Auxiliary contact operator for electrical switching apparatus

An operator apparatus for use with an electrical switching apparatus having pole shaft means rotatable between a first position and a second position, said operator apparatus for operating auxiliary contact means and comprising:

• a drive link having a first end pivotally mounted to said pole shaft means and a second end having an elongated opening;
• hub means for rotation by the second end of said drive link, said hub means having arm means fixedly mounted thereto;
• first biasing means for biasing said hub means in a first rotational direction;
• shaft means for rotation with respect to said hub means, said shaft means including a rotatable shaft and means for rotating the rotatable shaft, with the arm means of said hub means engaging said means for rotating the rotatable shaft to rotate said shaft means in the first rotational direction;
• second biasing means for biasing said shaft means in a second rotational direction;
• and
• means engaging the rotatable shaft of said shaft means for operating said auxiliary contact means,
• with the arm means of said hub means pivotally engaging the second end of said drive link at the elongated opening thereof in order that said pole shaft means rotates from the first position to the second position thereof independently of said auxiliary contact means.

An electrical switching apparatus for use with auxiliary contact means, said electrical switching apparatus comprising:

• separable contact means having a first position and a second position;
• means for moving said separable contact means between the first position and the second position thereof, said means for moving having a first position corresponding to the first position of said separable contact means and a second position corresponding to the second position of said separable contact means;
• and
• operator means for operating said auxiliary contact means between first and second positions corresponding to the first and second positions, respectively, of said separable contact means, said operator means comprising:
• following means biased to follow said means for moving when said means for moving changes to the first position thereof,
• first biasing means for biasing said following means to follow said means for moving when said means for moving changes to the first position thereof, with said following means including means for recharging said first biasing means when said means for moving changes to the second position thereof,
• means engaged by said following means for operating said auxiliary contact means to the first position thereof when said following means follows said means for moving and said means for moving changes to the first position thereof, and
• second biasing means for biasing said means engaged by said following means toward a position corresponding to the second position of said auxiliary contact means when said means for moving changes to the second position thereof.