High voltage electric fuse
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorJohn G. Leach
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This high voltage fuse comprises a pair of spaced terminals and a fusible conductive element connected between the terminals. At spaced locations along the length of the fusible element, there are bodies of a material that exothermically reacts when heated to a predetermined temperature. Connected between the terminals independently of the fusible element is a triggering circuit. The bodies of exothermic material are connected in good heat-transfer relationship with the triggering circuit and the fusible element so that the heating effect of current through the triggering circuit upon disruption of the fusible element causes the material of said bodies to exothermically react and thus cause further disruption of the fusible element at additional locations respectively located adjacent said bodies.
Claims17
A high voltage electric fuse comprising:
- (a) a pair of spaced-apart conductive terminals,
- (b) a fusible conductive element connected between said terminals,
- (c) bodies of exothermic material disposed closely adjacent to said conductive element at spaced-apart locations along the length of the conductive element, the exothermic material of each body having the property of exothermically reacting when heated to a predetermined temperature,
- (d) a triggering circuit connected between said terminals independently of said fusible conductive element and having a resistance that limits current therethrough to very low values until said fusible conductive element is disrupted,
- (e) means for connecting the bodies of exothermic material in good heat-transfer relationship with said triggering circuit and said fusible conductive element so that the heating effect of current through said triggering circuit upon disruption of said fusible conductive element causes the material of said bodies to exothermically react and thus cause further disruption of said fusible element at additional locations respectively located adjacent to said bodies,
- (f) and means for electrically insulating said triggering circuit from said fusible conductive element at all points along the length of said fusible element except at said terminals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.