Electrical insulator with contamination and flash-over eliminator

Claim 1

An improved electrical insulator adapted to be linked together with like insulators into a chain of such insulators, said insulator having a dielectric body provided with an upper surface which has an outwardly and downwardly extending flange and a lower surface which has a plurality of downwardly extending petticoats, a lower mounting means which is conductive, which is secured within said dielectric body and which protrudes from the lower surface, and an upper mounting means, which is conductive and is secured to the top of said dielectric body to receive and hold the lower mounting means of a second insulator to be positioned above, wherein the improvement comprises: a conducting non-corrosive upper member which is secured to the upper surface of the insulator and in electrical contact with the upper mounting means whereby to dissipate high electric fields which exist between the bottom edge of the upper mounting means and the upper surface of the insulator, said upper member extending radially outward so that the outer perimeter of the upper member extends beyond the flange of the upper surface of said insulator, whereby to protect the insulator from atmospheric contamination; and a conducting non-corrosive lower member which is secured to the lower surface of the insulator and is in electrical contact with the lower mounting means whereby to dissipate high electric fields which exist between the upper portion of the lower mounting means and the lower surface of the insulator, said lower member conforming to the shape of the lower surface of the insulator;