A charging handle apparatus for use in a circuit interrupter to mechanically charge an operating mechanism of the circuit interrupter, the charging handle apparatus comprising: a handle assembly comprising a pawl having a pawl engagement surface; a gear structured to be mechanically connected with a portion of the operating mechanism, the gear including a plurality of teeth, at least some of which each having a tooth engagement surface; and a support apparatus disposed on the handle assembly and engaged with the gear, the support apparatus comprising a base portion and an engagement portion, characterized in that the engagement portion comprises a number of engagement structures (76A, 76B) that can be engaged with the gear in either of a first orientation of the gear and the engagement portion and a second orientation of the gear and the engagement portion different than the first orientation, the base portion being disposed on the handle assembly, the engagement portion being disposed on the base portion and engaged with the gear, at least one of the base portion and the engagement portion being movable with respect to the other of the base portion and the engagement portion; the gear and the engagement portion each having a non-cylindrical opening (52, 72) formed therein; and in at most the first orientation of the engagement of the engagement structures with the gear: the opening in the gear and the opening in the engagement portion being aligned with one another and being structured to receive therethrough a shaft that is mechanically connected with the operating mechanism of the circuit interrupter, and the pawl engagement surface being engageable with individual ones of the tooth engagement surfaces and being structured to rotate the shaft to charge the operating mechanism of the circuit interrupter. a handle assembly comprising a pawl having a pawl engagement surface; a gear structured to be mechanically connected with a portion of the operating mechanism, the gear including a plurality of teeth, at least some of which each having a tooth engagement surface; and a support apparatus disposed on the handle assembly and engaged with the gear, the support apparatus comprising a base portion and an engagement portion, characterized in that the engagement portion comprises a number of engagement structures (76A, 76B) that can be engaged with the gear in either of a first orientation of the gear and the engagement portion and a second orientation of the gear and the engagement portion different than the first orientation, the base portion being disposed on the handle assembly, the engagement portion being disposed on the base portion and engaged with the gear, at least one of the base portion and the engagement portion being movable with respect to the other of the base portion and the engagement portion; the gear and the engagement portion each having a non-cylindrical opening (52, 72) formed therein; and in at most the first orientation of the engagement of the engagement structures with the gear: the opening in the gear and the opening in the engagement portion being aligned with one another and being structured to receive therethrough a shaft that is mechanically connected with the operating mechanism of the circuit interrupter, and the pawl engagement surface being engageable with individual ones of the tooth engagement surfaces and being structured to rotate the shaft to charge the operating mechanism of the circuit interrupter. the opening in the gear and the opening in the engagement portion being aligned with one another and being structured to receive therethrough a shaft that is mechanically connected with the operating mechanism of the circuit interrupter, and the pawl engagement surface being engageable with individual ones of the tooth engagement surfaces and being structured to rotate the shaft to charge the operating mechanism of the circuit interrupter.