Partitioned gas-filled electrical apparatus

Claim 1

A GAS-FILLED POWER CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER OF SUBSTANTIALLY Y-SHAPED CONFIGURATION COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A SUBSTANTIALLY ENCLOSED HOLLOW ACTUATING CHAMBER, AN UPSTANDING HOLLOW SUPPORTING INSULATOR FOR SUPPORTING SAID HOLLOW ACTUATING CHAMBER UP IN THE AIR AN ADEQUATE DISTANCE ABOVE GROUND POTENTIAL, A PAIR OF DIVERGENTLY EXTENDING ENCLOSED GAS-FILLED SERIALLY-RELATED INTERRUPTING CHAMBERS EACH OF WHICH HAS A PAIR OF SEPARABLE CONTACT MEANS DISPOSED THEREIN, EACH OF THE TWO INTERRUPTING CHAMBERS BEING UNVENTED, OPERATING MEANS DISPOSED WITHIN SAID HOLLOW ACTUATING CHAMBER FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY EFFECTING OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENTS OF THE TWO SERIALLY-RELATED SEPARABLE CONTACT MEANS, OPERATING ROD MEANS EXTENDING UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID SUPPORTING INSULATOR TO ACTUATE SAID OPERATING MEANS, COMMUNICATING PASSAGE MEANS INCLUDING AN APERTURED PARTITION PLATE BETWEEN THE HOLLOW ACTUATING CHAMBER AND EACH OF THE GAS-FILLED INTERRUPTING CHAMBERS, AND DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE-ACTING VALVE MEANS INCLUDING A VALVE HAVING A RAISED PORTION ADAPTED TO SURROUND THE APERTURE IN THE PARTITION PLATE UPON VALVE CLOSURE WHEREBY THE VALVE SEATING PRESSURE WILL BE INCREASED, THE ARRANGEMENT FUNCTIONING TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF GAS THROUGH EACH COMMUNICATING PASSAGE MEANS, WHEREBY LOSS OF GAS PRESSURE THROUGH LEAKAGE IN ONE INTERRUPTING CHAMBER WILL EFFECT CLOSURE OF THE RESPECTIVE VALVE MEANS AND SO PERMIT THE REMAINING INTERRUPTING CHAMBER TO BE EFFECTIVE IN CIRCUIT INTERRUPTION.