Electric overvoltage arrester with carbon air gap and gas tube

Claim 2

In an electrical overvoltage arrester of the character described, in combination wih a metal housing of cylindrical shape and having a closed top and an open bottom, of a metal shorting basket within the housing disposed substantially axially thereof, a carbon air gap device and a surge voltage gas tube in an operative combination and having an aligned relation within the shorting basket, the surge voltage gas tube discharging radially to an outer peripheral electrode and then to the shorting basket having contact therewith, whereby the conductive path for said discharges is parallel to the conductive path for discharges taking place through the carbon air gap device, both said conductive paths including the shorting basket.

Claim 3

An electric overvoltage arrester as defined by claim 1, additionally including a coil spring confined between the closed top of the metal housing and the shorting basket, whereby the said parallel conductive paths include the coil spring and then to the metal housing with which the coil spring contacts.

Claim 4

An electric overvoltage arrester as defined by claim 2, additionally including a fusible element disposed within the shorting basket and having a location in said aligned relation of the carbon air gap device with the said surge voltage gas tube.

Claim 5

In an electrical overvoltage arrester of the character as described, a metal housing member substantially cylindrical in shape and having a closed top and an open bottom, a metal shorting basket within the housing member and having a flat top and a plurality of resilient fingers which depend longitudinally, a coil spring confined between the closed top of the housing and the flat top of the shorting basket, means within the shorting basket in axial alignment including a fusible element, a carbon disc, the carbon rod of an air gap device and the center electrode of a surge voltage gas tube, said means at one end having electrical contact with the top of the shorting basket, whereas its other end is adapted to have electrical contact with a terminal button, and said resilient fingers having contact with an outer peripheral electrode of said gas tube.

Claim 6

In an electrical overvoltage arrester of the character as described, a metal housing member substantially cylindrical in shape and having a closed top and an open bottom, a metal shorting basket within the housing member and having a flat top and a plurality of resilient fingers which depend longitudinally, a coil spring confined between the closed top of the housing and the flat top of the shorting basket, means within the shorting basket in axial alignment including a fusible element, a carbon disc, the carbon rod of an air gap device and the center electrode of a surge voltage gas tube, said means at one end having electrical contact with the top of the shorting basket, whereas its other end is adapted to have electrical contact with a terminal button, and said resilient fingers having contact with an outer peripheral electrode of said gas tube.

Claim 7

An electric overvoltage arrester as defined in claim 4, wherein the center electrode of the gas tube projects a short distance from each end of the same, and wherein the gas tube discharges radially from the center electrode to the outer peripheral electrode.

Claim 8

An electric overvoltage arrester as defined in claim 4, wherein the carbon air gap device additionally includes a cylindrical housing of insulating material which retains the said carbon rod below and out of contact with the carbon disc to provide the air gap, and wherein the center electrode of the gas tube projects from each end thereof to contact the said carbon rod and the terminal button respectively.

Claim 9

An electric overvoltage arrester as defined in claim 6, wherein the gas tube discharges radially from the center electrode to the outer peripheral electrode, and wherein the fingers of the shorting basket contact the said outer electrode, whereby the discharge voltages are carried by the fingers to the metal housing through the coil spring.

Claim 10

In an overvoltage protective installation for electric transmission lines, the combination with an insulating support member having an opening in its top surface with a terminal button on the bottom wall of the opening, and a metal grounding plate provided by the support member in encircling relation with the opening, an overvoltage arrester including a metal housing disposed in fixed relation in the opening and in contact with the grounding plate, said housing having a closed top and an open bottom, a metal shorting basket positioned axially within the housing and having a plurality of resilient fingers depending downwardly, a coil spring confined between the closed top of the housing and the top of the shorting basket, a carbon air gap device and a surge voltage gas tube in an operative combination and having an aligned relation within the shorting basket, said air gap device including a carbon rod in spaced relation at one end with a carbon disc to form an air gap, the gas tube including a center electrode and an outer peripheral electrode so that the same discharges radially, the center electrode at one end contacting the carbon rod with its other end having contact with the terminal button, and said resilient fingers having contact with the outer electrode, whereby the radial discharges of the gas tube are carried by the fingers to the metal housing through the coil spring and then to ground.

Claim 11

In an overvoltage protective installation for electric transmission lines, the combination with an insulating support member having an opening in its top surface with a terminal button on the bottom wall of the opening, and a metal grounding plate provided by the support member in encircling relation with the opening, an overvoltage arrester including a metal housing disposed in fixed relation in the opening and in contact with the grounding plate, said housing having a closed top and an open bottom, a metal shorting basket positioned axially within the housing and having a plurality of resilient fingers depending downwardly, a coil spring confined between the closed top of the housing and the top of the shorting basket, a carbon air gap device and a surge voltage gas tube in an operative combination and having an aligned relation within the shorting basket, said air gap device including a carbon rod in spaced relation at one end with a carbon disc to form an air gap, the gas tube including a center electrode and an outer peripheral electrode so that the same discharges radially, the center electrode at one end contacting the carbon rod with its other end having contact with the terminal button, and said resilient fingers having contact with the outer electrode, whereby the radial discharges of the gas tube are carried by the fingers to the metal housing through the coil spring and then to ground.

Claim 12

An overvoltage protective installation for electric transmission lines as defined by claim 8, additionally including a fusible element having location within the shorting basket between the top of the same and the carbon disc.

Claim 13

An overvoltage protective installation for electric transmission lines as defined by claim 8, wherein the resilient fingers of the shorting basket have a special shape whereby at a midway location they contact the inside surface of the metal housing in addition to also contacting the outer peripheral electrode of the gas tube.