Patent ID: 7521645

Claim:
An arc plate for an arc chute assembly of an electrical switching apparatus including a housing and separable contacts enclosed by said housing, said arc chute assembly having first and second opposing sidewalls end being disposed proximate said separable contacts in order to attract an arc generated by said separable contacts tripping open, said arc plate comprising: a first portion structured to be coupled to one of said first and second opposing sidewalls of said arc chute assembly; a second portion structured to be coupled to the other one of said first and second opposing sidewalls of said arc chute assembly; a first end structured to be disposed proximate said separable contacts of said electrical switching apparatus; a second end disposed distal from the first end; a throat portion disposed between said first portion and said second portion and including an aperture, said aperture extending from the first end of said arc plate toward the second end of said arc plate and including an end section disposed at or about the first end of said arc plate, an intermediate neck section disposed adjacent said end section, and an interior section disposed adjacent said intermediate neck section and distal from said end section, wherein said end section of said aperture of said throat portion has a first width and is structured to attract said arc and direct said arc toward said intermediate neck section of said aperture of said throat portion, wherein said intermediate neck section of said aperture of said throat portion has a second width and tapers from the first width of said end section of said aperture of said throat portion to the second width of said intermediate neck section, the second width being less than the first width of said end section of said aperture, thereby further attracting said arc and directing said arc into said interior section of said aperture of said throat portion, wherein said interior section of said aperture of said throat portion includes a taper, said interior section turning with respect to said intermediate neck section of said aperture of said throat portion, in order to attract and retain said arc therein; and wherein said aperture of said throat portion of said arc plate further comprises an edge; wherein said edge has a cross-sectional profile; and wherein said cross-sectional profile of at least a portion of said edge of said throat portion is tapered in order to further attract said arc into said aperture of said throat portion.