Abstract: A high tension circuit breaker containing a dielectric gas under pressure, the circuit breaker being of the type comprising at least one interrupting chamber comprising an insulating envelope filled with said gas and containing a fixed assembly including a fixed main contact (2) and a fixed arcing contact (4), and a moving assembly including a moving main contact (7) and a moving arcing contact (5), the interrupting chamber also containing a pair of secondary contacts and a blast cylinder opening out into a blast nozzle. The circuit breaker further includes first means (37, 38,104) for limiting the maximum separation distance between the secondary contacts to a value which is less than the maximum separation distance between the arcing contacts, and second means (60, 101) for preventing any arcs being struck during closure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a circuit breaker in which the blast cylinder is delimited by a first cylinder (5) constituting the moving arcing contact, a second cylinder (7) constituting the fixed main contact, and a first piston (14) sliding between said first and second cylinders, said first piston being urged by a spring (17) to come into abutment against a part (16A) fixed to the fixed assembly, the cylinder (5) constituting the moving arcing contact and a tube (16) connected to the fixed assembly and coaxial with said cylinder together delimiting, on the other side of the piston (14) closing the blast cylinder, a variable volume (35, 35B) closed at one end by said first piston (14) and at its other end by an annular end piston (42) connected to said first cylinder (5) and sliding along said tube (16), said volume enclosing said secondary contacts, a first secondary contact (30) being fixed to said tube (16) and the second secondary contact (31) being entrained by said first cylinder (5).

Abstract: A high- or medium-tension compressed gas circuit breaker taking circuit-breaking energy from the arc, the circuit breaker being of the type comprising:a fixed assembly including main contacts (8a) and arc contacts (21a);a moving assembly including main contacts (26) and arc contacts (25);a blast volume (VI) including a piston (12) which moves on contact separation and urges compressed gas through a blast nozzle (7) which opens over the zone where a main arc forms when the arc contacts separate, anda set of auxiliary contacts (22a, 21c) in series with the arc contacts for creating an auxiliary arc in the volume (V2) situated behind the piston,the circuit breaker further including means (23, 24) for allowing the auxiliary contacts to separate only when the pressure in the blast zone reaches a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A zero latching force energy storage device has a first rod (10) sliding along an axis X and subjected to axial thrust from a first spring (17), with the first rod (10) being fixed at a first end to latching means and being coupled at a second end to energy storage means. The latching means include a rod (18) provided with a transverse bore (19) which, when in the set position, receives a latching member (100) controlled by an electromagnet (121). The energy storage means include a second rod (20) slidable along the same axis X and subjected to axial force from a second spring (34), with the free end of the second rod facing the free end of the first rod and being coupling to the first rod (10) and for locking it when the latching member (100) is in its set position.

Abstract: A compressed gas dielectric circuit breaker comprising fixed main contacts (11), fixed arcing contacts (8A), a moving assembly comprising main contacts (21) and arcing contacts (22A), a blast device comprising a semi-moving cylinder (16) divided into first and second chambers (15, 35) by a fixed piston (3B), with the first chamber (15) communicating with a blast nozzle (12), and a thermal volume (9) opening out into the zone where the fixed arcing contacts (8A) separate from the arcing contacts (22A) of the moving assembly, communication (26) being established between the thermal volume (9) and said second chamber (35) in order to enable gas heated by the arc in the thermal volume to increase in pressure and to assist in the displacement of the cylinder (16) and thus in the compression of the gas in the first chamber (15).

Abstract: A compressed dielectric gas high-tension circuit breaker comprising: a fixed assembly comprising main contacts and arcing contacts; a moving assembly comprising main contacts and arcing contacts; a blast chamber comprising a piston which moves on separation of the contacts to urge compressed blast gas towards a blast nozzle situated in the zone where an arc is struck; and a thermal volume; wherein the thermal volume is in communication with the downstream portion of the blast nozzle via channels and passages extending the path between the thermal volume and said nozzle, said communication being closed by a calibrated non-return valve which opens only when the pressure in said channels and in said passage reaches a threshold value, said non-return valve closing the passage between the blast chamber and the nozzle when said communication is opened.

Abstract: A circuit breaker actuator device of the type comprising an operating wheel (R) whose rotation drives the moving circuit-breaking members, said wheel being connected to a first spring (S'1) by a first chain (C1) passing over a first pulley (P1) and fixed to a first point (A1) close to the periphery of the wheel. The wheel is held fixed when the spring (S1) is under tension/compression by means of a retaining member (K1) which can be retracted to allow the wheel to rotate. The device further includes a second spring (S2) connected by a second chain (C2) passing over a second pulley (P2) and fixed to a second point (A2) on said wheel. The center of the wheel is situated, when both springs are under tension/compression, between the length of the first chain connecting the first point to the first pulley and the length of the second chain connecting the second point to the second pulley, with the second spring applying a force which is less than the force applied by the first spring.

Abstract: The invention relates to a compressed gas high tension circuit breaker requiring low operating energy. The circuit breaker is located in a gas tight enclosure filled with gas having high dielectric power, and comprises a fixed assembly including a main contact and an arcing contact, and a moving assembly including a main contact and an arcing contact. The moving assembly includes a chamber (21) which is delimited by two tubular elements (20, 18A) each of which slides over two tubular surfaces (7, 8) of the fixed assembly, said chamber being in communication with the zone in which the arcing contacts separate via a plurality of holes (18B).

Abstract: The invention relates to a compressed gas high tension circuit breaker in which the energy required for operation is assisted by the thermal effect of the arc, the circuit breaker comprising fixed main contacts and fixed arcing contacts, a moving assembly comprising moving main contacts and moving arcing contacts, a blast nozzle, and a thermal volume in which the gas pressure increases under the effect of heating due to the arc which extends between the arcing contacts when the separate, the circuit breaker including the improvement of means for responding to the pressure existing in said thermal volume (3, 35) to exert a greater force on the moving assembly (9) than the forces exerted thereon due to its resistance to movement, said means including a differential piston arrangement.

Abstract: A pneumatic puffer circuit breaker for high tension stations comprises a sealed chamber filled with a highly dielectric gas, a fixed main contact (18, 39) and at least one fixed arcing contact (9, 14, 16) disposed as co-axial cylinders and deliminiting a first volume (12). A fixed blast nozzle (24) delimits in conjunction with the fixed arcing contact an outlet passage (12A) for gas from said first volume (12). A tubular moving main contact (29) and a tubular moving arcing contact (15) are disposed coaxially with each other and with the fixed contacts, and a cylinder (10) is mounted to co-operate with the fixed main contact during circuit interruption to compress the gas in said first volume. Said cylinder has a spring (11) urging it towards a drive member (20, 31) mounted to move with said moving contacts.