Patent ID: 8138861

Claim:
A catch assembly for an automatic transfer switch, said automatic transfer switch including a housing assembly defining a substantially enclosed space, a first movable contact, a second movable contact, a fixed contact assembly, and an operating mechanism, said operating mechanism having at least one link and structured to move said first line movable contact and said second line movable contact, said first line movable contact structured to move between a first position, wherein said first line movable contact does not engage said fixed contact assembly, and a second position, wherein said first line movable contact engages, and is in electrical communication with, said fixed contact assembly, said second line movable contact structured to move between a first position, wherein said second line movable contact does not engage said fixed contact assembly, and a second position, wherein said second line movable contact engages, and is in electrical communication with, said fixed contact assembly, said operating mechanism further structured to allow only one of said first or second movable contacts to be in said second position at one time, said operating mechanism further structured to be in one of at least three conditions, a stationary condition, a standard motion condition, or a withstand motion condition, wherein when said operating mechanism is in said stationary condition said operating mechanism and said first and second movable contacts are not moving, wherein when said operating mechanism is in said standard motion condition said operating mechanism is moving said first and second movable contacts to the other position at a standard speed, and wherein when said operating mechanism is in said withstand motion condition said operating mechanism is moving said first and second movable contacts to the other position at a speed faster than said standard speed, and wherein said catch assembly comprises: a catch stop; a catch member assembly including a catch member; at least one spring having a bias; said catch member movably coupled to at least one said operating mechanism link, said catch member structured to move between a first position, wherein said catch member does not engage said catch stop, and a second position, wherein said catch member engages said catch stop; said at least one spring structured to engage said catch member and provide a bias thereto; wherein, when said operating mechanism is in one of said stationary condition or said standard motion condition, said bias applied by said spring to said catch member maintains said catch member in said first position; wherein, when said operating mechanism is in said withstand motion condition, said bias applied by said spring to said catch member is insufficient to maintain said catch member in said first position thereby allowing said catch member to move into said second position; and wherein, when said catch member is in said second position, the motion of said operating mechanism is arrested.