Lightning arrester with vaporizable liquid electrode

Claim 1

A LIGHTNING ARRESTER WITH VAPORIZABLE LIQUID ELECTRODE CONSISTING OF A HERMETICALLY CLOSED INSULATING CONTAINER, PROVIDED WITH PETTICOATS ON ITS EXTERIOR SURFACE AND PARTLY FILLED WITH ELECTROLYTE, WHOSE BOTTOM LEVEL IS CONNECTED TO GROUND, WHEREAS A METALLIC ELECTRODE IS SUSPENDED ABOVE THE TOP LEVEL OF SAID ELECTROLYTE, AND IS CONNECTED TO THE PHASE CONDUCTOR THROUGH THE INTERMEDIARY OF A HERMETIC DRUM, MOUNTED ABOVE SAID INSULATING CONTAINER, SAID METALLIC DRUM BEING OF SUCH DIAMETER AS TO EXTEND BEYOND THE PETTICOATS OF SAID INSULATING CONTAINER, SO THAT SAID DRUM CONSTITUTES A RAINSHIELD PROTECTING SAID PETTICOATS FROM DIRECT EXPOSURE TO RAIN, SAID METALLIC DRUM SERVING ALSO FOR CONDENSATION OF THE ELECTROLYTE, WHICH IS EVAPORATED AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE ARC DEVELOPED BETWEEN THE UPPER LEVEL OF THE ELECTROLYTE AND SAID METALLIC ELECTRODE SUSPENDED OVER IT, WHEN AN OVERVOLTAGE PREVAILS ON SAID PHASE CONDUCTOR, THUS SAID VAPOR CANNOT ESCAPE FROM SAID INSULATING CONTAINER AND SAID METALLIC DRUM, BUT AFTER ITS CONDENSATION SERVES REPEATEDLY FOR THE CONSECUTIVE DISCHARGES OF THE LIGHTNING ARRESTER.