Patent ID: 8729416

Claim:
Electrical switchgear comprising: switchgear overall terminals for connection in series with a power supply line the current through which is switched or interrupted; a circuit breaker module including circuit breaker contacts which are opened and closed by an electrically-activated magnetic actuator, said magnetic actuator being stable in either a breaker-closed state or a breaker-open state without requiring electrical current flow through said magnetic actuator, and an externally-connectable mechanical drive linked to said magnetic actuator in a manner such that movement driven by said magnetic actuator between the breaker-closed state and the breaker-open state is transmitted to said externally-connectable mechanical drive for movement of said externally-connectable mechanical drive in one direction or another, and such that movement of said externally-connectable mechanical drive is transmitted to said magnetic actuator so that movement of said externally-connectable mechanical drive can destabilize the breaker-closed state to open said circuit breaker contacts; a visible disconnect switch connected electrically in series with said circuit breaker contacts between said switchgear overall terminals; and an external actuator activated by an external condition and connected to said externally-connectable mechanical drive so as to cause said circuit breaker contacts to open upon occurrence of the external condition.