US1819207A - Circuit breaker - Google Patents

Circuit breaker Download PDF

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Publication number
US1819207A
US1819207A US54930A US5493025A US1819207A US 1819207 A US1819207 A US 1819207A US 54930 A US54930 A US 54930A US 5493025 A US5493025 A US 5493025A US 1819207 A US1819207 A US 1819207A
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Prior art keywords
arc
grids
arcing
voltage
current
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US54930A
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English (en)
Inventor
Slepian Joseph
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Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Priority to NL22058D priority Critical patent/NL22058C/xx
Priority to BE336227D priority patent/BE336227A/xx
Application filed by Westinghouse Electric Corp filed Critical Westinghouse Electric Corp
Priority to US54930A priority patent/US1819207A/en
Priority to GB19041/26A priority patent/GB258234A/en
Priority to DES76022D priority patent/DE467129C/de
Priority to FR621486D priority patent/FR621486A/fr
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Publication of US1819207A publication Critical patent/US1819207A/en
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H9/00—Details of switching devices, not covered by groups H01H1/00 - H01H7/00
    • H01H9/30—Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts
    • H01H9/34—Stationary parts for restricting or subdividing the arc, e.g. barrier plate
    • H01H9/36—Metal parts

Definitions

  • de-ionizing means in the form of conducting sheets or nuclei placed across the are which rapidly reduce the conductivity of the arc space after the arc current passes through zero.
  • the de-ionizing means are preferably so arranged as to interfere as little as possible with the arc play as long as the arc lasts.
  • Fi re 1 is a side elevational view of a circuit breaker embodying my invention, a part of the arc chamber being shown in section;
  • Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line II+II of Fig. 1, showing the arc chamber of the circuit breaker;
  • Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the arc chamber and the arc blow-out magnet of the circuit breaker shown in Fig. 1;
  • Fig. 4&8 a diagram illustrating the as..-
  • Figs. 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views i1- lustrating the process of de-ionization of the are space between two arcing electrodes:
  • Figs. 7 and 8 are views similar to 5 and 6, illustrating the pro ess of de-ionization when (is are place in the space between the e ectrodes
  • Fig. 9 is a curve diagram illustrating the phenomena taking place upon the opemng of a circuit. breaker embodying my'in vention;
  • Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of'ap ratus and circuits embodying my circuit breaker in a modified form
  • Figs. 11 and 12 are horizontal sectional views of arcing chambers, embodying modifications of my invention.
  • Iare vertical sec Fig. 22 is a horizontal sectional view on the line XXII-XXII of Fig. 21;
  • Fig. 23 is a vertical sectional view, similar to Fig. 21, showing a still further modification of my invention.
  • Fig. 24 is a horizontal sectional view on the lines XXIVXXIV of Fig. 23,
  • Figs. 25 and 26 are vertical sectional views, similar to Fig. 21, showing other modifications of my invention.
  • Fig. 27 is a vertical sectional view of an arcing chamber illustrating a still further modi 'cation of my invention
  • Figs. 28 and 29 are horizontal sectional views of arcing chambers embodying modifications of my invention.
  • Fig. 30 is a verticalsectional view including all of the modifications of my invention.
  • a circuit breaker comprising two main contact members 1 and 2 mounted upon insulating bushings 3 and 4 secured, one above the other, upon a structural-iron supporting frame 5.
  • the contact members 1 and 2 comprise terminal rods 6 and 7 extending to the back side of the supporting frame, through perforations in the centers of the insulating bushings 3 and 4.
  • the main bracket 12 of the circuit breaker carrying a shaft or point 13 upon which are rotatably mounted a main contact arm 14 and an upwardly extending arcing-contact arm 15.
  • the main contact arm holds a main contact brush 17, consisting of laminated copper punchings, against the main contact members 1, 2.
  • the upwardly extending arcing-contact arm 15 of the circuit breaker carries an arcuate movable contact shoe 19, engaging a stationary arcing contact member 20, for effecting the final interruption of the circuit.
  • the stationary arcing contact member has a slight tilting motion, being pressed downwardly, against the contact shoe 19, by means of a spring 21.
  • the stationary member 20 is connected, by means of a flexible conductor 22, to one terminal 23 of blow-out coils 24, the other terminal 25 of the coil being electrically connected to a metallic supportmg frame 26 which is in electrical engage ment with the upper main contact member 1.
  • the movable arcing contact shoe 19 is electrically connected to the swinging arm 15, which is, in turn, connected to the lower main contact member 2 through a flexible shunt 27 adjacent to the pivot 13.
  • the switch arms 14 and 15 are operated by atoggle mechanism comprising a bell-crank lever 28 which is pivoted to the switch frame 12 at 29.
  • the inner end of the bell-crank lever is pivoted to two links 30 and 31 which are connected to the two switch arms 14 and 15, respectively.
  • the switch arm 15 is drawn towards its open position by a spring 32, and the toggle link 31, which is connected thereto, is disposed above the line of centers of the toggle, so as to lock the switch in closed position.
  • the circuit breaker is tripped by moving the outer end of the bellcrank lever 28 upwardly, thus breaking the toggle.
  • the movable arcing shoe-19 When the switch is opened, the movable arcing shoe-19, being of arcuate shape, does not break contact with the stationary contact member 20 until after the main contact members 1 and 2 are disengaged by the main contact brush 17.
  • a pair of auxiliary contact members 33 and 34 are usually also provided to relieve the main contact members of the arcing incident to the transfer of the current from the main contact members to the inductive shunt circuit comprising the final current interrupting contact members 19 and 20 and the blow-out coil 24.
  • the stationary auxiliary contact member 33 is mounted on the frame 26 which is in electrical contact with the upper main contact member 1
  • the movable auxiliary contact member 34 is mounted on the top of the main contact brush 17, which is in electrical contact with the lower main contact member 2, through the switch arm 14.
  • the movable auxiliary contact member 34 is pivoted at 35 and is pressed toward the stationary contact member by means of a spring 36, in order to secure arolling and wiping motion when engaging or disengaging the stationary auxiliary contact member 33.
  • an arc chute 40 is provided above the arcing contact members 19 and 20.
  • the lower portion of the chute terminates in two horn-like arcing plates 41 and 42, the plate 41 being in electrical engagement with the stationary arcing contact member 20, and the plate 42 being provided with resilient fingers 43 which engage the movable arcing contact shoe 19 when the latter is in its final open position, so that the arc is transferred from the arcing contact members 19 and 20 t0 the horn-like plates 41 and 42 leading to the arc chute 40.
  • the arcing chute 40 consists of four spaced vertical conducting plates 44, 45, 46 and 47, dividing the space between the upper ends of the horn-like arcing plates 41 and 42 into three separate serially-connected arcing chambers 48, 49 and 50, the two end plates 44 and 47 being in electrical c ntact with the arcing plates 41 and 42, respectively.
  • Each arcing member is sub-divided into a large number of small spaces by means of conducting sheets or grids 51, disposed parallel to the arcing terminal plates 4 to 47, incluably reticulated, as will be explained later.
  • the space between the horn-like arcing "plates 41 and 42 may be enclosed, at the sides, by large insulating shields 52 engaging the edgesof the plates.
  • ing chute 40 may be enclosed by insulating plat tias 53 engaging the edges of-the plates to 4 The are is forced into the arcing chambers 48, 49 and of the chute,'by means of the aforementioned blow-out coils 24, which are shown as being provided with a horseshoeshaped laminated iron core 54 terminating in pole-shoeplates 55 and 56, the plates 56 being the larger, and being disposed in engagement withthe insu'lating walls 52 and 53, as
  • blowout coil 94 The function of the blowout coil 94 is to cause the arc stream to be displaced laterally into the space traversed by the grid sheets 51, within an interval of time whicli'is-short as compared to the half-period of the alternating-current circuit to which the breaker is connected, so that the arc tween the arcing electrodes and to interfere as little as possible with the arc play.
  • the grids fillingthe'spaoe between the arcing electrodes exercise an enormous deionizing action, as hereafter described, rapidly restoring the airspace in one or more of the arcing chambers to its original insulating condition and preventing the re-striking of the are upon the rise of terminal voltage which follows the extinction of. the arc in such chambers.
  • the grid chamber or are chute 40 is of suflicient extent, as compared to the speed of arc motion therewithin, to insure that the final interruption of the arc -shall be accomplished within the chute.
  • the are movement within the chute is made fast enough to prevent melting of the grids or destruction of the insulation near the are under ordinary conditions of discharge.
  • the arc- 51 ar'e preferably sorn'ade as to permit a continous are be-' action of. the grids utilized in the arcing or de-iom'zing chambers of my improved circuit breaker, it will be helpful to briefly discuss the phenoinena taking place in an alternating-current are discharge.
  • the voltage drop in said thin layer, or the cathode drop is of the order i broken down and the current density is not too high, the conduction across the gap takes the form of a glow discharge, in whichthe positive ions, and to a smaller extent the electrons and negative ions, moving through the high-gradient field of the cathode drop toward the cathode and the anode, respectively, continue to produce new electrons and ions by collision with the air molecules in the thin layers wherein the cathode drop occurs, thus supplying suflicient electrons and ions to produce a highly conducting state, or low voltage gradient, in the remainder of the gap.
  • Ara dz'sckarge If, at some spot next the cathode, the energy input is sufficient to raise its temperature to such degree that it begins to emit electrons thermionically, or to heat a layer of gas very close to this spot to such a temperature that it is thermally ionized,'the current will concentrate at such spot.
  • the cathode drop then becomes much smaller than in the glow discharge, since the necessary conduction is produced by thermionic electron emission, or by thermal ionization of gas very close to the cathode, rather than by ionization-by-collision.
  • the voltage drop in said thin cathode layer be sufiiciently high, in order that the available energy input may maintain the cathode or adjacent gas at a temperature producing the required thermionic emission or thermal ionization. It is, in general, also necessary that the voltage drop in said thin cathode layer be sufiiciently high to produce therein electrons by ionization for neutral-- izing the space charge of the electrons. For ordinary electrode materials, twenty volts is sufficient for the purposes just mentioned.
  • the voltage gradient in the main body of the arc stream, between the regions immediately adjacent to the cathode and the anode, is very low. It is usually not sufiicient to produce any material ionization-by-collision.
  • the positive ions necessary to neutralize the space charge of the electrons in the main body of the arc stream are probably the result of thermal ionization of the gas.
  • the space between the electrodes is rapidly becomingdc-ionized.
  • a certain proportion of the electrons will come sufiiciently close to positive ions to recombine with the same, thus neutralizing their charges.
  • the rate of recombination is proportional to the density of the positive and negative ions in the space. If there is no fresh supply of ions, recombination will reduce the density of ionization inversely with the time. Thus, the space is losing its c0nductivity, and if the formation of new ions can be prevented, the are will not re-ignite.
  • the and signs represent the ions in an arc discharge in air, between an electrode 79, which is becoming a cathode, and an electrode 80, which is becoming an anode, at the moment when the voltage and current are zero. Recombination is taking place, so that in Fig. 6, which represents the conditions a short time later, the density of ionization is reduced.
  • the voltage has been rising, producing a gradient which moves electrons away from the cathode 79 and which moves positive ions toward the cathode 79.
  • a similar de-ionized sheath 82 will also appear next to the anode. Y Owing to the relatively high mobility of the electrons, the gradient in this sheath will be very much less than that at the cathode, and it will not be furtherconsidered.
  • the applied voltage is also increasing. If the rate of voltage rise is so high that it imparts to the high-resistance sheath a voltage gradient suflicient to move the relatively few positive'ions remaining in said sheath at a velocity at which they will produce thermal ionization or ionization-by-collision, this region will lose its high resistance.
  • the voltage gradient in the cathode sheath will be too low for ionization; no new ions will be generated; only de-ionization will take place; the ions will be swept out of the arc path as the cathodesheath grows; and the arc will be permanently extin uished.
  • the rate 0 -de-ionization is such that the rate of rise of voltage must be limited to less than 1 x 10 volts per second, if re-ignition is to be prevented.
  • the rate of voltage rise is that of the alternating voltage wave, i. e., incommercial circuit breakers, that of a 60-cycle wave.
  • the ordinary circuits and conditions under which practical circuit breakers must operate require the openin of currents having a power factor considera ly different from unity.
  • the maximum rateof voltage rise across the terminals of-the circuit breakers is principally dependable size and cost, which would be required to carry a very large part of the interrupted current. Such constructions would be out of the question for commercial circuit breakers.
  • One of the principal features of my invention is an artificial increase of the rate of deionization of the space of the arc resulting upon opening a circuit breaker, immediately after the passage of the arc current thro zero. More particularly, I introduce into t e are space a large number of what may be termed artificial cathodes, multiplying the de-ionizing action of the main cathode and thus reducing the time of de-ionization to afraction of the' value it would otherwise require.
  • the shunting resistors if they are used at all, are so proportioned with respect to the greatly increased permissible rate of voltage rise as to positively avoid" a voltage gradient
  • the artificial cathodes are made in the form of ,wire grids 51 disposed across the arc path and assembled into a unitary structure. As the arcing contact arm 15 opens and draws the at which ionization-by-collision will occur.
  • the ions which discharge to the grid wires are probably only few in number in comparison to the number of ions constituting the arc stream. But, at the moment when the arc current is passing through zero, ionizationby-collision'has ceased, and the gas is becoming too cool for thermal ionization; recombination is taking place, reducing the density of the ions; and at that moment, the discharging of ions to the grid wires radically reduces the conductivity of the space around the grids, Metallic parts of the grids thus, to a certain extent, act like cathodes forming centers of de-ionization, as will now be explained.
  • grid wires 51 are shown disposed in the space between the electrodes 44 and 45 of Fig. 1, at a moment which is soon after the former has become a cathode and the latter an anode, as in the case of Fig. 6.
  • the space around the grids had been highly ionized throughout, filled with electrons and positive ions, as indicated in Fig. 5.
  • a sheath 83 is formed on the cathode side of each'wire, similar to the sheath 81 in Fig. 6. Under the influence of the increasing voltage, the sheaths 83 around all of the wires grow, taking the shape shown in Fig. 7 until the individual sheaths merge into a single sheath 84 over the entire surface of a grid 51, as shown in Fig. 8, similar, in every respect, to the sheath 81 near the cathode.
  • the de-ionizat1on proceeds rapidly from a large number of sheaths or deionizing kernels 84, acting like so many cathode sheaths.
  • the rising voltage is now distributed over a large number of hi hresistance, de-ionized regions, thus reduclng the voltage gradient sufiiciently to prevent lonization-by-collision in the gap space between the electrodes.
  • the rate at which the openings in the grids are de-ionized, so that the entire grid begins to act like a single de-ionizing surface similar to the cathode, depends upon the size of the openings. I have found that, if the openings in the grids are sufiiciently small, the rate of rise of voltage may be as high as 5 x 10 volts per second per grid, without danger of ionization and are re-ignition.
  • the permissible rate of voltage rise will be increased from less than 1 x 10 to 50 x 10 volts per second.
  • the shunting resiscircuit breaker operated in a resistance-less circuit, consisting of a source of alternating current and an inductance connected in series, and if the circuit were interrupted when the current was zero, the voltage at the interrupting terminals would instantaneously rise to the peak voltage of the source. That is, .the
  • the improved circuit breaker shown in Figs. 1 and 4 is arranged to first reduce the current to be opened to a fraction of its maximum short-circuit value, before finally interrupting the circuit.
  • the are drawn by the arcing contact of the circuit breaker is split into three sections, as explained above, each are playing in a separate chamber the first arcing chamber 48 being shunted by a resistor 85, as shown in the circuit diagram in Fig. 4, the second arcing chamber 49 being shunted by a much higher resistance 86, and the last arcing chamber 50 being without shunt.
  • the first section 48 of the arcing chuteor de-ionizing chamber 40 is usually sufficient to reduce the interru'pted current to a fraction of its original value and to improve the power factor of the ("sameso that the unshunted section 50 of the circuit breaker is sufiicient then, to fully open the circuit. In such eases, the second section of the circuit breaker is not called upon to perform any duty.
  • the resistance shunting the first section 48 of the de-ionizing' chamber is usuall so low as compared to the react ance of t e circuit that it is ractically without infiuenceupon the magnltude and power factor of the hue current; in this case, howchamber 0 ens together with the first section 48 at the rst current zero.
  • the relatively high value resistor ,86 shunting the second section of the circuit breaker is suflicient to materially reduce the small magnetizing current and to improve its power-factor so that the unshunted section 50 of the circuit breaker is capable of interrupting the residual current before the next alternation.
  • the first section of the de-ionizing chamber opens at the first current zero, the second and third sections opening together at the second current zero.
  • the first and second sections both open at the first current, alternation, while the third, unshunted, section 0 ens at the second alternation.
  • High-power Factor currents of any magnitude, are usually opened by all three sections at the first current zero.
  • I employ three de-ioniziug sections 48, 49 and 50, each section bein 4 between arc terminals, with 16 grids per inch.
  • the grids 51 are of brass gauze having wires thick and perforations approximately 100 ft. per second.
  • Fig. 10 shows a modification of my invention wherein the three'arcing sections of the circuit breaker are combined into separate units, 91, 92, 93 each section having its own arcing terminals 94, 95 and 96 and separate auxiliary arc-transfer terminals 97, 98 and 99, with separate blow-out coils 100, 101 and .102 connected in series with the several arcing units.
  • Thefirst arcing section 91 is shunte by an impedance in the form of a condenser 103, reducing the arcing current to a fraction of its value; the second section 92 is shunted by a condenser 104having a much higher impedance for still further decreasing the arcing current; and the last section 93 is without shunt.
  • the mechanical separation of the several auxiliary, or arc-transfer; contacts of the circuit breaker of Fig. 10 is preferably so timed that-the openings of the arc-transfer contacts 97,98 and 99, respectively, follow each other at intervals of one-half cycle or more, so that the arc is first interrupted only in the first section 91, reducing the line current through the series impedance 103.
  • the section 92 then opens, further reducin the residual current by means of the impec ance 104.
  • the last section 93 finally opens to completely interrupt the circuit-
  • I may use a resistor shunt, such as shown in Fig. 4, or a more complex shunt network.
  • the openings in the grids are small as possible, in order to increase the rate of de-ionization which is the greater, the more uniform the metal of the de-ionizing sheets is distributed across the arc space.
  • the practical design of the grids is a compromise between the requirement for large openings in the path of the arc, in order to prevent the splitting of the are into many small arcs, and the requirementfor small grid openings in order to secure a large rate of rise of re-ignitiol ⁇ voltage.
  • the limiting rate of r1se of voltage which may be applied without are re-ignition is a function of the size of the grid openings, the thickness of the grid, the sp ing between the grids and the number of grids.
  • the limiting rate of rise of voltage per grid is increased by decreasing the grid spacing, decreasing the size of the grid openings, and increasing the thickness of the grids.
  • the limiting rate of rise of voltage was found to be 2 x 10 volts per second per grid.
  • the limiting rate of rise of voltage was found to be 3.7 x 10 volts per second per grid, showing the great advantage of the smaller hole.
  • the limiting rate of rise of voltage was found to be 3.4 x 10 volts per second per grid, while for grids inch thick, spaced inch apart, with a .081 inch diameter round hole, the limiting rate of voltage rise was found to be 6 x 10 volts per second per'grid. This shows the advantages of thicker grids.
  • the figures given above indicate that the grid spacing and the width of the grid openings should be made as small as is consistent with the mechanical requirements of the design, and the danger of melting by separate arcs.
  • the rise in voltage across the arc terminals when the current becomes zero shall beuniformly divided between the grids interposed between the arc terminals, in order to prevent an excessive voltage across any pair of grids.
  • the voltage may not be uniformly divided among the grids, so that some of the same become overstressed and cause restriking of the are.
  • I may provide a highimpedance balancing resistor shunting the 109 is. connected in shunt to the several grids.
  • the impedance of the shunt resistor 109 is so-high that the current therethrough is substantially negligible, the principal function of the resistor being to maintain auniform voltage gradient between the grids.
  • the relation between the thicknessof the grid'and the size of the grid hole afiects the operation of the circuit breaker in two ways.
  • the thicker the grid wire the higher is the permissible rate of voltage rise without re-ignition.
  • an increase in the thickness of the grids raises the arcing voltage per grid for the period before the arc extinction, causing-arc splitting and excessive heating of the grids, with a resulting decrease in the de-ionizing action.
  • the amount of current flowing directly to the metal of the grids in an arc is a function of the arc voltage per grid and is negligible for less than 20 volts per grid.
  • the speed with which the de-ionizing action takes place in a given dB-ionizing structure depends upon the which the positive ions move thro the space of the are under the action 0 the electric field.
  • the speed which the ions acquire under the action of a field of unit strength is a measure of the mobility of the ions, and varies in ggsesinversely with the molecular weight.
  • a de-ionizing chamber is enclosed in an atmosphere of hydrogen, theopening in the grids may -be made seven
  • a de-ioniiing structure 7 111 is enclosed in a chamber 112 which is I filled with hydrogen'supplied through openings 113 from a hydrogen generator or tank.
  • the de-ionizing structure comprises two arcing terminals 119 and a bank of grids 120 disposed therebetween. The are is started by the operation of a suitable operating mechanism 121 to interrupt the connection between the arcing terminals 119 o the circuit.
  • the rate of de-ionization of the arc space may also be increased by reducing the pressure of the gaseous medium in WhlCh the arc is drawn, as shown diagrammatically in F' 14, wherein a de-ionizing structure 122, suc as that shown in Fig. 13, is enclosed in a chamber 123 which is maintainedunder reduced pressure by means of avacuum pm 124. Since the velocity of the ions, acq under the action of a given electric field, increases with a decrease'in the pressure, the de-ionizing action is greatl improved when operating under such con 'tions. Thus, if the pressure is reduced to of the-atmospheric pressure, grids having openings 0.5 inches wide will 've the same rate of deionization as gri having openings 0.05 inches wide at atmospheric ressure. T
  • the magnetic blow-out mechanism as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, must produce a strong magnetic field across the space where the arc is drawn, in order to prevent the are from hanging at the entrance edges of the grids and m tingthesame.
  • blow-out magnet shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive is so designed as to reduce the density of the magnetic field in the upper portion of the arc chute, the pole shoes 55 terminating about the middle of the are .chute, and the upper half of the pole-shoe plates 56 being of reducedthlckness to decrease the density-of the field.
  • Fig. 15 is shown a sin 1e arc-chamber de-ionizing structure w groin the magnetic field in the interior of; thegridpstruc ture is still further reduced, by providin the pole-shoe plates 151 disposedon each s1 e of the grids with large perforations 152 greatly increasing the reluctance part of the magnetic circuit with a resulting decrease in the field strength.
  • Fig. 16 shows an arc chute similar to that in Fig. 15, wherein the magnetic field inside the grid structure is still further decreased by providing non-magnetic, highly conducting plates 161 on both sides of the grid structure adjacent to the pole shoe plates 162.
  • Such construction secures a rapid falling off of the magnetic field as the arc enters the grid structure, since the eddy currents in the highly conducting, non-magnetic plates 161 exercise a shielding effect, preventing the flux induced by the pole shoes 162 from entering into the upper portion of the de-ionizing structure.
  • a blow-out magnet 163 may be mounted on both sides of the upper portion of the. grid structure 164' of the de-ionizing chamber.
  • the blow-out magnet 163 is suitably excited to exercise a downwardly directed force upon the arc.
  • Fig. 17 shows another advantageous construction which secures the desired decrease of the magnetic field in the grid structure.
  • the pole shoes 171 are staggered, and the field induced thereby has a tendency to drive the arc towards one side of thefree path 173 in the grids 'of the arc chute.
  • Such are 1110- 7 tion promotes the continuityof the arc and opposes the splitting of the same.
  • the highly conducting, non-magnetic plates 174 extend above the pole shoes 171 to prevent the flux induced by the pole shoes from entering the grid structure. The are moves in the arc chute principally by reason of the convection currents of the surrounding gas, as in the case of the well-known arc horn utilized in lightning arresters.
  • Fig. 18 shows a de-ionizing chamber wherein the arc is moved into the arc chute 181 by means of an air blast.
  • the arc is drawn between two horn-like electrodes 182 by means of an arcing contact arm 183.
  • An air nozzle 184 whlch is supplied with air from a high-pressure source by means of a hose 185, directs a blast of air upon the arc which is drawn between the arcing electrodes 182.
  • the velocity of the air is very great causing a rapid movement of the are into the grid structure, as is required for satisfactory operation.
  • the opening in the arc chute 181 is much larger than the opening at the lower portion of the arcing horn 182.
  • the velocity of the air blast is, accordingly, greatly decreased and the motion of the arc is slowed down to a value required for the satisfactory operation of the circuit breaker.
  • the arcing contact member 194, which draws the arc is preferably of rectangular cross-section, of narrow width and relatively great height so that'the perforation in the grids is of such width as to secure the de-ionization of the arc space in case that small-current arcs remain playing in the perforation 193 without moving into the grids.
  • FIG. 20 Another construction for positively securing the drawing of the are within the grid structure is shown in Fig. 20, wherein the movable arcing electrode 201 makes a wiping contact with the grids 202 at the bottom of the de-ionizing chamber 203.
  • One end of the arcing contact member 201 is covered with a block of insulating material 204 which is so alined with the surface of the arcing contact member 201 as to slide beneath the grids, behind the conducting surface of the contact member. The are is drawn by the moving contact member 201,
  • Figs. 21 and 22 the grids are shown in theform of metallic sheets 210 having per- -bronze.
  • the spacing between theends o the comb teeth 214 is smaller than the width of the switch blade 213 so that,-when the same is in its closed position, shown in the drawings, the teeth of the de-ionizing combs are bent outwardly, ready to spring back and form a narrow slot immediately upon withdrawal of the switch blade.
  • Such construction assures a positive de-ionizin action upon the opening of the circuit reak'er, since the are drawn by the switch blade 213 in the space between the teeth 214 of the grids 210 is enveloped, in every portion thereof, by a conducting de-ionizing member which will secure rapid restoration of the arcing space to its original non-conducting condition, without the necessity of further arc movement.
  • the right-hand portion 215 of the comb-like grid structure may be withdrawn somewhat to the right so as to rovide a sufficiently large opening for inserting the switch-blade 213.
  • the comb-structure is subsequently moved back into the normal operating position in vwhich the comb teeth of the grids are bent by the switch-blade, as shown in the drawings.
  • the circuit breaker ma also be so constructed that the switch bla e is inserted into the comb-like structure from one side and removed therefrom through the other side, as indicated by the arrow 216 in Fig. 22.
  • An additional grid structure 217 may be placed above the comb-like structure for receiving the arc between the comb-like grids, in Case flaiz'rc moves upwardly.
  • Figs. 23 and is shown a de-ionizing chamber which secures the efiect of the comb like arrangement shown in Figs. 21 and 22, with a construction utilizing wire-gauze 'ds.
  • the de-ionizing chamber is divided into a lower portion 231 and an upper portion 232 ressing on both sides of an arcing switch bhd; 233, the grids being of resilient material the switch-blade to s ring ba and the slots for the switch blade being somewhat narrower than the width of the switch, so as to cause the ends of the ⁇ ids facing c after the blade has been with rawn from the grid structure, in the direction shown by the arrow 234.
  • FIG. 25 A very simple mechanism for avoiding the danger of re-ignition by reason of failure of the arc to move into the de-ionizin grid structure, is shown in Fig. 25.
  • One of t e areingelectrodes is shown in the form of a conducting vessel 251 containing mercury 252,
  • the other electrode being in the form of a metallic plate 253 which is downwardly movable until it contacts with the mercury.
  • the metallic plate 253 carries an insulatin housing 254 in which is mounted a bank, 0 horizontally disposed located beneat the movable electrode 253 and are entirely immersed when the movable electrode is in contact with the mercury.
  • the grids 255 are n When the electrode 253 is raised to its open osition, illustrated in the drawings, the arc is drawn between the electrode surface and the mercury and is confined to the space occupied by the grids 255, thus positively insuring a prompt de-ionizing action.
  • FIG. 26 Another mechanism for drawing the are through the de-ionizing grids by means of mercu? is shown in Fig. 26, wherein a vessel 260, o insulatin material, is pivotally mounted to move rom the horizontal pos1-, tion shown in the drawings to a vertical position.
  • the vessel 260 has two enlarged compartments 261 and 262, at the ends thereof, and the s ace between the two compartments is filled w th a bank of grids 263 of a construction similar to that described in connection with the other de-ionizin structures.
  • Electrodes 264 and 265 extend into the compart ments 261 and 262, respectively, the two electrodes constituting arc terminals of the circuit breaker.
  • the vessel 260 contains a body of mercury 266 which fills the lower portion thereof, providing a connection between the two electrodes 264 and 265. By turning the vessel 260 to the vertical positlon, the mercury breaks contact with the electrode 264 which is moved upwardly, and the receding mercury draws an are through the grids,
  • the heating of the de-iom'zing grids in the arc chute takes place in two ways, first, byradiation and thermal conduction from the hot gases of the arc and second, by the direct evolution of heat at the surface of the grid material by the currents flowing into the grids. It has been found that, when a wire is placed in an are near an arc terminal and a potential is applied to it, considerable cur rent flows to the wire. further from the arc terminal, the current to the wire becomes negligible.
  • the arcing chamber 280 similar to that of Fig. 11, is provided with insulating barriers 281 breaking up the direct path between the terminal plates 282 and the de-ionizing grid sheets 283, the arcing between the two terminal plates 282 taking place through a somewhat tortuous path through staggered openings 284 in the insulating barriers.
  • Fig. 29 is shown another modification of my invention wherein the grid sheets 290- are If the wire is moved.
  • the terminal plates 293, between which the are drawn by the interrupting terminals is blown, are placed outside of the insulating plates 291 and are so disposed that the arc blast 294C emanating from the arc terminals is directed away from the arc openings 292 in the insulating plates 291 on both sides of the grids.
  • Fig. 30 is a single view embodying adjunctive features of the figures heretofore described.
  • the various reference numerals designate the same parts as in the preceding description so that the structure illustrated in Fig. 30 should be clear without separate enumeration of its component elements.
  • My invention may be embodied in numerous other structures, and the features of the artificial increase of the rate of de-ionization may be embodied in other types of circuit breakers and in other devices wherein it is important to prevent arc lie-ignition. I desire, therefore, that the language of the appended claims the arc space into small spaces less than inch, said conducting elements being so su ported that the latter conduct substantia y no arc current.
  • de-ionizing chamber comprising parallel are terminal members and conducting nuclei subdividing the arc space between said terminal members into small spaces associated with said nuclei, means fordrawing an arc and transferring the ends of said arcto said parallel arc-terminal members, and means for limiting the rate of voltage rise between said terminal members.

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  • Arc-Extinguishing Devices That Are Switches (AREA)
US54930A 1925-09-08 1925-09-08 Circuit breaker Expired - Lifetime US1819207A (en)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL22058D NL22058C (en, 2012) 1925-09-08
BE336227D BE336227A (en, 2012) 1925-09-08
US54930A US1819207A (en) 1925-09-08 1925-09-08 Circuit breaker
GB19041/26A GB258234A (en) 1925-09-08 1926-07-30 Improvements in or relating to arc-rupturing devices for electric circuit interrupters
DES76022D DE467129C (de) 1925-09-08 1926-09-03 Einrichtung zum schnellen Loeschen eines zwischen Unterbrechungskontakten gezogenen Lichtbogens
FR621486D FR621486A (fr) 1925-09-08 1926-09-08 Perfectionnements aux dispositifs de rupture des arcs

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US54930A US1819207A (en) 1925-09-08 1925-09-08 Circuit breaker

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US1819207A true US1819207A (en) 1931-08-18

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US54930A Expired - Lifetime US1819207A (en) 1925-09-08 1925-09-08 Circuit breaker

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US (1) US1819207A (en, 2012)
BE (1) BE336227A (en, 2012)
DE (1) DE467129C (en, 2012)
FR (1) FR621486A (en, 2012)
GB (1) GB258234A (en, 2012)
NL (1) NL22058C (en, 2012)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2558075A (en) * 1948-02-11 1951-06-26 Westinghouse Electric Corp Circuit interrupter
US2619563A (en) * 1945-08-07 1952-11-25 Kesselring Fritz Electromagnetic control device
US3280284A (en) * 1963-08-23 1966-10-18 Westinghouse Electric Corp Drawout fused switch gear having a cell for receiving arc products
US3430016A (en) * 1966-04-15 1969-02-25 Gen Electric Electric current interrupting device
US3489872A (en) * 1967-09-22 1970-01-13 Gen Electric Modular type multi-stage interrupter with ionized gas assisting in breakdown and eventual arc extinction
US3489871A (en) * 1967-09-22 1970-01-13 Gen Electric Electric current interrupting device with ionized gas assisting in breakdown and eventual arc extinction
US3489870A (en) * 1967-09-22 1970-01-13 Gen Electric Cascaded electric current interrupting device with ionized gas assisting in breakdown and eventual arc extinction
US4459629A (en) * 1981-11-23 1984-07-10 General Electric Company Electric circuit breaker utilizing semiconductor diodes for facilitating interruption
US20100270136A1 (en) * 2009-04-22 2010-10-28 AB Technology AG Interpole coupling system
WO2016091318A1 (en) * 2014-12-12 2016-06-16 Abb Technology Ltd A switching device
US10614979B2 (en) 2017-01-13 2020-04-07 Abb Schweiz Ag Arc chute with splitter plates interconnected by resistors

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2619563A (en) * 1945-08-07 1952-11-25 Kesselring Fritz Electromagnetic control device
US2558075A (en) * 1948-02-11 1951-06-26 Westinghouse Electric Corp Circuit interrupter
US3280284A (en) * 1963-08-23 1966-10-18 Westinghouse Electric Corp Drawout fused switch gear having a cell for receiving arc products
US3430016A (en) * 1966-04-15 1969-02-25 Gen Electric Electric current interrupting device
US3489872A (en) * 1967-09-22 1970-01-13 Gen Electric Modular type multi-stage interrupter with ionized gas assisting in breakdown and eventual arc extinction
US3489871A (en) * 1967-09-22 1970-01-13 Gen Electric Electric current interrupting device with ionized gas assisting in breakdown and eventual arc extinction
US3489870A (en) * 1967-09-22 1970-01-13 Gen Electric Cascaded electric current interrupting device with ionized gas assisting in breakdown and eventual arc extinction
US4459629A (en) * 1981-11-23 1984-07-10 General Electric Company Electric circuit breaker utilizing semiconductor diodes for facilitating interruption
US20100270136A1 (en) * 2009-04-22 2010-10-28 AB Technology AG Interpole coupling system
US8338727B2 (en) * 2009-04-22 2012-12-25 Abb Technology Ag Interpole coupling system
WO2016091318A1 (en) * 2014-12-12 2016-06-16 Abb Technology Ltd A switching device
US10614979B2 (en) 2017-01-13 2020-04-07 Abb Schweiz Ag Arc chute with splitter plates interconnected by resistors

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR621486A (fr) 1927-05-12
GB258234A (en) 1926-12-02
NL22058C (en, 2012)
BE336227A (en, 2012)
DE467129C (de) 1928-10-18

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