ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKING PROCESS Russian patent published in 2000 - IPC

FIELD: electrical engineering. SUBSTANCE: circuit opening device has its current- carrying circuit composed of two parallel branch circuits rated at different breaking capacity; each parallel branch circuit has at least one arc-control device; breaking process is as follows: when circuit carries currents lower than or equal to breaking capacity of first branch circuit rated at lower breaking capacity, arc-control device of the latter opens the circuit; in the process, contacts of arc-control device of second branch circuit rated at higher breaking capacity are held in normally open position; when circuit carries currents higher than breaking capacity of first branch circuit, arc-control device of second branch circuit is first to turn on and then arc-control device of first branch circuit opens; in the process, contacts of second-circuit arc-control device will be held closed until contacts of first-circuit arc-control device open and electric arc is suppressed whereupon contracts of second-circuit arc-control device open. EFFECT: improved service life of second branch circuit. 2 dwg