Claims
- 1. An electric circuit interrupter comprising a pair of separable contacts, operating means for opening and closing the contacts and comprising a cylinder and piston mechanism, the cylinder having opening means at each end of the cylinder, rotatable means at each end of the cylinder and having a plurality of spaced chambers successively alignable with the opening means, generator means in each chamber for generating a sudden expulsion of gaseous medium against the piston and comprising a propellant charge, igniter means for the generator means, and means for rotating the rotatable means.
- 2. The electric circuit interrupter of claim 1 in which the rotatable means comprise a first revolving cylinder at one end of the cylinder and piston mechanism and a second revolving cylinder at the other end of the mechanism.
- 3. The electric circuit interrupter of claim 2 in which the first and second revolving cylinders are interconnected to effect simultaneous rotation.
- 4. The electric circuit interrupter of claim 1 in which the rotatable means comprise a pair of first revolving cylinders at one end of the cylinder and piston mechanism and a pair of second revolving cylinders at the other end of the mechanism.
- 5. The electric circuit interrupter of claim 4 in which one of the revolving cylinders at opposite ends of the mechanism is interconnected for simultaneous rotation and the other of the revolving cylinders at opposite ends being similarly interconnected.
- 6. An electric circuit interrupter comprising a pair of separable contacts, operating means for opening and closing the contacts and comprising a cylinder and piston mechanism, the cylinder having opening means at each end of the cylinder chamber, a surge tank connected to each opening means and communicating with the cylinder chamber, a firing compartment communicating with and having a volume substantially less than that of the surge tank, pressure-dependent generator means in the firing compartment for generating a sudden expulsion of gaseous medium in the compartment, and a restrictive opening between the compartment and the tank, whereby gaseous pressure is maintained at a sufficient level within the compartment to maintain a high burning rate for the pressure-dependent generator means.
- 7. The electric circuit interrupter of claim 6 in which the compartment is a barrel-like compartment in which the generator means is disposed at one end and the restrictive opening being disposed at the other end and adjacent to the chamber.
- 8. A compressed gas puffer-type circuit interrupter comprising, in combination:
- (a) means defining a gas-compressing piston part;
- (b) means defining a gas-compressing cylinder part;
- (c) means defining a relatively stationary contact;
- (d) means defining a cooperable relatively-movable contact cooperable with said relatively stationary contact to establish an arc therebetween during the opening operation of the puffer-type circuit interrupter;
- (e) means defining a hollow movable orifice member to assist in directing compressed gas against said established arc;
- (f) means attaching said hollow movable orifice member and also said relatively movable contact with one of said gas-compressing parts;
- (g) operating means utilizing ignition means for operating said compressed gas puffer-type circuit interrupter and thereby effecting relative motion between said two gas-compressing parts for thereby compressing gas therebetween and thus forcing said compressed gas through said hollow movable orifice and into engagement with the established arc to quickly effect the latter's extinction; and
- (h) the operating means comprising a cylinder-piston mechanism with rotatable means at each end of the cylinder and having a plurality of spaced chambers communicative with the cylinder chamber and containing the combustible propellant.
- 9. The compressed gas puffer-type circuit interrupter of claim 8 in which the rotatable means comprises a first revolving cylinder at one end of the cylinder and piston mechanism and a second revolving cylinder at the other end of the mechanism.
- 10. The compressed gas puffer-type circuit interrupter of claim 9 in which the first and second revolving cylinders are interconnected to effect simultaneous rotation.
- 11. The compressed gas puffer-type circuit interrupter of claim 10 in which the rotatable means comprises a pair of first revolving cylinders at one end of the cylinder and piston mechanism and a pair of second revolving cylinders at the other end of the mechanism.
- 12. The compressed gas puffer-type circuit interrupter of claim 11 in which one of the revolving cylinders at opposite ends of the mechanism are interconnected for simultaneous rotation and the other of the revolving cylinders at opposite ends being similarly interconnected.
- 13. An electric circuit interrupter comprising a pair of separable contacts, operable means for opening and closing the contacts and comprising a cylinder and piston mechanism, the cylinder having opening means at each end of the cylinder chamber, container means for introducing compressed gas into the cylinder alternatively through the opening means, ignition means for providing a compressed gas medium within the container means, and movable means operatively connected to the container means, and comprising spaced compartments in which the ignition means are located for sequential firing into the container means.
- 14. The electric circuit interrupter of claim 13 in which the container means comprises a plenum container communicating with the opening means at each end of the cylinder chamber and valve means for alternatively opening the opening means at each end of the cylinder chamber.
- 15. The electric circuit interrupter of claim 14 in which the movable means comprises a first revolving cylinder at one end of the container means and a second revolving cylinder at the other end of the container means.
- 16. The electric circuit interrupter of claim 15 in which the first and second revolving cylinders are interconnected to effect simultaneous rotation.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to the applications Ser. No. 762,542, filed Jan. 26, 1977, and Ser. No. 831,722, filed Sept. 9, 1977. It is a continuation-in-part of the application Ser. No. 762,543, filed Jan. 26, 1977, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
762543 |
Jan 1977 |
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