Patent ID: 6048216
Filing Date: 2000-04-11
Classification: B22F,C22C,H01H

Abstract:
An apparatus comprising:a vacuum switch having a fixed electrode and a movable electrode both within a vacuum vessel;conductor terminals connected outside said vacuum switch to said fixed electrode and said movable electrode, respectively; andopening/closing means for driving said movable electrode,said fixed electrode and said movable electrode each having at an entire surface opposed to one another an arc electrode formed by an alloy of a refractory metal and a highly electroconductive metal and also having an arc electrode support member and an electrode rod comprised of highly electroconductive metal for supporting said arc electrode support member and having a smaller diameter than that of said arc electrode support member which supports said arc electrode and which is formed of the highly electroconductive metal, said arc electrode, said arc electrode support member and said electrode rod being formed integrally with each other by melting of the highly electroconductive metal;wherein said arc electrode is formed by an alloy, said alloy comprising one or a mixture of Cr, K, Mo and Ta and a highly electroconductive metal selected from Cu, Ag and Au or a highly electroconductive alloy mainly comprising said highly electroconductive metal, and said arc electrode support member is formed of said highly electroconductive metal or alloy; andwherein said arc electrode is formed of an alloy containing 50-80% by weight as a total amount of one or more of Cr, W, Mo and Ta and 20-50% by weight of Cu, and said arc electrode support member is formed of an alloy comprising not more than 2.5% by weight as a total amount of one or more of Cr, Ag, W, V, Nb, Mo, Ta, Zr, Si, Be, Ti, Co and Fe and Cu, Ag or Au.