Vacuum circuit breaker having buffering means in relatively stationary electrode structure

Claim 1

A VACUUM SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC POWER COMPRISING A VACUUM ENVELOPE, SAID ENVELOPE HAVING OPPOSED END MEMBERS EACH PROVIDED WITH AN APERTURE, A MOVABLE ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY PROVIDED AT ONE END OF SAID ENVELOPE AND ADAPTED FOR MECHANICAL CONNECTION WITH AN ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR MOVING SAID ASSEMBLY TO THEREBY CLOSE AND OPEN SAID SWITCH, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A FIRST ELECTRODE AND A FIRST CONDUCTIVE ROD-LIKE MEMBER SUBSTANTIALLY IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT THEREWITH, SAID ROD-LIKE MEMBER BEING SLIDABLY POSITIONED IN ONE OF SAID APERTURES, A BUFFER ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY SUBSTANTIALLY IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID MOVABLE ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY AND BEING DISPOSED AT THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID ENVELOPE FROM SAID MOVABLE ASSEMBLY, SAID BUFFER ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A SECOND ELECTRODE AND A SECOND CONDUCTIVE ROD-LIKE MEMBER SUBSTANTIALLY IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT THEREWITH, SAID SECOND ROD-LIKE MEMBER BEING SLIDABLY POSITIONED IN THE OTHER OF SAID APERTURES, A FIRST BELLOWS CONNECTED IN AN AIRTIGHT MANNER BETWEEN SAID MOVABLE ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY AND THE END MEMBER ASSOCIATED THEREWITH, A SECOND BELLOWS CONNECTED IN AN AIRTIGHT MANNER BETWEEN SAID BUFFER ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY AND THE END MEMBER ASSOCIATED THEREWITH, A FLEXIBLE STOPPING MEMBER DISPOSED AT SAID OPPOSITE END OF SAID ENVELOPE IN A POSITION TO BE ENGAGED BY THE END OF SAID SECOND ROD-LIKE MEMBER WHEN SAID SWITCH IS CLOSED, A HELICAL COMPRESSION SPRING CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID BUFFER ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY AND THE END MEMBER ASSOCIATED THEREWITH FOR PROVIDING BUFFERING ACTION UPON ENGAGEMENT OF SAID FIRST ELECTRODE WITH SAID SECOND ELECTRODE WHEN SAID SWITCH IS CLOSED, AND A STOP MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID BUFFER ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY FOR ABRUPTLY ARRESTING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID BUFFER ASSEMBLY AS SAID ELECTRODES ARE MOVED TOGETHER WHEN SAID SWITCH IS OPENED, THE VELOCITY OF SEPARATION OF SAID ELECTRODES AT THE POINT OF INITIAL DISENGAGEMENT THEREOF BEING A VALUE GREATER THAN ZERO.