of the chamber.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.