Bypass contactor for solid state motor starters

In a solid state motor starter comprising at least one solid state power switching device clamped between a pair of heat sinks, said heat sinks being electrically in circuit with said solid state power switching device, and a discrete electromagnetically operated switching device adapted to be electrically connected to said heat sinks in parallel with said solid state power switching device, said discrete electromagnetically operated switching device comprising an insulating enclosure containing an electromagnet, an armature, and a contact carrier, said contact carrier being connected to said armature and said armature being biased away from said electromagnet, the improvement comprising:

• a pair of stationary contacts mounted in said insulating enclosure, each stationary contact having a plurality of stationary contact elements mounted thereon, said stationary contacts comprising terminal portions extending externally of said insulating enclosures said terminal portions being sufficiently sturdy to support said switching device thereby;
• a plurality of movable contacts resiliently connected to said contact carrier within said insulating enclosure in corresponding alignment with respective pairs of said stationary contact elements said movable contacts each having a pair of movable contact elements affixed thereon respectively engageable with corresponding said stationary contact elements when said armature is attracted to said electromagnet for electrically bridging said stationary contacts in plural parallel paths;
• and
• means mechanically and electrically connecting said extending terminal portions directly to said heat sinks.