Fluid-blast circuit interrupter with piston assembly and electromagnetic driving means

Claim 2

A fluid-blast piston-type circuit interrupter including, in combination: a. means defining a stationary insulating operating cylinder, b. a pair of stationary accelerating coils spaced axially along said stationary operating cylinder and supported thereby, c. a fluid-driving movable piston member reciprocally movable within said operating cylinder and carrying therewith a third movable accelerating coil, d. a relatively stationary contact structure, e. relatively movable contact structure including a main movable contact and a movable arcing contact insulated therefrom, f. mEans electrically connecting the three accelerating coils in series between a terminal of the interrupter and said movable arcing contact, g. means for initially establishing a main current arc between the main movable contact and said relatively stationary contact structure, h. means for transferring one terminal of said arc to the movable arcing contact to thereby insert the three accelerating coils serially into the electrical circuit, i. fluid-directing means for directing fluid compressed by the piston action into the transferred arc to effect extinction thereof and thereby effect circuit interruption, j. and the location of said pair of stationary accelerating coils being such relevant to the moving accelerating coil that one stationary accelerating coil magnetically repels the moving accelerating coil and the other stationary accelerating coil magnetically attracts said movable accelerating coil.

Claim 3

The fluid-blast circuit interrupter of claim 1, wherein the fluid-directing means comprises an insulating nozzle movable with the movable piston member and encompassing at least a portion of the stationary contact structure.

Claim 4

The fluid-blast circuit interrupter of claim 1, wherein the relatively movable contact structure comprises a pair of concentrically arranged movable conducting tubes.

Claim 5

The fluid-blast circuit interrupter of claim 3, wherein the tubes pass through an aperture in a fixed closure member fixedly disposed within the stationary operating cylinder.

Claim 6

The fluid-blast circuit interrupter of claim 4, wherein a pair of conducting guide rods transmit current from the moving accelerating coil to the movable arcing contact and to one coil terminal of a fixed accelerating coil.

Claim 7

The fluid-blast circuit interrupter of claim 1, wherein the movable and stationary contacts are vented for exhausting the gases in opposite directions during circuit interruption.

Claim 8

The combination according to claim 1, wherein an operating mechanism is provided to give an initial thrust to the movable piston member.

Claim 9

The combination according to claim 1, wherein the transferring means includes a blast of fluid provided by the initial movement of the movable piston.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 1, wherein the relatively stationary contact structure and the movable contact structure are vented.

Claim 11

A fluid-blast piston-type circuit interrupter including, in combination: a. means defining a stationary insulating operating cylinder, b. a pair of stationary driving coils spaced longitudinally along said stationary operating cylinder adjacent first and second ends thereof and supported thereby, c. a stationary main contact disposed adjacent the first end of said operating cylinder, d. a stationary auxiliary contact disposed adjacent the second end of said operating cylinder, e. a movable contact structure and piston assembly mechanically connected together and arranged to move as a unit, f. operating means connected to said piston assembly and functioning to effect opening and closing movement thereof reciprocally within said stationary operating cylinder, g. said movable contact structure comprising a movable main contact and a movable auxiliary contact electrically connected together and respectively engaging and disengaging the stationary main contact and the stationary auxiliary contact, h. said movable assembly further comprising a third driving coil and a movable arcing contact, i. means electrically connecting the three driving coils in series between said stationary auxiliary contact and said movable arcing contact, j. means effecting transfer of one terminal of the main current arc to said movable arcing contact to thereby insert the three driving coils serially into the electrical circuit during the opening operation, k. and the location of said pair of stationary driving coils being such relative to the third driving coil that one stationary driving coil magneTically, repels the moving driving coil and the other stationary driving coil magnetically attracts said moving driving coil.

Claim 12

A fluid-blast piston-type circuit interrupter including, in combination: a. means defining a stationary insulating operating cylinder, b. a pair of stationary driving coils spaced longitudinally along said stationary operating cylinder adjacent first and second ends thereof and supported thereby, c. a stationary main contact disposed adjacent the first end of said operating cylinder, d. a stationary auxiliary contact disposed adjacent the second end of said operating cylinder, e. a movable contact structure and piston assembly mechanically connected together and arranged to move as a unit, f. operating means connected to said piston assembly and functioning to effect opening and closing movement thereof reciprocally within said stationary operating cylinder, g. said movable contact structure comprising a movable main contact and a movable auxiliary contact electrically connected together and respectively engaging and disengaging the stationary main contact and the stationary auxiliary contact, h. said movable assembly further comprising a third driving coil and a movable arcing contact, i. means electrically connecting the three driving coils in series between said stationary auxiliary contact and said movable arcing contact, j. means effecting transfer of one terminal of the main current arc to said movable arcing contact to thereby insert the three driving coils serially into the electrical circuit during the opening operation, k. and the location of said pair of stationary driving coils being such relative to the third driving coil that one stationary driving coil magneTically, repels the moving driving coil and the other stationary driving coil magnetically attracts said moving driving coil.

Claim 13

The fluid-blast circuit interrupter of claim 10, wherein the movable and stationary contacts are tubular and vented for exhausting the gases in opposite directions during circuit interruption.

Claim 14

The fluid-blast circuit interrupter of claim 10, wherein the transfer means comprises an insulating fluid-directing nozzle carried by said piston assembly to direct gas flow into the arc.