John F Foulkes

US Patent:

40457621, Aug 30, 1977

Filed:

Sep 19, 1975

Appl. No.:

5/615061

Inventors:

John F. Foulkes - Elmhurst IL

Assignee:

S&C Electric Company - Chicago IL

International Classification:

H01H 3776

US Classification:

337401

Abstract:

A small expendable rocket engine is attached to an electrical switching element and ignited to provide propelling force to open or close the switching element into or out of a circuit. An electrical ignition system attached to the rocket engine can be actuated remotely to ignite the rocket engine either by a relay switch or by the lineman using an insulative cord so that the lineman is remotely positioned when the switching element is closed into the circuit. The rocket engine is expendable and can either be removed from the switching element after operation by dislodging it by pulling on the cord, or a releasable connector can be used to connect the rocket engine to the switching element so that the rocket engine automatically disengages the switching element after operation. The rocket engine may be left in place after switching operation on the switching element if its presence will not adversely affect normal operation of the switching element. The rocket engine may also be ignited by the operation of automatic control circuitry to provide automatic unattended high speed operation of the switching element.