Semiconductor protection circuit

Claim 1

IN A SWITCHING NETWORK FOR CONTROLLING FLOW OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY, A FIRST CURRENT FLOW CONTROLLING DEVICE HAVING A MAIN CIRCUIT AND A CONTROL CIRCUIT OPERABLE UPON BEING ENERGIZED TO RENDER SAID MAIN CIRCUIT CONDUCTIVE, AN ENERGIZING NETWORK HAVING A FIRST OUTPUT CONNECTED TO SAID CONTROL CIRCUIT, SAID NETWORK INCLUDING A SECOND CURRENT FLOW CONTROLLING DEVICE, SAID SECOND CURRENT DEVICE HAVING A MAIN CURRENT PATH OPERABLY CONNECTED TO CONTROL THE ENERGIZED CONDITION OF SAID FIRST OUTPUT, SAID SECOND CURRENT DEVICE HAVING A PAIR OF ENERGIZABLE ELECTRODES OPERABLE TO CONTROL THE ENERGIZED CONDITION OF SAID MAIN CURRENT PATH, SAID NETWORK BEING ARRANGED TO ENERGIZE SAID FIRST OUTPUT AND THEREBY RENDER SAID CONTROL CIRCUIT EFFECTIVE TO INITIATE CURRENT FLOW THROUGH SAID MAIN CIRCUIT IN RESPONSE TO A FIRST OPERATING CONDITION OF SAID SECOND CURRENT DEVICE, FIRST CIRCUIT MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID ENERGIZABLE ELECTRODES AND NORMALLY EFFECTIVE TO MAINTAIN SAID ELECTRODES IN A FIRST ENERGIZED CONDITION WHEREBY SAID SECOND CURRENT DEVICE IS PLACED IN ITS SAID FIRST OPERATING CONDITION, MEANS FOR RENDERING SAID FIRST CIRCUIT MEANS INEFFECTIVE TO MAINTAIN SAID ELECTRODES IN THEIR FIRST ENERGIZED CONDITION, AND SECOND CIRCUIT MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID ENERGIZABLE ELECTRODES AND EFFECTIVE TO MAINTAIN SAID ELECTRODES IN THEIR SAID FIRST ENERGIZED CONDITION TO MAINTAIN CURRENT FLOW IN SAID MAIN PATH IRRESPECTIVE TO THE RENDERING OF SAID FIRST CIRCUIT MEANS INEFFECTIVE.