Switch cover limiting manual switch activation

An assembly, comprising:

• a circuit breaker, comprising:
• a breaker housing;
• and
• a breaker handle extending from a front surface of the breaker housing and having an ON and OFF position;
• and
• a protective covering device, comprising:
• a cover adapted to be mounted to the front surface of the circuit breaker, wherein the cover encloses the breaker handle when mounted;
• an opening provided in the cover adapted to allow actuation of the breaker handle when the breaker handle is in the OFF position;
• and
• an actuator adapted to extend between the opening and the breaker handle in the OFF position,
• wherein the breaker handle is positioned behind a front wall of the cover out of reach of an operator when in the ON position, and
• wherein the actuator comprises a slide which is moveable relative to the cover to bring the breaker handle into the ON position and a spring arranged between the slide and the cover to pre-load the slide to an initial position in which the slide is retracted from the breaker handle in the ON position.

A method of using a protective covering device for a circuit breaker having a breaker housing and breaker handle extending from a front surface of the breaker housing and having an ON and OFF position, the method comprising:

• providing the protective covering device mounted to the front surface of the circuit breaker and enclosing the breaker handle;
• actuating the breaker handle when the breaker handles is in the OFF position through an opening provided in a cover of the protective covering device to move a slide of an actuator relative to the cover to bring the breaker handle into the ON position to move the breaker handle behind a front wall of the cover into the ON position out of reach of an operator, wherein the actuator extends between the opening and the breaker handle in the OFF position;
• and
• pre-loading, via a spring arranged between the slide and the cover, the slide to an initial position in which the slide is retracted from the breaker handle in the ON position.

A protective covering device for a circuit breaker having a breaker housing and breaker handle extending from a front surface of the breaker housing and having an ON and OFF position, the protective covering device comprising:

• a cover adapted to be mounted to the front surface of the circuit breaker, wherein the cover encloses the breaker handle when mounted;
• an opening provided in the cover adapted to allow actuation of the breaker handle when the breaker handle is in the OFF position;
• and
• an actuator adapted to extend between the opening and the breaker handle in the OFF position,
• wherein the actuator includes a slide which is moveable relative to the cover to bring the breaker handle into the ON position,
• wherein the actuator further includes a spring arranged between the slide and the cover to pre-load the slide to an initial position in which the slide is retracted from the breaker handle in the ON position.