Axially vented contact and interrupter structure for gas blast circuit breakers

Claim 1

The combination for a high voltage gas blast circuit breaker; a stationary contact and a movable contact; said movable contact comprising an elongated shaft; a contact finger retaining cage surrounding one end of said shaft; means connecting said retaining cage to said shaft; a plurality of elongated contact fingers disposed around the outer periphery of said retaining cage and projecting beyond either end of said retaining cage; spring-biasing means biasing the ends of said contact fingers projecting beyond said end of said retaining cage inwardly toward one another; and a central cylindrical arcing contact connected to said one end of said shaft and coaxially with said shaft; the outer end of said arcing contact extending beyond the outer ends of said plurality of elongated contact fingers; said plurality of elongated contact fingers disposed radially outwardly and around said cylindrical arcing contact; said stationary contact comprising a conductive cylinder having a diameter greater than the internal diameter of said contact fingers when said contact fingers are inwardly collapsed; operating means connected to the opposite end of said shaft; and a stationary conductive support for supporting said movable contact; said stationary support comprising an elongated central hub section having an opening therethrough coaxial with said shaft and an outer body section connected to said central hub section by a plurality of radial ribs; said contact shaft extending through said opening in said hub section and being slidably received therein, and being axially movable with respect to said hub section; the opposite ends of each of said contact fingers telescoping around and engaging the outer surface of said central hub section in sliding contact, thereby to electrically connect said movable contact and said hub section.