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Electrical conductor and short circuit locator

  • US 4,129,825 A
  • Filed: 05/02/1977
  • Issued: 12/12/1978
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1975
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for locating electrical conductors and short circuits comprising:

  • first and second test leads for connecting across open circuit breaker means in a circuit to be tested;

    the open circuit breaker means having a voltage potential across its terminals due to a circuit power source;

    current limiting means connected across the test leads for allowing current due to the circuit power source to flow through the current limiting means and the circuit, and for limiting the current in the circuit being tested to a predetermined value to prevent excessive short circuit current in the circuit being tested;

    the predetermined value being sufficiently high such that pulsated and alternated currents are discernable at conducting points in the circuit by a clamp-on ammeter;

    first pulse generating means, cooperating with the current limiting means, for intermittently interrupting the current in the circuit being tested;

    the first pulse generating means providing an on duration of the current in the circuit being tested sufficient for a clamp-on ammeter in an AC circuit to indicate a momentary pulse with the off duration substantially greater than the on duration; and

    second pulse generating means, cooperating with the current limiting means and connected in series with the first pulse generating means, for interrupting the momentary pulse created by the first pulse generating means to provide a pulsating component in the momentary pulse so that a current reading is visible on a clamp-on ammeter in a DC circuit at all points along the circuit except at the short circuit.

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