Surge voltage arrester assembly

Claim 1

A surge voltage arrester assembly comprising: a metallic tubular housing member; an electrically conductive cage positioned within said housing member and having outwardly extending resilient fingers slideably engaging said housing member; electrically conductive contact means within said electrically conductive cage; a hermetically sealed cold cathode gas tube with first and second electrodes spaced by an electrical insulator forming a primary arc gap, said cold cathode gas tube being positioned within said cage with said first electrode contacting said electrically conductive contact means; a first electrically conductive member contacting said second electrode of said cold cathode gas tube within said electrically conductive cage, said first electrically conductive member having an axially extending protuberance; centrally apertured electrical insulator means having a plurality of circumferentially spaced and isolated holes, said insulator means being telescoped over said axially extending protuberance of said first electrically conductive member and positioned adjacent said first conductive member; a sleeve of electrical insulating material telescoped over said protuberance of said first electrically conductive member; and a second electrically conductive member having a central aperture and telescoped over said sleeve of electrical insulating material, said second electrically conductive member being positioned immediately adjacent said electrical insulator means and retained by and contacting said resilient fingers within said electrically conductive cage whereby said circumferentially spaced holes provide secondary arc gaps intermediate said first and second electrically conductive members.