Circuit protective devices and circuits

Claim 1

A CURRENT LIMITING DEVICE FOR GENERATING HIGH PRESSURE CURRENT LIMITING ARCS COMPRISING: A NON-POROUS INSULATOR HAVING AT LEAST ONE ELONGATED CAPILLARY APERTURE EXTENDING THERETHROUGH; A METALLIC CONDUCTOR FILLING SAID CAPILLARY APERTURE FROM END TO END; ELECTRICAL TERMINAL MEMBERS IN ELECTRICAL CONTACT WITH OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID CONDUCTOR-FILLED APERTURE FOR CONNECTING SAID DEVICE IN AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT REQUIRING OVERCURRENT PROTECTION; MEANS ENCLOSING SAID INSULATOR AND SAID TERMINAL MEMBERS AND EXERTING THEREON AN INITIAL SUBSTANTIAL PRESSURE INHIBITING ELASTIC MOVEMENT OF ANY PORTION THEREOF, WHEREBY CURRENTS IN SAID APERTURE IN EXCESS OF A PREDETERMINED VALUE CAUSE NON-EXPANSIVE VAPORIZATION OF CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL IN SAID APERTURE AND THE GENERATION OF HIGH PRESSURE CURRENT LIMITING ARCS THEREIN.