US1994924A - Relay - Google Patents

Description

March 19, 1935- w. scHAELcHLlN RELAY Filed June 16, 1930 'ATTORNEY Patented Mai. 19, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RELAY Walter Schaelchlin, Wilkinsburg, Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 16, 1930, Serial No. 461,268

7 Claims. (Cl. 200--91) My invention relates to relays and particularly armature 12 that it will be balanced on its pivotal to relays, of the electromagnetic type, adapted for axis. use in alternating-current systems.' A spring 16 is provided to normally bias the Sensitive electromagnetic relays, built accordarmature 12 to the position shown in the drawing.

lng to the teachings of the prior art, have gen- The tension of the spring 16 may be varied by 5 erally been unsatisfactory when energized by an means of an adjusting screw 17, thereby changing alternating current. The cyclical alternations of the value of current required in the primary coil the current wave cause the magnet armature to 9 in order to actuate the armature l2. The vibrate at a frequency corresponding to the frevalue of current at which the armature 12 will quency of the alternating current. The vibration be actuated may also be governed by connecting 10 of the armature is transmitted to the contact a variable resistor across the terminals 14 of the members of the relay which results in arcing and secondary winding 11. The flux induced in the burning of the contact members. The vibration coil 11 opposes the flux of the primary coil 9. A may be severe enough to produce an open circuit graduated scale 18 and a pointer 19 are provided between the contact members, resulting in the to assist in so adjusting the spring 16 that the 15 erratic operation of the system in which the rearmature 12 will be actuated when a predeter- `lay is connected. mined value of current iiows through the coil 9.

An object of my invention, generally stated, is In order that a movable contact member 20, to provide a sensitive electromagnetic relay which which is disposed to engage a iixed contact mem- 20 shall be simple and efficient in operation, and ber 21,will not be affected by the cycliealvibiation 20 which may be readily and economically manufacof the armature 12, caused by the varying flux tured in the electromagnet 8 when the coil 9 is ener- A more specific object of my invention is to gized by an alternating current wave, the Contact prevent vibration of the contact members of a member 20 iS mounted 011 a Seperate mechanical reiay when the magnet eeii is energized by an system from the armature 12. In the preferred 25 alternating current embodiment of my invention, illustrated in Figs.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and 1 and 2, the eentaet member 20 iS meunted 011 e' objects of the invention, reference may be had to rectangular Weight 22, Whieh iS DiVOelly Supthe following detail description, taken in conported on a pin 23- The Din 23 extends through junction With the aeeeinpanying drawing, in the vertical axis of the weight 22 and is supported 30 which; at the bottom in a cup bearing 24 and at the top Figure 1 is e, view, partly in side elevation and by a Sleeve bearing 25- A pont may be provided partly in section, of arelay constructed in accord- 011 the OOOm 0f the Drl 23 Whleh rests 111 the ance with my invention; cup bearing 24 in order to reduce the friction to Fig. 2 is a view, partly in front elevation and a minimum. 35 partly in section, of the relay, and It will be seen that the weight 22 may be oscil- Fig. 3 is a view, in side elevation, of a modificalated about its pivotal axis to cause the contact tion of the invention. member 20, which is mounted near one end of Referring now to the drawing, a relay 6, emthe rectangular weight 2.2, to engage the fixed bodying my invention, is shown mounted on an Contact member C 21, which is mounted on a 40 insulating panel '7. The relay 6 comprises an elecbracket 26' If 1t 1S desired another Contact tromagnet 8 having a primary con 9 and an in member may be mounted near the other end of ductively wound secondary coil l1. An armature the .rctangular Weght 22 Whlch Wm engage an 12 is pivotany mounted on a bracket lo and dis additional iixed Contact member. The two sets of i 4' contact members will, therefore, be alternately 4a pPSed to be actuated by ,the C011 9' Cqnnctm closed and opened as the weight 22 is oscillated ulslllrsivae; provided for the windings about its pivotal axis' l In order that the cyclical vibration of the In order to provide a relay which is sensitive armature 12 will not be transmitted to the con- .)o in Operatlon, the electromaenet 8 should prefertact member 20, the weight 22 is connected to 50 ably be of the air core type, although a magnet the armature 12 by a spring 27. since the spring having an iron core may be utilized if desired. 27 is fastened near one end of the weight 22, the The sensitivity of the relay may be increased by weight will be oscillated about its pivotal axis mounting the armature 12 on ball bearings 15 as the armature 12 is actuated by the coil 9.

to reduce friction and by S0 constructing the With aview to still further preventing the con- 55 tact member 20 from being affected by the cyclical Vibrations of the armature 12, the mass of weight 22 may be made such that the natural period of vibration of the Weight 22 will be different from the period of vibration of the armature, produced value of current, the armature-l2 is actuated about its pivotal axis, thereby creating a tension in the spring 27. VAccordingly, the weight 22 is actuated by the spring 2'? and the contact member 20 engages the contact member 2l. By connecting the contact members in an electrical circuit, through connecting studs 29, switching operations may be performed to'V control the operation of electrical apparatus, as is well known in the art.` v

By preventing vibration of the contact members of the relay, arcing and burning of the contact members, which results if the Contact members vibrate while Ycarrying current, is reduced and the life of the contact members is greatly increased.

A modication of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 3, in Which parts performing the same function as those shown in Figs. l and 2 are designated by the same reference characters. Y

It will be observed that the principal dinerences between the two relays are the construction and method of mounting of the weight 22. In Fig. 3 the weight 22 is shown as being cylindrical and is mounted on a shaft which extends through its horizontal axis instead of through its vertical axis. Thesprings 16 and 27 are also shown in different positions, but they perform the same functions as in the above-.described relay. Y

While I have described the invention as being applicable to relays which are energized by alternating current, it will be readily understood by those familiar with the art that relays constructed in accordance with .my invention, as herein described, may also be energized by direct current and satisfactory operation obtained.

Since many modifications may be made in the apparatus and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit or" my invention, I do not wish to be limited other than by the scope of the appended claims. v Y

I claim as my invention:

l. In a relay, in combination, a contact member carried by Va pivotally mounted Weight, ,an `armature disposed to oscillate the weight, a coil disposed to actuate the armature when energized, the mass or" the Weight being substantiallyA greater than that of the armature, and means interposed vbetween the Contact member and the armature to prevent the vibration of the armature being transmitted to the contact member.

' 2. vIn a relay, in combination, an electromagnet comprising a coil and an armature disposed to be actuated by the coil, a contact member mounted on a movable weight of a substantially greater mass than the armature, said weight being disposed to be oscillated by the armature, and a resilient member interposed between the armature and the weight to prevent the transmission of the vibration of the armature to the contact member.

3. In a relay, in combination, contact members disposed to be actuated into and out of engagement to perform switching operations, a pivotally mounted armature, a coil disposed to actuate the armature when energized, a pivotally mounted weight of a substantially greaterv mass than the armature for supporting one of the contact members, said weight being disposed to be actuated by the armature to actuate the contact members into and out of engagement, and resilient means for connecting the armature to the weight, thereby preventing the transmission of the armature vibration to the contact members.

Ll. In a relay, in combination, contact members disposed to be actuated into and out of engagement to perform switching operations, a pivotally mounted armature, a coil disposed to actu-ate the armature when energized, a spring disposed to normally bias the armature to a predetermined Y position, means for varying the tension oi said spring, a pivotally mounted weight of a substantially greater mass thanthe armature for supporting one of the contact members, said weight being disposed to be actuated by the armature to actuate the Contact members into and out of engagement, and resilient means for connecting the armature to the Weight, thereby preventing the transmission of the armature vibration to the contact members.

5. In a relay, in combination, a magnet coil, a pivotally mounted armature disposed to be actuated by the coil when energized, a pivotally mounted weight disposed to be actuated by the armature, vresilient means for connecting the armature to the weight,faV contact member disposed to be actuated by the weight, the mass of said weight being such that it is not aected by the cyclical vibration of the armature when the magnet coil is energized by an alternating current.

6. In a relay, in combination, a magnet coil, a pivotally mounted armature disposed to be actuated by the' coil when energized, a pivotally mounted weight disposed to'be actuated by the armature, resilient means for connecting the armature to the weight to prevent the vibration of the armature being transmitted to the weight, a contact member isposed to be actuated bythe Weight, resilient means for connecting the contact member to the weight, whereby the contact member is not affected by the vibration of weight;

7. In a relay, in combination, an electromagnet comprising a coil and armature disposed to be actuated by the coil, a movable weight disposed to be oscillated by the armature, a Contact member mounted on the movable weight, and resilient means for connecting the armature to the weight, the mass of the weight being such that the natural period of vibration of the weight is dii'erent from the cyclical vibration produced in the armature when the coil is energized by an alternating current, whereby the weight is not affected by the cyclical vibration of the armature.

WALTER SCHAELCHLIN.

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