US1897456A - Low resistance fluid flow switch - Google Patents

Low resistance fluid flow switch Download PDF

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Publication number
US1897456A
US1897456A US519834A US51983431A US1897456A US 1897456 A US1897456 A US 1897456A US 519834 A US519834 A US 519834A US 51983431 A US51983431 A US 51983431A US 1897456 A US1897456 A US 1897456A
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United States
Prior art keywords
switch
inlead
mercury
cup
inleads
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US519834A
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English (en)
Inventor
Warren R Walker
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
General Electric Vapor Lamp Co
Original Assignee
General Electric Vapor Lamp Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to NL36488D priority Critical patent/NL36488C/xx
Application filed by General Electric Vapor Lamp Co filed Critical General Electric Vapor Lamp Co
Priority to US519834A priority patent/US1897456A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US1897456A publication Critical patent/US1897456A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H29/00—Switches having at least one liquid contact
    • H01H29/20—Switches having at least one liquid contact operated by tilting contact-liquid container

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to fluid flow switches, and particularly to fluid flow switches which are adapted for use in circuits carrying relatively large currents.
  • a particular object of the invention is to provide a fluid flow switch which will have a high current capacity. Another object of the invention is to provide a switch having a low internal resistance. A further object of my invention is to provide a switch of extremely simple construction having the aforesaid characteristics. Still another object of my. invention is to provide a novel method of operating a fluid flow switch. Other objects and advantages of my invention will-appear from the following detailed specification, or from an inspection of the accompanying drawing.
  • the current rating of electrical switches is determined, as is well known, by two factors; one the current which they can safely interrupt, and the other the current which they can continuously carry without undue heating due to the resistance thereof..
  • switches of the fluid flow ty e the emphasis has been on the first of these ihctors, hence in this type of switch the metallic inleads have invariably been spaced a considerable distance apart, in order to permit the arc of rupture to be drawn out to a suflicient length to extinguish it.
  • This construction obvious- 1y necessfates the use of a relatively lon fluid path to complete the circuit throug the switch when it is in a closed circ'uit osition.
  • a long fluid path is, however, high y undesirable from the standpoint of the second factor mentioned above, due to the fact that any of the fluids which are ordinarily used have a relatively high specific resistance.
  • any of the fluids which are ordinarily used have a relatively high specific resistance.
  • mercury thefluid almost uni- .yersally used, has a specific resistance which is "approximately twenty times as great as that of-tungsten, and sixty times that of copper.
  • the fluid 1931 Serial No. 519,834.
  • y new construction is, moreover, extremely simple, requiring only a suitable extension of an inlead, or the provision of an auxiliary inlead, and hence 'my new switch is not only circiiitposition,
  • Fig.5 is a similar view of another modification of the switch of Fig. 1,
  • Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of my invention.
  • the closed tubular body 1 which is preferably made of a suitable arc resisting vitreous material, such as a boro-silicate glass, although other vitreous materials may be used when desired, has a cup 2 formed in the bottom thereof adjacent to one end which retains a mercury pool 3.
  • Said inlead-4 preferably extends upwardly as far as is consistent with its remaining below the surface of the mercury pool 3.
  • Another cup 5 is formed in the bottom of the tubular bod 1 at some distance from the cup 2, into whic is sealed an inlead 6 of tungsten or other suitable metal. Since this inlead is not called upon to carry the rated current, except for short intervals, it need not be of as large diameter as the inlead 4.
  • a pool of mercury 7 is enclosed within the tubular body'l, said P mercury being present in suflicient quantity to make simultaneous contact, when the switch is in the position shown in Fig. 3-,
  • the switch body 1 is preferably filled with an arc suppressing atmosphere, such as hydrogen, ammonia or the like, at a suitable pressure.
  • an inlead 16 of large current capacity being sealed into said cup 15.
  • Said inlead 16 con tinues upwardly through said cup 15 to a point near the top of the tubular bod 11, thence longitudinally through'said b y to a point above the inlead 14, at which point it turns downwardly toward said inlead 14, terminating at a point a short distance above said inlead.
  • a mercury pool 17 sufficient in quantity to simultaneously connect with the inlead 16 at the cup 15 and at its downturned end at one position of the switch is enclosed within the tubular body 11.
  • a suitable arc suppressing atmosphere, such as hydrogen, is also preferably sealed within said tubular body.
  • the closed tubular body 21 has a cup 22 in the bottom thereof adjacent to one end, in which is retained a mercury pool 23.
  • An' inlead 24 of large current capacity is sealed into said cup 22, terminating just below the surface of the pool 23.
  • a second cup 25 is formed in the bottom of said tubular body 21 as close as is practicable to the cup 22, a pool of mercurv 26 being retained therein.
  • An-inlead 27 of large current capacity is likewise sealed into said cup 25, said inlead terminating just beneath the surface of the pool 26.
  • a third cup 28 is formed in the bottom of'the tubular body-21 at some distance from the cup 25, into which is sealedan inlead 29, which need not be of as large current carrying capacity as the inleads 24 and'27.
  • a suitable conductor 30 permanently connects the inleads 24 and 29.
  • a suflicient quantity of mercury 31 is enclosed with- -in the tubular body 21 to make contact simultaneously with the mercury pools 23, 26 and the inlead 29 at one position of the. switch,
  • a suitable arc suppressing atmosphere preferably hydrogen
  • a switch having a preferred construction is illustratedin Figs. 6 and 7.
  • the closed tubular body 35 has the two inleads 36 and 37 sealed into one end thereof through a common pinch seal.
  • a .cup 38 is formed in the bottom of said body 35 as near -as'is practicable to the aforesaid seal.
  • a re fractory lining 39 of suitable vitreous material, such as fused silica, porcelain, or the like extends lon 'tudinally within the tubular body 35, said ining 39 having a cup 40 formed therein near one end which extends into the cup 38.
  • Said lining is preferably of such a shape, as shown in Fig.
  • the inlead 37 which extends ongitudinally through the tubular body 35 above said 11ning 39 and then turnsgback and downwardly within the opposite end of said lining, terminating near the bottom thereof at some distance from the cup 40, likewise assists in retaining the lining 39 in the desired position.
  • a quantity of mercury 41 which is sufficient to make contact simultaneously with the inlead 37 at a point near the seal and with the end of said inlead is enclosed within said tubular body 35.
  • An arc suppressing atmosphere, such as hydrogen, ammonia, or the like at a suitable pressure is preferably sealed within said tubular body 35.
  • the space therebetween may be packed with asbestos, spun glass or the like, or any other suitable method of mounting may be used.
  • a somewhat larger quantit of mercury 7' is used and the inleads 4' an 8' are somewhat longer and shorter respectively in order to maintain the same relative position to the mercury levels as in the switch of Fig. 1.
  • the switch of Fig. 4 operates in a similar manner. n As this switch is tilted in a counter-clockwise direction from the open circuit position in which it is shown the mercury pool 17 flows toward the cup 12, eventually merging withthe mercury pool 13 therein. A circuit is thereby closed from the inlead 14 through the mercury 17 to the inlead 16 at a point adjacent to the cup 15. Since this circuit includes a relatively long fluid path it is not adapted to continuously carry a large current. By further tilting of the switch body 11, however, the level of the mercury 17 is caused to rise, with respect to .the inner endof the inlead 16, until it comes into contact therewith.
  • the switch of Fig. 5 also operates in a manner similar to that of Figs. 13.
  • the switch body 21 is tilted in a counter-clockwise mercury 41 falls until direction from the open. circuit position 'in which it is shown the mercury 31. moves toward the cup 25, and eventually merges with the mercury pool 26 therein.
  • This circuit being similar in fluid length to that through switches of the prior art, is obviously not adapted to continuously carry large currents.
  • provision is made for the mercury 17 to move further, upon further tilting of the switch body 1, until it merges with the mercury pool 23.
  • a circuit is thereupon completed from theinlead 27 through a relatively short mercury path to the inlead 24.
  • refractory lining 39 effectively shields' the switch body 35 from this arc, and likewise prevents any possible striking of the arc of rupture. to an intermediate point on the inlead 37.
  • cheaper glass such as lead or lime glass.
  • the conductor 9 by winch the inleads 6 and 8 of the switch of F 1 1 are connected may have an apprec1a le resistance 10 connected therein.
  • This resistance which may result from formin the conductor 9 of resistance material, suc as nichrome, of suitable current carrying capacity, may be of a value which is commensurate with the impedance of the load which the switch controls, in which case the current that the switch must handle during the intermediate stage illustrated is materially reduced. More important, however, the current which the switch must interrupt is also reduced to say a half of the normal value.
  • a switch of this construction is .thus especially adapted, both by reason of the reduced arc of rupture and of the refractory lining, to control extremely large currents of the order of hundreds of amperes. Or, where desired, this construction may be utilized'to permit the control of.relatively large currents in a switch whose envelope is made of one of the less expensive soft glasses, such as lead glass, lime glass, etc.
  • a mercury switch comprising a sealed envelope, mercury in said envelope, means to divide said mercury into two pools at will,
  • a mercury switch comprising a sealed tubular envelope, mercury in said envelope, an open ended lining within said envelope, a mercury retaining cup in said lining at a point near one end of said envelope, two in-. leads sealed into the same end of said envelope, one of said inleads extendin into said cup while the other inlead extends ongitudinally above said lining and then turns downwardly within said lining.
  • a mercury switch comprising a sealed envelope, mercury in said envelope, inleads sealed into said envelope and making contact at remote points when the circuit throug said switch is being opened or closed, one of said inleads being adapted to make an auxiliary contact with said mercury at a point close to a submerged part of the other inlead when said switch is in a closed circuit position.
  • a mercury switch comprising 'a sealed envelo e, .mercury in said envelope,'a cup in sai envelope near one end thereof, an inlead sealed into said cup, another inlead sealed into said envelo e at a point remote from said cup and-making contact with said mercury in both the open and the closed circuit position of said switch, the latter-inlead extending upwardly to a point near the top of said envelo e,'thence longitudinallivtherein to a point a ove the first mentione inlead, and thence downwardly to a point just above the level of the mercury retained in said cup.
  • a mercury switch comprising a sealed envelope, mercury in said envelo e, means to divide said mercury into two $00 at will, an inlead in contact with each 0 said ools, and a third inlead sealed into said enve ope, said 6 neonate third inlead extending toa point in proximity to one of said first mentioned inleads and being permanently connected to the other of said inleads, the relative position of said inleads being such that-the gap between said adjacent inleads is bridged by said mercury after said pools have been merged and reestablished before said mercury is again divided.
  • a mercury switch comprising a sealed envelope, mercury in said envelope, means to divide said mercury into two pools at will, an inlead in contact with eachof said pools, and a third inlead sealed into said envelope, said third inlead extending to a point in proximity to one of said first mentioned inleads and being permanently connected through a resistance to the other of said inleads, the relative position of said inleads being such that the gap between the inleads which are in proximity is bridged after said a pools have been merged and reestablished Y out the come" before said mercury is again divided.

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  • Arc-Extinguishing Devices That Are Switches (AREA)
US519834A 1931-03-03 1931-03-03 Low resistance fluid flow switch Expired - Lifetime US1897456A (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL36488D NL36488C (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1931-03-03
US519834A US1897456A (en) 1931-03-03 1931-03-03 Low resistance fluid flow switch

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US519834A US1897456A (en) 1931-03-03 1931-03-03 Low resistance fluid flow switch

Publications (1)

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US1897456A true US1897456A (en) 1933-02-14

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US519834A Expired - Lifetime US1897456A (en) 1931-03-03 1931-03-03 Low resistance fluid flow switch

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US (1) US1897456A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL36488C (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

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Publication number Publication date
NL36488C (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

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