Patent ID: 7098416

Claim:
An auxiliary switch actuating mechanism for an electrical switching apparatus including a housing enclosing separable contacts, an operating mechanism including an operating handle protruding from said housing and structured to open and close said separable contacts, a linkage assembly interconnecting said operating handle and said separable contacts and moving between a set position corresponding to said separable contacts not being tripped open, and a collapsed position corresponding to said separable contacts being tripped open, an actuator structured to collapse said linkage assembly in response to a trip condition, and an auxiliary switch having a contact member, said auxiliary switch actuating mechanism comprising: an actuating lever including a first end and a second end, said actuating lever structured to be pivotally coupled within said housing proximate said auxiliary switch; and a bias member structured to bias said actuating lever towards engaging said contact member of said auxiliary switch, wherein the first end of said actuating lever is structured to engage and actuate said contact member of said auxiliary switch in accordance with said bias when said separable contacts are not tripped open and said linkage assembly is in said set position, and wherein the second end of said actuating lever is structured to be engaged and pivoted by said linkage assembly when said separable contacts are tripped open in response to said tripping condition and said linkage assembly is in said collapsed position, in order that said actuating lever overcomes said bias and disengages and deactivates said contact member of said auxiliary switch.