Spark gap for achieving arc elongation and compression without the use of supplementary magnetic means

A spark gap comprising

• a plurality of at least three insulating gap plates, each one of said gap plates having a plurality of at least two apertures extending entirely through said one gap plate and an upper surface and an oppositely disposed lower surface,
• the lower surface of a first gap plate of said plurality of gap plates and the upper surface of an adjacent second gap plate of said plurality of gap plates defining a first arc elongation chamber, the lower surface of said second gap plate and the upper surface of an adjacent third gap plate of said plurality of gap plates defining a second arc elongation chamber,
• said first arc chamber having a first pair of electrodes disposed therein, said first pair of electrodes forming a first electrode gap between said first pair of electrodes,
• said second arc chamber having a second pair of electrodes disposed therein, said second pair of electrodes forming a second electrode gap between said second pair of electrodes, and
• means for securely retaining said plurality of gap plates in a stacked condition, said retaining means comprising a plurality of elongated pins extending into each of said apertures in said first, second and third gap plates and extending entirely through the apertures in said second gap plate.

A spark gap comprising

• a plurality of at least three insulating gap plates, each one of said gap plates having a plurality of at least two apertures extending entirely through said one gap plate and a generally horizontally extending upper surface and an oppositely disposed, generally horizontally extending lower surface,
• the lower surface of a first gap plate of said plurality of gap plates and the upper surface of an adjacent second gap plate of said plurality of gap plates defining a first arc elongation chamber,
• the lower surface of said second gap plate and the upper surface of an adjacent third gap plate of said plurality of gap plates defining a second arc elongation chamber,
• said first arc elongation chamber having a first pair of electrodes disposed therein, said first pair of electrodes forming a first electrode gap between said first pair of electrodes,
• said second arc chamber having a second pair of electrodes disposed therein, said second pair of electrodes forming a second electrode gap between said second pair of electrodes, and
• means for defining and maintaining the gap spacings of said first electrode gap and said second electrode gap, said defining and maintaining means comprising a plurality of elongated pins extending into each of said apertures in said first, second and third gap plates and extending entirely through the apertures in said second gap plate.

A spark gap comprising

• an insulating gap plate having a generally horizontally extending upper surface and an oppositely disposed, generally horizontally extending lower surface and an aperture extending through said gap plate from said upper surface to said lower surface,
• a first wire electrode disposed on said upper surface,
• a second wire electrode disposed on said lower surface and
• conductive wire means disposed in said aperture for electrically interconnecting said first electrode and said second electrode, said first electrode and said second electrode and said conductive wire means being integrally formed portions of an unitary length of wire.