Inventors:
George A. Farrall - Rexford NY
Raymond K. Seymour - Plainville CT
Assignee:
General Electric Company - Schenectady NY
International Classification:
H01H 3366
Abstract:
An electrical contact assembly includes a contact, a contact support integrally connected to a first surface of the contact, and an insert disposed proximate a second, arc-supporting surface of the contact for stabilizing an electrical arc. In one embodiment of the invention the insert comprises an electrically insulating material inset in the arc-supporting surface and forming a metal-insulator boundary therewith. In another embodiment of the invention, the insert comprises a material having a relatively higher electrical resistivity than the contact, and disposed inside the contact so as to leave an integral metal current path from the arc supporting surface of the contact to the contact support, substantially through the center of the contact.