Surge protector assembly

A surge protector assembly comprising:

• a unitary surge protector including a pair of aligned conductive electrodes each comprising a hollow cylindrical member having a first closed end wall with the opposite end being open and flared outwardly to provide an annular flange, and a ceramic spacer cylinder sealed between the flanges of said electrodes for positioning the electrode end walls in facing relation interiorly of said cylinder forming an arc discharge gap therebetween, said end walls being indented from said gap, wherein said spacer cylinder forms an enclosure together with said electrodes within which a given pressure is maintained,
• elongated cylindrical contact members loosely slidably received within said hollow cylindrical member for alignment longitudinally of said surge protector by said hollow cylindrical members, at least one of said contact members having a short length adjacent an end wall indentation which is of smaller diameter being comparable in size to the indentation for bearing thereagainst, each contact member extending outwardly past the electrode's annular flanges, and each contact member having an enlarged head at a distance beyond a corresponding electrode flange wherein the combined spacing of the heads from the flanges totals a distance greater than the spacing of the gap between indentations,
• a cylindrical holder formed of insulating material for longitudinally receiving said surge protector and said contact members, said cylindrical holder having a first contact at one end for making connection with the head of one of said contact members and having a metal cap threadedly received on the other end of the holder wherein said cap includes a second contact spring-biased against the head of the remaining contact member,
• and a base member comprising a first plate threadedly receiving said cap and making electrical contact therewith, said base member further including a second plate for making electrical connection with said first contact.

A surge protector assembly comprising:

• a unitary surge protector including a pair of aligned conductive electrodes each comprising a hollow cylindrical member having a first closed end wall with the opposite end being open and flared outwardly to provide an annular flange, and a ceramic spacer cylinder sealed between the flanges of said electrodes for positioning the electrode end walls in facing relation interiorly of said cylinder forming an arc discharge gap therebetween, said end walls being indented from said gap, wherein said spacer cylinder forms an enclosure together with said electrodes within which a given pressure is maintained,
• first and second elongated cylindrical contact members loosely slidably received within said hollow cylindrical members and being aligned longitudinally of said surge protector by said hollow cylindrical members, at least one of said contact members having a short length adjacent an end wall indentation which is of smaller diameter being comparable in size to the indentation and bearing thereagainst, each contact member extending outwardly past the electrode's annular flanges,
• a cylindrical holder formed of conductive material for longitudinally receiving said surge protector and said contact members, a conductive cage longitudinally received in said holder, said cage coaxially supporting a first of said contact members and also having spring fingers grasping the outside of said spacer cylinder received therewithin, and a spring between said cage and a first closed end of said cylindrical holder, the second end of said cylindrical holder being open,
• and a base member threadedly receiving said holder and provided with electrical connecting means for making contact with the exterior of said holder, said base member also having a contact for making connection with the second contact member when said holder is threadedly engaged with said base.

An over voltage arrester comprising:

• a tubular insulating member,
• a pair of electrodes mounted in a gastight manner in said tubular member and each having an electrode surface spaced apart from a corresponding electrode surface of the other electrode,
• said electrodes each comprising a hollow member having a closed end wall with the opposite end being open and flared to provide a flange sealed to one end of said tubular member,
• contact blocks formed of good thermal conducting material and being thermally coupled to respective ones of said electrodes conducting away heat therefrom during operation of the voltage arrester,
• said electrodes facing oppositely of each other, and having their closed ends positioned inwardly from the ends of said tubular member, and
• means urging the electrodes inwardly of said tubular insulating
• member.