Apparatus for locating a fault in the insulation around the conductor of an electriccable

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR LOCATING A FAULT IN THE INSULATION AROUND A CONDUCTOR OF AN ELECTRIC CABLE COMPRISING MEANS PROVIDING D.C. POWER, SAID MEANS HAVING TWO TERMINALS, AN ELECTRODE THROUGH WHICH THE CABLE PASSES IN INTIMATE CONTACT THEREWITH, MEANS FOR PASSING THE CABLE THROUGH SAID ELECTRODE, A CONDUCTIVE MEMBER SPACED FROM SAID ELECTRODE, AN INSULATOR SUPPORTED ON SAID CONDUCTIVE MEMBER, SAID INSULATOR SUPPORTING SAID ELECTRODE, MEANS INSULATING SAID CONDUCTIVE MEMBER FROM GROUND, A LEAD CONNECTING ONE OF SAID TERMINALS TO SAID ELECTRODE, A LEAD CONNECTING THE OTHER OF SAID TERMINALS TO SAID CONDUCTIVE MEMBER, CURRENT RESPONSIVE MEANS HAVING ONE TERMINAL CONNECTED TO THE SECOND NAMED LEAD, MEANS FOR GROUNDING SAID CONDUCTOR, AND MEANS CONNECTING THE OTHER TERMINAL OF SAID CURRENT RESPONSIVE MEANS TO GROUND, CURRENT FROM SAID MEANS PROVIDING D.C. POWER FLOWING THROUGH SAID FIRST NAMED LEAD, SAID ELECTRODE, AN INSULATION FAULT AND SAID CONDUCTOR TO GROUND AND FROM GROUND THROUGH SAID CURRENT RESPONSIVE MEANS TO THE SAID OTHER TERMINAL.