Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Backqround of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical devices
such as fuses and lightning arresters and, more particu-
larly, to enclosures for such electrical devices which
are particularly well suited to an underground, or gener-
ally submersible, installation, or similar installations
where the conditions ambient the enclosed electrical
device may vary.
In its on-line mode o~ operation the enclos`ed
fuse, or lightning arrester, is at line potential and thè
voltage stress in the area of the fuse must be controlled
to minimize the occurrence of corona and its well-known
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deleterious effects. Corona shields carried by a housing
enclosing a fuse have been used in the past, examples of
such arrangements can be found in U.S. Patents 3,588,607
issued June 28, 1971 to Donald J. Ristuccia et al, 3,686,604
issued August 22, 1972 to Edwin A. Link et al and 3,818,407
issued June 18,1974 to N.W. Edgerton. Si~ilarly, corona
shields carried by the actual fuse housing have been used, and
examples can be found in U.S. Patents 2,593,426 issued
April 22, 1952 to H.H. Fahnoe and 2,844,691 issued July 22,
1958 to J.C. Howell. The structures shown in these Patents
are only typical and are not to be considered exhaustive of
the prior art arrangements which have been proposed.
This invention is concerned with the problem
of controlling voltage stress to minimize the occurrence
of corona and has as one of its general objects the
provision of an improved corona shield arrangement for an
enclosed electrical device such as a fuse or lightning arrester.
An additional object is to optimize corona
prevention while reducing the overall size of the enclosed
electrical device and while remaining consistent with
design parameters for an underground, or generally
submersible, electrical installation.
Another specfic object of this invention is to
ensure that all electrical stress occurs across the insulation
material of the factory molded housing and not across air spaces
normally occurring in the chamber defined by the enclosure.
It is believed that this invention will find
perhaps its widest and most immediate application in
connection with enclosed non-expulsion type fuses such as
sand current-limiting fuses and vacuum fuses. Therefore,
it will be discussed in that environment but should
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not be interpreted as being so limited in its applica-
tion, as already stated, it may be used with lightning
arresters as well as other electrical circuit interrupter
devices. In such applications, deposits due to ambient
conditions may occur naturally on the interior of the
housing enclosure as the unit stands on line and, even in
such applications, some gases may evolve during interrup-
tion even though such fuses are basically non-expulsion.
Such gas evolution may contribute to the deposits. ~t is
recognized that these deposits can form a conductive path
between terminals and should be avoided. Also, internal
pressures sufficient to rupture the enclosure are to be
avoided. This invention is also concerned with these
problems and further objects of this invention are to
provide, in the housing interior, an effective barrier to
the completion of this conductive path and to prevent
excessive internal pressure buildup.
Summary of the Invention
For the achievement of these and other objects,
this invention proposes to embed two shields of conduc-
tive material in the enclosure housing the electrical
device; e.g. a fuse, so that the shields are completely
surrounded by the molded insulation material of the hous-
ing. The shields are electrically connected one to each
of the terminals of the fuse. The shields extend along
respective lengths of the fuse and terminate such that
their ends are spaced so as not to provide a complete
electrical path between the fuse terminals when interrup
tion occurs but are close enough that flux lines fringe
between the spaced ends witho~t appreciable penetration
into the interior housing chamber in which the fuse is
located thereby establishing a shielding bridge for
effective corona control.
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Preferably, the shields are cylindrical and
completely surround their respective lengths of fuse.
The housing is preferably split along a radial
plane between the spaced ends of the shields. A gasket
is provided at the joint between the split housing por-
tions and with a part thereof positioned axially between
the spaced shield ends. This provides an adequate
dielectric, and better control over that dielectric,
between the spaced ends of the shields, again to enhance
corona control.
The gasket performs an additional function in
that it includes an inner generally cylindrical wall
which closely engages the outer wall of the fuse, or
other electrical device, in the housing. The gasket pro-
vides an effective anti-tracking barrier preventing the
completion of a conductive path along the chamber walls
between the spaced terminals of the fuse, in that the
gasket itself provides a physical interruption at the
interior chamber wall preventing the complete deposit of
contaminants from one terminal to the other along that
interior wall.
Although use with non-expulsion type interrup-
ting devices is contemplated, it is possible that some
gases may be evolved during the interruption process of
those devices. To relieve pressures which may otherwise
be built up during expulsion of such gases and to prevent
an excessive pressure buildup, the gasket is adapted to
permit the passage of gases from one side of the gasket
to the other. This will equalize the pressure on both
sides of the gasket preventing buildup on one side suffi-
cient to rupture the ènclosure or cause other damage.
This is accomplished by providing small ribs on the
interior wall of the cylindrical portion of the gasket so
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that, although the gasket closely engages the major por-
tion of the outer fuse housing, small elongated openings
are provided along that housing on each side of the rib.
These openings are large enough to permit gas passage
from one side of the gasket to the other but do not read-
ily accept contaminant deposits. Should moisture attempt
to pass through these openings, that moisture is kept to
a small amount because of the opening size and will gen-
erally be vaporized by the heat generated by the fuse,
particularly where the fuse is a current limiting sand
fuse and the gasket engages the sand fuse around its cen-
ter area in which interruption occurs. That area is a
point of extremely high temperature upon interruption and
the evaporation will occur due to that high temperature.
Beyond equalizing pressures, a vent is provided
from the interior chamber of the housing to the ambient.
The vent selectively opens the interior chamber to the
ambient to exhaust pressures and reseals to prevent
entrance of contaminants, all dependent upon the pressure
within the enclosure.
In practice, the outer surface of the housing
is provided with a conventional electrically conductive
coating which is generally intended to be at ground
potential. With the embedded shield as just described
and while the fuse is in its on-line mode and before
interruption, electrical stress occurs between the
shields and the outer conductive coating. This invention
places the electrical
3L~147~S3
stress across the molded.factory insulation and completely
eliminates the air space in the interior chamber between the
fuse.structure and the interior chamber wall from the dielectric
system. This allows the overall enclosure to be smaller in
diameter and also gives far better control over the dielectric
necessary to withstand the electrical stress:from the
expected line potential without the occurrence of corona.
When the fuse operates, one of the shields will be at
line pvtential and the other shield is generally at ground
potential, but here again any electrical stress is either
between the shields themselves or the one shield and the
conductive coating on the outside of the enclosure and,
therefore, is always across factory controlled insulation~
According to one broad aspect, the invention relates
to a shielded circuit interrupter assembly comprising in
combination, a housing including an interior chamber and first
and second spaced terminal means communicating with said cha~ber,
an electrical device positioned in said chamber and connected
to said terminal means, said electrical device completing an
electrical circuit between said terminal means under normal
circuit conditions and operative to interrupt said electrical
_ circuit at a preselected abnormal circuit condition, said
housing being formed by first and second portions joined along
a generally radial plane, a gasket at said joint between said
first and second housing portions, said gasket includes a
central body portion closely engaging the outer surface of said
electrical device to divide the housing chamber into two
portions and interrupting a direct path between said first
and second terminal means along the walls of said chamber~
Other objects and advantages will be pointed out in,
or be apparent from, the specification and claims, as will
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obvious modifications of the embodiments shown in the drawings,
in which:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a housing embodying
this invention;
Fig. 2 is an axial section through the housing and
illustrating the interior structure of ~he housing with a fuse----
supported therein;
Fig. 3 is a section taken generally along line 3~3 of
Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the gasket as it engages
the outer walls of the fuse supported in the housing;
Fig. 5 is a section view taken generally a:Long line
5-5 of Fig. 4;
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Fig. 6 is a section view of the vent assembly;
Fig. 7 is an axial section view through an
alternative embodiment of this invention; and
Fig. 8 is a radial section through an alterna-
tive embodiment of this invention.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
This invention has application to enclosed,
non-expulsion fuses such as sand fuses and ~7acuum fuses
and can also be used to enclose lightning arresters but
is not limited to such electrical circuit elements. For
convenience, and since the invention will probably find
its widest and most immediate application in the area of
enclosed, non-expulsion fuses, it will be described in
that environment.
With particular reference to Figs. 1 and 2, a
molded fuse housing 1 is formed by housing halves 2
and 3. The fuse housing is molded from a suitable elec-
trical insulating material which in addition to its elec-
trical insulating properties, also possesses good non-
tracking characteristics. Such a material is availablecommercially under the name "Rosite."*
The housing halves are jointed at connecting
flanges 4 and 6, the flanges abutting along a generally
radial plane. Attachment of the connection flanges is
made through nut and bolt sets 7 in aligned openings (not
shown) in the abutting flanges. With housing 1 split
along a generally radial plane, the halves 2 and 3 can be
rotated relative to each other to vary their relative
orientation to accommodate different location arrange-
ments. Also, being split radially facilitates the assem-
bly of a fuse into the housing.
Elbows 8 and 9 are provided at the opposit:e
ends of the fuse housing and conventional bushirlg
*Trademark
" ~0~7~53
wells 11 and 1~ are molded in the elbows. Conductive
terminal assemblies 13 and 14 are provided in the elbows,
the terminal assemblies communicating with the inner
chamber 16 of the housing and also with the spaces
defined in bushing wells 11 and 12. A vacuum fuse 10 is
supported centrally within chamber 16. (The positioniny
of a conventional sand fuse 10' in the chamber 16 is
illustrated by the phantom lines in Fig. 2 ) Where the
axial length of the vacuum fuse is less than the distance
between terminal means 13 and 14 through chamber 16, con-
nection adapters 20 are provided within the chamber to
make the electrical connection between the end termi-
nals lOa and 10~ of the vacuum fuse and the termlnal
means 13 and 14. (As can be seen in Fig. 2, the sand
fuse has terminals 16a' and 16b' which engage directly in
the terminal means 13 and 14.)
The interior structure of both the vacuum fuse
and the sand fuse is conventional and the details thereof
are not necessary to a complete understanding of this
invention and therefore have not been illustrated and
will not be described.
A conductive coating 15 is provided over the
outer surface of housing 1 and is generally intended to
be at ground potential when the enclosed fuse assembly
(fuse 10 and housing 1) is connected on-line. Again,
this is a conventional connection and is not necessary to
a complete understanding of this invention so it has not
been further illustrated nor will it be further des-
cribed.
Gasket 17, preferably made of silicone rubber,
is positioned at the joint between flanges 4 and 6. The
gasket seals the joint against entrance of moisture into
chamber 16 and also performs an electrical function which
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will be described hereinafter.
Conductive shields 18 and 19 are embedded in
housing halves 2 and 3, respectively. The housing is
generally circular in transverse cross section and con-
sistent with that shape the axially extending portion of
shields 18 and 19 are generally cylindrical. Each shield
includes a radially disposed end 21 and 22. These
ends 21 and 22 make electrical contact with shoulders 23
and 24 on terminals 13 and 14, respectively. The ends 25
and 30 of the shields terminate in axial spaced relation;
i.e., axially spaced relative to the longitudinal axis of
housing 1.
Gasket 17 includes a generally annular
flange 26 which, as can be seen in Fig. 2, extends into
the space between shield ends 25 and 30.
When the fuse is in its on-line mode of opera-
tion; i.e., has not interrupted, an electric circuit is
completed from terminal 13 through the fuse assembly to
terminal means 14. Shields 18 and 19 are connected to
terminal means 13 and 14 and are at the same potential as
the opposite ends of the fuse structure. With the fuse
on-line, there is virtually little voltage drop across
the fuse and correspondingly little voltage across the
shields. In the on-line mode the voltage stress would
occur from the fuse to the exterlor surface 15; however,
with the shields 18 and 19 being at the same potential as
the fuse structure, there is virtually no voltage stress
between the shields and the fuse and, correspondingly,
across the air space between the fuse and the inner walls
of chamber 16. All voltage stress occurs between
shields 18 and 19 and the outer housing surface 15 so
that the voltage stress is across the factory molded
insulation which can be predesigned to adequately with-
stand the expected voltage stress ~itho~t the occurrenceof corona. This completely eliminates the air space from
the dielectric of the fuse assembly affording more effec-
tive control over the occcurrence of corona and, more-
over, permitting the housing to have a minimum diameter
since the normally occuring air space does not have to be
calculated into the dielectric necessary to withstand the
voltage stress without the occurrence of co.ona, and can
be held to an absolute minimum. Again, the dielectric
being provided solely by the factory molded insulation
between the conductive shields and the outer wall 15 of
the housing affords more precise design and a dielectric
which is virtually free of any variance over the life of
the housed fuse.
Ends 25 and 30 of the conductive shield are
spaced apart so as not to establish a closed circuit
between terminals 13 and 14 through the conductive
shields. Thus, when the fuse operates and interrupts the
electrical circuit through the assembly, line current
will not find a path through the electrical shield and
reliable circuit interruption is achieved. The spacing
between ends 25 and 30 is selected such that they will be
close enough to permit fringing of the dielectric flux
lines between those opposed ends without appreciable pen-
etration into chamber 16 which could result in creation
of corona. This fringing occurs while the fuse is still
in its on-line mode and cooperates in providing a shield-
ing bridge through the axial space between the ends.
Using the Rosite*type material for the housi~g,
a spacing between ends 25 and 30 in the range of 1/4
to 2 inches has given satisfactory results both from the
standpoint of providing the desired fringing effect ancl
in maintaining an open circuit in the interrupted mode of
*Trademark
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the fuse.
After the fuse interrupts, and assuming that
terminal means 13 is connected to the line and terminal
means 14 is connected to the equipment to be protected,
shield 18 will be at line potential and shield 19 will
generally be at ground potential. In this mode, all
electrical stress will now occur between shields 18
and 19 and between shield 18 and the outside of the hous-
ing 1. Again, the voltage stress occurs across factory
molded insulation so that adequate control over occurr-
ence of corona is achieved even after interruption even
though occurrence of corona in that mode is not particu-
larly critical. It is not critical because any condition
will be temporary as the blown fuse will be replaced by a
new fuse as soon as the line is re-established.
The positioning of the flange 26 of the gasket
between the spaced ends 25 and 30 of the shield is a fur-
ther factor in enhancing protection against the occur-
rerlce of corona. If only a butt joint between the
flanges was provided without the gasket being present
between the spaced ends, the butt joint would constitute
an air space in the dielectric between the shield ends.
The breakdown voltage for an air space is generally in
the neighborhood of 70 V/mil. With that relatively low
voltage breakdown strength, corona could occur. By posi-
tioning a portion of the gasket in the joint, the break-
down is considerably increased. With the silicone rubber
gasket positioned as illustrated, the voltage breakdown
is approximately 300-400 Vjmil and adequately reduces the
possibility of the occurrence of corona in that area
before and after interruption. In the on-line mode the
gasket contributes to the provision of the desired fring-
ing effect discussesd above.
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As was previously mentioned, the Rosite~mater-
ial has anti-tracking properties to minimize the possi-
bility of a conductive path forming on the inner walls of
chamber 16 between the spaced terminal means 13 and 14.
Gasket 17 has an additional function in that it also pro-
vides a physical interruption in any path between termi-
nal means 13 and 14 to prevent completion of a conductive
path therebetween by any deposited contaminants. Speci-
fically, the gasket includes central body 27 which
closely engages around the outer central body 25 of
fuse 10. As illustrated the central body is compressed
between the walls of chambers 16 and fuse body 25 provid-
ing a substantial sealed area at that point which cannot
receive contaminants thereby interrupting any direct path
between the terminal means. At this point, it should be
appreciated that should a vacuum fuse or any fuse of les-
ser diameter bé usèd, the gaskets with inner diameters
reduced accordingly are used and the radial extension of
the annular flange 26 is increased. Although a tight
seal is not provided between the central body and the
walls of chamber 16 in this variation, the annular flange
still provides a physical barrier between the housing
halves preventing the buildup of the contaminant conduc-
tive path.
The pressures in chamber 16 on opposite sides
of the gasket may experience increases in the on-line
mode and during interruption mode of the fuse. It is
desirable that these pressures not be allowed to increase
to a point sufficient to rupture the housing 1 or cause
internal damage. To this end, a plurality of spaced
ribs 28, in this case three, are provided on the inner
wall 29 of the gasket body. As can be seen in Fig. ~,
although the major portion of the inner wall 29 closely
*Trademark
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~ 7153
engages the fuse, openings 31 are provided on each side
of the rib. These openings extend axially relative to
the longitudinal axis of the housing and are relatively
small so that they will readily pass gases from one side
of the gasket to the other but will not readily accept
contaminants. The gases can then flow freely to equalize
pressures and prevent an excessive pressure buildup on
one side or the other of the gasket.
It should also be noted, that should moisture
occur within the fuse housing and attempt to pass through
the openings 31, only a small amount of moisture at any
given time can enter the openings because of the opening
size. This relatively small amount of moisture will gen-
erally be evaporated by heat generated in the fuse, par-
ticularly when the Euse interrupts as the central body
portion 25 experiences an intensive heat buildup upon
interruption.
In order to further insure against buildup of
excessive pressures in chamber 16, a vent 32 is provided
in the housing. Vent 32 includes a body 36 which threads
into opening 34 in boss 33 in housing half 3. A similar
boss 33 can be seen on housing half 2, this boss is not
provided with an opening and a vent. It merely is pres-
ent because the same mold is utilized in molding both
housing halves. A second vent assembly 32 can be pro-
vided at that boss if desired.
Vent 32 includes a cap 37 which carries a seal-
ing ring 38. Post 44 threads into an opening 41 in
cap 37. Compression spring 42 is seated between the head
of post 44 and an inner shoulder 43 in vent body 36. The
compression spring normally biases sealing ring 38 into
engagement with seat 43 to seal the interior chamber 16
against entry of contaminants from the ambient. Pressure
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buildup within chamber 16 above a preselected val~e will
act on cap 37 and automatically lift sealing ring 38 from
its seat 43 venting the built up gases to the atmosphere.
When the pressure falls below the preselected level, the
cap and sealing ring automatically reseat sealing the
interior chamber 16 from ambient contaminant:s.
With reference to Fig. 7, an alternative
arrangement of the conductive shields has been illus-
trated. In this embodiment, the fuse 49 aaain is posi-
tioned within a chamber 48 in a housing 47 of electricalinsulating material, e.g. Rosite.* Fuse 49 is positioned
within chamber 58 and is connected through terminal
means 52 and 53 to line and to the apparatus to be pro-
tected. In this arrangement, conductive shields 54
and 56 are again generally cylindrical but one overlaps
the other so that the spacing therebetween relative to
the longitudinal axis of the housing is not axial as in
the previously described embodiment, but is in a radial
direction. Shield 54 is connected to one terminal 58 o~
the fuse by a pigtail 61. The shield 56 is connected to
the opposite terminal 59 of the fuse by a pigtail 62.
It will be seen that when fuse 49 is in its on-
line mode, the electrical stress occurs between
shields 54 and 56 and conductive coating 57 on the exter-
ior walls of housing 47. When the fuse is in its inter-
rupted mode, shield 54 is at line potential whereas
shield 56 will generally be at ground potential as is the
conductive coating 57. Accordingly, the electrical
stress is between shields 54 and 56 and between shield 54
and the outer coating 57. If the assembly is reversed so
that terminal 59 is at line potential when interruption
occurs, then shield 56 is at line potential and shield 54
at ground. Electrical stress is then between shield 56
*Trademark
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and shield 5~ and shield 56 and coating 57. Again the
entire shields are embedded wholly within the molded
insulation material of the housing, with the exception of
pigtails 61 and 62 which engage the terminals, and in
both discussed connection conditions all voltage stress
occurs across factory molded insulation so that corona
can be adequately controlled. Again, the air space in
chamber 48 between fuse 49 and the chamber walls is elim-
inated from the dielectric for effective control and for
a minimum diameter on the entire overall assembly.
~6)47~53
In both embodiments the shields are made of a carbon
filled epoxy. One further advantage of the complete embedding
of the shields in the molded insulation is that a wide variety
of conducting materials can be used, i.e. from high impedance
material to conductive metal.
Materials other than fiber glass thermo-set resins
such as *Rosite can be used for the housing. For example,
an epoxy resin could be used in which case a voltage test point
such as that disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,343,153 issued
September 19, 1967 to A.R. Waehner, and assigned to the
assignee of this application, could be utilized to check for a
blown fuse. Also, test points could be provided in elbow
connections which are used with the housing and to check for
a blown fuse.
Although this invention has been illustrated and
described in connection with particular embodiments thereof,
it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
changes and modifications may be made therein without departing~
from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the
appended claims.
*Trademark
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