Discharge mechanism for circuit breaker

A circuit breaker comprising:

• a housing;
• a base coupled to said housing;
• a contact structure movable between a closed position and an open position and is disposed within said housing;
• an opening latch shaft operably coupled to said contact structure;
• a mechanism including:
• a cross shaft operably coupled to said base, said cross shaft rotating between a first position and a second position in response to movement of said circuit breaker;
• a first linkage rotationally coupled to said base and arranged transverse to said cross shaft, said first linkage movable between a third position and a fourth position;
• a cam surface disposed between said cross shaft and said first linkage, said cam surface moving between a fifth position and a sixth position when said cross shaft rotates between said first position and said second position;
• a first roller coupled to said first linkage adjacent said cam surface;
• and
• a second linkage coupled between said opening latch shaft and said first linkage, wherein said second linkage translates between a seventh position and an eighth position in response to said first linkage moving between said third position and said fourth position;
• wherein said contact structure moves from said closed position to said open position in response to said second linkage translating between said seventh position and said eighth position.

A method of operating a circuit breaker, said method comprising:

• rotating a cross shaft coupled to said circuit breaker;
• moving a cam surface from a first position to a second position in response to rotation of said cross shaft;
• rotating a first linkage from a third position to a fourth position with said cam surface;
• engaging a first roller coupled to said first linkage with said cam surface when rotating said first linkage from said third position to said fourth position;
• translating a second linkage from a fifth position to a sixth position with said first linkage;
• and,
• opening a set of contacts with said second linkage when said first linkage is in said fourth position;
• wherein said cross shaft rotates in response to a movement of said circuit breaker between and installed and a withdrawn position.