High voltage d-c vacuum interrupter device with magnetic control of interrupter impedance with movable contact

A circuit interrupter comprising, in combination:

• an evacuated housing having an axis;
• a ring-shaped anode electrode disposed coaxially with said housing, and a terminal connected to said ring-shaped electrode and accessible externally of said housing;
• a cathode electrode disposed within said housing and spaced from and insulated from said anode electrode and being coaxial with said anode electrode, and a terminal connected to said cathode electrode and accessible externally of said housing;
• an electrical winding concentrically surrounding said anode electrode for producing a magnetic field in the space between said cathode and anode electrodes to increase the impedance of an arc in said space and to extinguish said arc;
• a movable contact disposed within said housing and being relatively movable into and out of engagement with said cathode electrode and operable from regions external of said housing;
• and circuit means for connecting said movable contact to said anode electrode when said movable contact engages said cathode electrode, thereby to define a closed circuit between said first and second terminals when said movable contact engages said cathode electrode;
• said movable contact and cathode electrode being arranged whereby an arc is drawn between said movable contact and said cathode electrode when said movable contact is moved away from said cathode electrode, which arc is rapidly transferred to between said anode and cathode electrodes;
• and power supply circuit means for applying current to said electrical winding after said movable contact separates from said cathode electrode.