GE 5 and 15 Kv Indoor & Outdoor Switchgear
GE manufactured 5 and 15 Kv circuit breakers so they would vertically lift up into the switchgear primary disconnects. The stabs of the circuit breaker bushings were mounted straight out of the top of the Magneblast circuit breakers.
These vertical bushings required the breaker to be lifted up into the cubicle with an elevating mechanism on each side of the switchgear to engage itself. This design was complicated compared to other manufacturers who had breakers that would rack in horizonically, but even so, GE made the vertical lift Magneblast breaker for over thirty years.
The switchgear that these breakers went into was called M-26 GE switchgear which was for 5Kv circuit breakers and M-36 switchgear which was for 15 Kv Magneblast breakers. Both models, M-26 and M-36 switchgear, came in indoor and outdoor switchgear models.
Indoor switchgear were located indoors or in an outdoor house. Other than dust proof and general protection for the gear; it did not shelter the 5Kv or 15Kv switchgear from the outside elements.
Outdoor switchgear came in several forms. Outdoor non walk-in switchgear, where the operator stood outside the gear to use it, open to the outside elements. Outdoor walk in switchgear allowed the user to be in an indoor house as he maintained the switchgear. This had the walk in section on one side, and the switchgear located on the other side.
Outdoor walk in protected isle switchgear had an isle down the middle and switchgear on both sides of the isle. This was attractive for people with a lot of space, or a lot of breakers located outside.
GE manufactured M-26 and M-36 5Kv and 15 Kv switchgear for many years. It came in many different frames, and was very popular.