US1610676A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 14 1926. 1,610,611;VK

, G. H. HART.

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Jan. 16, 1924 2 Sheets-.shut 1 v x mf/7? Y I A' www;

' Dec. 14, 1926. 1,610,670

G. H. HART EbECTRIC SWITCH l Filed Jan. 16, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2y l i 6 l lf ,2g

Patented Dec. 1.4, 1926. u, A

A UNITED S'T'1"l1 i-` PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE Eisenman HART, or wns'r HARTFORD, coNNEcricUr.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

-Applicaton filed January V16, 1824. Serial No. 686,510.

The object of the present invention is to provide an electric switch having various features of novelty and advantage.

More particularly, an aim of the invention is to provide anelectric s'witcho improved construction, wherein damage to. or

` destruction 'of the .contact members, owing to the contacts pounding Agor improperly striking one another when brought into engagement, and to arcing when the circuit is broken, is substantially eliminated. Also,

15o-provide a switch which is characterized by its simplicity and cheapness in construction, its durability, and its eficiency in operation. In Aaccordance with the present invention,

,Y the arrangement of the switch is such that .the switch unit (or units) is free to adjust itself to, and is held at al1 times in proper relation to, the fixedcontacts; and thus inaccuracies in the parts, for instance such as result from the warping or distortion when molding the porcelain base, are automat-if' cally taken care o which means that a lesser de ree of precision and, therefore, less work an -expense are required'inmanufacturing the parts. The switch unit is held in proper relation to the terminals lor fixed contacts by the terminals themselves, in such manner that vthere is no excessive bindin or rubbing action between the arts; and t e construction of the switch unit is such' that arcing is i reduced to a minimum.

Other objects will be in part obvious and iny art pointed out hereinafter..

he invent'on accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of ele` ments and arrangementoff parts lwhich will v be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application of whichy will beindicated'in theA appended A claims.

In the' accompanying drawings, I have shown myimprovements incorporated in a' switch, the switch unit (or units) oi which the sort yErovements are susceptible of various modicatioiis, changes and embodiments.

may be rotated in either' direction to make an break the circuit, but it is to be understood'that this showing is by way of illustration only, it being obvious that my. iinprovements may be incorporated, either singly or severally, in Aswitches other than herein disclosed, and that my ini- 'fifsaid drawings: nal Y igure 1v is a io view o :my improvedswitch witittlie cover removed;

Fig.A 2is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; f

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3v-3 of Fig, 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing, on an enlarged scale, parts of one of the switch units;

`Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing another embodiment; and vJ F1g.,6 is a view showing parts ofY the switchnnitv of Fig. 5 in section, and partsin erspective. 5

efferring to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, of the drawings, 10 designates a'base of suitable insulating material, such as porcelain. Carried by the |base are suitable fixed terminal elements or contacts` the number of which will depend upon the requirements. `In a single pole switch, there may be two such 7 terminals. In the illustration of Figs. 1 to 3, there is shown a .double pole switch 11nd,'. therefore,l two pairs of terminals'are provided. 'lhe terminals of one part are designated by tlie numllaral 11, andthosel of the other pair, which are at right angles to and at a higher elevation than those of the first pair, are designated by the numeral 12. Associated with the respective paiirs of xed contacts are the switch units a and b. These units are so constructed and associated with the member by means of which theyare'rotated and with the xed contacts, that thy are free to adjust themselves with respect to c the fixed: contacts, as hereinafter described more in detail. By way of example, I have i 15 and the switch units associated therewith are thrown with a quicken snapy movement. i'

It is to understoodthat this arrangement. .is sh own 1n the drawings by way of exemplication. Y 'I 'he spindle 16 is journalled in a 18 mthebase 10, andhahandle 17iix to its outer end. The handle in a be fixed against rotation on the spindle a proA }ectingarm19securedhithespindleand mareoessinieunderfaoftlin dle. Secumdimsoastorotatewithhe'.

posi.' Vll() spindle is a spring hmm-which is tioned within the driving t 15. The.-

'latterisintheformofayokeorminvu't-1 los ed U, having its lower'ends secured to a guide plate 21 in which is mounted, for radial movement, a catch plate 22 adapted to cooperate with a stop plate 23 secured to the base' 10. The construction of the stop plate and catch plate issimilar to that illustrated in the patent to lSmart and Gates, No. 1,409,146, dated March 7, 1922, and, therefore, is not shown in detail in the present instance. Coiled about the spindle 16, and having its ends straddling the spring lever and one leg of the member 15, is spring 24. It will be understood that the handle may be turned, step by step, in either direction. When the handle is turned, the spindle 16 and the spring lever turn therewith,

thereby placing the spring 24 under tension until the catch plate'is released from the stop plate and then the spring throws the driving element 15 and the switch units associated therewith with .a quick orA snap movement. The catch plate re-engages the stop plate to stop the switch units in their new indexed positions.l

In the present instance, each of the switch units includes a pair of insulating disks maintained in spaced apart relation by an insulating washer 31 of lesser diameter, and a conducting member or switch plate 32 located on the outside of each disk 30 and having` its ends bent or turned over so as to extend into the groove or channel 33 between disks 30. The groove or channel 33 in the periphery of each switch unit, and which groovereceives the fixedI contacts, is preferably cbntinuous and is of slightly `greater Width than the thickness of the fixed 'terminals so that there is sufficient clearance to'permit the units to accommodate themselves to the fixed terminals. The conducting members or switch plates 32 may be of any suitable shape, depending on the adopted construction of .other parts. Each of them is here shown, by way of example, as comprisin a plate having diametrically-opposite` ngers oriarms 34, the ends of which are turned over so as to project into the 'groove 33. The disks are suitably lcut away to accommodate the over l turnedl fingers 34, in the present instance, thedisks being slotted as at 35 for this purpose. Preferably, the switch plates 32 are bowed or bent, as shown in Fig. 4, before they are secured in place, so that when they are fastened' to the`disks 30, the fingers 34 of the plates will be under tension, i. e., are urged inwardly of the groove 33. The parts of each unit are secured ,together in any desired manner as, for instance, by rivets 36;- Each .'unit-is provided with a central opening37 of such size Vas to permit of rotation of the spring lever 20, and this opening has diametrically opposite notches 38 which slidably receive, 'esV most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the legs of the .driving member 15. Preferably, there'will be a slight clearance between the legs of the driving member 15 and the sides of the notches 38 to permit of very slight tilting action of the units relative to the driving member so that the units may accommodate themselves to the fixed contacts.

The switch illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 is like that of the preceding embodiment except that the switch unit is of somewhat different construction. Referring to these figures, it will lbe seen that the unit has disks 30, a spacing washer 31 therebetween, and a switch plate 32 associated with"each disk.v These parts are mounted on a bushing 50 having fianges 5l and 52 at its respective ends, and diai'netrically opposite, longitudinally extending slots or grooves 53, the lat'- ter of which accommodate the legs of the driving member 15. Each plate 32 has a non-circular opening in which closely fits a lining Washer 54v adapted to receive the v bushing.l The plates 32 are insulated from the flanges 51 and 52 by rings 55 which also serve to hold the lining washers in place within the plates. The disks 30, the washers 31 and 54, and the rings 55 are of insulating material.l These members are respectively provided with diametrically opposite notches 30, 31a, 54, and 55a adapted to register with the slots 53 of the bushing andv to receive the. legs of. the member 15. If

desired, a metal washer 56 may be interposed between the flange 52 and ring 55, and may have notches 56a to receive the member 15.` The parts are slipped, in the sequence shown in Fig. 6, onto the bushin andare then secured against withdrawa by turning over' the end of the bushing, thus forming the flange 52. Owing to the engagement of the legs of the member 15 in the slots 53 of the bushing, and in the notches 302312 54 and 55, these parts rotate ,as a unit when the switch is operated. This arrangement isa very simple and economical one; the parts may be cheaply made and assembled, and the switch plates are properly held and suitably insulated.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, it Will ,be understood that the switch units areindependently connectedto the driving member 15 against rot-ary movement, but they are not fixed thereto against axial movement. The fixed contacts extend into the continuous grooves 33 in the switch units and thus hold these units 'at the properI elevation relative to the fixed terminals. In one manner of speaking, the switch units float or ride freely in their rotary movements on the fixed contacts, but as 'these units are relatively light in weight, there is substan- Inn cost owing to the'fact that inaccuracies orerrors 1nl the dimensions or posltions of thel parts are automatically taken care of, since the units Iare free to accommodate themselves to the fixed contacts. For-instance, porcelain bases cannot fbemolded to close v dimensions, and bases made in the same mold willv vary one from the other. With the present arrangement, it is not necessary to true up the bases so that they are yuniform and within predescribcd close dimensions. Also, it is not necessary to manufacture the other parts with the same degree of accuracy as would be the case were the switch units held in given elevations b y means other than the fixed terminals whic .cooperate with the respective units.

It will be noted further that since all portions of the conducting plates of the switch units, except those portions which are adapted to directly engage the fixed confacts, are located on the outside of the disks 30, arcing, when the switch is broken, is

reduced to a minimum. Thus, the switch, as compared to its size, is capable of being used on relative high voltages.

As many changes could be made in the above, construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

n It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is in` tended to cover all' of the generic and specitic features of the invention herein 'described and all statements of the scope of the in vention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim as' my invention:

l. In an electric switch, fixed contacts` anda switch unit including a circumferentiall 'groovcd insulator and a switch late fixe on the outer surface of said insu ator and having its ends extending into said groove, said fixed contacts engaging in said groove and maintaining said unit in proper relation to said fixed contacts. v 2. In an electric switch, fixed contacts,

l,and a switch unit including a circumferentially grooved insulator and a pair of 'fixed plates one on the outside face of each insulator and each having its ends extending -into said groove, said fixed contacts engaging in said groove.

.3. In an electric switch, a spindle, -a spring lever connected thereto, a driving member about said spring lever, a spring about said spindle and cooperating with said spring lever and driving member, and a switch unit having a central opening accommodating saidl spring and lever and having notches slidably receiving said driving member.

4. A switch unit including an insulator lhaving a circumferential groove provided with slots in its walls, and switch plates on the outer faces of said insulator and having over-turned ends projecting through said slots and into said groove.

5. A- switch unit including an insulating disk, and a switch plate securedito one face of said disk and having overturned ends projecting beyond the opposite face thereof, said plate being secured to said -disk under stress.

' 6. A switch unit comprising an insulator having a circumferential groove, and resilient plates secured to the outer faces of said insulator and having their ends projecting into 4said groove, said switch plates being normally bowed but held down in a fiat- Wisl condition and under stress against said dis s. l A

7. A switch unit for an electric switch including a bushing having diametricallyY opposite longitudinally extending slots and flanges .at its opposite ends, a pair of disks about, said bushing, a spacing washer between said disks, a switchK plate associated with each disk and having a non-circular opening, Washers fitting in the non-circular openingsof said switch plates, and insulating rings between said switch plates and flanges, said disks, washers and rings having diametrically opposite notches adapted to register with the slots of said bushing.

GEORGE HEGEMAN HART.

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