Arc diverter

An arc diverter detects an arc between the cathode and the anode of a glow discharge apparatus and in response to arc detection, actuates a switching network that triggers a pair of switches to allow a capacitor to discharge toward the cathode along a resonant diverting path and recharge the capacitor for subsequent discharge in an opposite direction. This discharge current effectively short circuits the power supply and extinguishes the arc. The resonant diverting circuit includes two resonant diverting paths and four switches configured in an "H" to hold the capacitor in a charged condition. Alternate triggering of the diagonally situated pairs of switches enables the charged capacitor to discharge in one direction along one of the resonant diverting paths and recharge for subsequent discharge in the opposite direction, along the other of the resonant paths. Both resonant diverting paths provide discharge toward the cathode.