(19)
(11) EP 0 243 076 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
26.07.1989 Bulletin 1989/30

(43) Date of publication A2:
28.10.1987 Bulletin 1987/44

(21) Application number: 87303276.7

(22) Date of filing: 14.04.1987
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)4: H01H 39/00
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE FR GB IT SE

(30) Priority: 18.04.1986 US 853695

(71) Applicant: G & W ELECTRIC COMPANY
Blue Island Illinois 60406 (US)

(72) Inventor:
  • Pflanz, Herbert Maximilian
    Westwood Massachusetts (US)

(74) Representative: Cross, Rupert Edward Blount et al
BOULT, WADE & TENNANT 27 Furnival Street
London EC4A 1PQ
London EC4A 1PQ (GB)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Current interrupter


    (57) A current interrupter (10) wherein current is normally carried by a bus bar (12), and a portion of the bus bar (12) is segmented by a pyrotechnic charge (14) under excess current conditions. The charge (14) is detonated by a detonator (18) which is triggered by voltage across a resistive element (16) having a predetermined melting point connected in series with the bus bar (12). At the time the detonator (18) is triggered, the resistive element (16) provides sufficient resistance to trigger the detonator (18) while operating at a temperature below its melting point. A control device (20) may be employed to control current flow through the detonator (18).







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