US1409008A - Switch - Google Patents

Description

J. S. JONES.

SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1919.

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2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

' f foam-:1 s'rA rss' movements may be provided in either direcoperation.

PATENT omcr;

JOSEPH STAINSBURY JONES, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

Application. filed my 23,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH seme JoNE's, a citizen of the United States, resid ing at- Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in switches, and more particularly to the type;

known as snap. switches. i

The present invention pertains especially to snap switches of the double-throw type, viz switches in which the make and break tion of angular-movement, the. movement of the operating element from circuit-opening to circuit-closing positionor vice versa-' being in either angular direction, the movement setting the internal structure tocause the latter to follow the direction of element operation as in ordinary 'snap switch- The present invention employs a; number of the features of the disclosure of my prior Patent No. 1,217,114, February 20, 1917, said patented structure, howe'ver,.being of the single throw-type,'in-.that the operating ele- .ment is limited to but one direction of an- While present Jstructure gular movement. is similar. to that :of the patent in the inclus ion" of a spring intermediate the operating element and the contactrcarrying .rotor,' and, the-use of a control mechanism which, permits the rotorto advance underfispring.

tension, the difference in problemspresented in changing fromsingle-throw tod'ouble throw st1fuctures prevent use of the entire structure of the earlier patent. The principal changes are provided-in connection with the spring and the control mechanism; thus permitting the use of the general :form of structure and the advantages provided swrrcn.

1919.; Serial No. 299,288. g

' Specification of Letters'Pate'nt. Pate t d pla 7 1922.

described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out 111 the appended claims.

the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate similar partsln each of the views.

F1gure 1 'is a central vertical sectional view.

Figure 2 is a top plan View.

of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective sectional view showing the tension-applying structure- F1gur'e 5 is a bottom plan view, of the rotor. l

F igure'G is .a sectional view taken'on line 66 of Figure 1, the parts being shown in a normal position.

Figure 7 is a similari view with parts shifted-to permit rotor movement, the view showing in dotted lines, of the rotor.

Figure 8 is .a perspective view of the rotor,

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the shiftable control element. In the drawings, 15 indicates the casing an advance position having removable cover 15, thecasing hav-- ing the usual-leading-in openings. 16 indi-- rates the base of insulating material, the

base having a; suitable contour and having a central opening 16 to receive a non-rotatable'bearing or bushing 17 through which the lower end of shaft or spindle 18 passes,

the latter being removably held against ma- .ter al longitudinal 'movement in suitable manner." The upper end of spindle 18 is supported-bycover15 in suitable manner, the drawings indicating the usejof a suitable packing'glandformation 19.

Base 16 carries binding posts 20 carrying clips 20 between whichthe contacts of the rotor pass as in the patentedstr'uctu're,

the posts being arranged-to carry the clips at the proper distances fromthebase'to accommodate for the positions of the contact blades. As shown, the rotor carries two blade members, each of which is operative to connect the clips of two terminal binding posts, so that the switch is adapted to control two circuits if-desired, the clips of diametrically opposite'posts 20 being located in the same plane which difi'ersfrom the plane ofthe clips of theother 'set of posts,

the planes intersecting the axis of the rotor- Figure 3 is a section taken on line3-3 Obviously, the switch 'may be operated with but a single circuit, by omitting circuit connections to one pair of terminal posts. I

The rotating element or rotor 21 is of the general type referred to in the prior patent,

in that its body is of insulating material 'molded about the blade contacts 22 each of which is in the form of a ring portion 22 carrying diametrically opposite fan-tail contact members 22", the latter projecting outwardly from the insulating body. The body tively to each other rotatively, spindle 18 being given its movement by suitable means,

as for instance, a handle 24or a remov-.

able key element may be. employed. Rotor movements, however, are provided by the action of a spring placed under tension by the spindle movements, the tension becoming efiective to restore the normal relation a plate 27 embedded in the rotor body and projecting from one end of the rotor. The

between the spindle and rotor through the action of certain control mechanism, the latter being operative in producing the tension power, then made temporarily inactive to permit tension activity, andrestored by the follow-up movements of the rotor.

The tension .means employed is in the form of a coil spring 25 which has its coil surrounding the spindle at a point beyond the plane of the rotor body-shown as above in Fig. 1-the ends of the coil extending outwardly in more or less parallelism.

Spindle 18 carries an arm 26 and the rotor body carries a finger 27 both of which pass betweenthe two ends of spring 25 (see Fig. 4:) the arm and finger being spaced from each other on a radial line extending from the spindle axis.

Arm 26 is'pinned or otherwise secured to the spindle .and rotates therewith, whilefinger 27 is formed as a projection carried by ends of the spring are shown as extending on difierent planes of intersection of the spring axis, and as both arm26 and finger 27 are designed to operate with either end of the spring, as presently pointed out, these elements have a suificient length to permit this action to take place.

The control mechanism embodiesan ele-' ment held against movement, anelement movable with the rotor and an element mov-' able with the spindle, these elements having 'configurationsand operating cycles such as to normally maintain the rotor in its set position, maintaining this position during initial spindle movement to place spring 25 under tension, and then releasing the rotor restraint in the presence of this tension to permit the rotor to advance under the tenby bushing 17 and shown as having a plu-, rality of notches or recesses 28 spaced equidistant on the periphery of the plate. These notches or recesses correspond in number to the number of positions of the switch shown as four in the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1 this plate 28 is located on bushing 17 above base 16the latter being shown as recessed in the present embodiment. Element 28 is provided with a central opening 28 having a contour sub-.

stantially complemental to that of bushing -17a non-circular contourthus maintaining the positions of notches 28 The rotor-carried element is indicated at 29, being in the form of a plate carried by and axially aligned with the rotor, bushing 23 preferably extending through an opening formed in the plate. The plate. is held fixedly relative to the rotor by any suitable means, as by being embedded therein, or havin lugs embedded within'the material, or-bo The exposedface of plat'e29 is provided with a plurality of projections or lugs which form guides for a second member 30 of this element, said latter element being movable with the rotor but also having an additional reciprocating movement in "directions transverse to the rotor axis.

Said member 30 is shown in detail in F ig.

9, in which 30* indicates a fingerprojecting laterally of the plane of-the member and .adapted to co-operate with notches 28 a U'-shaped portion 30 'through -which the spindleextends, a laterally-extending portion 30 having an opening communicating with the interior of portion 30 and a resilient member 30 which may be in the form of a leaf spring-located in portion 30, the spring and finger being located on opposite sides of the member axis the latter extending through the'opening of portion 30'. Lugs 29 are relatively positioned to prevent relative rotative movement of member 30 and the rotor and yet permit slidable movements of the member to engage and disengage finger 30 and a notch 28.

Element 30 is located in the plane of'arecessed portion or portions 18 of spindle 18,

31 which normally contacts with spring 3Q as in Fig. 9but which is movable into contact with walls of the opening of portion 30. In its normal position, member 31 places spring 30 under tension to draw fin-- ger 30 toward the spindle axis.to enter a notch 28-but under rotative movement of the spindle, faceSl contacts with a wall 30 sion is operative in either direction. of roof the opening of portion 30 shifting member 30 to carry its finger'out of the notch.

There is direct co-operation between the tension means and the control mechanism as will beunderstood from the following In normal position of the partswhether the circuit be open or closedfinge'r .30 is in engagement with one of the notches 28*, thus locking the rotor against movement; at thls time the tension means is-subst-antially free from tension, excepting such as may be provided by friction of contacting parts When it is desired to snap the switch, the

handle is -moved; rotatively, thus' beginning rotation of spindle 18. Since however, there 'is' no positive connection betweenthe spindle and rotor, andthe latter is held from rotative movementcby' engagement of finger 30 with a notch 28, this movement of the spindle-becomes effective to place tensionion the spring by reason of the. contact of arm 26 with one end of spring while the opposite end of the spring is .held by finger 27the action being similarregardless ofthe direction of rotation ofthe spindle. At, the same time movement oft-the spindle shifts the -po-" sition of member .31 'in a direction tocause its face 31 to contact wallthereby forcing a change in positioirof member 30 in a direction to take finger 30 from notch'28.

When movement of member 30 has been sufficient' to release finger 30 at which time the spring tension has. assumed considerable value-this tension is made-efiective on the,

rotor through finger 27 to cause the rotor to advance-in a corresponding direction, moving the rotorand finger 30 ''an angular distance tocarry finger 30 out of position to return to the notch which it has left.

As will be readily understood, this angular movement of member 30 not only changes '30 and tends to return member 30 to its .normal position. vThis complete movement is prevented, however, by contact of finger 7 30 with the periphery ofmember 29 so that the lock control is heldinactive to permit sprin'g'25 to continue its action on-the rotor, this latter continuing until finger "30" comes opposite the succeeding notch28at which time the normal relation offace 31 and spring 30 has been restored and finger 30 passes into engagement with its notch, locking the'pa-rts in normal position.

Obviously, handle 24 need be moved only an angular distance equal to that desired of the rotor, and the casing may carry the usual indications to regulate thislength of movevment.

As willbe understood, the arrangement by which the rotor is placed under tentation of the'spindle arm 26'beingmade operative on one end or-the other of spring 25 while finger-27 holds the'opposite end .of the spring from movement until the rotor is itself; free to move through the action of the control mechanism, this latter taking place through the action 'of face 31 and member 30, the'particular time when finger 3O is actually released from its notch 28 being determined by the relative configurations of members 30 and 31. -And'si1icdthe movement 'of the rotor underthea'ction of' the tension automatically tends to place spring 30 under tension by reason of its contact with face 31 it/will be. understood that finger 3O will not'onlyenter the succeeding notch 28 with certainty but finger 30 will tend to' ride infrictional-engagement with the edge of plate. 2 8'and may thus tend to restrict spee'd and'ensure that overrunning of the rotor will'beprevented, especially since the movementis' also re sisted by the entrance of the contact blades into thecli As will i? form separate tension means, spring 25 being normally at its minimum tension value 'while spring 30 is normally at an intermediate value. This relation is temporarily changed during the operation of the switch,

spring 25 reaching its maximum ,tension value as-fi lgfi r 30 is about to be released, at which time spring 30 is substantially at its minimum value. Rotor movement then causes the tension value of spring 25 to .de-

crease to its minimum, while the tension cated external of the rotor becomes ad 'vantageous in that it permits the moulding of the rotor to be had-about the bushing in which the'spindle itself is guided, greatly simplifying the general arrangement and renderingit less likely to be disarranged in use.- And as all rotor-carried parts are practically embedded in the insulating material :which forms the body portion ofthe rotor, the parts are held firmly and may be of configurations of a strong and substantial character, ensuring serviceable conditions even under heavy; service.

While I have herein shown and. described a preferred form of'structure, itwill be readily understood that changes or modifications therein may be found desirable or s. a 4 00 e understood springs 25 and 30 I essential to meet the exigencies of use, and

I desire to beunderstood asreserving the right .to make any and all suchchanges or modifications therein as may be found desirable or necessary in so far as the same may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims when broadly construed.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, is

1. A snap switch comprising an insulating base, a substantially barrel-shaped rotor of insulating material, a stem passing freely through the rotor and having a bearing in the base and provided with a handle,

' fixed contacts carried by the base and cooperating contacts carried by the rotor,- a fixed latch plate having notches and concentric portions between the notches, a latch .connected to rotate with the rotor and guided for lateral movement in respect to ,20.

the rotor and latch plate and having a tooth to engage the latch not hes, a cam carried by the stem and engaging acam opening in the latch, a spring on the rotatable latch arranged to engage the cam and yieldingly urge the rotatable latch member to notch engaging position, a spring-mechanism at the other end of the rotor fromthe latch mechanism providing means for. urging the rotor to move in either direction in accordrotor in any one of a plurality of fixed positions by engagement with said latch, a re silient member connected to the latch, means for normally maintaining the resilient member in position to force the latch into engagement with any one of said members, shiftable upon rotation of said'spindle to release the pressure of said resilient member upon the latch and shiftthe latch outv of engagement with said members, ermitting rotation of the rotor through said pressure.

3. In a snap sw-itch,a rotor, meanscontrolled by the position of the rotor for making and breaking acircuit, and means for shifting said rotor from one predetermined position to another to make or break the circuit, including manually operable means for exerting rotative pressure upon the rotor, a latch engaging the rotor, fixed means engaging the latch to maintain the rotor in fixed position, and means for normally maintaining said latch in engagement with said fixed means by resilient pressure, adapted to release said resilient pressure and force the latch out of engagement with the fixed means upon manipulation of the manually operable means to permit revolution of the rotor.

4. In a snap switch, a rotor, means controlled by the position of the rotorfor making and breaking a circuit, and means for shifting said rotor from one predetermined position to another to make or break the circuit, including a spindle, a resilient connection between the spindle and rotor to impel the rotor rotatively, latch means for holding the rotor in fixed position against the action of said resilient connection when the spindle is rotated, resilient means for maintaining said latch in active position, and means operative upon rotation of the spindle to release said resilient means, shift the latch into inoperative position and permit the rotation of the rotor to restore the normal relation between spindle and rotor, in which the resilient means is again active to force said latch into operative position and hold the rotor in fixed position.

5. Ina snap switch, a rotor, means con-v trolled by the position of the rotor for makand breaking-a circuit, and means for shifting said rotor from one predetermined position to another to make or break the circuit, including a spindle coaxial with the rotor, a spring connecting the spindle;

and rotor tending to impel the rotor rotatively, a latch slidably mounted on the rotor, a plurality of fixed latch engaging members, resilient means for holding said latch in engagement with one of said fixed members, and latch controlling means connected to said spindle for normally holding said resilient means in active position adapted upon rotation of the spindle to release said resilient means and shift the latch into operative position, permitting the rotation of the rotor through the action of said spring to restore its normal relation with the spindle in which'the resilient means is operative to engage the latch with another fixed member.

6. In a snap switch, a rotor, means controlled by the position of the rotor for making and breaking a circuit, and means for shifting said rotor from one predetermined position to another to make or break the circuit, inpluding a spindle coaxial with the rotor, a spring connecting the spindle and rotor tending to move the rotor rotatively, a latch slidably mounted on the rotor, a fixed member having a periphery concentrio with the axis of the rotor and provided with a plurality of spaced latch engaging elements on said periphery, resilient means for normally maintaining said latch in engagement with one of the elements, actuating means connected to the spindle. for

releasing said resilient means and the latch upon rotation of the spindle to permit revolution of the rotor into normal relation with the spindle, said actuating means be ing operative to renew the pressure of the spring against the latch as the rotor approaches normal position in relation to the spindle, so as to force the latch into increasingly forcible frictional engagement with {)he concentric periphery of said fixed memer. I

7. In a snap switch, a rotor, means controlled by the position of the rotor for making and breaking a circuit, and means for shifting said rotor from one predetermined position to another to make or break the circuit, including a spindle coaxial with the rotor, a spring resiliently connecting the spindle and rotor tending to produce homologous rotation, a latch slidably mounted on the rotor, a fixed element having a plurality of spaced latch members, a second .sprlng, a cam element mounted on the spinpermit the revolution of the rotor into normal engagement with the spindle, said revolutionrestoring the normal engagement between the cam member and the second spring to resiliently force the latch into operative position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH STANSBURY JONES.

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