US3686456A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Contact structure for an electric circuit breaker
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1970-04-09
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Granted: 1972-08-22
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Expires: 1990-04-09
Abstract
Abstract Discloses a circuit breaker with a pair of contacts that are located in a fluid medium and are relatively movable into and out of engagement with each other. Each of these contacts comprises a porous skeleton of a refractory material, such as tungsten or tungsten carbide, and an alloy of silver and bismuth filling the pores of the skeleton. The percentage of bismuth is less than 2 percent by weight of the silver-bismuth alloy.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph L Talento
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:42
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H1/00; H01H1/02; H01H1/021; H01H1/023; H01H1/0233
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
69 words
A circuit breaker comprising a pair of contacts located in a fluid medium and relatively movable into and out of engagement with each other, at least one of said contacts comprising a porous skeleton of a refractory material and an alloy consisting essentially of silver and bismuth filling the pores of said skeleton, the percentage of bismuth being less than about 2 percent by weight of the silver-bismuth alloy.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
69 words
A circuit breaker comprising a pair of contacts located in a fluid medium and relatively movable into and out of engagement with each other, at least one of said contacts comprising a porous skeleton of a refractory material and an alloy consisting essentially of silver and bismuth filling the pores of said skeleton, the percentage of bismuth being less than about 2 percent by weight of the silver-bismuth alloy.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The circuit breaker of claim 1 in which said refractory material is tungsten carbide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The circuit breaker of claim 1 in which the percentage of bismuth is less than about 1 percent by weight of the silver-bismuth alloy.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The circuit breaker of claim 1 in which said refractory material is tungsten carbide, and the percentage of bismuth is less than about 1 percent by weight of the silver-bismuth alloy.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The circuit breaker of claim 1 in which said refractory material is tungsten carbide, and the percentage of bismuth is about 1/2 percent by weight of the silver-bismuth alloy.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The circuit breaker of claim 1 in which both of said contacts are of the composite material defined in claim 1.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The circuit breaker of claim 2 in which both of said contacts are of the composite material defined in claim 2.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The circuit breaker of claim 3 in which both of said contacts are of the composite material defined in claim 3.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The circuit breaker of claim 4 in which both of said contacts are of the composite material defined in claim 4.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-22 | 1976-02-21 | 1976-08-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-22 | 1980-02-21 | 1980-08-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-22 | 1984-02-21 | 1984-08-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |