Closing resistor switch for gas insulated circuit breaker

Claim 2

In a gas insulated circuit breaker having an enclosure containing an insulating gas at a relatively low pressure; an interrupter within said enclosure and having a pair of contacts movable relative to each other between open and closed positions; a plurality of independent resistance means connected in parallel with each other, each of said plurality of resistance means including a plurality of individual resistance elements arranged in stacked array, each stack of individual resistance elements being biased into intimate engagement, said stacks of resistance elements being enclosed in a housing; switch means operable when actuated to a closed position to connect said resistance means in parallel with said interrupter contacts; and, operating means operably connected to close said interrupter contacts and to actuate said switch means to a closed position just prior to the closing of said interrupter contacts.

Claim 3

A gas insulated circuit breaker according to claim 1 wherein switch means includes a movable contact and a stationary contact; and, said stationary contact being electrically connected to all of said resistance stacks; whereby the actuation of said switch means to closed position operates to connect all of said resistance stacks in parallelism with said interrupter contacts.

Claim 4

A gas insulated circuit breaker according to claim 2 wherein said stacks of individual resistances are maintained bodily isolated from each other.

Claim 5

A gas insulated circuit breaker according to claim 3 wherein opposing forces are applied to each end of said stacks of said individual resistances to provide for intimate contact of the individual resistances in each of said stacks.

Claim 6

In a resistor switch, a cylindrical switch housing of an insulating material; a first metallic end member secured to one end of said housing; a second metallic end member secured to the opposite end of said cylindrical housing; a contact rod carried by said first metallic end member for movement between open and closed positions; a cylindrical resistor housing disposed within said cylindrical housing; a plurality of stacks of resistor elements disposed within said resistor housing; a stationary contact carried by said resistor housing and connected to all of said stacks of resistor elements; and, individual conductor means connecting each of said stacks of resistor elements to said second metallic end member; whereby a conductive circuit will be established from said second metallic end member through said parallel connected resistor stacks to said first end member upon movement of said contact rod to closed position.

Claim 7

In a resistor switch, a cylindrical switch housing of an insulating material; a first metallic end member secured to one end of said housing; a second metallic end member secured to the opposite end of said cylindrical housing; a contact rod carried by said first metallic end member for movement between open and closed positions; a cylindrical resistor housing disposed within said cylindrical housing; a plurality of stacks of resistor elements disposed within said resistor housing; a stationary contact carried by said resistor housing and connected to all of said stacks of resistor elements; and, individual conductor means connecting each of said stacks of resistor elements to said second metallic end member; whereby a conductive circuit will be established from said second metallic end member through said parallel connected resistor stacks to said first end member upon movement of said contact rod to closed position.

Claim 8

A resistor switch according to claim 5 wherein said resistor housing is of a diameter to form a space between it and said switch housing to thereby provide for circulation of gas therebetween.

Claim 9

A resistor switch according to claim 5 wherein there is provided biasing means urging said resistor elements of the individual stacks into intimate engagement; adjusting means operable on said biasing to regulate the force that said biasing means applies to said resistor elements.

Claim 10

A resistor switch according to claim 7 wherein there is provided insulator means operable to maintain said stacks of resistor elements insolated from each other.

Claim 11

A resistor switch according to claim 8 wherein there is provided a ceramic rod extending between said first and second metallic end members and is secured thereto; and, adjusting means operable between said second metallic end member and one end of said ceramic rod to apply a tensioning force to said ceramic rod to thereby secure said resistor housing in operable position within said switch housing.