Patent ID: 8098119

Claim:
A protection switch, comprising: a plurality of single-pole protection switch modules to be joined together in a mechanically coherent unit to form a multi-pole protection switch configuration, each of said protection switch modules including: a housing; a switching arm; a fixed contact; a moving contact carried by said switching arm and being pivotably movable against said fixed contact between a closed position and an open position; a manual operating mechanism for manually adjusting said switching arm between said closed position and said open position; and a tripping mechanism for automatically resetting said switching arm into said open position upon occurrence of a tripping condition; said manual operating mechanisms of all of said protection switch modules being coupled to permit said protection switch modules to only be switched jointly; said tripping mechanisms of all of said protection switch modules being coupled causing said tripping mechanism of each of said protection switch modules to also trip all others of said protection switch modules; and a one-piece coupling piece to be inserted between adjoining protection switch modules for both mechanically fixing said protection switch modules to one another and also effecting coupling of said manual operating mechanisms and said tripping mechanisms of both of said adjoining protection switch modules.