Switch contacts with improved fault-closing capability

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A contact arrangement is provided for a medium- or highvoltage switch including two contact surfaces that are generally parallel and relatively movable via a predetermined path between open and closed positions. During closing, the two contact surfaces define predetermined areas of relative engagement between the two contact surfaces. The movement along the predetermined path during contact engagement generally defines a first direction. The two contact surfaces are arranged relative to each other and the first direction such that during closing, the relative engagement between the two contact surfaces defines a locus along each contact surface that is non-parallel to the first direction.