Gould Inc.

I-t-e Imperial Corporation

Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated

Brown Boveri Electric Inc.

Lorne D McConnell

Gerald A Votta

Ruben D Garzon

Donald E Weston

Edward M Spencer

Leonard J Kucharski

A multi-pole circuit breaker has interrupters contained in respective housing sections which have two bushings extending perpendicularly from either end of the housing section. Each housing section is segmented at its center so that the two halves which are defined can rotate relative to one another whereby the bushings extending from the housing halves can have different angular relationships with respect to one another and the bushing-free ends can have different spacings. The circuit breaker can be used as an indoor or outdoor circuit breaker with common parts but the bushing spacing is altered by adjusting the angular relationship of the bushings relative to one another.

Segmented circuit breaker housing with rotatably adjustable bushing

A contact structure for a circuit interrupter consists of a cylindrical cluster of spring wire members, each having a U shape with axially inwardly reentrantly bent tips at the base of the U shapes. Alternate members in the cylindrical cluster have their reentrant sections axially displaced from one another so that the tips of alternate members terminate in spaced first and second planes which are perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical cluster. The two sets of wire members are interleaved, whereby the longer fingers straddle the legs of the shorter members, thereby defining two internal contact regions at the base of the two reentrant bent sections.

Wire formed interleaved spring contact structure

A moving contact structure for an arc spinner type of interrupter is provided with a flow channel which communicates with the arcing region and permits the flow of arc plasma away from the arcing region during interruption. The flow channel in one embodiment of the invention is defined by openings near the end of a hollow elongated movable contact part. In a second embodiment of the invention, a restricted volume is provided behind the arcing contact and this volume is expanded during the interruption process to produce a negative pressure during the interruption process which will promote the flow of arc plasma away from the arc space and into the region behind the arcing contact.

Moving contact for localized gas flow arc spinner type interrupter

A current interrupter is provided for use in controlling currents associated with power line faults. The interrupter is of the type having a housing filled with a dielectric fluid such as pressurized sulfur hexafluoride liquid and having electrodes extending through the walls of the housing. Associated with the electrodes is a movable contact member which when closed provides a path for current flow and which is movable to break a circuit. The housing includes a fluid chamber having a passage for fluid communication with the remaining interior of the housing. The movable contact member closes the passage when in its closed position. The method of the invention includes rapidly increasing the pressure in the chamber to move the contact from its closed position. A chemical propellant drives a piston against the fluid in the chamber. The fluid drives the movable contact member to open the passage and to break the current path, causing an arc. The fluid escaping from the chamber flows transverse to the arc thereby increasing the voltage drop of the interrupter.

Current interrupter for fault current limiter and method

Current sensing coils are fixed to the grounded sheath of a gas-insulated conductor in pairs which preferably straddle the internal location of a support insulator. A plurality of such sensors may be disposed along the length of the conductor. The output of the pick-up coils is applied to a conventional electromagnetic target which can be operated from a target-off position to a target-on position in response to the axial flow of ground current through the housing in opposite directions from an insulator position as measured by any pair of pick-up elements. By then comparing the condition of the various targets on the system, one can determine the point at which fault current flowed from the main insulated conductor, across a faulted insulator and to the grounded housing. A local source of reset power may be provided to permit reset of the target, or an external magnetic pulsing device may be employed.

On-line fault locator for gas-insulated conductors with plural detectors

A puffer interrupter has two axially spaced movable pistons fixed to the movable contact. A fixed barrier is disposed between the two pistons and a further fixed barrier is positioned at the end of the cylinder chamber. The two fixed barriers form three variable volume chambers with the two movable pistons. As the interrupter is opened, the central chamber formed between the end movable piston and fixed barrier between the two pistons reduces in volume to generate an increasing pressure while the two volumes on either side of the central volume increase in volume to produce a decrease in pressure. Gas then flows axially through the separating contact from the decreased volume central chamber to the outer reduced-pressure chambers. An auxiliary piston is formed within the central chamber and can increase the central chamber volume when the pressure within the central chamber exceeds a given value due to blockage of the nozzle by high arc-generated pressures.

Axial blast puffer interrupter with multiple puffer chambers

A contact construction is disclosed for a circuit interrupter of the type in which an arc drawn between cooperating arcing contacts is caused to circulate around an axis and through a dielectric gas in order to extinguish the arc. The movable contact is so constructed that the current path is directed radially relative to the contact axis so that a magnetic force is applied radially inward to the arc which roots on the movable contact. This magnetic force tends to move the arc root on the movable contact to the innermost radial position on the movable contact. The arc is also forced in a direction away from exteriorly positioned main contact components.

Moving contact for radial blow-in effect for arc spinner interrupter

A spring wire formed tulip contact comprises cylindrical male and female members. The female member is formed by placing a plurality of spring wire fingers around the outer circumference of a cylindrical stud member in such a manner that the plurality of fingers extend axially outward from the stud to form a female contact sleeve. Each of the plurality of fingers are bent axially inward with respect to the stud in order that the innermost diameter of the female contact sleeve is smaller than the outer diameter of the male contact member. The plurality of fingers are held in firm electrical and mechanical contact with the stud member by a cylindrical retaining ring.

Spring wire formed tulip contact

A puffer interrupter has two axially spaced movable pistons fixed to the movable contact. A fixed barrier is disposed between the two pistons and a further fixed barrier is positioned at the end of the cylinder chamber. The two fixed barriers form three variable volume chambers with the two movable pistons. As the interrupter is opened, the central chamber formed between the end movable piston and fixed barrier between the two pistons reduces in volume to generate an increasing pressure while the two volumes on either side of the central volume increase in volume to produce a decrease in pressure. Gas then flows axially through the separating contact from the decreased volume central chamber to the outer reduced-presssure chambers. An auxiliary piston is formed within the central chamber and can increase the central chamber volume when the pressure within the central chamber exceeds a given value due to blockage of the nozzle by high arc-generated pressures.

A fault-current limiter is formed as a self-contained unit which can be connected in an existing power transmission system. The fault-current limiter consists of a series-connected inductor and capacitor which are resonant with the power line frequency, and a normally open switch is in parallel with the capacitor. A sodium fuse connected in series with a calibrating impedance is connected in parallel with the switch and the fuse is operated under predetermined circuit current conditions. The sodium fuse extends an operating plunger upon its operation, and the plunger causes the switch to close, thereby to short-circuit the capacitor and connect the current-limiting impedance of the inductor in the main power circuit.

Growing community of inventors

Chalfont, PA, United States of America

Lorne D McConnell