Patent ID: 7302854

Claim:
A vacuum bottle-type electrical device with a vacuum pressure loss detection feature comprising: a bottle defining a vacuum pressure condition at the interior of the bottle; electrical charge members in the bottle mounted for relative movement between a first position in which the electrical charge members are positioned closely adjacent and an second position in which the electrical charge members are spaced apart from each other, with the vacuum pressure condition in the bottle preventing electrical arcing between the electrical charge members when they are moved between their first and second positions at voltage potentials in excess of 1000V; a movable structure associated with the bottle having first and second sides, with the movable structure being exposed to the vacuum pressure condition in the bottle at the first side of the movable structure and to a second pressure condition exterior to the bottle at the second side of the movable structure, with the movable structure moving in response to the loss of the vacuum pressure condition in the bottle; and a monitor for sensing movement of the movable structure to detect loss of the vacuum pressure condition in the bottle when the electrical charge members are in either their first or second positions.