An apparatus is disclosed comprising a vacuum interrupter; an upper insulating shield forming part of a support structure to mechanically support the vacuum interrupter in a mounted position; a top portion of the vacuum interrupter seated in the upper insulating shield; a first lower insulating shield forming part of the support structure to mechanically support the vacuum interrupter in a mounted position; and a lower portion of the vacuum interrupter seated in the first lower insulating shield, wherein the upper insulating shield and the lower insulating shield are mechanically coupled with one another independent of the vacuum interrupter.

In accordance with certain embodiments, an improved switching mechanism and related components are provided.

In accordance with certain embodiments, an improved switching mechanism and related components are provided.

To obtain a pressure tank that achieves a high manufacturing efficiency and does not hamper storage of an open/close portion such as a vacuum valve in a pressure tank. A pressure tank of the present invention includes: a tank body having at least one penetrating slit-shaped mortise and having a space formed inside the tank body; a reinforcing member having a tenon portion formed at an end thereof so as to be directed in one direction, and having an electric field relaxation portion on a side opposite to the tenon portion, the reinforcing member being attached to an inner wall surface of the tank body with the tenon portion inserted into the mortise; and a welding portion sealing and fixing the mortise and the tenon portion with no gap therebetween, the welding portion being formed by melting an end of the tenon portion from outside of the tank body.

A high voltage circuit breaker comprises a vacuum interrupter module, a drive module, and an actuator. The vacuum interrupter module has a vacuum interrupter housing and a pair of electrical contacts disposed in the vacuum interrupter housing. At least one of the pair of electrical contacts is movable relative to the other of the pair of electrical contacts to engage and disengage the electrical contacts from one another for switching a high voltage on and off. The drive module has a drive module housing and a drive member coupled with the at least one movable electrical contact. A central part of the drive member is disposed in the drive module housing and insulated from an ambient air. The actuator is coupled to the drive member and moves the pair of electrical contacts relative to one another.

A vacuum interrupter for a high voltage air break switch is disclosed. The interrupter has a plurality of load interrupter contacts enclosed in axially aligned vacuum bottles, each bottle containing a fixed contact and a second contact movable axially away from the fixed contact to open position and toward the fixed contact to closed position. The bottles are positioned in an tubular housing of dielectric material having a top end member and a bottom end member. The vacuum bottles are mechanically coupled to one another in a stack with the top bottle supported by the top end member. At least one air permeable hydrophobic vent member is operatively disposed in the top end member and/or bottom end member and/or tubular housing to prevent condensation in the housing. The stack of vacuum bottles are axially supported at the bottom by a cushion spring assembly keeping the bottles in compression to prevent tension loads on the braze joints of the bottles.

A vacuum circuit interrupter integrates a solenoid core within the vacuum chamber for opening the separable contacts under non-fault conditions, using less space than if the solenoid were disposed in series with a high speed actuator. The interrupter includes an iron core, a steel seat with a trough, and a solenoid coil seated in the trough. The steel seat has a central opening through which the movable conductor passes. The iron core is fixed to a portion of the movable conductor so as to laterally surround the movable conductor within the vacuum chamber. The steel seat is structured such that, when the separable contacts are closed and a user provides an activating current to the solenoid coil, the magnetic field generated around the coil magnetizes the steel seat. When the steel seat is magnetized, it attracts the iron core, causing the movable conductor to separate from the stationary conductor.

An electric power disconnect switch and associated vacuum circuit interrupter with a modular, removable contactor unit housing a modular, removable vacuum bottle unit. The vacuum circuit interrupter may be mounted on a bracket adjacent to the jaws of a disconnect switch, where the blade of the disconnect switch moves the actuator arm of the vacuum circuit interrupter during operation of the disconnect switch. A technician carries a spare contactor unit to the disconnect switch location, where the technician removes and replaces the contactor unit. The vacuum circuit interrupter includes a separable connection between the drive unit housing and a contactor unit housing, which allows the contactor unit to be rotated with respect to the drive unit to unscrew the connecting rod of the contactor unit from the drive shaft of the drive unit. A replacement contactor unit is then installed and the circuit interrupter is returned to service.

A power breaking pole including a vacuum interrupter including two ends called a lower end and an upper end, respectively, which vacuum interrupter is held between two uprights, which are arranged symmetrically with respect to a main plane P of the vacuum interrupter, the vacuum interrupter being held in a centred manner between the two uprights solely by two connectors called a lower connector and an upper connector, respectively.

A vacuum valve includes: a vacuum vessel; a cylinder; a partition wall separating an inside of the vacuum vessel from an inside of the cylinder; a movable conductor penetrating the partition wall being movable in an axial direction; a fixed contact fixed inside the vacuum vessel; a moving contact integrated with the movable conductor and being capable of separating from the fixed contact and coming into contact with the fixed contact in association with movement of the movable conductor; a lid that covers an end of the cylinder, the end being on a side opposite to the partition wall; a connecting rod penetrating the lid and coupled to the movable conductor via an insulating rod as an insulator; and a holder that holds the connecting rod while preventing movement of the connecting rod toward the fixed contact in a state where the moving contact is separated from the fixed contact.