Current converter with decoupling network for isolating load from commutation circuit elements

Claim 1

IN A CURRENT CONVERTER: A DC INPUT CIRCUIT HAVING FIRST AND SECOND DC INPUT TERMINALS; FIRST AND SECOND OUTPUT TERMINALS FOR CONNECTION TO A LOAD; FIRST AND SECOND CONTROLLED ELECTRIC VALVES, EACH HAVING RESPECTIVE INLET, OUTLET AND CONTROL ELECTRODES, AND AN INTERNAL MAIN CURRENT PATH EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID INLET AND OUTLET ELECTRODES, SAID VALVES BEING OF THE TYPE WHICH BLOCK IN BOTH DIRECTIONS UNTIL A FIRING SIGNAL IS APPLIED TO THE CONTROL ELECTRODE WHILE THE VALVE IS FORWARDLY BIASED AT WHICH TIME THE VALVE IS RENDERED CONDUCTIVE IN THE FORWARD DIRECTION UNTIL A REVERSE BIAS IS APPLIED ACROSS THE VALVE; A FIRST CIRCUIT CONNECTED ACROSS SAID DC TERMINALS AND INCLUDING IN SERIES IN THE ORDER NAMED SAID FIRST VALVE, A FIRST JUNCTION, FIRST WINDING MEANS, A SECOND JUNCTION, SECOND WINDING MEANS, A THIRD JUNCTION AND SAID SECOND VALVE, SAID FIRST AND SECOND WINDING MEANS BEING INDUCTIVELY COUPLED, SAID VALVE BEING POLED IN THE SAME DIRECTION RELATIVE TO SAID DC TERMINALS; A SECOND CIRCUIT CONNECTED ACROSS SAID DC TERMINALS AND INCLUDING IN SERIES IN THE ORDER NAMED A FIRST COMMUTATION CAPACITOR, SAID SECOND JUNCTION AND A SECOND COMMUTATION CAPACITOR; A FIRST ASYMMETRIC CIRCUIT CONNECTED ACROSS SAID FIRST JUNCTION AND SAID FIRST OUTPUT TERMINAL, AND POLED IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS SAID FIRST VALVE RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST OUTPUT TERMINAL; A SECOND ASYMMETRIC CIRCUIT CONNECTED ACROSS SAID THIRD JUNCTION AND SAID FIRST OUTPUT TERMINAL; SAID FIRST AND SECOND ASYMMETRIC CIRCUITS BEING POLED IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS SAID VALUES RELATIVE TO SAID DC TERMINALS; SAID FIRST AND SECOND ASYMMETRIC CIRCUITS FORMING A SHUNT CIRCUIT ACROSS AND FIRST AND SECOND WINDING MEANS, SAID SHUNT CIRCUIT HAVING SUFFICIENT IMPEDANCE THEREIN TO PREVENT SHORT CIRCUITING OF COMMUTATION ENERGY DEVELOPED ACROSS SAID FIRST AND SECONG WINDING MEANS; RETURN CURRENT PATH MEANS COUPLING SAID SECOND OUTPUT TERMINAL TO SAID DC INPUT CIRCUIT, SAID RETURN CURRENT PATH MEANS BEING OPERABLE WHEN A LOAD IS CONNECTED TO SAID OUTPUT TERMINALS TO PROVIDE A RETURN PATH COOPERATING WITH AT LEAST ONE OF SAID VALVES DURING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE CONDUCTIVE PERIOD OF SAID AT LEAST ONE VALVE TO TRANSMIT POWER TO SAID LOAD; AND MEANS FOR SUPPLYING CONTROL SIGNALS TO THE CONTROL ELECTRODES OF SAID VALVES IN A PREDETERMINED ORDER.