Research and Development Leading to the High-Power Vacuum Interrupter- A Historical Review

A history of the development of a successful, high-power vacuum interrupteris presented. This covers two principal phases: (1) early engineering effort in the late 1920´s and early 1930´s to produce a commercial interrupter, and (2) a review of the research and engineering at the General Electric Company covering new technologies necessary for the development of the high-power vacuum interrupter. A short review of the literature is included.