Electrical loadbreak fuse and canister assembly

An electrical loadbreak, fuse and canister assembly comprising:

• a fuse and contact assembly including,
• 1. an elongated fuse having first and second ends including conductive portions between which the fuse extends, and to which the fuse element is electrically connected;
• 2. a first non-loadbreak contact supported on and electrically connected to said first end of said fuse;
• 3. an elongated insulator having first and second ends, said first end being secured to said first end of said fuse;
• 4. a cap and operating means secured to the second end of said insulator;
• 5. a first loadbreak contact electrically connected to and projecting from said second end of said fuse, and having a contact engaging conductive portion and a tip formed of insulating material;
• 6. a barrier of insulating material supported between said contact engaging conductive portion of said first loadbreak contact and said second end of said fuse;
• B. an enclosure and mounting assembly including,
• 1. a tube of insulating material having first and second ends forming an enclosure;
• 2. a mounting means for said assembly secured to said first end of said tube;
• 3. a second non-loadbreak contact having a contact portion adjacent the inner wall of said tube and positioned to be engaged by said first non-loadbreak contact, and having an electrical connection portion extending through the wall of said tube for making external electrical connection thereto;
• 4. a closure and loadbreak contact assembly secured to said second end of said tube including:
• a. a closure means closing said second end of said tube;
• b. a second loadbreak contact supported at one end and having a free end projecting into said tube for engagement with said first loadbreak contact,
• c. electrically conductive means connected to said second loadbreak contact and extending through said closure means for making external electrical connection to said second loadbreak contact;
• d. an insulating sleeve supported at one end on said closure means and having a free end projecting into said tube, said sleeve surrounding and spaced from said first loadbreak contact assembly, and spaced from the inner wall of said tube, the free end of said sleeve extending beyond the free end of said second loadbreak contact having a bore of reduced cross-sectional area, the outer wall of said sleeve intermediate its length being provided with a portion of enlarged cross-sectional area so as to be closely spaced from the inner wall of said tube:
• whereby gases generated by an arc established between said first and second loadbreak contacts are first confined within said sleeve and then pass out of said bore of reduced cross-sectional area and are thereafter substantially confined to the volume defined by said barrier, the perimeter of which is closely spaced from the inner wall of said tube, said sleeve portion of enlarged cross-sectional area and the inner wall of said tube therebetween, the gases being cooled by impingement with said confining members such that as said fuse and contact assembly is removed from said enclosure, said hot gases do not escape from said enclosure around said fuse, nor do they contact said fuse, whereby said arc is extinguished without the escape of gases from said confined volume during a loadbreak operation.