Patent ID: 7833034

Claim:
An electrical contactor comprising: a first terminal connected to one or more fixed contacts on opposite faces of a fixed conductive member; a second terminal connected to a pair of movable arms of electrically conductive material carrying movable contacts at remote ends from where the second terminal is connected to the pair of movable arms, the pair of movable arms being arranged in aligned opposition to each other and such that the remote ends of the pair of movable arms are on either side of the fixed conductive member with the movable contacts aligned with the one or more fixed contacts, the fixed conductive member and the pair of movable arms being arranged such that when the one or more fixed contacts and the movable contacts are closed a current flowing through the movable arms urges the pair of movable arms towards each other thereby increasing a force between the one or more fixed contacts and the movable contacts; and a wedge shaped member arranged to separate the pair of movable arms so as to open and close the movable contacts, where the wedge shaped member being movable in a longitudinal direction of the pair of movable arms from a first position in which the wedge shaped member engages inner surfaces of the pair of movable arms to separate the pair of movable arms away from the one or more fixed contacts to a second position where the wedge shaped member disengages from the inner surfaces of the pair of movable arms to allow the pair of movable arms to move freely towards each other to engage the one or more fixed contacts.