US1354762A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

L.' KELLNER. 'ELECTRIC swncH. APPHCATION FILED MAY 8. i919.

Patented oca. 5,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

"Y im a W@ a 4A l 53? by /f f L m: L; I ,3 llg Li /52 u if 3 ya@ ff fa r l l J5 INVENTOR V ATTORNEY f L, KELLNER.

ELECTRIC SWITCH. A APPucAnoN FILED MAY 8, 191s.

1,354,762. l vMamma oaf, 5, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

f :i: m fz f7 J` l 6 w-la 2 L. KELLNER. ELECTRIC SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, ISIS.

Patented 0st. 5, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEEI' 3.

i INVENTO Y 0f/'Ar gays/6 A ATTORNEY UNITED STATES Louis KELLNER, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Originai application led December 3.

. To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that LvLoUis KELLNR, a citizen of the-United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county,

fand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, (Case 1,) of which the following is a specification.

This -invention relates to improvements in manually operable electric switches of the fused type. This application is a division of my (3o-pending application Serial No. 205,139, filed December 3, ,1917.

The invention has for one of its objects the provision of a fused switch so con@ structed that access to the fuse or fuses, or

live parts is impossible except when thel 4switch has been operated through the me- A dium of its operating handle to break the 20 circuit.

A 'further object of the invention isto provide fuse-inclosing means having a hinged section and shiftable with the movable -contacts of' a switch relativelyT to a stationary abutment to a position in which an opening movement of the hinged section Vwill be prevented by said abutment 'when -the movable contacts are in on posltion.

Another' object of the invention is to provide a switch having an inclosing casing divided into two compartments by an intermediate partition having an opening therethrough, the operating handle of the switch being located in the outer compartment and the movable and stationary contacts being located 1n the inner compartment, and fuseinclosing means movable with the movable contacts and having hinged cover sections held against movement by the edges of said opening in the partition when the movable contacts are in on position, and shiftable into the outer compartment when the con* taots are in off position to permit opening of said sections. 46

nother important object 'of the invention isto provide fuse-inclosing means movable, with the movable contacts of a switch and 'having a mov-able section or closure, and

means adapted to prevent opening movement of the closure when the movable contacts are in on position and to automatically move said closure to closed position whenthe switch is operated to close the circuit without first closing said movable section 'or closure. y

Specification of Letters Patent Patented oer. 5, 1920.

1917, Serial No. 205,139. Divided and this application led May 8, 1919. Serial No. 295,655.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the switch taken on. the line I-I of Fig. 4;

Fig. 2 a sectional plan taken on the line I II-H of Fig. 1;

Fig.l 3 a longitudinalisection on the line" IIL-IH of F ig. 4, the parts being shown i Fig. 5 a fragmenta-ry sectional plan taken through the fuse box;

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are fragmentary sectional views showing the positions assumed by the operating mechanism when the switch lever has been moved to break the circuit, when the lever is in an intermediate position, and when the lever has been moved to close the circuit, respectively;

Fig. 9 a fragmentary vertical section showing the rack and 'segment for shifting the reciprocable switch member;

Figs. 10 and 11 detail views of a part of the operating mechanism;

Figs. 12, 13 and 14 detail views of another part of the operating mechanism, and

Fig. 15 a top plan view of-the fuse-inclosing means.

Referring to the various parts by numerals, the switch isniounted on a suitable base 1, which may be formed of porcelain or other suitable material, and the entire switclrmechanism/is inclosedA within a boX- like outer casing,'preferably formed of sheet metal and held to the base 1 in anfy suitable' manner. he lcasing isformedwith side walls 2, end walls 3, and a cover 4 hinged to one of the end walls at 5.

Two vertically extending frame members or plates 6 and 7 are held at their vlower ends substantially centrally of the base 1, said members being preferably connected by an integral base plate' 8 Afastened. upon the upper face of the base 1 by suitable screws 9. 'l'he frame plates (i and 7 are connected adjacent their upper ends by a rod 10 on which is rotatably mounted a sleeve 11 having reduced angular end por-t tions 12 and 13. The sleeve 11 is adapted to be oscillated by a swinging switch handle or lever 14 having -an angular opening or socket through which the reduced end portion 12 of the sleeve extends. A disk 15 is mounted on the reduced angular end portion 13 of sleeve 11, said disk being formed with a central angular opening 16 through which said end portion 13 extends to adapt the disk to'rotate with said sleeve. T e disk 15 is cut away through slightly more than half its periphery to from stop shoulders 17 and 18 adaptid to abut against the free end of' a pivoted arm or latch 19 when the switch. lever is swung to the limit of its throw to breakand close the circuit, respectively. The latch 19 is pivotally held at 20 to a lug 21 stampedinwardly from the frame plate 6, and is normally pressed upwardly in thev path of the sto- p shoulders 1 and 18 by a suitable flat spring 22 held to the frame member 6.

A disk 23 is loosely mounted on the rod 10 adjacent the outer face of disk 15, and a mutilated 'gear wheel or segment 24 is held to the outer face of disk 23 to rotate therewith b means of suitable pins or rivets 25. he teeth of the gear wheel 24 vmesh with the teeth of a rack 26 formed at one side or a vertically extending elongated opening 27 in av bracket 28. The bracket orV plate 28 is held at its lower end by screws .29, to the upper face of areciprocable block 30 formed of insulating material. The block 30 'and bracket 28 areguided vertically, the block being provided with openings 31 through which the frame plates 6 and 7 extend, and the bracket being provided with an outwardly projecting pin or lug 32 working in an elongated slot 33 formed in the frame` plate 7. The pin 32 serves also to limit the upward movement of the block 30 y and the parts mounted thereon.

A spring 34 is' coiled about the sleeve 11 and the opposite ends 35 and 36 of said spring project outwardly at one side of the sleeve in different horizontal planes. The switch lever 114 is provided with an inwardly projecting pin 37 extending between the @lends 35 and 36 of spring 34,'iand the disk .23 is provided with an oppositely projecting pin 38 extending between the endso'r said spring. The disk 23 is out awaythrough lslightly more than haltl its periphery to form stop shoulders 39 land 40 adapted to engage latch 19 in the saine manner as shoulders 17 and 18 of disk 15, and saidl disk 23 is also formed with oppositely disi posed notches 41 and 42 in which the upper edge of latch 19 is adapted to engage to hold the disk 23 against rotation until the latch is released as hereinafter described. :The latch 19 is adapted to be disengaged from notch 41 and notch 42 by the inclined cream-shaped ends 43 and 44 of an arcuate "oscillating releasing member 45 pivotally held, at 46 to thc inner face of disk 15. The disk 15 is provided with two lugs or stop pins 47 and 48 and the larcuate releasing member 45 is adapted to be rocked about its pivot 46 and held against said stop pins alternately to alternately project the cam l ends 43 and 44, respectively, beyond the periphery of the cut-away portion of disk 15 in position to depress latch 19 and disengage said latch from notches 41 and 42 in disk 23, as hereinafter described. The meinber 45 is adapted to be held against either of the stops 47 and 48 by a flat spring 49 held at one end to disk 15 in any suitable manner and formed with an offset portion 50 adapted to engage against opposite sides of' a projection 51 formed on the member 45 adjacent the pivot 46 of said'member.

A pair of 4fuse plugs 52 of well-known construction are supported on the block 30,

the opposite ends of said plugs being de-A tachably held in two pairs of suitable spring metal clips 53 and 54. Two pairs of Contact brushes 55 and 56 are held to the under side of block 30 and electrically connected with the pairs of fuse-holding clips 53 and 54, respectivel by screws or bolts 57 and 58, the ends o the brushes preferably itting in cutaway portions of the block 30, as'

are hinged to rods 63 and 64 supported in the opposite ends of a pair of bars 65, preferably countersunk in opposite sides of block 30 and held thereto by screws 66. The hinged sections 61 and 62 of the 'fuse box are slotted at 6la and 62, respectively, to clear plates 6 and 7 and bracket 28, and the meeting edges of said sections are cut away between said slots at 61" and 62h, respectively, to clear spring 22. These cover sec tions of the fuse box may be provided with interlocking portions or latches 67, ifdesired. The outer casing is divided into inner and outer compartments by an intermediate partition 68 having a rectangular central opening 69 therein *to/permit movement of the fuse box through said partition when the switch lever 14 is operated, as more fully hereinafter described.-

To operate the switch to close the circuit, the switch lever 14 is swung through an are of substantially 180o from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to the position shownl in Fig. 3. Referring more particularly -t'o Figs. 6 to 9, it will be observed that as the lever 14 is `thrown over, the sleeve 11 and disk 15 re rotated in a clockwise direction while disk .23r' is 'held Astationary by latch ,19

on lever 14, which forces the end 35 of said spring before it as the lever is swung to the right. It will be observed also that the inclined or cam end 44 of releasing member 45 is in projected position with its rear face 44n in position to engage latch 19 during the initial movement of the switch handle. As the rear face 44n rides over latch 19 the releasing member 45 will be rocked about its pivot 46, as sprin spring 49, thus forcing the projection 51 to the opposite side of projection 50 on spring 49, retracting cam end 44 and projecting cam end 43 beyond the periphery of disk 15 in position to engage latch 19 and depress the same'when the switch handle approaches the limit of its throw. As the lever 14 approaches the limit of its throw the inclined end 43 of releasing member 45` engages latch 19, as shown in Fig. 7, depressingv said latch and releasing disk 23 which is rapidly rotated in a clockwise direction by reason of the engagement of the end 36 of spring 34 under pin 38 on disk 23. The rapid movement of disk 23 imparts a similar rapid semi-revolution to the mutilated gear or segment 24 meshing with rack `26, thus rapidly projecting or forcing bracket 28, block 30, and parts carried thereby, downwardly into the position shown in Figs. 3 and 8, in which position the pairs of brushes 55 and 56 engage the pairs of contacts 59l and 60 and close the circuit through the switch. The latch 19 is prefer-- ably beveled at each side of its upper edge at the points where said latch is engaged by the cam 'ends of the releasing mem er 45 to form a cam surface 70 having its apex or highest point substa tially centrall of the upper edge of the Latch. It wil thus be seen that it is practically impossible for the switch lever to be held or to remain in a position to hold the latch 19 in its full depressed| or releasing position as the hig i point or rear end of cam end 44 cannot be held or dwell upon the apex of the cam portion 70 oi the latch. It will be seen, therefore, that the instant disk 23 is moved through half a revolution as above described to force the laminated spring- metal contacts 55 and 56 into close engagement with the contacts 59 and 60, the4 latch 19 will sna into notch 42 in disk 23 and positively loc said disk against rotation.

At the completion of the circuit-closing operation just described the parts assume the position shown in Fig. 8, with the' rear edge 43a of cam end 43 projected into position to engage and ride over latch 19 (uring the initial movement of the switch l tndle toward the left to break the circuit. The circuit-breaking operationv is the reverse of the operation just described and is thought to be obvious.

From the foregoing it will be observed 22 is stronger than' that the switch levenmay be swung substantially the full length of its throw without moving the brush-carrying block 30; that the movable contact member is operated with a rapidreciprocatory snap aation to close the circuit as well as to break the circuit; and that the entire switch mechanism is inclosed within a protecting casing.

It will also be seen that the fuse plugs are inclosed in a box or casing which is shifted into the lower compartment of the switch casing when the circuit is closed, and that the fuse box is so constructed that the hinged covers or sections thereof cannot be swung upwardly to permit access to the fuses when the circuit is closed,vthe.false bottom 68 being so positioned as to prevent lthe hinged sections 61 and 62 of the fuse box from being swung upwardly and outwardly except when the switch is in off position as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, in

which position the fuse box is projected above the false bottom or partition 68. It will be noted further that the switch cannot be moved to on position with the hinged cover sections or closures of the fuse box in open position as saidv sections will be swung upwardly and inwardly to closed position when the blockv 30 moves downwardly by reason of the engagement of the partition 68 with the end walls of said sections, as indicated .in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The cover 4 of the outer casing also be provided with a suitable locking means to prevent unauthorized access to the switch lever 14, if desired.

What I claim is:

1. ln an electric switch, the combination of stationary contacts, a movable support, circuit-closing means mounted on said support Vand embodying a pair of contacts and a fuse connected with said contacts, means for moving said support to shift the contacts thereon into and out of 'engagement with the stationary contacts, fuse inclosing means on said support having al section movable relatively to the support to permit access to the fuse when the circuit is open, and sta.- tionary means located at one side of the path of movement of the su Iport adapted to hold the movable section o the fuse-inclosing means against an opening movement -when the circuitis closed.

2. In an electric switch,the combination of stationary contacts, movable contacts, a fuse electrically connected with said movable contacts, a stationaryouter casing, a casing inclosin the fuse and its connections with the Inova le contacts having a hinged section, a partition dividing the outer casing into compartments and having an opening therethrough, and means for moving the fuse and its casing in unison with the movable contacts toward and from the stationary contacts to open and close the circuit,

said fuse-inclosing casing moving through the opening in said partition to carry the hinged section thereof from a position wholly within one compartment of the outer casing to a position in which an opening movement of said section will be prevented by said partition.

3. ln an electric switch, the combination of an inclosing casing divided into inner and outer compartments by an apertured partition, stationary contacts in said inner compartment, a movable support, contacts carried by said support, a fuse carried by said support and electrically connected with the contacts on sai(` support, and means located in the outer compartment of said casing for moving said support to make and break the circuit and to shift the fuse through the aperture in said partition t'rom an accessible position in the outer'compartment when the circuit is broken to an inaccessible position within the inner compartment when thecircuit is closed.

4. In an electric switch, the combination ofstationary contact-s, a movable fuse box having hinged sections, a fuse therein, contacts connected with said fuse and movable therewith toward and from the stationary contacts, and meansadapted to embrace the fuse box and prevent opening of the hinged sections thereof when the circuit is closed.

5. ln' an electric switch` the combination ot stationary contacts, a movable support, contacts carried by said support, a tuse carried by said support and electrically connected with the contacts thereon. inclosing means for the fuse mounted on said support and movable relatively thereto to cover and uncover the fuse, means tor moving said support toward and from the stationary contacts to make and break the circuit` and means adapted to hold the fuse-inclosing means against movement relative to the support when the support is moved to close the circuit to prevent access to the tuse.

6. ln an electric switch, the combination of an inclosing casing having a cover, a partition dividing said casing into inner and outer compartments and t'ormed with an opening therethrough, stationary contacts in said inner compartment, a support movable y toward and from said stationary contacts, contacts held to the inner side ot said support, a fuseI carried by said support and electrically connected with the contacts thereon, a iise-inclosing cover comprising hinged sections'held to the outer side of said support, means located in the. outer compartment of said casing t'or moving said.

support toward and trom the stationary contacts to make and break the circuit, said fuse-inclosing cover being adapted to pass through the opening in said partition to place said cover above or below said partition to permit said hinged sections of the Lampes -ried by said support and electrically connected with the contacts thereon, inclosing .means for the fuse mounted on said support and movable relatively thereto to cover and uncover the fuse, a pivoted switch lever, operating connections between said lever and support for moving said support toward and from the stationary contacts with a rapid snap action as said lever approaches the op-A posite limits of its throw. and means adapted to prevent movement of said fuse-inclosing means relative to said support when the slipport is in circuit-closing position.

8. In an electric switch, the combination of stationary terminals, a movable fuse box comprising hinged sections` a fuse therein` contacts connected with said fuse and movable therewith toward and from the terminals, and means for preventing movement ot' -tlie fuse-box to arc the terminals with its hinged sections in open position, said means being adapted to automatically close said sections -and to' prevent opening thereof when the circuit is closed.

9. In an electric switch. the combination ot stationary contacts, a fuse box having a movable closure portion, a fuse in said boX, contacts connected with said fuse and movable with said box, means for shitting the movable contacts and the fuse box to make and break the circuit, and a stationary member adapted to prevent an opening movement of the closure portion of the fuse box when the movement contacts are in engagement with the stationary contacts.

10. ln an electric switch, the combination vand having a hinged cover section, a casing ini-losing the stationary and in( Yable con tacts having an opening in one wall thereof, an operating handle. and means controlled by said handle tor shitting the movable contacts and the fuse box to make and break the circuit and move the hinge of said cover section toward and from one edge of the opening in the casing.

12. ln an electric switch, the combination oi stationary contacts, movable contacts, a

fuse, a iuse'boX having a movable closure,

a switch handle, means controlled, by said `handle for moving said fuse boX and thel movable contacts 1n unison and automati' cally locking the same in theirA on and cti positions, and a stationary member adapted to prevent movement of said closure when the movable contacts are in on position and to automatically force Said fuse-inclosing means mounted on said Sup` port having a hinged section, and a switch handle operatively connected to shift said lsupport to move the movable contacts into and out of engagement with the stationary contacts and move the hinged section ot the fuse-inclosing means relatively to the opening in said wall ofthe casing to andA from a position in which said wall will prevent opening of said section.

le. ln an electric switch, the combination oi a casing having a wall formed with a'n `opening, stationary contacts in said4 casing, a support shii'table relatively to said wall,

movable contacts mounted on said support, a fuse mounted lon the support, use-inclosing means mounted on said support having a hinged section,'and a' switch handle operatively connected to shift said support to' move the movable contacts into and out of engagement with the stationarycontacts and move the hinged. section of the fuse-meiosing means relatively to theopening in said wall ofthe casing to and from a position in which said wall will prevent opening of said section, said hinged section beine' so diS- posed relatively to one edge of said opening that said section will engage the same and be shifted to closed position upon an operation of the handle to close the circuit with said section in open position.

l5. In an electric switch, the combination of a casing having a wall formed with a rectangular opening therein,.istationary contacts within the casing, a support shiftable relatively to said wall, movable contacts mounted on the inner side of said support, a fuse mounted on the outer side of said support electrically connected with the movable contacts, fuseinclosing means mounted on the 'outer side of the said support having a' hinged section located outside of said Wall with its hinge adjacent one edge of the opening in said wall when the movable contacts are in off position, said inclosing means being movable with said support to shift'the hingeof the movable section to a point at the inner side of said wall and to bring an inter! mediate portion of said section adjacent one edge of the opening in said wall when the movable contacts are shiftable to on position', and manually Aoperable means for shifting said support.

16. In an electric switch, the combination of line terminals, a movable support, terminal bridgingmeans :mounted on said support including a fuse, fuse-inclosing means mounted on said support having a .section movable to permit access to the fuse,

means for shifting the movable support to open and close the circuit, 'and a stationary member adapted to' -prevent an opening movement of said movable section of the fuse-inclosing means when the circuit is closed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature.,

LOUIS KELLNER.

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