Patent ID: 9679718
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: H01H

Claim:
1. A safety device for use in conjunction with a knife switch at least partially disposed in a switch well, the knife switch having a conductive blade and being rotatable between a closed configuration in which the blade engages an electrical contact in the switch well and an open configuration in which the blade is spaced apart from the electrical contact, the safety device comprising: an elongate base member having a head end and an insertion portion extending distally away therefrom, the insertion portion being configured for at least partial insertion into the switch well between the knife switch and an internal wall of the switch well when the knife switch is in its open configuration and to prevent the knife switch from rotating back to the closed configuration when so inserted; a slot formed in at least a portion of the insertion portion of the base member, the slot being sized and positioned to receive at least a portion of the blade when the knife switch is in its open configuration and the insertion portion is inserted into the switch well between the knife switch and the internal wall; and a head attached to the base member at its head end.