US894518A - Lightning-arrester. - Google Patents

Description

No. 894,518. PATENTED JULY 28, 1908. M. MILOH. LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN.16,1907.

W/tness es /n ventor':

b Maur/ /'/ch, W i y a 2 g i dizzy.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

MAURICE MILOH, OF NAGY B'ITTSE, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LIGHTNING-ARRESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 28, '1908.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, MAURICE MILCH, a subject of the King of Hungary, residing at Nagy Bittse, Au stria-Hungary,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lightning-Arresters, of which the following is a specification; Y

This invention relates to an improvement in protective means for electrical-conductors subjected to abnormal potential because of lightning or other atmospheric disturbances, or because of static, resonance, or other phenomena arising-in the transmission systems of which the conductor is a part.

My invention includes an arran ement of conductors, such. as metal balls, dislis, or cylinders, in such a way that spark gaps are' formed between adjacent con uctors, and a discharge path thereby established between the conductor and ground or between two conductors of a system. These conductors are so disposed that the surface of one con 'ductor is presented toward a conductor consisting in whole or in part of a different metal. I find that this difierence in the character of the arcing materials gives to an are playing therebetween, a resistance or counter E. M. F

which is different for different directions of the current. The spark gap may, in a certain sense, be termed an asymmetric conductor, permitting the flow of current in one (ll-1 This rectionmore readily than in. the other. phenomenon is utilized in my present invention to insure more certain interruption of the arc or'discharge current when the direction ofpotential across the gap. reverses.

-The metals brass or iron are suitable as materials for the opposing electrodes in my improved lightningarrester, and the conducfication, I have tors may be of the cylindrical formheretofore used in the so-called multi-ga arresters. Although the conductors may be isposed to form but a single asymmetric-path for the discharge, I may arrange two groups, one to serve as a path for current flowing 111 one direction, and the second grou as a ath for- .the reverse current. from one group to the other materially as- This sh' ting 0 current sistsin extinguishing the are for reasons which will be apparent. Inthe drawin forming'a art of this speciustrated t v e invention only diagrammatically, and it should be understood that the roportion or size of the various parts mayv e varied, anl thatlthe numto correspond with the potential of the line or with other requirements of service.

' Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation I conductor and ground; and Fig. 2 is a similar arrangement disposed between line and me.

In Fig. 1, the line conductor 1, to be rotected, is connected directl with a brass all or cylinder 2 and an iron all or cylinder 3. Adjacent to the brass ball is a composite ball or cylinder 4 having an iron surface 5 adj acent to the brass conductor 2, and a brass surface 6 on the opposite side. One or more other compositeconductors may be arranged in this group, the number being proportional to the voltage of the line. minates in an iron conductor 7 connected directly to ground. This group presents a path in which brass conductors are always 0 posed to iron conductors in such a way t at current flowing from the line conductor to ground must always pass from brass to non.

The second or arallel roup, terminating in iron ball 3 and rass ba 1 8, offers a similar path through which the current from the line must pass. from iron to brass. There are, therefore, two parallel paths open to the flow The group teri ber-of groups may be increased or diminished ofjeu'rrent from the line, one of these paths opposing a relatively high resistance or counter-electromotive force to the flow of energy,

and the other opposing a relatively low resistance or counter-electromotive force. The result 1s.a rapid, if not lnstantaneous, interruption of the current flow when the poten"' I tia of the line reverses in direction.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 2 is similar to thatof Fig. 1, except that the two groups of conductors are connected directly between the line conductors .9 and 10. The

gaps are here shown as arranged horizontally, but the rectifying or asymmetric qualitiesof the two aths are the same as in the apparatus of ig. 1.

What I claim as new and desire tosecure ductors disposed in series with adjacent arcing surfaces of different material, to establish an asymmetric path for current flowing through said group.

3. A lightning arrester comprising a plurality of conductors disposed to form a plurality of spark gaps, the corresponding eon-.

ductors of each gap being of one material and the opposing conductors of a different material.

4. The combination, W h a line conductor of a high voltage alternating current system subject to high potential charges, of a path to ground therefor including a metal conductor, and an opposing conductor separated therefrom to form an air gap, said conductors being of different metal.

5. In a lightning arrester, a group of conductors spaced apart to form air gaps, the

arcing surface on one side of said gaps being of one material and on the other side of a different material to permit the passage of cur rent more easily in one direction than in the other, and a second group in parallel with said first group to permit the flow of current more easily in the reverse direction.

(5. A lightning arrester in which a plu rality of brass surfaces are opposite a plurality of iron surfaces, to form air gaps offering less resistance to the flow of current in one direction than in the other.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of December, 1906.

MAURICE MILCH.

' l Vitnesses:

EUGENE HERRANY, CHARLES E. ZALTUN.

Images