CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER COMPRISING PLURAL ARC-QUENCHING FLUID PRESSURE CHAMBERS

摘要

A self-extinguishing circuit interrupter wherein a pair of separable contacts is disposed within an arc extinguishing gas. Energy of an electric arc established between the separated contacts is utilized to increase the pressure of the arc extinguishing gas, and the high pressure gas thus generated is introduced into a pressure chamber to be stored therein. When the arc current approaches zero, the high pressure gas within the pressure chamber is puffed to the arc to extinguish it. A plurality of pressure chambers are axially disposed, i.e., in the direction in which the movable contact moves, thereby improving the arc extinguishing capability of the circuit interrupter.