Magnetic circuit breaker

Claim 2

A circuit breaker for use in an electrical circuit to interrupt substantial magnitudes of electric current in the circuit, that comprises, a pair of contact members disposed to move along an axis toward and away from one another, respectively to make and break electrical contact, means for moving the members along the axis to make and break electrical contact therebetween and thereby respectively to allow current to flow in the circuit and to interrupt the flow, a non-magnetic cylindrical baffle disposed about the members and coaxial therewith and having a plurality of axially-spaced radial fins which extend inwardly toward the cylinder axis, a non-uniformly distributed electric coil wound about the cylindrical baffle and adapted upon energization to provide a magnetic field in the region of the contact members, the magnetic field having a component in the axial direction and parallel to the flow of electric current in said members and in the region therebetween at the instant the circuit is interrupted to create a kink instability in the arc created upon interruption and having a component in the radialdirection, the axial and radial components of the magnetic field interacting with the arc current to cause the arc to twist into a helical shape between the contact members as the distance therebetween widens, to move radially outward to contact the fins and transfer arc energy thereto, and to revolve relative to the fins continuously changing the portion of the fins in contact with the arc.

Claim 3

A circuit breaker for use in an electrical circuit to interrupt substantial magnitudes of electric current in the circuit, that comprises, a pair of contact members disposed to move along an axis toward and away from one another, respectively to make and break electrical contact, means for moving the members along the axis to make and break electrical contact therebetween and thereby respectively to allow current to flow in the circuit and to interrupt the flow, a non-magnetic cylindrical baffle disposed about the members and coaxial therewith and having a plurality of axially-spaced radial fins which extend inwardly toward the cylinder axis, a non-uniformly distributed electric coil wound about the cylindrical baffle and adapted upon energization to provide a magnetic field in the region of the contact members, the magnetic field having a component in the axial direction and parallel to the flow of electric current in said members and in the region therebetween at the instant the circuit is interrupted to create a kink instability in the arc created upon interruption and having a component in the radial-direction, the axial and radial components of the magnetic field interacting with the arc current to cause the arc to twist into a helical shape between the contact members as the distance therebetween widens, to move radially outward to contact the fins and transfer arc energy thereto, and to revolve relative to the fins continuously changing the portion of the fins in contact with the arc.

Claim 4

A circuit breaker for use in an electrical circuit to interrupt substantial magnitudes of electric current in the circuit, that comprises, a pair of contact members disposed to move along an axis toward and away from one another, respectively to make and break electrical contact, means for moving the members along the axis to make and break electrical contact therebetween and thereby respectively to allow current to flow in the circuit and to interrupt the flow, a non-magnetic cylindrical baffle disposed about the members and coaxial therewith and having a plurality of axially-spaced radial fins which extend inwardly toward the cylinder axis, a non-uniformly distributed electric coil wound about the cylindrical baffle and adapted upon energization to provide a magnetic field in the region of the contact members, the magnetic field having a component in the axial direction and parallel to the flow of electric current in said members and in the region therebetween at the instant the circuit is interrupted to create a kink instability in the arc created upon interruption and having a component in the radial-direction, the axial and radial components of the magnetic field interacting with the arc current to cause the arc to twist into a helical shape between the contact members as the distance therebetween widens, to move radially outward to contact the fins and transfer arc energy thereto, and to revolve relative to the fins continuously changing the portion of the fins in contact with the arc.

Claim 5

A circuit breaker for use in an electrical circuit to interrupt substantial magnitudes of electric current in the circuit, that comprises, a pair of contact members adapted to move toward and away from one another respectively to make and break electrical contact, means for effecting movement of the contact members to make and break electrical contact therebetween and thereby respectively to allow current to flow in the circuit and to interrupt the flow, a heat sink baffle disposed about the contact members and having a plurality of spaced fins which extend radially inward toward the contact members, means for providing background magnetic field in the region of the contact members and having an axial component parallel to the direction of the flow of electric current in said members at the point of contact and in the Region therebetween at the instant the circuit is interrupted to create a kink instability in the arc created upon interruption and having a radial component orthogonal to said direction, interaction between the axial and radial components of the background magnetic field and arc current acting to cause the arc to twist into a helical shape between the contacts as the distance therebetween widens, to move radially outward to contact the fins and transfer arc energy thereto and to move azimuthly thereby to sweep the fins.

Claim 6

A circuit breaker for use in an electrical circuit to interrupt substantial magnitudes of electric current in the circuit, that comprises, a pair of contact members adapted to move toward and away from one another respectively to make and break electrical contact, means for effecting movement of the contact members to make and break electrical contact therebetween and thereby respectively to allow current to flow in the circuit and to interrupt the flow, a heat sink baffle disposed about the contact members and having a plurality of spaced fins which extend radially inward toward the contact members, means for providing background magnetic field in the region of the contact members and having an axial component parallel to the direction of the flow of electric current in said members at the point of contact and in the Region therebetween at the instant the circuit is interrupted to create a kink instability in the arc created upon interruption and having a radial component orthogonal to said direction, interaction between the axial and radial components of the background magnetic field and arc current acting to cause the arc to twist into a helical shape between the contacts as the distance therebetween widens, to move radially outward to contact the fins and transfer arc energy thereto and to move azimuthly thereby to sweep the fins.

Claim 7

A circuit breaker as claimed in claim 2 in which the heat sink baffle comprises an evaporable material adapted to absorb heat from the arc, which absorbed heat effects evaporation of a portion of the material thereby to dissipate arc energy.

Claim 8

A circuit breaker as claimed in claim 2 in which the magnetic field creating means includes a coil disposed about the contact members, the axis of the coil being oriented substantially parallel to said direction to create a magnetic field having its major component in the axial direction, said coil being non-uniformly wound to provide in addition a minor component of magnetic field in the radial direction.

Claim 9

A circuit breaker as claimed in claim 4 which includes a source of electric power connected across the breaker to provide a flow of electric current upon the making of electrical contact between said contact members, said coil being connected in series with the contact members in order that the background field will exist in the region occupied by the contact members and said region therebetween at all times in which there is electric current flow in said circuit and in proportion to the magnitude of current flow.

Claim 10

A circuit breaker as claimed in claim 2 in which: the contact members are rod-shaped elements adapted to move along an axis toward and away from each other, the baffles are composed of an evaporable material adapted to dissipate arc energy by evaporation of material at the fin surfaces, and in which the fins have aligned openings along said axis to receive the rod-shaped members, the openings being only slightly larger in cross dimensions than the cross dimensions of the members.

Claim 11

A circuit breaker for use in an electrical circuit to interrupt substantial magnitudes of electric current in the circuit, that comprises, a pair of contact members disposed to move toward and away from one another respectively to make and break electrical contact, means for moving the members to make and break electrical contact therebetween and thereby respectively to allow current to flow in the circuit and to interrupt the flow, an electric coil wound to provide upon energization a high-intensity magnetic background field throughout the region of the contact members, said field having an axial component in the direction parallel to the flow of electric current in the contact region of said members and in the region therebetween at the instant the circuit is interrupted to create a kink instability in the arc created upon interruption and having a radial component orthogonal to said direction, reaction between the axial and radial components of magnetic field interacting with the arc current acting to cause the arc to twist into a helical shape between the contacts as the distance therebetween widens, to move radially outward and to revolve relative to the fins.

Claim 12

A circuit breaker for use in an electrical circuit to interrupt substantial magnitudes of electric current in the circuit, that comprises, a pair of contact members disposed to move toward and away from one another respectively to make and break electrical contact, means for moving the members to make and break electrical contact therebetween and thereby respectively to allow current to flow in the circuit and to interrupt the flow, an electric coil wound to provide upon energization a high-intensity magnetic background field throughout the region of the contact members, said field having an axial component in the direction parallel to the flow of electric current in the contact region of said members and in the region therebetween at the instant the circuit is interrupted to create a kink instability in the arc created upon interruption and having a radial component orthogonal to said direction, reaction between the axial and radial components of magnetic field interacting with the arc current acting to cause the arc to twist into a helical shape between the contacts as the distance therebetween widens, to move radially outward and to revolve relative to the fins.

Claim 13

A circuit breaker as claimed in claim 7 in which the coil is connected electrically in series with said contact members.