Manual operator for an electrical switch

A manual operator for opening and closing an electrical switch having a mechanism including a portion adapted to be rotated to operate the switch, comprising:

• a switch-driving element adapted to non-rotatably engage the rotatable portion of the switch mechanism,
• a handle element rotatable with respect to the switch-driving element,
• resilient means operatively interposed between the switch-driving element and the handle element, the resilient means being tensioned when the handle element is rotated while the driving element is maintained stationary,
• an abutment fixed to and moveable with one of the elements, and
• a follower fixed to and moveable with the other of the elements, the follower being located in the path of movement of the abutment, and the follower and abutment being so relatively located that the abutment engages the follower only after the resilient means has been tensioned by rotation of the handle element,
• so that when the switch-driving element engages the rotatable portion of the switch mechanism, initial rotation of the handle element causes the resilient means to be tensioned and the abutment to engage the follower, further rotation of the handle element being transmitted through the abutment and follower to the switch-driving element to initiate movement of the switch mechanism, following which the resilient means instantly shifts the switch mechanism through the remainder of its movement to snap the switch open or closed.