Importance

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Abstract

An electrical circuit breaker includes a moveable contact piece connected to an actuating means and provided with a contact face arranged to make contact with a contact face of a second contact piece by movement of the moveable contact piece generally in a first direction. The circuit breaker further includes an electrical connector for conveying current to the moveable contact piece which includes at least two adjacent limbs adapted to convey the current in opposing directions so as to generate an electromagnetic force repelling the adjacent limbs from one another, which force is used to assist in maintaining the contact faces in abutment. The outermost limbs bear, respectively, upon a reaction end face of the actuating means and the moveable contact piece, and the moveable contact piece is connected to the actuating means by a connecting rod displaceable relative to the actuating means and biased in the first direction so as to form a snatch gap between the actuating means and the connecting rod when the first and second contact pieces are closed, the electromagnetic force thereby assisting in accelerating closure of the snatch gap during a contact opening operation.

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First Claim