Surge arrester gap assembly

• US 4,134,146 A
• Filed: 02/09/1978
• Issued: 01/09/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Stetson, Earl W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moose, Jr., Harry E.
• Application Number:
  US05/876,480
• Time in Patent Office: 334 Days
• Field of Search: 361/128, 361/129, 361/130, 315/36, 313/217
• US Class Current: 361/130
• CPC Class Codes: H01T 4/16 having a plurality of gaps arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 174/17 in an electric power conversion, regulation, or protection system

Abstract

Surge arrester spark gap assemblies for use within surge voltage arrester devices employ the gap electrode structure to direct the arc current flow.

Claims

1. A spark gap assembly for a surge voltage arrester comprising:

a single electrode having a flat projection surface thereon for defining an extended arcing surface and a pair of flat contact surfaces thereon, one of said contact surfaces, including high-electrical resistive means for limiting current flow to said one surface;

a double electrode structure having a first pair of opposing flat contact surfaces on one side and a second pair of flat opposing contact surfaces on another side thereof, a pair of flat projected surfaces for defining arcing surfaces, said first pair of contact surfaces being electrically coupled together; and

a disc of electrically insulating material separating said single electrode structure and said double electrode structure and providing arc quenching means therebetween said electrodes.

2. The spark gap structure of claim 1 further including an extending step portion on the projection of said single electrode for enhancing arc occurrence upon said projection.

3. The series gap structure of claim 1 wherein said resistive means comprises a tip extension on one of said flat contact surfaces for providing electrical contact resistance therewith said one contact surface.

4. The series gap structure of claim 1 wherein each projected surface on the pair of projections on the double electrode structure contains extended step portions for enhancing arc occurrence upon the extension.

5. The series gap structure of claim 1 wherein the other pair of contact surfaces are separated by an air gap.

6. The series gap structure of claim 1 wherein the insulating disc further includes a centrally located passage.

7. The series gap structure of claim 6 wherein the insulating disc further includes a frustoconical section extending within said central opening for providing an arc quenching surface.

8. The series gap structure of claim 7 wherein said insulating disc comprises pourous aluminum oxide.

9. The series gap structure of claim 1 wherein said resistive means comprises a resistive coating on said one electrode contact surface.

10. The series gap structure of claim 1 including a resistive coating on at least one part of the projection.

11. The series gap structure of claim 1 further including at least an additional double electrode structure juxtapositioned with said first double electrode structure for providing further arcing surfaces to said series gap structure.

12. The series gap structure of claim 11 further including an additional insulating disc intermediate said first and second double electrode structures.

13. The series gap structure of claim 11 wherein said additional double electrodes structure contain an additional electrical connection between first and second pairs of opposing contact surfaces and an air gap between another pair of first and second opposing contact surfaces.

14. The gap electrode structure of claim 13 wherein the electrical connection within said second double electrode structure is in vertical alignment with the electrical connection within said first double electrode structure and wherein the air gap in said second double electrode structure is in vertical alignment with the air gap in said first double electrode structure.

15. The series gap structure of claim 12 wherein the second insulating disc is concentrically aligned with said first insulating disc.

16. The series gap structure of claim 11 further including another single electrode structure for defining a current path between said one other double electrode.