Westinghouse Electric Corporation

John F Perkins

Norman Davies

Clive W Kimblin

Roy E Voshall

Fred Bould

William J Lange

There is provided a novel vacuum detection means utilizing a high frequency, high voltage device to excite an electrical discharge in a vacuum whose characteristics are dependent on the level of the vacuum contained therein. This discharge current allows the degree of vacuum to be continuously monitored.

Vacuum detector

A vacuum circuit interrupter as taught which utilizes the vapor deposition shields thereof in the existing high voltage source or network which is controlled by the circuit interrupter to produce a cold cathode ion detector for determining the quality or amount of vacuum within the vacuum circuit interrupter. The central shield support ring which protrudes through the insulating casing of the circuit interrupter is used to supply ion current to a current detecting bridge through a circumferentially insulated surge resistor and from there to the common terminal of the aforementioned voltage source to thereby return one of the plates of the ion detecting device to the voltage source.

Vacuum circuit interrupter with insulated vacuum monitor resistor

A fluid-blast circuit-interrupter of the puffer-type is provided having two connected piston structures, one designated herein as a primary piston structure, and the other termed a secondary piston structure, connected serially mechanically in tandem series arrangement to thereby compress a suitable arc-extinguishing fluid in two separate compression chambers. Valve action is utilized to delay the initiation of the second gas-blast from the second compression chamber toward the arc until the separable interrupting contacts have reached a desired predetermined contact separation distance. By suitably changing the component dimensions of the interrupter, the degree of gas compression, and the instant of gas-blast application of the second arc-extinguishing blast, may be changed without delaying the instant of initial contact separation.

Dual-compression gas-blast puffer-type interrupting device

A fluid-blast circuit interrupter of the puffer type is provided having two pistons connected in tandem to compress arc-extinguishing fluid in two separate volumes and to produce two separate fluid blasts. Valve action is provided to delay the initiation of the second blast until the interrupter contacts have reached the desired separation distance. By changing component dimensions the degree of compression of arc-extinguishing fluid may be changed without delaying the instant of contact separation.

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Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

John F Perkins