Method and device for protecting starters from fault currents.

摘要

An apparatus for protecting the fault current intolerant elements of a motor starter circuit or the like is comprised of a protective shunt (14) which bypasses the fault current intolerant elements in response to the detection of high fault currents. The protective shunt (14) is formed of a "U" shaped conductor (26) which flexes in response to the magnetic field created by the flow of the high fault currents through the "U" shaped conductor. Electrical contacts (30, 32) placed on one leg (40) of the "U" shaped conductor (26) and on a stationary conductor (28) form a shunting switch which conducts high fault currents around the starter circuitry. In a second embodiment, the stationary conductor (28) is replaced with a flexible conductor which carries an armature. The magnetic armature is attracted by a focussed magnetic field from a magnetic yoke positioned around one leg (40) of the "U" shaped conductor (26). <IMAGE>