Lightning arrester

Claim 2

For a lightning protector for a pair of electrical signal lines coupled to a utilization device, in combination: a gasfilled discharge tube having five electrodes, one of said electrodes adapted for electrical connection to one of said signal lines, another of said electrodes adapted for electrical connection to the other of said signal lines, and a third electrode being electrically grounded; a first step-up transformer connected between said one electrode and a fourth electrode; and another step-up transformer connected between said another electrode and a fifth electrode.

Claim 3

The invention as in claim 1 wherein the gas discharge tube has an ignition potential value substantially greater than the amplitude of the normal signals on said signal lines; and the turns ratio of said transformers are such that the potential appearing between said one and said fourth electrode and between said another and said fifth electrode through the respective transformers is less than the ignition potential when the normal signal appears on the signal lines but is at least equal to the ignition potential when the amplitude of a signal on either signal line is greater than that of the normal signal to a degree sufficient to be damaging to the utilization device.

Claim 4

For a lightning protector for an electrical signal line coupled to a utilization device: a gas-filled discharge tube having at least three electrodes, one of said electrodes adapted for electrical connection to the signal line; another of said electrodes electrically grounded; and a transformer having a step-up turns ratio connected between said one electrode and the third ungrounded electrode with the transformer primary and secondary connected in series aiding relationship.

Claim 5

For a lightning protector for an electrical signal line coupled to a utilization device: a gas-filled discharge tube having at least three electrodes, one of said electrodes adapted for electrical connection to the signal line; another of said electrodes electrically grounded; and a transformer having a step-up turns ratio connected between said one electrode and the third ungrounded electrode with the transformer primary and secondary connected in series aiding relationship.

Claim 6

The invention as set forth in claim 3 wherein the gas discharge tube has an ignition potential value substantially greater than the amplitude of the normal signal on said signal line; and the turns ratio of said transformer is such that the potential appearing between said one and said third electrode through the transformer is less than the ignition potential when the normal signal appears on the signal line but is at least equal to the ignition potential when the amplitude of a signal on the signal line is great enough to damage the utilization device.

Claim 7

The invention as set forth in claim 4 wherein the ignition potential of said gas discharge tube is in the order of about 200 volts or greater.

Claim 8

In lightning protector for a pair of electrical signal lines coupled to a utilization device which includes a gas-filled three-electrode discharge tube with one electrode electrically grounded and each of the other two electrodes connected to respective ones of said signal lines, the improvement comprising: another electrode in the gas tube for each electrode connected to a signal line; a step-up transformer coupled between each of said another electrodes and its associated line-connected electrode, the turns ratio of said transformers being selected such that the potential appearing between the transformer-coupled electrodes is less than the gas ignition potential when a normal signal level is on the lines but at least reachEs the gas ignition potential when a line signal reaches a level sufficient to damage the utilization device.

Claim 9

In lightning protector for a pair of electrical signal lines coupled to a utilization device which includes a gas-filled three-electrode discharge tube with one electrode electrically grounded and each of the other two electrodes connected to respective ones of said signal lines, the improvement comprising: another electrode in the gas tube for each electrode connected to a signal line; a step-up transformer coupled between each of said another electrodes and its associated line-connected electrode, the turns ratio of said transformers being selected such that the potential appearing between the transformer-coupled electrodes is less than the gas ignition potential when a normal signal level is on the lines but at least reachEs the gas ignition potential when a line signal reaches a level sufficient to damage the utilization device.