US1191690A - Vacuum lightning-arrester. - Google Patents

Description

J. T. GREENE.

VACUUM LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

APPLICATION FILED 050.16, 1912.

1,191,69. Patented Jul 18, 1916.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN TYLER GREENE, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC SPECIALTY COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO,

A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

VACUUM LIGHTN IN G-ABRESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 18, 1916.

Application filed December 16, 1912. Serial No. 737,017.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN T. GREENE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum Lightning-Arresters, of which the following 1s a specification.

My invention relates to lightning arresters of the vacuum ty e, and the invention has for a primary ob ect to provide a convenient, durable and inexpensive mounting for the electrodes of a vacuum lightning arrester which will accurately and permanently position said electrodes within the evacuated vessel and at proper distances, one from another, so that the spark gap or gapswill not be destroyed or altered by rough handling in shipment, or vibration and the like, when the devices are used.

A further object is to provide a mounting of the sort above indicated, which will protect the seals of the leadingdn wires from the effects of the discharge across the'spark gap or gaps.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showlng a preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2, a sectional plan taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a view, in perspective, of the non-conducting refractory element in which the electrodes are mounted, and Figs.

4 and 5, views, in perspective, of the electrodes.

Like characters of reference desi nate like parts in the several figures of the drawlteferring to the drawing, 10 designates a base of refractory material, such as porcelain, upon which is mounted, in any suitable manner, an evacuated, or partially evacuated, vessel 11 preferably made of glass. The vessel is formed preferably with an inwardly projecting glass stem 12 through which the leading-in wires are sealed. The arrester shown in the drawing is designed for a metallic circuit and hence there are three electrodes, two line electrodes, and a grounded electrode. 13 designates the grounded electrode, and 14, 1 1 the line electrodes. These electrodes are arranged in an element made preferably integrally, of some non-conducting, highly refractory material such as porcelaln, whlch 1s so formed and constructed as to engage the electrodes at both ends so as to prevent all possibility of displacement. The element, a detail of which is shown in Fig. 3, consists of a base 15 to which the electrodes are attached bysuitable securing devices, and a yoke 16 extending around and engaging the upper or free ends of said electrodes. The electrodes consist preferably 01 carbon blocks and, as a matter of convenlence, the grounded electrode 13 (Fig. 4) 1s formed with lugs or feet 17 which are perforated for screws 18 by means of which the electrode is secured to the base 15. Each line electrode 14 (Fig. 5) is also preferably formed with a projection or foot 19 perforated for an attaching screw 20. The transverse member of the yoke 16 is formed with a groove 21 into which the upper end of the grounded electrode fits, and with similar grooves 22 14. The base 15 is preferably, though not necessarily, formed with projections 23, 23 intervening between the central electrode 13 and the electrodes 14 on the other side therefor the line electrodes cured to the screw 18 and the leading-in wires 25, 25 for the line electrodes are similarly secured to the ends of the screws 20. The mounting structure 15, 16, may thus be supported on the leading-in wires but preferably, in order to insure a firm and durable support for the same, I fill in the space around the ends of the leading-in wires and between the base member 15 and the stem 12 with a body 26 of asbestos cement, or other similar material, which, when it hardens, will give an additional support to the porcelain member 15, 16 and the electrodes.

In lightning arresters of the vacuum type in which electrodes consisting of blocks of carbon, or other similar material, are arranged within an evacuated glass vessel through the. walls of which the leading-in wires are sealed, considerable difiiculty has been experienced in obtaining a cheap and convenient means for mounting the electrodes which will firmly and reliably hold said electrodes in the desired position as against the rough handling which the arresters may receive in shipment and the vibration to which they may be subjected when vides means for mounting the electrodes which meets all these requirements. The electrodes are accurately and very firmly positioned by employment of the base member 15 with its yoke 16. Each end of each electrode is positively held in fixed position. The manufacture of the device is simple and inexpensive. lhe electrodes are slipped into the porcelain member 15, 16 and the screws 18, 20, driven through perforations previously formed in the base. The cement 26, besides holding the mounting element in position, gives an anchorage for the ends of the screws. It will be observed, furthermore, that as the base 15 intervenes between the seals of the 1eading-in wires and the electrodes the former are protected as against direct contact of the arcs across the spark gaps.

I claim. I

1. A lightning arrester comprising an evacuated vessel providedwith an inwardly projecting stem, leading-in wires sealed through said stem, a base member Withinsaid vessel, a plurality of carbon blocks to serve the function of electrodes, each formed with a perforated foot, attaching devices extending through the perforations in said feet, and through said base member, with the extremities of whichsaid leading-in wires are connected, a body of plastic, non-conducting material between said stem and said base, a yoke rigid with the base, which extends around and engages the outer ends of the carbon blocks so as to hold the same in spaced relationl 2. A lightning arrester comprising an evacuated glass vessel formed with an inturned stem, leading-in Wires sealed through said stem, a base arranged above and transversely to the stem, having a yoke member thereon, both of nonconducting, refractory material, electrodes in parallel arrangement between and secured to said base and yoke and electrically connected with said leadingin wires respectively throu h the base, and a body of plastic, noncon ucting material uniting the base to the stem and inclosing the'upper ends of the leading in wires.

JOHN TYLER GREENE.

Witnesses:

C. C. BREELY, P. H. CHAPMAN.

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