Vacuum-type circuit interrupter

In a vacuum-type circuit interrupter having a pair of relatively movable opposed electrodes carried respectively by electrically conductive support members, each of said electrodes having a structure comprising:

• an annular portion having opposite annular surfaces, one of said annular surfaces providing an annular contact-making surface which separably makes contact with the corresponding contact-making surface of the other opposite electrode and acts as an arc-running surface upon actuation of said circuit interrupter to break the circuit therethrough;
• a substantially disc-shaped recessed portion surrounded by said annular portion and having substantially circular opposite surfaces, said disc-shaped portion being secured to said support member at the central area of one of said substantially circular opposite surfaces thereof, the other substantially circular surface being sunk below said contact-making surface to provide a sunk surface untouchably opposing the corresponding sunk surface of the opposite electrode;
• first self-acting magnetically driving means for driving an arc produced on said contact-making surface to impel the same in a circumferential direction of said contact-making surface;
• and
• second self-acting magnetically driving means for driving an arc produced at the recessed portion surrounded by said annular portion to shift the same toward and onto said contact-making surface.