Gas blast circuit interrupter having conducting orifice means

Claim 2

A gas blast circuit interrupter comprising orifice means, a pair of separable contact members extending through said orifice means to draw an arc therein, blast means for forcing a unidirectional blast of gas through said orifice means to cause the extinction of said arc, said orifice means having a conducting inner portion to which an arc may attach, and connection means for connecting said conducting inner portion electrically to one of said separable contact members at least during a part of the opening movement of said contact members, said conducting inner portion being shaped and positioned relative to said one contact member to cause said arc drawn between said contact members to transfer during said opening movement from said one contact member to said conducting inner portion, and support means to support the other contact member in stationary relation with respect to said conducting inner portion upon transfer of said arc so that the length of the transferred arc remains substantially constant within the said orifice means until the extinction thereof by said blast of gas.

Claim 3

A circuit interrupter according to claim 1, wherein said connection means comprise further separable contact means isolating said conducting inner portion in response to final opening movement of said one contact membEr.

Claim 4

A gas blast circuit interrupter comprising orifice means, a pair of separable contact members extending through said orifice means to draw an arc therein, blast means for forcing a unidirectional blast of gas through said orifice means to cause the extinction of said arc, said orifice means having a conducting inner portion to which an arc may attach, and means for connecting said conducting inner portion electrically to one of said separable contact members at least during a part of the opening movement of said contact members, said connecting means comprising a sliding contact engaging the outer surface of said orifice means and isolating said conducting inner portion in response to a final opening movement of said one contact member, said conducting inner portion being shaped and positioned relative to said one contact member to cause said arc drawn between said contact members to transfer from said one contact member to said conducting inner portion, the position of the other contact member relative to said conducting inner portion being such that the length of the transferred arc remains substantially constant until the extinction thereof by said blast of gas.

Claim 5

A gas blast circuit interrupter comprising orifice means, a pair of separable contact members extending through said orifice means to draw an arc therein, blast means for forcing a unidirectional blast of gas through said orifice means to cause the extinction of said arc, said orifice means having a conducting inner portion to which an arc may attach, and means for connecting said conducting inner portion electrically to one of said separable contact members at least during a part of the opening movement of said contact members, said connecting means comprising a sliding contact engaging the outer surface of said orifice means and isolating said conducting inner portion in response to a final opening movement of said one contact member, said conducting inner portion being shaped and positioned relative to said one contact member to cause said arc drawn between said contact members to transfer from said one contact member to said conducting inner portion, the position of the other contact member relative to said conducting inner portion being such that the length of the transferred arc remains substantially constant until the extinction thereof by said blast of gas.

Claim 6

A circuit interrupter according to claim 1, wherein said orifice means comprise a first blast gas guiding orifice member of insulating material surrounding said other contact member and secured to a second orifice member surrounding at least an end portion of said one contact member in the close-circuit position thereof and comprising said conducting inner portion defining a restricted inner opening of conducting material disposed intermediate the end portions of said orifice means.

Claim 7

A circuit interrupter according to claim 4, wherein said second orifice member is composed of resistance material and comprises a frustoconical inner surface converging towards said restricted opening and opening towards said one contact member.

Claim 8

A circuit interrupter according to claim 1, wherein said connection means comprise a series resistor.

Claim 9

A circuit interrupter according to claim 6, wherein said resistor comprises means to be progressively inserted in series by said connection means.

Claim 10

A gas blast circuit interrupter comprising orifice means, a pair of separable contact members extending through said orifice means to draw an arc therein, blast means for forcing an unidirectional blast of gas through said orifice means to cause the extinction of said arc, said orifice means having a conducting inner portion to which an arc may attach, and means for connecting said conducting inner portion electrically to one of said separable contact members at least during a part of the opening movement of said contact members, said conducting inner portion being shaped and positioned relative to said one contact member to cause said arc drawn between said contact members to transfer from said one contact member to said conducting inner portion, the position of the other contact member relative to said conducting inner portion being such that the length of the transferred arc remains substantially constant until the extinction thereof by said blast of gas, wherein said other contact member comprises a conducting rod secured to said orifice means, a relatively movable arcing contact, and resilient bias means to bias said arcing contact towards the said one contact member, whereby said arcing contact is attached by a lost motion connected to said rod.

Claim 11

A gas blast circuit interrupter comprising orifice means, a pair of separable contact members extending through said orifice means to draw an arc therein, blast means for forcing an unidirectional blast of gas through said orifice means to cause the extinction of said arc, said orifice means having a conducting inner portion to which an arc may attach, and means for connecting said conducting inner portion electrically to one of said separable contact members at least during a part of the opening movement of said contact members, said conducting inner portion being shaped and positioned relative to said one contact member to cause said arc drawn between said contact members to transfer from said one contact member to said conducting inner portion, the position of the other contact member relative to said conducting inner portion being such that the length of the transferred arc remains substantially constant until the extinction thereof by said blast of gas, wherein said other contact member comprises a conducting rod secured to said orifice means, a relatively movable arcing contact, and resilient bias means to bias said arcing contact towards the said one contact member, whereby said arcing contact is attached by a lost motion connected to said rod.

Claim 12

A circuit interrupter according to claim 8, wherein said conducting inner portion comprises a restricted portion to which the transferred arc may attach and which is positioned a short distance from said arcing contact in the extended position thereof.

Claim 13

A circuit interrupter according to claim 1, wherein said blast means comprise a puffer cylinder cooperating with a perforated piston, said piston being secured to said orifice means.

Claim 14

A circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein said orifice means is at least partly Composed of resistance material.

Claim 15

A puffer-type circuit interrupter comprising movable orifice means having a restricted inner opening defined by an inner wall portion of conductive material, a relatively stationary puffer cylinder, a perforated piston movable in said cylinder and secured to said orifice means to establish a blast of gas through said opening, separable contact means defining in the closed circuit position thereof a current path extending through said opening and comprising a relatively stationary contact member and a movable contact member, said contact members having confronting arcing end portions to draw an arc therebetween within said orifice means, and connection means for connecting said inner wall portion electrically to said relatively stationary contact member during at least a part of the opening movement of said contact means, said inner wall portion and said arcing end portion of said movable contact member being shaped and positioned so as to cause said arc drawn between said arcing end portions to transfer from said relatively stationary contact member to said inner wall portion during said opening movement, whereby said inner opening and said arcing end portion of said movable contact are spaced apart a small substantial constant distance after separation of said contact means to cause blast of gas to extinguish said arc of substantially constant length.

Claim 16

A puffer-type circuit interrupter comprising movable orifice means having a restricted inner opening defined by an inner wall portion of conductive material, a relatively stationary puffer cylinder, a perforated piston movable in said cylinder and secured to said orifice means to establish a blast of gas through said opening, separable contact means defining in the closed circuit position thereof a current path extending through said opening and comprising a relatively stationary contact member and a movable contact member, said contact members having confronting arcing end portions to draw an arc therebetween within said orifice means, and connection means for connecting said inner wall portion electrically to said relatively stationary contact member during at least a part of the opening movement of said contact means, said inner wall portion and said arcing end portion of said movable contact member being shaped and positioned so as to cause said arc drawn between said arcing end portions to transfer from said relatively stationary contact member to said inner wall portion during said opening movement, whereby said inner opening and said arcing end portion of said movable contact are spaced apart a small substantial constant distance after separation of said contact means to cause blast of gas to extinguish said arc of substantially constant length.

Claim 17

A circuit interrupter according to claim 12, wherein said orifice means is composed of a first orifice member of conductive material including said inner wall portion and a second orifice member of insulating material for guiding of said blast of gas and for supporting said first orifice member from said piston.

Claim 18

A circuit interrupter according to claim 12, wherein said movable contact member comprises a relatively movable arcing end portion, resilient bias means to bias said arcing end portion of said movable contact member towards said relatively stationary contact member, and stop means to limit the relative movement of said arcing end portion in the direction of said relatively stationary contact member so that said arcing end portion in the extended end position thereof defines with said inner wall portion cross blast arcing gap.

Claim 19

A circuit interrupter according to claim 12, wherein said puffer cylinder constitutes a gastight enclosure housing said contact means, said piston and said orifice means and containing a compressed gas of high arc-extinguishing power.

Claim 20

A circuit interrupter according to claim 12, further comprising a pair of main contacts including an annular relatively stationary main contact surrounding said orifice means at least partially in the closed circuit position of the circuit interrupter.

Claim 21

A circuit interrupter according to claim 16, wherein said pair of main contacts comprise at least one movable main contact supported by said piston and cooperating with said relatively stationary main contact.

Claim 22

A circuit interrupter according to claim 12, wherein said orifice means is at least partially composed of resistance material.

Claim 23

A circuit interrupter according to claim 12, wherein said connection means comprise sliding contact means cooperating with a series resistor.

Claim 24

A puffer-type circuit interrupter comprising orifice means having a restricted inner opening defining a takeover arcing contact, a pair of separable contact members to draw an arc within said orifice means, means to connect said takeover arcing contact electrically to one of said contact members, during at least a part of the opening movement of said contact members, said takeover arcing contact and said contact members being shaped and being positioned during said opening movement to cause said arc to extend across a substantially constant length arcing gap defined by said takeover arcing contact and the other contact member therebetween, and puffer means to establish through said arcing gap a cross blast of compressed gas guided by said orifice means. >

Claim 25

A puffer-type circuit interrupter comprising orifice means having a restricted inner opening defining a takeover arcing contact, a pair of separable contact members to draw an arc within said orifice means, means to connect said takeover arcing contact electrically to one of said contact members, during at least a part of the opening movement of said contact members, said takeover arcing contact and said contact members being shaped and being positioned during said opening movement to cause said arc to extend across a substantially constant length arcing gap defined by said takeover arcing contact and the other contact member therebetween, and puffer means to establish through said arcing gap a cross blast of compressed gas guided by said orifice means. >