Patent ID: 6169265
Filing Date: 2001-01-02
Classification: H05H

Abstract:
A plasma arc generator electrode (2, 20, 30, 44) which in association with a counter electrode (15, 28, 42, 54, 73, 86, 122) provides a two-rail structure capable of generating a plasma arc discharge displaceable along a closed path in a first direction (14), said plasma arc generator electrode having an electric connector means (13, 23, 37, 45, 53, 93) for connection to a d.c. source of electric power supply (56, 72, 84) and comprises an essentially tubular body with a first rim (3, 24, 33, 89) forming part of a first rim region, and a second, working rim (4, 27, 34, 46, 63, 78, 90) forming part of a second rim region and serving for the electric arc discharge, in which electrode: (i) said electric connector means include at least one connector site (12) on the plasma arc generator electrode; (ii) said tubular body has at least one longitudinally extending gap (6, 22, 32, 49, 52, 88) with a first rim region gap stretch (7, 91), a main gap stretch (8) and a second rim region gap stretch (9, 92), each of which gaps divides laterally between two wall sectors (10 and 11; 21 and 21; 31 and 31; 48 and 48), each having first and second rim portions, one of said wall sectors (11, 21, 3148) carries a connector site associated with the gap; (iii) the second rim portion of one of said wall sectors has a plasma arc transmitting zone (16, 36) and the second rim portion of the other wall sector carrying said connector site has a plasma arc receiving zone (17, 35), which plasma arc transmitting and receiving zones are separated by and border on the second rim region gap stretch of said longitudinally extending gap, thus forming the two sides of said gap stretch; (iv) said gap-associated connector site is so located that its projection on a second rim portion is laterally removed from said plasma arc receiving zone in a second direction being opposite to said first direction, whereby in operation a Lorentz force is generated in said two-rail structure causing a plasma arc formed between said plasma arc generator electrode and counter electrode to move uninterruptedly in a closed path in said first direction along said second rim region and across each of said second rim region gap stretches.