Fast acting explosive circuit interrupter

A high speed, high impedance, explosive circuit interrupter comprising a housing defining an internal cavity having side walls substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said cavity, at least two load-carrying conductors entering said cavity laterally from opposing sides and at opposing points therein spaced from either end of said cavity, said conductors being electrically conductively connected with each other within said cavity by a breakable high conductance filament, plunger-driven non-conductive cutting means slidably mounted along said longitudinal axis within said cavity and spaced from said filament toward a first end of said cavity for breaking said filament in traveling longitudinally from said first end of said cavity toward the other end thereof and for insulating said conductors from each other, said plunger having a lateral cross section conforming substantially to the lateral cross section of said cavity throughout the range of longitudinal travel thereof, for driving said cutting means through said filament upon detonation of the explosive element hereinafter defined and for isolating said filament from the gaseous products of explosion of said explosive element, an explodable element positioned within said cavity and between said plunger-driven cutting means and said first end of said cavity for forcing said cutting means along said longitudinal axis and through said filament upon detonation of said explosive element, said element having electrical terminals in electrical communication therewith for conducting a detonating signal from a signal generator to said explosive element, at least one venting means between said filament and said first end of said cavity for venting from said cavity gas compressed by either detonation of said explosive element or longitudinal travel of said cutting means upon detonation of said element and for attenuating the pressure increase around said filament during and after said detonation, and at least one venting means communicating between said cavity at a point therein spaced from said filament toward the other end of said cavity and the exterior of said cavity for venting from said cavity gas compressed within the portion of said cavity spaced from said filament toward the other end of said cavity.