Automatic protection switch with visible disconnecting action and manual resetting

An electric switch apparatus for protecting an electric circuit, said apparatus comprising:

• a case having an opening, an input terminal and an output terminal;
• a pivoting drawer rotatably mounted about a first pivot pin rigidly connected to the case and adapted to be manually pivoted between a first position in which said opening is closed and a second position in which said opening is opened;
• an electric circuit connected between said terminals and comprising a switch having two fixed contacts rigidly mounted on said case and connected to said terminals by two respective connecting circuits mounted in said case, and a mobile contact bridge having two contact elements and rotatably mounted about a second pivot pin rigidly connected on said drawer and spaced from said first pivot pin, so that, when said drawer is in its first position, said mobile contact bridge can be moved from a third position, wherein said contact elements are respectively engaged against said two fixed contacts to a fourth position, wherein the two contact elements are separated from the two fixed contacts by a first distance and when said drawer is in its second position, the two contact elements are separated from the two fixed elements by a second distance greater than the first distance, one of said two connecting circuits comprising a coil rigidly mounted in said case and provided with a mobile magnetizable core and guiding means rigidly mounted in said case being provided to guide said core in a predetermined direction;
• a tripping mechanism having a cocked and a released position, and comprising:
• a control element mounted in the drawer, having a cocked and released position and locking means;
• actuation means cooperating with a spring both mounted in the drawer and adapted to pass from a cocked position corresponding to the cocking position of the control element and in which said actuation means compresses said spring and is locked by said locking means, to a released position when said control element is passing from the cocked position to the released position under the action of releasing forces, and to pass from the released position to the cocked position under a cocking force antagonist to the action of the said spring;
• a first mechanical linkage between said movable core and said control element, to transmit on said control element a releasing force exerted on said control element by said core when said coil is traversed by an overcurrent;
• a second mechanical linkage between said actuation means and said mobile contact bridge, to move said mobile contact bridge from its third position to its fourth position when said actuation means pass from the cocked position to the released position;
• a third mechanical linkage between said case and said actuation means and adapted to apply said cocking force on said actuation means when the drawer is passing into its second position.