US1638131A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 9, 1927. w. R. WALKER 131 ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed M archb, 1925 INVENTOR TORNEY Patented Aug. 9, 1927.

UNITED STATES;

PATENT OFFICEL WARREN R. WALKER, OF GREAT KILLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed March 5, 1925. Serial No. 13,077.

My present invention relates to electric switches of the liquid flow type, and to electrodes therefor and to methods of mounting said electrodes in the switch. It relates more particularly to composite electrodes which-have lead-in portions having characteristics which make them desirable. for sealing-in through switch envelope walls of material such as glass and terminal portions of material which makes good surface contact with the liquid flow material of the switch, such for example as mercury.

I have discovered that an electrode suitable for use in electric switches of the liquid mid section showing.

flow type having an envelope of glass and a contacting liquid of mercury can be Cheaply, efficiently, and simply made by making a lead-in portion of a metal of the tungsten group and'connecting thereto as by welding a terminal portion of a metal of the iron group. The lead-in metal, preferably of tungsten, which is admirably suited for sealing-in through glass particularly through some glasses which are capable of withstanding high temperatures and rapid-fluctuations in temperature, is preferably spot welded to a terminal portion of nickel which amalgamates to a slight extent at its surface with the mercury and thereby makes good contact therewith. In some cases I use molybdenum instead of the tungsten and cobalt instead of the nickel, and

in some cases such forexample as when it is desired that therebe no amalgamation between the mercury and the terminal I use iron in place of' nickel, iron being a metal which makes good surface'contact with mercury.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal elevation- View in mid section of the envelope of a mercury switch before the electrode of my invention has been mounted therein,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation view in mid section of an electrode embody ng my invention mounted in sealed relation to a glass collar adapted-for fusing to the wall of the envelope of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal elevation view in the envelope of Fig. 1 with the electrode of Fig. 2 sealed thereto, mercury in'the envelope, and the envelope sealed off,

sealed through the envelope wall.

angle projectionof the device shown in sec:

tion in Fig. 1.

1n the manufacturing of a switch embodying the electrode of my invention as shown in Fig. 3, a longitudinal envelope 1 has sealed into one end thereof the electrode 2 which extends (so-axially with the envelope for part of its length and then bends downwardly and again extends lougitudinally near the bottom of said envelope 1. Said electrode 1.4 is preferably of tungsten and particularly at that part of it which is Near the opposite end of the envelope 1 is formed a. hollow bulbous enlargement 3 which extends outwardly and downwardly at the bottom thereof. The envelope wall at this end is in the course of its manufacture provided with a flare 4 to receive the convex surface of the seal ring 5 of Fig. 2 through which is sealed the electrode lead 6 which is preferably of tungsten. At right angles to said lead 6 is fixed as by welding the electrode terminal 7 preferablyof nickel. Said electrode terminal 7 and the inner portions of the lead 6 and the ring 5 are fitted into the flare 4 of the envelope 1,the terminal 7 being substantiallycentrally positioned in said enlargement 3 with its lower end within the confines thereof. The seal ring 5 is then properly fused and sealed to the wall of the envelope 1 at said flare 4. A quantity of mercury 9 and, when desired, a. filling of gas such as hydrogen is supplied to the envelope through thetubulation 8 after which the envelope is properly sealed off at said tabulation. It is to be understood that the envelope is properly evacuated of all deleterious gases before or at the time of the supplying of mercury and hydrogen thereto and before the envelope is sealed Off.

In some casessai-d electrode 2 is made up of a lead-in of tungsten and aterminal of iron, nickel or the like as is said electrode 6, 7, such would be the case, for example, when it is desired to save the bending operation of the tungsten as well as to save i 1 namely: a good lead-in for achieving a good 'seal with the glass wall of the envelope; an

electrode terminal having qualities of good electric surface contact; a saving in the cost of electrode material through the use of nickel in place of tungsten at one portionthereof, and a simplification and saving in the form of an angular electrode one part of which is of tungsten.

I claim:

1. A mercury switch comprising an envelope of glass, mercury therein, and electrodes, one of which comprises a lead-in sealed into said envelope and a terminal portion of metal of the iron group welded to said lead-in and extending into saidmercury.

2. A mercury switch comprising an envelope of glass, mercury therein, and electrodes, one of which comprises a lead-in of a metal of the tungsten group sealed into said envelope and aterminal portion of metal of the iron group welded to said lead-in and extending into said mercury.

3. A mercury switch comprising an envelope of glass, a mercury therein,'and electrodes, one of which comprises a lead-in of a metal of the tungsten group sealed'into said envelope above the level of the mercury and a terminal portion of metal of theiron group welded to said lead-in and extending into said mercury.

4. A mercury switch comprising a longitudinal envelope of glass having mercury therein, an electrode sealed through the envelope wall and extending into said mercury, an electrode lead-in of tungsten sealed through the envelope wall at one end thereof and a terminal portion of nickel-welded to said lead-in and extending into said mercury.

5. A merc'ury switch comprising a longitudinal envelope of glass having a wall trddes, one of which comprises a lead-in sealed into said envelope and a terminal portion of metal of the IIOII group Welded to said lead-in and extending into said mercury, and a filling of hydrogen in said envelope.

7. A mercury switch comprising a sealed envelope of glass, mercury therein, and electrodes sealed thereinto, one of which comprises a lead-in of tungsten sealed into theenvelope and a terminal portion of nickel spot-welded to the tungsten, and a filling of hydrogen in said envelope.

8. A mercury switch comprising a sealed envelope of glass, mercury therein, electrodes sealed thereinto one of which comprises a tungsten wire sealed into the envelope and a terminal of nickel Wire fixed to the tungsten.

-9. A mercury switch comprising a sealed envelope of glass, mercury therein, electrodes sealed thereinto one of which comprises a tungsten wire sealed into the envelope and a terminal of nickel wire fixed to the tungsten and a filling of hydrogen in said envelope.

10. A mercury switch comprising a sealed envelope of glass, mercury therein, and electrodes one of which comprises a lead of tungsten sealed into the envelope and a terminal thereon of oxygen free nickel.

11. The method of making an electrodefor a mercury device into which it is sealed which comprises welding a nickel terminal portion to a tungsten lead-in portion.

Signed at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, March, A. D. 1925.

WARREN R. WALKER.

DISOLALM ER 1,638,131.-Worren R. Wallc er, Great Kills, N. Y: ELECTRIC Swrrcn. Patent dated August 9, 1927. Disclaimer, filed May 12, 1931,. by thejassignee, General Electric Vapor Lamp Company,

Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5', 6, 10, and 1 1 of said patent which are in the following words: 7 v

, 1. A mercury switch comprising'an envelope of glass, mercury therein, and electrodes, one of which comprises a lead-in sealed into said envelope and a terminal portion of metal of the iron group welded to said lead-in and extending into said mercury. g

2. A mercury switch comprising an envelope of glass, mercury therein, and electrodes, one of which comprises a lead-in of a nietal of the tungsten group sealed into said envelope and a terminal portion of metal of the iron group welded to said lead-in and extending into said mercury.

3. A mercury switch comprising an envelope of glass, a mercury therein, and

electrodes, one of which comprises a'lead-in of a metal of the tungsten group sealed into said envelope above the level of the mercury and a terminal portion of metal of the iron group welded to said lead-in and extending into said mercury. v 4. A mercury switch comprising a longitudinal envelope of glass having mercury therein, anelectrode sealed through the envelope vwall and. extending into said mer-v cury an electrode lead-in of tungsten sealed through thefienvelope wall at one end thereofand a terminal portion of nickel Welded to said lead-in and extending into said mercury. 1 I v 5. A mercury switch comprising a longitudinal envelope of glasshaving a well formed therein, mercury in said envelope, an electrode. sealed through the wall of said e velope and extending into said mercury, an electrode lead-in of tungsten sealed t rough said Wlill above normal mercury levels and a terminal portion of nickel welded to said'lead-in and extending intosaid cup. 1

- 6. A mercury switch comprising asealedenvelope of glass, mercury therein, and

- electrodes, one of which comprises-a lead-in sealed into said envelope and a terminal portion of metal of the iron group w lded tosaid lead-in and extending into said mercury, and a fillingof hydrogen in said envelope.

. 10. A mercury switch comprising a sealed envelope of glass, mercury therein, and electrodes one of which comprises a lead of tungsten sealed into the envelope and a terminal thereon of oxygen free nickel.

' 11. The methodof making an electrode for amercury device intowhich it is sealed which comprises welding a nickel terminal portion to a' tungsten lead-in portion.

[Qflicial Gazette May-26, 1931.]

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