Sealed contact device and operating mechanism

A sealed contact device includes a sealed contact section having a sealed container defining therein a gas-tight space together with a bellows for housing therein electrodes and sealing therein a gas preferably consisting mainly of hydrogen, the electrodes including fixed electrodes and movable electrodes engageable with and separable from the fixed electrodes, a contact pressure spring biasing the movable electrodes in engaging direction with respect to the fixed electrodes, a resetting spring biasing the movable electrodes in separating direction from the fixed electrodes, and a movable shaft projected at an end out of the sealed container and coupled at the other end to the movable electrodes; a driving member providing at a movable part a drive force for driving the movable shaft in the direction of engaging the electrodes; and a relaying member interposed between the movable shaft of the sealed contact section and the movable part of the driving member and having a regulating element for regulating driving position of the movable shaft, the relaying member being coupled to the movable part and including a coupling element coupled through the regulating element to the movable shaft.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a sealed contact device optimumly utilizable in 
relays for use with a power load, electromagnetic switches and so on. 
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
As a conventional sealed contact device, there has been one of such 
costruction as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open 
Publication No. 6-231648, in which the sealed contact device comprises a 
sealed contact section including a sealed container defining therein a 
gas-tight space together with a bellows for housing therein contacts and 
hydrogen or a gas consisting mainly of hydrogen. A fixed electrode is 
provided with a fixed contact, a movable contactor is provided with a 
movable contact for engaging with and separating from the fixed contact, a 
contact pressure spring is provided for urging the movable contactor in a 
direction of engaging the movable contact with the fixed contact, a return 
spring is provided for urging the movable contactor in a direction of 
separating the movable contact from the fixed contact, and a movable shaft 
is projected at one end part out of the sealed container and coupled at 
the other end part to the movable contactor. A drive member provides a 
driving force for driving the movable shaft with a movable iron core 
(movable part) in the direction of engaging the movable contact with the 
fixed contact; and a relay member including means interposed between the 
movable shaft and the movable part to relay the driving force of the drive 
member to the movable shaft for regulating the drive position of the 
movable shaft. 
In the foregoing construction, the drive member is an electromagnetic 
device which comprises coils wound on a coil bobbin, a movable core made 
in a columnar shape and securing on one end side a movable shaft, the 
movable core being movable in the axial direction within an inserting hole 
of the coil bobbin upon excitation of the coils, a yoke formed to 
externally enclose the coil bobbin, a yoke plate secured to the yoke, and 
a fixed core fixed at an end to the center of the yoke plate and provided 
with an inserting hole for the movable shaft. The electromagnetic device 
is housed in a housing together with two of the sealed contact sections 
disposed concurrently. 
The foregoing relay member is formed in a planar shape and is pivotably 
supported by a bar-shaped rotary shaft passed through a shaft hole in one 
side part, adjacent to the other side part and at two portion on both 
sides of which there are provided penetrating holes, and regulating pins 
and regulating nuts constituting the regulating means are mounted through 
these penetrating holes. These regulating pins and nuts are provided with 
screw threads to be screwed to one another, and are in positional 
relationship for engaging at the regulating pins with an end of the 
movable shafts of the sealed contact section. 
Next, the sequence of regulation of the drive position of the movable shaft 
by the regulating means shall be referred to. First, the movable shaft is 
rotated up to a prescribed position by means of a jig imitating the 
driving state of the electromagnetic device, with the relay member made as 
a rotary fulcrum. Then, the regulating pin is rotated with such tool as a 
screw driver or the like, so as to be rotated along the screw threads of 
the regulating nut up to a position where the contacts engage with each 
other, whereby the movable shaft is pushed to have its drive position 
regulated. 
In the sealed contact device of the foregoing structure, the movable shaft 
of the electromagnetic device is caused to move in the axial direction of 
the coil bobbin while being guided along the inserting hole provided in 
the fixed core, by the drive force produced when the movable core is 
attracted to the fixed core by the excitation of the coils, so as to push 
the relay member. At this time, the relay member is rotated about the 
rotary shaft as the rotary fulcrum, the respective movable shafts of the 
two sealed contact sections are pushed at their one end by tip ends of the 
regulating members, and the contacts in the sealed containers are engaged 
with one another. Further, as the excitation of the coils wanes, the 
contacts are separated as caused to reset mainly by resetting springs 
included in the sealed contact sections, and the original state is 
restored. 
In the forgoing conventional sealed contact device, however, it is possible 
to regulate the drive position of the movable shafts by the regulating 
means, but the movable shafts are made movable in the contact engaging 
direction due to the pushing of the relay member and in the contact 
separating direction mainly due to the resetting force of the resetting 
spring. Upon occurrence of slight contact welding stronger than the 
resetting force, and even when the relay member is caused to displace in 
the contact separating direction to be reset to the original state, the 
movable shafts coupled to the movable contactors kept secured to the fixed 
electrode do not displace in the same direction, whereby the contacts 
slightly welded cannot be separated, and there remains a tendency that the 
contact opening characteristic is deteriorated. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A primary object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a 
sealed contact device which can eliminate the foregoing problems and 
improve the contact closing and opening characteristics. 
According to the present invention, the above object can be achieved by a 
sealed contact device which comprises a sealed contact section including a 
sealed container defining therein a gas-tight space together with a 
bellows for housing therein electrodes and sealing therein preferably a 
gas consisting mainly of hydrogen, a fixed electrode, a movable electrode 
provided for engaging with and separating from the fixed electrode, a 
contact pressure spring for urging the movable electrode in a direction of 
engaging the movable electrode with the fixed electrode, a resetting 
spring for urging the movable electrode in a direction of separating the 
movable electrode from the fixed electrode, and a movable shaft projected 
at one end out of the sealed container and coupled at the other end to the 
movable electrode; a driving member including a movable part for providing 
a drive force to the movable shaft of the sealed contact section; and a 
relaying member interposed between the movable shaft of the sealed contact 
section and the movable part of the driving member to relay the drive 
force of the driving member to the movable shaft, the relaying member 
having means coupled to the movable shaft of the sealed contact section 
for regulating the driving position with respect to the movable shaft. The 
above arrangement is characterized in that the relaying member is provided 
with a coupling element coupled at one portion to the movable part of the 
driving member and having at another portion the regulating means which is 
coupled to the movable shaft of the sealed contact section. 
According to the above arrangement of the present invention, it is made 
possible to regulate the drive position of the movable shaft through the 
regulating means of the coupling element, and to enlarge the kinetic 
energy converted from energies of the contact pressure and resetting 
springs since the coupling of the relaying member at the coupling element 
to the movable part of the driving member render the mass to be increased, 
and consequently to have the slightly welded contacts separated. 
Other objects and advantages of the present invention shall become clear as 
the description of the invention advances with reference to preferred 
embodiments shown in accompanying drawings.

While the present invention shall now be described with reference to the 
respective embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be 
appreciated that the intention is not to limit the invention only to these 
embodiments but rather to include all alterations, modifications and 
equivalent arrangements possible within the scope of appended claims. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
In FIGS. 1 to 5, there is shown the sealed contact device in an embodiment 
according to the present invention. In this case, the sealed contact 
device comprises a sealed contact section AA, a driving member BB, a 
relaying member CC and housing DD. 
In the illustrated case, the device employs two of the sealed contact 
section AA, each of which sections includes a sealed container 1. The 
sealed container 1 defines a gas-tight space by means of a container body 
2 formed with such heat-resisting material as a ceramic material. The 
container 1 has a box shape and includes an open end. The container 1 
includles a bellows 3 formed with a corrugated thin metal tube, a lid 4 
formed by a 42 alloy or a similar material such as that disclosed in U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,866,227. The lid 4 includes a central through hole 4a and a 
ventilating hole (not shown). A bellows support (not shown) is provided 
and includes a gas-tight bearing. A gas consisting mainly of hydrogen is 
charged in the interior space of the container 1, for example, through the 
ventilating hole to be under a pressure of about 2 atm. Thereafter, the 
ventilating hole is sealed. To the inner side of the lid 4, further, a 
planar insulating plate 4b made of such heat-resisting member as a ceramic 
material is fitted, so as to prevent the lid 4 from experiencing any 
discharge arc. 
The sealed contact section AA further generally includes a pair of fixed 
electrodes 5, a common movable contactor 6 and a movable shaft 7 coupled 
to the movable contactor 6. More specifically, each of the fixed 
electrodes 5 is formed preferably by a copper or copper alloy plate 
material in an L-shape, a shorter leg side end of which carries a fixed 
contact 5a, while this fixed contact 5a may be formed by the same material 
as the fixed electrode 5 to be integral therewith. The movable contactor 6 
is formed preferably by copper or a copper alloy material to have a pair 
of movable contacts 6a secured to both longitudinal ends with mutual space 
adapted for engagement with and separation form the fixed contacts 5a. 
These movable contacts 6a may be provided integral with the movable 
contactors 6 with the same material. 
The movable shaft 7 is formed in a round rod shape and projected at one end 
7a out of the sealed container 1 through the bellows 3 and lid 4, and 
screw threads 7b are provided to the peripheral surface adjacent to tip 
end of the projected end 7a. A contact pressure spring 8 in a coil shape 
is disposed for resiliently urging the movable contactor and shaft 6 and 7 
in a direction of engaging the movable contacts 6a with the fixed contacts 
5a. Further, a resetting spring 9 in a coil shape is provided for 
resiliently urging the movable contactor 6 in a direction of separating 
the movable contacts 6a from the fixed contacts 5a. 
Further, in a preferred embodiment, a magnetic means (not shown) including 
a permanent magnet and a yoke enclosing the magnet is provided about the 
outer surface of the container body 2 so that the yoke will surround the 
fixed and movable contacts 5a and 6a. The magnetic means provides a 
magnetic field in a direction perpendicular to the operating direction of 
the movable contacts 6a to a space where the contacts 5a and 6a are 
present. 
Referring now to the driving member BB, this member is an electromagnetic 
device, in which coils 10 are wound on a coil bobbin 11. A movable core 12 
is formed in a columnar shape securing at an axial end part an end of a 
drive shaft 12a and is disposed within an axial through hole of the coil 
bobbin 11 to be movable in axial directions upon excitation of the coils 
10. A yoke-13 is formed in a substantially U-shape having a central plate 
part and both erected end parts for externally enclosing the coils 10 at 
diametral position of the coils. An additional yoke plate 14 is secured 
across both erected end parts of the yoke 13. A stationary core 15 having 
a through hole 15a for passing the drive shaft 12a is fixed at an axial 
end in a central hole of the yoke plate 14. Further, the drive shaft 12a 
is provided adjacent to the other end thereof with a pair of peripheral 
grooves 12b mutually spaced in axial direction by a distance corresponding 
to the thickness of the relaying member CC described next. 
Referring to the relaying member CC, this member is formed with a molding 
material having an insulating property, which material should cause no 
deformation nor damage due to a load of the various springs in the sealed 
contact section AA, attractive force of the driving member BB as well as 
any impact upon later described fusion bonding and should be high in 
bending strength and tension strength and still light. Further, the 
relaying member CC is formed substantially in a rectangular 
parallelepiped, and a through hole 16 is made in the central part to 
penetrate from one side surface to the other side surface. This through 
hole 16 is formed for passing therethrough the drive shaft 12a of the 
driving member BB, and the relaying member CC has a laterally expanding 
pressing arm 17 for pressing a lever 18a of an auxiliary switch 18. In 
keeping any vibratory motion of the pressing arm 17 occurring upon 
pressing to a minimum, it is preferable to minimize a gap between the 
inner periphery of the through hole 16 and the outer periphery of the 
drive shaft 12a. In both end portions in longitudinal direction of the 
relaying member CC, there are provided guide holes 19 extending in the 
longitudinal direction and opened at both longitudinal ends of the member 
CC and along bottom side surface of the member CC while such bottom side 
opening is made narrower than a substantial part of the holes 19 opened at 
the both ends. Communicating through holes 20 are made at the innermost 
positions of the guide holes 19 to communicate the holes 19 with the 
exterior. The communicating through holes 20 are disposed on the top side 
of the relaying member CC at positions opposing downward ends of the 
movable shafts 7 of the sealed contact section AA. 
In the innermost positions of the guide holes 19, coupling elements 21 made 
of a metal material in a generally short river-like cylindrical shape 
having a larger diameter at a top part than at the bottom part are 
disposed at the innermost positions of the guide holes 19 as inserted from 
their endwise opening and guided along the length of the holes 19, while 
the coupling elements 21 are so dimensioned as to provide a gap of about 
0.1 to 0.2 mm with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the holes 19 
so that, even when two or more pairs of the fixed and movable contacts 15 
and 16 as well as two or more movable shafts 7 are employed, any 
difference in the driving positions of the movable shafts 7 as adjusted, 
mounting gradient of the respective sealed contact sections AA to the 
housing DD and molded precision of the sections AA and housing DD, such 
difference may be restricted. This is because, in a state where the 
movable shafts 7 are diagonally disposed with respect to the relaying 
member CC, the movable shafts 7 will not be driven in any predetermined 
direction even when the relaying member CC is driven electromagnetically 
with the excitation of the coils 10, consequent to which there occur an 
increase in the friction at bearing parts of the movable shafts 7 within 
the sealed contact sections AA, and a damage to the bellows 3 keeping the 
gas-tightness, which may cause any fatal damage to occur in the sealed 
contact device. With respect to the gap in the axial direction, however, 
it is desirable to attain the minimum required since the movable shafts 7 
may have to be excessively displaced at the time when the movable 
contactors 6 are forcibly tripped, as will be described later. 
Further, the coupling element 21 is formed to have an axial through hole, 
the inner peripheral surface of which is provided at upper portion 
corresponding to the larger diametered part with screw threads 21a 
constituting a regulating means 2.2. This portion having the screw threads 
21a is set to have an axial length required for adjusting the driving 
position of the movable shaft 7 as will be described later, and the 
threads 21a are formed to have a sufficient tensile strength. In tip end 
surface of the other smaller diametered part of the element 21, a 
diametral groove 21b formed to receive a tip end of screw driver for 
axially rotating the coupling element 21 and thus varying coupling or 
driving position of the element 21 with respect to the movable shaft 7. 
The coupling element 21 may not be limited to be formed by the metal 
material but any other material having a strength similar to metals may be 
likewise employed. 
The housing DD shall now be referred to. The housing DD is to house therein 
the sealed contact section or sections AA, driving member BB and relaying 
member CC concurrently, while the housing DD generally comprises a case 
23, case body 24 and bottom plate 25. The case 23 is formed substantially 
in a box shape having an opening 23a on bottom side, while the case body 
24 is formed substantially in a rectangular tube shape provided on two 
opposite outer bottom sides with mounting arms respectively having 
threaded holes 24a for fixing of the entire device. An upper part of 
interior space of this case body 24 is partitioned by a horizontal 
partition 24b and a central vertical partition 24c, a journal hole 24d is 
provided in the center of the vertical partition 24c for bearing an upper 
end of the drive shaft 12a of the driving member BB, through holes 24e for 
passing lower ends of the movable shafts 7 are made in the horizontal 
partition 24b at both side positions of the journal hole 24d, and two 
vertical projections 24f are provided to extend from the horizontal 
partition toward bottom side opening, at positions for suitably 
positioning the yoke plate 14 of the driving member BB. A bottom plate 25 
having threaded holes 25a at respective corners is to be fitted to the 
bottom side opening of the case body 24. 
Next, assembling sequence of the foregoing constituents shall be referred 
to. First, as shown in FIG. 1, two sealed contact sections AA are 
assembled in the case 23 and fixed therein in a state where elastic 
members 28 are interposed between an inner surface of the case 23 and the 
container body 2 of the respective sections AA for absorbing any 
dimensional tolerance. Thereafter, the case 23 and case body 24 are 
coupled to each other through a joining means which comprises screw 
members or such fitting members as plate springs, E-rings or the like (not 
shown). Then, the drive shaft 12a of the driving member BB is passed 
through the hole 16 of the relaying member CC, such fixing metal fittings 
26 as E-rings or the like are fitted to the peripheral grooves 12b of the 
drive shaft 12a above and below the relaying member CC, so as to prevent 
the drive shaft 12a from being separated from the relaying member CC. The 
coupling elements 21 are inserted into the guide holes 19 of the relaying 
member CC from the endwise openings of the holes, with the smaller 
diametered part of the coupling element 21 disposed in the bottom side 
opening of the hole 19. 
Next, in a state in which the top side tip end of the drive shaft 12a of 
the driving member BB is inserted in the journal hole 24d of the case body 
24, the coupling element 21 is axially rotated to a proper extent for 
meshing the screw threads 21a of the element 21 with the screw threads 7b 
of the movable shaft 7, so as to screw the element to the movable shaft 7. 
In this state, the drive shaft 12a is urged down by a jig (not shown) to a 
predetermined position, with the two projections 24f in the case body 24 
used as a reference, at which state the coupling element 21 is axially 
rotated until a closed state of the fixed and movable contacts 5a and 6a 
is reached, with the screw driver (not shown) fitted in the groove 21b of 
the element 21, so as to adjust the driving position of the movable shaft 
7, the jig is then disengaged, and the auxiliary switch 18 is fixed to the 
housing DD at a position where the lever 18a is depressed by pressing arm 
17 of the relaying member CC. 
Next, the driving member BB is incorporated into the case body 24. That is, 
the yoke plate 14 including the fixed core 15 is first inserted into the 
case body 24 with its projections 24f used as the reference, then the coil 
bobbin 11 with the coils 10 wound thereon and the yoke 13 are sequentially 
incorporated, and the movable core 12 is fixed to the drive shaft 12a. 
With a stepped part 12c provided to the drive shaft 12a, the core 12 may 
be reliably positioned and fixed with respect to the shaft 12a. Elastic 
springs 27 are fixed to bottom side of the yoke 13, so that the driving 
member BB as a whole maybe positioned with respect to the case body 24. 
Finally, the bottom plate 25 is fitted to the bottom side opening of the 
case body 24 against resilient force of the springs 27 of the driving 
member BB, the screws 29 are fastened into the threaded holes 25a and 
further into other threaded holes than the holes 24a of the case body 24, 
and the sealed contact device can be assembled. 
Further, the operation of the sealed contact device shall be referred to. 
As the coils 10 are excited, the movable core 12 is attracted to the fixed 
core 15 to generate a driving force, the drive shaft 12a fixed to the 
movable core 12 is driven, the driving force is transmitted to the 
relaying member CC fixedly coupled to the drive shaft 12 by means of the 
fixing metal fittings 26, the ends 7a of the movable shafts 7 are driven 
by the driving force larger than the resilient force of the resetting 
springs 9 through the coupling elements 21 disposed within the relaying 
member CC, and the movable contacts of the movable contactors 6 are 
engaged with the fixed contacts 5a. At this time, the pressing arm 17 of 
the relaying member CC is to release or press the lever 18a of the 
auxiliary switch 18, to actuate this switch. Thereafter, the resilient 
force of the contact pressure spring 8 is additionally applied to the 
movable shafts 7 to push these shafts 7 by a predetermined overtravelling 
component. 
As the excitation of the coils 10 is ceased, the movable contactors 6 are 
caused to reset due to the resetting force resisting against the contact 
pressure spring 8 and so on so that the movable contacts 6a are separated 
from the fixed contacts 5a and, at the same time, the movable core 12 also 
returns to the original position through a resetting action by a 
predetermined distance until it collides with the bottom plate 25 of the 
housing EE to be thereby restricted. At this time, the pressing by the arm 
17 of the relaying member CC with respect to the lever 18a of the 
auxiliary switch 18 is reset or released, and the auxiliary switch 18 
operates in a direction opposite to that upon the contact engagement. 
Further, the arc generated between the contacts upon the resetting is 
sufficiently expanded towards both ends of the movable contactors due to 
an action of magnetic field of a well known magnetic means (not shown) so 
as to be distinguished. 
During such a series of actions, the coupling elements 21 are actuated in 
such manner as will be explained in the followings. First, the coupling 
elements 21 are biased back to the sealed contact section AA side by the 
resetting spring in a period from the excitation of the coils 10 to the 
engagement of the movable contacts 6a with the fixed contacts 5a, and by 
the resetting spring 9 and contact pressure spring 8 in a period of the 
overtravelling after the contact closing of the movable and fixed contacts 
6a and 5a. With this arrangement, the coupling elements 21 are provided to 
have a constant positional relationship to the relaying member CC. 
Next, references shall be made to a tripping operation against the fusion 
welding, in particular, a slight fusion welding caused upon occurrence of 
a fusion between the movable contacts 6a and the fixed contacts 5a due to 
any excess current load or excessive rush current. As the fusion welding 
of contacts takes place, the movable contactor 6 carrying the contacts 6a 
come into a state where they are secured as fusion-welded at one or two 
points to the fixed electrodes 5 carrying the fixed contacts 5a during the 
excitation of the coils 10. If the excitation of the coils 10 is ceased in 
this state, the movable contactors 6 become about to reset with the 
biasing force of the contact pressure spring 8 and resetting spring 9 here 
made effective but cannot be actuated as being secured to the fixed 
electrodes 5, and the movable shafts 7 tend to stop after a resetting only 
by a stroke of the overtravelling. At this time, as the arrangement is so 
made that the movable shafts 7 are coupled to the coupling elements 21 to 
be indirectly connected to the relaying member CC, drive shaft 12a and 
movable core 12, the kinetic energy converted from the spring load energy 
at the time of the overtravelling as a result of a displacement of the 
movable shafts 7 from the maximum overtravelling state to an 
overtravel-free state is made 10 to 20 times as large as that in 
conventional arrangements in which the movable shaft only displaces 
independently without being coupled to the relaying member CC, because of 
the mass increased by an extent less than that of the relaying member CC 
while it depends on the shape or material. Consequently, the contacts 
mutually fusion-welded can be separated in a moment by such kinetic 
energy. 
In FIG. 6, there is shown another embodiment of the present invention, in 
which the arrangement is made to be of a single pole comprising a single 
movable shaft while the foregoing embodiment is of the two pole 
arrangement with the two movable shafts 7 employed. In FIG. 6, 
substantially the same parts as those in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 are 
denoted by the same reference figures, and the aspects different from 
those in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 only shall be detailed. 
That is, the relaying member CC in this embodiment is formed in a disk 
shape, the guide hole 19 is made in the top side of the disk CC to have 
upward opening the width of which and a bottom part of which is smaller 
than an intermediate part, while this hole 19 is made to communicate with 
the exterior at least on one side. In this hole 19, the coupling element 
21 for coupling thereto the movable shaft 7 and provided with the 
regulating means 22 is disposed, and this coupling element 21 is forming a 
screwing part rotatable about the movable shaft 7. Further, the drive 
shaft 12a is secured at upward end to the relaying member CC and is 
provided at the other end with the diametral groove 12d for the 
positioning of the tip end of the screw driver. Thus the drive shaft 12a 
is positioned coaxial with the movable shaft 7 when the latter is coupled 
through the coupling element 21 to the relaying member CC. 
Referring to an assembling sequence of the present embodiment, further, the 
coupling element 21 is first inserted in the guide hole 19 from the 
externally communicating side, with the larger diametered part of the 
element 21 disposed on the top side of the relaying member CC, and the 
thus inserted coupling element 21 is positioned in the center of the 
member CC and is then secured in position by an adhesive 30 or the like. 
The relaying member CC is then rotated by a proper extent and the coupling 
element 21 is screwed to the movable shaft 7 through the screw threads 21a 
and 7b. Placing the tip end of the screw driver (not shown) in the groove 
12b at the other downward end of the drive shaft 12a, the shaft 12a is 
rotated until both contacts 5a and 6a are closed so as to fix the relaying 
member CC with respect to the housing DD at a predetermined position, with 
the jig kept in the state of being held, thereafter the jig is disengaged, 
and the movable shaft 7 and coupling element 21 are secured to each other 
by means of an adhesive, laser welding or the like. Then the auxiliary 
switch 18 is fixed to the housing DD so that its lever 18a will be 
depressed by the pressing arm 17 of the relaying member CC. 
Thereafter, the driving member BB is to be assembled into the case body 24, 
such that the yoke plate 14 carrying the fixed core 15 is first fitted to 
the bottom opening of the case body 24 with its projections 24f used as 
the reference, the movable core 12 is secured to the drive shaft 12a at a 
proper position by means of the screwing or adhesive, and thereafter the 
coil bobbin with the coils 10 wound thereon and the yoke 13 are 
sequentially assembled. Thereafter, the same assembling as in the 
embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 is carried out and the sealed contact device can 
be thereby assembled. 
In either one of the embodiments of FIGS. 1-5 and FIG. 6 of the sealed 
contact device, the movable shaft 7 is made adjustable in the driving 
position by means of the adjusting means 22 provided to the coupling 
element 21 and is coupled through the coupling element 21 to the relaying 
member CC which is connected to the movable core 12 so as to increase the 
mass, so that the kinetic energy converted from the energy of the contact 
pressure spring 8 and resetting spring 9 is made larger, the contacts 
involving slight fusion-welding can be tripped, and the contact opening 
and closing characteristics can be improved. 
While in the sealed contact device in the embodiment of FIG. 6 such direct 
adjustment of the coupling element 21 as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 
from the side of the movable core 12 cannot be made because of the coaxial 
disposition of the movable core 12 and movable shaft 7, the driving 
position of the movable shaft 7 can be adjusted by rotating the relaying 
member CC carrying the coupling element 21 provided with the screwing part 
rotatable about the movable shaft 7 made as the center, by means of the 
screw driver (not shown) placed in the groove 12d made in the drive shaft 
12a. 
In either one of the embodiments of FIGS. 1-5 and FIG. 6 of the sealed 
contact device, further, the adjustment of the driving position of the 
movable shaft 7 causes the screwing position of the coupling element 21 to 
the movable shaft 7 only to be displaced and the position of the relaying 
member CC displace in the axial direction of the movable shaft 7, so that 
the positional relationship between the lever 18a of the auxiliary switch 
18 and the pressing arm 17 of the relaying member CC is not changed, and 
the arrangement can be so made that the mounting position of the auxiliary 
switch 18 needs not be modified. 
According to another feature of the present invention, there is adopted an 
arrangement in which any arc generated upon the separation of electrodes 
and expanded in inverse direction can be restricted from causing any 
trouble to occur in the electrode opening and closing characteristics. 
In FIGS. 7-14, there is shown another embodiment of the present invention, 
in which the sealed container 101 of the sealed contact section AA is 
arranged to define the gas-tight space by means of the container body 102 
formed into a box shape having an open side with such heat-resisting 
material as a ceramic material. The bellows 103 are formed with a thin 
metal tube that is corrugated. The lid 104 is made by 42 alloy or the like 
and has a central through hole 104a and a ventilating hole 104b disposed 
at a propor position, and the bellows support 106 is provided with a first 
bearing 105. That is, the lid 104 is joined to the container body 102 so 
as to close its open side, while the bellows 103 is gas-tightly joined at 
one end part to the lide 104 to be held by the bellows holder 106 and at 
the other end part to the movable shaft 110 later described. To the inner 
side of the lid 104, a planar insulating plate 107 made of such 
heat-resisting material as a ceramic material is fitted for protection of 
the lid 104 from the arc. 
While the gas-tight space in the sealed container 101 is formed in this 
manner, the gas mainly consisting of hydrogen is charged in the interior 
of the container to be about 2 atm., for example, through the ventilating 
hole 104b and therafter the ventilating hole 104b is sealed. The fixed 
electrodes 108 provided in a pair are formed by copper or a copper alloy 
material, for example, substantially in a columnar shape provided at the 
center part with a flange 108a and at one end with the fixed contacts 108b 
secured, while these fixed contacts 108b may be formed integral with the 
fixed electrode 108 by the same material as the electrode 108. Further, 
the other ends of the fixed electrodes 108 are provided with the screw 
threads and are projected out of through holes 102a made in the container 
body 101. These fixed electrodes 108 are gas-tightly joined at their 
flanges 108a through a flange member 108d made by the 42 alloy or the 
like. 
The movable contactor 109 is formed by copper or a copper alloy plate 
member to be provided at both longitudinal end parts and on one side 
surface with the movable contacts 109a mutually spaced by a distanced 
capable of engaging with and being separated from the fixed contacts 108b, 
and these movable contacts 109a themselves are arranged to be bent to form 
a horn part. Further, the movable contacts 109a may be formed integral 
with the movable contactor 109 with the same material. On the one side 
surface 109b of the movable contactor 109, a recess 109d having in the 
center a through hole 109c and substantially circular shape in the plan 
view is provided, and a pair of diametrally opposing holes 109e are made 
along inner edge of the recess 109e. 
The movable shaft 110 is formed in a round rod shape, which is, when 
assembled, projected out of the sealing container 101 at one end 110a and 
thinned at part adjacent to the other end 110b to constitute a stepped 
part 110c. In the outer periphery of central part of the movable shaft 
110, a circumferential groove 110d is provided, and such flange-like 
member 111 as an E-ring or the like is fitted to this groove 110d. 
Further, this movable shaft 110 is supported at such two positions as the 
one end 110a passed through the through hole 105a made in first bearing 
105, and as the other end 110d passed through the through hole 118a 
provided in second bearing 118 described later. 
The contact pressure spring 112 is formed in the coil shape having an inner 
diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of a contact pressure 
spring frame 113 detailed below. The contact pressure spring frame 113 is 
formed in a bottomed cylinder shape provided at top open end with a flange 
113a and in bottom part with a through hole 113b, and this contact 
pressure spring frame 113 also performs an action of protecting the 
bellows 103. A disk-shaped movable contactor holder 114 is made to have a 
central through hole 114a, the disk shape of which having substantially 
the same thickness as the recess 109d of the movable contactor 109, and a 
pair of diametrally opposing pawls 114c are provided as erected 
substantially at right angles on one side surface 114b. These pawls 114c 
may be one or more than three. This movable contactor holder 114 is 
provided for achieving a positional restrictive action of the movable 
contactor 109 as will be described later. 
The resetting spring 115 is formed in a coil shape, and is disposed within 
a recess 116b provided on one side surface 116a of a receptacle 116 
provided in the interior of the sealed container 101, for biasing the 
movable contactor 109 in the direction of separating the movable contacts 
109a from the fixed contacts 108b. Between this receptacle 116 and the 
fixed contacts 108, there is provided a gap 116c, and on one side surface 
116a of the receptacle 116, grooves 116d are provided on outer side of the 
recess. Further, a resetting spring frame 117 is formed in a bottomed 
cylinder by such heat-resisting material as a ceramic material or the 
like, and is disposed on the one side surface 116a of the receptacle 116 
so as to externally enclose the resetting spring 115. This resetting 
spring frame 117 passes one end 110b of the movable shaft 110 
therethrough. A second bearing 118 is provided with a through hole 118a 
(not shown), and this second bearing 118 performs respective positional 
control in the axial direction of the movable shaft 110 by means of the 
resetting spring and in a direction intersecting at right angles the axial 
direction by means of the inner wall surface of the recess 116b of the 
receptacle 116. 
Next, the positional restriction of the movable contactor 109 by means of 
the movable contactor holder 114 shall be referred to. The movable shaft 
110 is passed, from its one end 110b side, through the contact pressure 
spring frame 113, contact pressure spring 112, movable contactor 109 and 
movable contactor holder 114, and the contact pressure spring frame 113 is 
secured to the movable contactor holder 114 through the stepped part 110c, 
in a state where the frame 113 is positioned by the flange-like member Ill 
fitted to the movable shaft 110. This movable contactor holer 114 is 
fitted in the recess 109d of the movable contactor 109 to engage at the 
one side surface 114b with the bottom face of the recess 109d and to 
dispose the other side surface 114d to be substantially flush with the one 
side surface 109b of the movable contactor 109. At this time, the contact 
pressure spring 112 is disposed as compressed between the movable 
contactor 109 and the flange 113a of the contact pressure spring frame 
113, and the movable contactor 109 is biased in the direction of engaging 
the movable contacts 109a with the fixed co,n,tacts 108b and is to be 
positionally restricted by the one side sulrface 114b of the movable 
contactor holder 114 secured to the movable shaft 110. 
The magnetic means (not shown) comprises a permanent magnet and a yoke 
holding the magnet, and is installed to the outher surface of the 
container body 102 so that the yoke will enclose the fixed contacts 108b 
and movable contacts 109a. Consequently, the magnetic means provides a 
magnetic field in the space where both contacts 108b and 109a are present, 
in a direction intersecting at right angles the operating direction of the 
movable contacts 109a. 
Further, the operation of the present embodiment shall be lreferred to. As 
the one end 110a of the movable shaft 110 is dirven by the electromagnetic 
device or the like, the movable contacts 109a of the movable contactor 109 
engage with the fixed contacts 108b. As the movable shaft 110 is further 
driven thereafter, the movable contactor 109 the lmovable contacts 109a of 
which have alreadyl engaged with the fixed contacts 108b is not moved but 
the contact pressure spring frame 112 is moved to compress the contact 
pressure spring 112, and the contact pressure between the movable contacts 
109a and the fixed contacts 108b is elevated. As the drive of the one end 
110a of the movable shaft 110 is ceased, the movable shaft 110 is pushed 
back mainly by the spring force of the resetting spring 115, and the 
original state is reset. The arc AA' generated between both contacts 108b 
and 109a upon this resetting is expanded by the magnetic means (not shown) 
normally towards the horn parts at both end parts of the movable contacts 
in the case of DC load switch and is suppressed. Depending on the type of 
load and circuit state, at this time, there happens that the current flows 
in a direction reverse to normal, so that the arc AA' generated between 
both contacts 108b and 109a upon the resetting is caused to receive a 
reverse Lorentz force to be expanded towards the center of the movable 
contactor 109. This state shall be detailed in the followings on the basis 
of FIGS. 14A-14D. When the arcs AA' are generated between the movable 
contacts 109a and the fixed contacts 108b as shown in FIG. 14A, these arcs 
AA' tend to run along the one side surface 109b of the movable contactor 
109 as shown in FIG. 14B and to further run along the other side surface 
114d of the movable contactor holder 114 made flush with the one side 
surface 109b of the movable contactor 109, and eventually both arcs are 
joined to run between the pair of the fixed contacts 108b. In this state, 
the Lorentz force applied from the magnetic means (not shown) to the arcs 
AA' is effective in the contact opening and closing direction, so that the 
arcs AA' are caused to run the innermost part of the gaps 116c and along 
the inner edges of the grooves 116d of the receptacle 116, as shown in 
FIG. 14D, and the expansion of the arcs AA' is made sufficient. 
Thus, in the sealed contacts device of the present embodiment, the arcs AA' 
expanded in the reverse direction upon the separation of the movable 
contacts 109a from the fixed contacts 108b are made to run the innermost 
part of the gaps 116c between the fixed electrodes 108 and the receptacle 
116 so as to expand long as referred to in the above, the expansion of the 
arcs AA' is made sufficient, the breaking current is elevated, and the 
contact opening and closing characteristics suffer no trouble. Further, as 
the arcs AA' expand long along the inner periphery of the grooves 116d on 
the one side surface of the receptacle 116, the expansion of the arcs AA' 
is further made sufficient, the breaking current is further elevated, and 
the contact opening and closing characteristics can be prevented from 
suffering any trouble. Further, as the foregoing arcs AA' are to run along 
the movable contactor holder 114 received in the recess 109d in the one 
side surface 109b of the movable contactor 109 and made substantially 
flush with the surface 109b, the running of the arcs AA' is made smooth, 
and the contact opening and closing characteristics are prevented from any 
trouble. 
While in the present embodiment the one side surface 116a of the receptacle 
116 is provided with the grooves 116d, such grooves 116d may not be 
provided, so long as the arcs AA' can be expanded sufficiently long. Also 
in the present embodiment, the arrangement is so made to provide the gaps 
116c between the receptacle 116 and the fixed electrodes 108 as well as 
the recess 109d in the movable contactor 109, but either one of them may 
be omitted so long as the contact opening and closing characteristics are 
not caused to suffer any trouble. 
Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 15. In the 
sealed contact device of this embodiment, the sealed contact section AA 
containing the contact members and the driving member BB which is the 
electromagnetic device and comprising the movable member 12 are included. 
The movable member 12 is the movable core and the drive shaft extended 
from the core, while the movable shaft is coupled to an insulating molded 
lever 204 which is coupled at other positions to contact driving shafts 
included in the contact members. The contact section AA, driving member BB 
and movable member 12 are enclosed within housing members 201, 203 and 
209. Further, a shaft lever 200 (which shall be hereinafter referred to as 
a lock lever) for allowing the drive shaft to occupy a movable space in 
the driving member (practically a movable space for the drive shaft) by 
varying the position of the lever up and down by a predetermined extent is 
provided. A tip end position of this lock lever 200 is locked at a 
non-contact position where no influence is given to the movable member 12 
even the movable member 12 displaces due to an application of input 
signals so long as ordinary contactors are employed. When at this time the 
input signal is applied to the driving member BB, the movable core of the 
interior movable member 12 is attracted by the electromagnetic attractive 
force, the driving force is transmitted to the movable member 12, to a 
molded lever 204 forming the relaxing member CC and to the movable contact 
members within the contact section AA, and the contacts are closed in 
accordance with the displacing operation for the predetermined extent. 
Next, when it is required to mechanically restrain the operation of the 
movable member 12 in the driving member BB for preventing the contacts 
from closing, the lock lever 200 is pushed inward so that the tip end of 
the lock lever 200 will enter further into the interior of the housing, 
and the lever 200 is locked to a position different from the foregoing 
locked position. The movable space for the movable member 12 is thus 
occupied by the lock lever 200 depending on the extent of the pushing-in, 
the movable member 12 cannot be allowed to displace by an initially set 
extent even upon application of the input signals (actuation of the 
electromagnetic device), and the contacts in the contact section AA are 
also made unable to be closed. Details of locking means and resetting 
means shall be referred to later. Entire arrangement of this sealed 
contact device is shown in FIG. 28. 
In FIG. 16, one of working aspects is shown, with an illustration of the 
operation of the movable member 12 in the movable space. In normal use of 
the contactors without the locking of the movable member 12 by the lock 
lever 200, their position relationship is as shown in FIG. 16(a), in which 
the movable space X for the movable member 12 is furnished with a space 
equal to or more than a stroke Y of the electromagnetic device. When the 
movable member 12 is locked, the positional relationship will be of FIG. 
16(b), in which the lock lever 200 is pushed down to preliminarily occupy 
the movable space X. 
In FIGS. 17 and 18, there is shown a practical structure of the lock lever 
200 in the foregoing embodiment, which comprises a shaft 211, locking pin 
212, operating knob 213 and resetting spring 214 and is housed within the 
housing member 201 in the aspect of FIG. 18. Normally, a strong stress is 
applied by the electromagnetic device to the shaft 211, and this shaft 211 
is formed by a metal excellent in the strength without deformation and 
also in the workability. In particular, non-magnetic stainless steels and 
the like will be optimum. Since similarly strong stress is applied to the 
locking pin 212, the metal shaft will be the optimum. As the operating 
knob 213 may only be rotated as pushed down, the strength needs not be 
made larger, and any insulating member (such as a molded article) will be 
the optimum from the view point of the safety and easiness of use. That 
is, the shape is optional but is manufactured into one capable of being 
rotated and pushed down by fingers. At this time, it is required to keep 
in mind that the rotary torque upon being rotated will be also made larger 
when the shape is made larger, and any damage to the housing member or the 
like must be prevented from occurring. The position of lower side surface 
of the operating knob 213 from the housing member 201 is so set that the 
knob can reach the top end face of the housing member 201 immediately 
before the timing when the shaft 211 reaches the movable member 12, 
whereby the movable member 12 is prevented from being pushed down more 
than required and a lower limit stopper is provided. The resetting spring 
214 is mounted on the shaft 211 prior to a fixing of the locking pin 212 
to the shaft 211 as urged or calked into a pin hole of the shaft, 
thereafter the locking pin 212 is fixed to the shaft 211, so as to be 
formed into a block, which block is inserted into a hole made in the 
housing member 201 from above. This hole of the housing member 201 is 
formed to have a portion allowing the shaft 211 and locking pin 212 to 
pass therethrough, and a wider portion for receiving the resetting spring 
214 while providing a step for compressing the spring by a predetermined 
extent. In normal unlocking state of the lock lever 200, the lower face of 
the operating knob 213 is disposed at a position higher than the top face 
of the housing member 201 due to the resetting force of the resetting 
spring 214 and, for locking the lever 200 to this position, the shaft 211 
is provided with the locking pin 212 or another stopper means 215 of an 
optimum arrangement, so that the locking lever 200 will be stopped at a 
predetermined position. The locked state is attained in such manner as 
follows, and as shown in FIGS. 19(a) and (b). Initially, the operating 
knob 213 is manually pushed down until the lower side face of the knob 213 
engages the top face of the housing member 201, upon which the tip end of 
the shaft 211 and locking pin 212 are positioned inside the foregoing 
movable space of the movable member 12. Then, the knob 213 is rotated from 
this state for a half rotation, for example, upon which the locking pin 
212 is caused to engage with the lower side face of the housing member 201 
or 203, and the locking lever 200 is locked again to its lower position 
different from the foregoing unlock state, resisting against the resetting 
force of the resetting spring 214. In FIG. 20, a practical aspect of the 
locking means is shown. A stopping of upward escaping of the shaft 211 in 
the lock state is achieved by the locking pin 212, but this pin 212 is 
located inside the hole of the housing member 201 in the unlock state, 
and, instead, a stop ring as another stopper means 215 acts a roll of 
locking the lever 200 with respect to the housing. This stop ring 215 may 
be such one available in the market as an E-ring or a C-ring, which is 
only required to bear against the resetting force of the resetting spring 
214. In their assembling, the stop ring 215 is fitted from lateral side 
into a ring mounting groove (not shown) of the shaft 211 which groove 
being positioned below the lower face of the housing member 203 when the 
locking lever 200 is first urged sufficiently into the hole of the housing 
member 203, and is thus mounted to the shaft 211. There are shown in FIG. 
21B the locked state with the stop ring 215 employed and, in FIG. 21A, the 
unlock state. The housing member 203 is provided with a hole for 
accommodating the stop ring 215. 
FIG. 22 shows another lock means for the lock lever 200 in an aspect of 
relying only on matching holes of the housing members without using the 
stop ring 215. The housing members 201 and 203 have planar joining 
surfaces, through which the matching holes 201' and 203' for receiving the 
lock lever 200, the holes matching in the direction perpendicular to the 
joining surfaces. These holes 201' and 203' respectively have diametrally 
opposing grooves for passing the locking pin 212 at the tip end of the 
lock lever 200, which grooves are mutually intersecting at right angles 
between the housing members 201 and 203. In FIGS. 23A and 23B, there are 
shown a vertically sectioned view and a cross sectioned view of the holes 
in the arrangement of FIG. 22. 
It should be appreciated that the grooves for passing the locking pin 212 
at the tip end of the lock lever 200 are lying in directions intersecting 
at right angles between the housing members 201 and 203. In assembling, 
the lock lever shaft 211 is not provided at the tip end with any other 
locking means than the lock pin 212, the lock lever 200 is pushed into the 
hole similarly to the case of the arrangement of FIGS. 18 and 19 and 
thereafter the lever is rotated by a corresponding extent to have the 
lever locked once to the bottom side surface of the housing member 201. 
When a shallow groove allowing the locking pin 212 to be temporarily 
placed is provided to the bottom side surface of the housing member 201, 
at this time, it becomes easier to determine the position of rotary 
matching upon the later joining of the housing member 201 with the housing 
member 203. Then, the housing member 203 is joined with the housing member 
201, and they are so arranged that the locking pin 212 will be received in 
the pin receiving groove made in the housing member 203, whereby the 
locking lever 200 can be prevented from being caused to escape out of the 
housing member 201 due to the resetting force of the resetting spring 214. 
In locking the movable member 12, the locking lever 200 is further pushed 
into the hole and rotated by the corresponding extent so as to be locked 
to the bottom side surface of the housing member 203. Provided that, 
similarly to the housing member 201, a shallow groove allowing the locking 
pin 212 to be placed temporarily is provided in the bottom side surface of 
the housing member 203, the position of the manual rotary matching is made 
to be easily determined. In this case, a shift component in vertical 
direction of the locking pin 212 corresponds directly to the occupying 
component in the movable space for the movable member 12. In releasing the 
lock, the locking lever 200 is rotated to a required extent in reverse 
direction to the above, the locking pin 212 being locked as placed on the 
bottom side surface of the housing member 203 comes in alignment with the 
receiving hole 203' of the housing member 203, and the pin is caused by 
the resetting force of the resetting spring 214 to return along the hole 
to the bottom side surface of the housing member 201 to be locked thereon. 
Here, the locked position of the locking lever 200 is made to be one that 
does not give any influence on the normal operation of the movable member 
as has been referred to, whereby the locking pin 212 is assured to be 
always locked on the bottom side surface of the housing member 201 or 203. 
In FIG. 24, there is shown the locking means in another embodiment of the 
present invention. The arrangement here is made to provide an insert 
groove for a locking lever EE in a lateral side wall of the housing member 
203, so that a lateral displacement of the locking lever EE is utilized 
for occupying and controlling the vertical movable space for the movable 
member 12 in the driving member BB. Here, a space gap between contacting 
surfaces of the locking lever EE and the movable member 12 is more than 
zero and is required to be made less than the gap between both contacts 
being closed. In FIG. 25, there is shown a practical arrangement of the 
locking lever EE in this embodiment, which lever EE comprises a lever 
section 216 made by an insulating resin material, positioning projections 
217 for locking the locking lever EE to the housing member, spring 218 as 
a resetting means, and a projection 219 from the housing member for 
holding an end of the spring. References to the operation at this An time 
will be as follows. In an event of normal use without locking the driving 
member, the positioning projections 217 are positioned on outer side of 
the housing member and held stationary in a state of being biased always 
towards the interior of the housing body by the resetting force of the 
resetting spring 218. At this time, tip ends of the lever section 216 are 
positioned not to reach the movable space for the movable member 12 of the 
driving member. Next, in locking the driving member, the lever is pushed 
into the housing member with the positioning projections 217 made to pass 
through the hole in lateral side wall of the housing member while holding 
the tip ends of the lever section 216 to render the positioning 
projections 217 to be capable of entering into the housing member. The tip 
ends of the lever section 216 are released and elastically restore the 
shape, while the positioning projections 217 are urged against the inner 
wall of the housing member by the resetting force of the spring 218 here 
acting to bias the entire lever EE towards the outer side of the housing 
member, as shown in FIG. 25. In FIG. 26, there is shown an arrangement 
basically the same as that referred to with reference to FIG. 25 but, 
here, having the movable shaft of the driving member and contact drive 
shaft disposed on the same axis by means of such arrangement as 1 make 
contact (1a). Because the movable space above the central shaft CC' of the 
movable member 12 is coupled in the top part, the arrangement for 
regulating the space at the position above the central shaft cannot be 
employed, and the movable space displacement of the molded lever 204 out 
of alignment with the central shaft CC' of the movable member is to be 
subjected to the regulation. At this time, the tip ends of the lever 
section 216 are modified in shape so as to be not engageable with the 
central shaft CC' but engageable with the molded lever 204 as shown by a 
numeral 216'. The locking operation and so on are the same as those in 
FIG. 25. 
In FIGS. 27A-27D, there is shown another embodiment of the present 
invention, in which the basic arrangement comprising the lever section 
216, resetting spring 218 and spring holding projection 219 is the same as 
the foregoing embodiment but the difference resides in that the lateral 
displacement of the lever section 216 is combined with a depressible lever 
220 held preliminarily by the housing member. This depressible lever 220 
is made lockable with respect to the housing member at predetermined upper 
and lower positions by a locking means, for displacing the lever section 
216 in lateral direction. The respective aspects of FIGS. 25 and 27 are 
settable for attaining either the locking or the unlocking upon the 
puch-in, for example, of the lever section 216, by means of a combination 
of the tip end shape of the lever section 216 with the shape of the molded 
lever 204 of the movable member 12. 
In FIGS. 29-32, there is shown another embodiment of the present invention, 
in which the sealed contact device generally comprises the sealed contact 
section AA, driving member BB and housing DD. 
The sealed contact section AA includes the sealed container 301, which 
defines therein the gas-tight space by means of the container body 302 
formed with such heat-resisting material as a ceramic material and in a 
box shape opened at one surface, the bellows 303 formed by the thin 
corrugated metal tube, the lid 304 made by the 42-alloy or the like and 
having the central through hole 304a and ventilation hole 304b at a proper 
portion, and the bellows holder 306 provided with the bearing 305, while 
the gas mainly consisting of hydrogen is charged therein through the 
ventilation hole 304b under about 2 atm., and the ventilation hole 304b is 
sealed after the charging. The planar insulating plate 307 made of such 
heat-resisting material as the ceramic material is fitted to inner side of 
the lid 304 for protecting the lid 304 against the arc. 
The fixed electrodes 308 respectively made by a copper alloy material 
substantially in the columnar shape are secured to the sealed container 
301 by means of soldering or the like at their locally large-diametered 
central parts 308c through a securing member 309 made of 42-alloy or the 
like, in the state where their one ends 308b carrying the fixed contacts 
308a secured are positioned inside the sealed container 301. The fixed 
contacts 308a may be provided integrally with and by the same material as 
the fixed electrodes 308. Further, these fixed electrodes 308 are adhered 
at a portion adjacent to the central part 308c to the housing DD and 
sealed container 301, in a state where the other ends 308e forming the 
terminals 308d threaded and carrying nuts 310 and washers 311 passed are 
projected out of the sealed container 301, as will be detailed later. 
The movable contactor 312 on the other hand is formed substantially in a 
planar shape by the copper alloy material, with a pair of the movable 
contacts 312a secured to both end parts at a space capable of engaging 
with and separating from the fixed contacts 308a. These movable contacts 
312a may be provided integrally with and by the same material as the 
movable contactor 312. The movable shaft 313 is formed in a round bar, 
which is projected at one end 313a out of the sealed container 301 in the 
assembled state. This movable shaft 313 is supported at a portion adjacent 
to one end 313a by a bearing 305 and at a portion adjacent to the other 
end 313b by a bearing 314. 
The contact pressure spring 315 is formed in a coil shape to have a 
slightly larger inner diameter than an outer diameter of a contact 
pressure spring frame 316 which is formed in a bottomed cylinder having at 
its opening a flange 316a and in the bottom a through hole, and the 
contact pressure spring frame 316 also performs a function of protecting 
the bellows 303. A movable contactor holder 317 is formed in a bifurcate 
shape disposing two leg parts on both sides of a central part having a 
through hole. 
The foregoing movable shaft 313 is held as passed at the other end part 
313b through the through holes made in the bottom of the contact pressure 
spring frame 316 and in the central part of the movable contactor holder 
317. The contact pressure spring 315 is disposed as compressed between the 
movable contactor 312 and the flange 316a of the contact pressure spring 
frame 316, so that the movable contactor 312 is biased in the direction of 
engaging the movable contacts 312a with the fixed contacts 308a. 
The resetting spring 318 is formed in a coil shape and is disposed to bias 
the movable contactor 312 in the direction of separating the movable 
contacts 312a from the fixed contacts 308a. A resetting spring frame 319 
is formed in a bottomed cylinder shape with such heat-resisting material 
as a ceramic material and is disposed at a position adjacent to the 
contacts while enclosing the resetting spring 318. 
A magnetic means (not shown) including the permanent magnet and a yoke 
holding the magnet is installed to outer surface of the container body 302 
so that the yoke will enclose the fixed contacts 308a and movable contacts 
312a. Consequently, a magnetic field is provided to the space where both 
contacts 308a and 312a exist, in a direction intersecting at right angles 
the operating direction of the movable contacts 312a. 
Referring next to the driving member BB, the same is constituted by the 
electromagnetic device, in which the coils 320 are wound on the coil 
bobbin 321, the drive shaft 322 is combined with an insulating member and 
screwed at one end 322a to the movable core (not shown) movable in axial 
direction within the through hole of the coil bobbin 321 upon excitation 
of the coils 320, and the yoke 323 is formed to be U-shaped with a central 
part and both opposing parts for enclosing both axial ends of the coils 
320. The drive shaft 322 is brought, when screwed to the movable core, 
into engagement with an end 313a of the movable shaft 313. The yoke plate 
324 is fixed to the yoke 323. The stationary core 325 is fixed at one end 
to the center of the yoke 323, and has an axial hole 325a for inserting 
the drive shaft 322. The support springs 326 are arranged for supporting 
these members referred to. 
Referring next to the housing DD, this housing is provided for concurrently 
housing the sealed contact section AA and driving member BB. The case 327 
is formed substantially in the box shape having the opening 327a on one 
side, while the top-sided bottom part 327b is provided with a pair of 
through holes 327d respectively having locally recessed notches 327c so as 
to be a gourd shape. Along opening edges of these through holes 327d on 
the side of the opening 327a and as slightly outer side of the edges, 
circumferential projections 327e are provided. Capsule cushions 328 made 
by an elastic material are disposed between the case 327 and the sealed 
container 301 for absorbing any dimensional tolerance of the sealed 
container 301, in which disposition the cushion acts as an engaging part 
329 with respect to the circumferential projection 327e. Further, the 
capsule cushion 328 is provided with gourd-shaped overlapping holes 328e 
corresponding to the through holes 327d of the case 327. The case body 330 
is formed substantially in a rectangular tube shape having projections at 
diagonally opposing positions on the side of an open side and provided 
with holes 330a for installing. The interior of this case body 330 is 
divided by a central partition 330b, and the through hole 330c for passing 
the movable shaft 313 is made vertically through the partition 330b at its 
central position. The bottom plate 331 has screw holes 331a for passing 
the screws 332 to be screwed to the holes (not shown) other than the holes 
330a of the case body 330. 
Next, the sequence for securing the fixed electrodes 308 to the housing CC 
shall be referred to. The sealed container 301 is disposed within the case 
327 of the housing CC, the fixed electrodes 308 projected out of the 
sealed container 301 are passed through the overlapping holes 328e of the 
capsule cushion 328 and the through holes 327d of the case 327 and, 
thereafter, an adhesive is pored through the notches 327c to achieve the 
securing. That is, an adhering part 333 is constituted between inner 
peripheries of the through holes 327d of the case 327 and outer 
peripheries of the central parts 308c of the fixed electrodes 308. 
Referring next to the operation of this embodiment, the movable core is 
attracted to the stationary core 325 upon the excitation of the coils 320, 
then the drive 322 screwed to the movable core is moved to drive the one 
end 312a of the movable contactor 312 engage with the fixed contacts 308a. 
As the excitation of the coils 320 is ceased, the movable contactor 312 is 
rest by the biasing force of the resetting spring 318 resisting against 
the contact pressure spring 315, and the movable contacts 312a are 
separated from the fixed contacts 308a, while the movable core is also 
reset by the predetermined distance to restore the original state until it 
collides with the support springs 326 to be restricted. The arc generated 
between the contacts upon the resetting is expanded sufficiently towards 
both ends of the movable contactor due to the magnetic field of the 
magnetic means and extinguished. 
Now, since in the sealed contact device in the present embodiment the fixed 
electrodes respectively include as integralized the one end 308b carrying 
the fixed contact 308a and the other end 308e comprising the terminal 
308d, it is made possible to reduce the number of required parts and, 
since the adhering part 333 for adhering the fixed electrode 308 causes 
the elastic engaging part 329 to be bent with the circumferential 
projection 327e provided to externally enclose the adhering part 333 when 
the sealed contact section AA is accommodated into the housing CC, it is 
possible to improve the adherency between the projection 327e and the 
engaging part 329 and to prevent the adhesive from exuding out of the 
projection 327e. 
In the present embodiment, further, the capsule cushion 328 made of the 
elastic material is disposed to form the engaging part 329 with respect to 
the projection 327e, it is possible to form the projection 327e to have a 
thin tip end to be bendable. Further, when the projection 327e itself is 
prepared to have an elasticity by separately making the projection 327e 
with rubber and adhering it to the position, it will be no more necessary 
to provide the capsule cushion 328 as the engaging part 329.