Abstract: A device for detecting and indicating a fault current flowing through a lightning arrestor or an insulator, the current being DC or at AC mains frequency, the device being housed inside a box that is provided with a frangible window and that has a piece of metal electrically connected to an end fitting of the lightning arrestor or of the insulator passing therethrough. The device has: a transformer for transforming the current, the primary of the transformer being constituted by the piece of metal, and the secondary of the transformer being connected to a peak-limiting circuit to make pulses of current due to surges corresponding, in particular, to lightning strikes inoperative; a heating resistance fed by said transformer and constituting an igniter for a pyrotechnic composition in which it is embedded, the composition being designed to break the frangible window; and preferably indicator means suitable for being released by rupture of the frangible window.

Abstract: A sealed envelope based on a filamentary winding constituted by resin-impregnated glass fibers, for equipment likely to be subjected to large thermal stresses and thus to be the seat of internal excess pressures, the winding adhering to the outside surface of the equipment, wherein the outside surface of the equipment coated with the winding has fiber-free zones forming resin-filled gaps, with the percentage of the surface area not covered with fibers being not less than about 15%.

Abstract: A rigid electrical insulator of the type having a base or a pin at its bottom and having at least one groove (18 or 19) for receiving an electrical cable at its top, the insulator being characterized by the fact that it includes at least one central rod (1) fixed at its bottom end to the base (5) or to the pin and at its top end to a rigid head (7) provided with at least one channel (8 or 9), the outside faces of the rod and of the rigid head (7) being covered in waterproof manner by a covering (10), with the head covering being of a flexible elastomer and the rod covering being selected from elastomers, resins, and varnishes, the groove (18 or 19) being defined by the channel (8 or 9) covered by its covering.

Abstract: A double molded over method of manufacturing a lightning arrester in which a central core 1 is made of zinc oxide in a first step, then two metal end fittings 5, 6 are molded onto the end faces and over the side thereof, and finally a coating of elastomer material 7 is molded around the side wall of the central core and over side portions of the end fittings. The core may be formed of a plurality of smaller section bars of zinc oxide regularly disposed about a longitudinal axis with the end fittings molded onto the end faces and about the sides of the end bars whose end faces are partially metallized. In a further variant, a stack of zinc oxide based pellets having the same cross-sectional area as the core in the first example, with the stack having the same overall length as the core if stiffened by thermal compression with fusible metal inserted between pairs of pellets. The stack assembly is then compressed mechanically in conjunction with heat treatment to effect very good mechanical bonding.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a lightning arrester (100) having two end fittings (2,20) at either end of a substantially cylindrical central core constituted by a stack of pellets (6, 7, 8) made of a varistor-type material and having holes therethrough whereby the pellets are threaded over a central rod (1) made of stratified material. The stack assembly is put into compression against the two facing faces of the end fittings (2, 20) by means of the rod (1), the space between the rod (1) and the pellets (6, 7, 8) is filled by casting or injecting an insulating material, with the assembly obtained in this way being perfectly rigid, and a coating (30) of an elastomer of the EPDM type is molded over the assembly, with the coating adherring perfectly to all of the surfaces of the core and of the end fittings which it covers.

Abstract: An electrical insulator (1) of the type comprising at least one dielectric (2) and an iron or steel cap (3) fixed axially on the dielectric has a device for protecting the cap against corrosion as well as electric arcs. In one embodiment (FIGS. 1-3), the protection device comprises a zinc or aluminum part (10) shaped as a dish with a center hole (11) and outlet holes (12) for the egress of rainwater. The outside wall (13) of the part (10) curves upwardly toward the cap (3) and a portion of the part (10) is disposed between the base (6) of the cap (3) and the outer surface (7) of the dielectric (2). In another embodiment (FIG. 4), the protection device comprises a solid body of revolution (30) of semi-toroidal shape which is formed of zinc or aluminum and is cast directly around the base (6) of the cap (3) and has a thin flange extending between the base (6 )of the cap (3) and the outer surface (7) of the dielectric (2).