Axial blast puffer interrupter with multiple puffer chambers

A puffer type circuit interrupter comprising, in combination:

• a hollow support cylinder filled with a dielectric fluid;
• first and second axially spaced pistons axially slidably disposed within said support cylinder;
• an axially fixed barrier disposed across said support cylinder and disposed between said first and second pistons to define first and second fluid-filled volumes of variable size with said first and second pistons, respectively;
• a relatively fixed contact disposed within said support cylinder and adjacent said one end thereof;
• a hollow tubular relatively movable contact disposed within said support cylinder and axially movable into and out of engagement with said relatively fixed contact;
• said relatively movable contact being connected to and axially movable with said first and second piston;
• the interior of said hollow tubular movable contact communication between said first and second volumes and forming therefor fluid flow path therebetween, whereby movement of said movable contact out of engagement with said fixed contact causes the enlargement of said first volume and the decrease of said second volume, whereby fluid flows through said hollow movable contact and from said second volume into said first volume;
• said relatively movable and fixed contacts engaging one another in a central region within said insulation cylinder which is disposed within said second fluid-filled volume;
• the space between said fixed and movable contacts being swept by said fluid flow from said second volume to said first volume during the opening operation of said interrupter.