Patent ID: 7488915

Claim:
An arc baffle for an electrical switching apparatus including a housing, separable contacts enclosed by said housing, and at least one arc chute assembly, said at least one arc chute assembly having a first end and a second end, the first end being disposed proximate said separable contacts in order to attract an arc generated by said separable contacts being opened, the second end being disposed distal from the first end for discharging ionized gases produced as a byproduct of said arc, said arc baffle comprising: a number of baffle members comprising a first baffle member and a second baffle member each including a generally planar discharge portion having a periphery and at least one opening for discharging said ionized gas, and an elongated spacer portion protruding outwardly from the periphery; and a plurality of fasteners structured to couple said arc baffle and said baffle members to said arc chute assembly at or about the second end of said arc chute assembly, wherein said first baffle member and said second baffle member interlock to form an air gap therebetween, and wherein the elongated spacer portion of said first baffle member engages the generally planar discharge portion of said second baffle member, and the elongated spacer portion of said second baffle member engages the generally planar discharge portion of said first baffle member, thereby substantially enclosing said air gap.