US2089320A - Electromagnetic switching device - Google Patents

Description

1937.. J. B. WORTH ELECTROMAGNETIC SWITCHING DEVICE Filed Sept. 18, 1935 INVENTOR By .J. B. WORTH 9 %ac%mwfl Patented Aug. 10, 1937 This invention-relates toswitching devices and 2,089,320 ELECTROMAGNETIC SWITCHING. DEVICE John B. Worth, Tenafly, N. J., assignor to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New

York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 18, 1935, Serial No. 41,029

5 Claims. (01. 200-87) the latter being of non-magnetic material.

s" PATENT OFFICE The its, object-is to. provide a switching device in.

which sets of oppositely disposed contacts are operated independently in response to successive energization of a motor. magnet.

According to the invention the core of an electromagnet'; is fitted at both ends with angleshaped pieces one ofwhich serves to pivot a bracket of non-magnetic material and an arma-- ture on closely adjacent centers. The bracket is provided with means formounting pole-pieces diverging toward and in attractable relation with the angle-piece at theother end of the core to form with the armature a system of air-gaps of different lengths whereby consecutive energization of the magnet attracts the armature toward one of the oppositely disposed pole-pieces against theresistance of a spring'hooked to its supporting angle-piece and to the armature in the manner of a toggle mechanism. The tensioning and release of such a spring is effective to move the bracket and the pole-pieces carried thereby against the angle-shapedpole-piece at the other end of the core and thereby. preparing another magnetic path for the armature when. a magnet is deenergized, means carried by the bracket being provided for actuating a plurality of oppositely disposed switching means independently in response to the consecutive operation of the magnet.

Other features and advantages of the invention' will appear from the following description and by the claims appended thereto, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which? I Fig. 1 is a side assembly view showing one of the positions of the armature and that of the pole-pieces when the magnet is deenergized;

Fig. 2 is a front view shown with a number of operating parts in. section;

Fig. 3 is asectional View taken on line 33' of Fig. 2, the armature being shown in position corresponding tothat of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the armature moved in one of its operated positions through the energization of the magnet;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the position of the pole-pieces when the magnet is redeenergized;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the armature and the pole-pieces in position when the magnet is renergized; and

Fig. '7 is atop view.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and? of the drawing, l0 indicates an electromagnet having a core II tothe lower disposed end of which is secured as in any ordinary manner. an angle-shapedpolepiece l2 and a base plate I3'and onthe upperv disposed end of core I I is secured as by screw l4 an-angle-shaped pole-piece l5 and a plate l6,

angle-shaped pieces I2 and I5 which form part of the-magnetic circuit are disposed with their sides opposite extending toward each, other and preferably at equal distance from the longitudinal axisof the core H.

On the free end of angle-piece I5 is mounted as on pivots l9 and 20a bracket in the form of a rectangularly-shaped head member I8 on the longitudinal sides of which are mounted the plates 2| and 22 diverging from their pivotal point and formed with a bridge portion 30 for mounting a stud 3| of insulating material pro vided for actuating the sets of contact springs Z and Z1 in a manner that will be hereinafter described in detail.

The plates 2| and 22 like their suporting head member l8 are made of non-magnetic material and serve for mounting the pole- pieces 23 and 24 in attractable relation with the two opposite sides of the vertically extending portion of'anglepiece l2, and with the opposite sides of an armature 25, the latter having a knife-edge pivot 26 engaging an inverted V-shaped groove in the free end of angle-piece l5 and is retained in adjusted position on this angle-piece by a spring 21 hooked. at one end on a pin 28'extending across the armature 25, as shown in Fig. 2, and at its other end to a screw 29 passing through provided with an adjustable nut 30 for adjusting the tension of spring 21.

A plate 34 is mountedonthe plate 16, the latter having a. slot 33, shownin Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6,

for permitting the pivotal movement of plate 34 around its fastening screw 32 for adjustably positioning'the screw 29 in axial alignment with respect to the knife edge pivot of armature 2B, the center of pin 28 and the center of the upwardly extending portion of angle-piece [2 which correspond to the line of maximum tension of spring 21, the function of which being to continue the movement of the armature 25 and polepieces 23 and 24toward the opposite sides of the angle-pieces I2 upon consecutive operation of the magnet and thereby operating the sets of contacts Z and Z1 depending upon the direction of movement of the armature 25.

A typical example of a two-way switching operation is as follows:

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and considering magnet Ill deenergized, the spring 21, connected to screw 29 and pin 28 in the manner of a toggle mechanism, iseffective to holdthe armature 25 against. the--pole-piece .23 and thereby the pole-piece 24 against the right side of the upwardly extending portion of anglepiece l2,, thus holding the sets of contacts Z in the open position. The space or airgap between the armature 25 and the poleeflect of both the magnet and the tension of.

spring 21 upon the passing of this armature beyond the point of maximum tension of spring 21, that is, to the right side of the center line CL, the pole-piece 24 remaining attracted to the angle-piece l2 and the set of contacts Z operated as indicated in Fig. 4. Upon the deenergization of magnet ID, the tension of spring 21 acting on the armature 25 causes the pivotal movement of this armature and the pole- pieces 23 and 24 from the position shown in Fig. 4 to a point wherein the pole-piece 23 engages the opposite side of the upwardly extending portion of angle-piece l2, thus closing the set of contacts Z and opening the set of contacts Z1, as shown in Fig. 5, Wherein the air-gap or space between the pole-piece 23 and the armature of the point 371 is considerably less than the distance between the polepiece 24 and the angle-piece l2 at the point yr with the result that a second energization of magnet l0 will cause the armature 25 to move against the pole-piece 23 as indicated in Fig. 6 for returning the pole- pieces 23 and 24 to the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 upon the deenergization of the magnet and thereby reopening the contacts Z and closing the contact Z1, such operations being continued upon the successive energization of the magnet.

It will thus be seen that this device has the advantages of requiring only a single Winding, and that no current is required to hold the relay in either position and does not involve polarizing, or directional current requirements. Furthermore since the armatureand pole assembly are on the same axis for mechanical motion, there should be no friction between the faces of the armature and the pole assembly during travel.

It is understood that minor changes may be made to the invention without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: p

1. In a switching device, a magnet having a core, stationary pole-pieces secured at the ends of said core, a plurality of movable pole-pieces mounted on a common pivot on one of said stationary pole-pieces and extending in engage-, able relation with the other of said stationary pole-pieces, an armature pivoted on said one stationary pole-piece at a point adjacent the first-mentioned pivot and disposed in attractable relation with each of said movable polepieces, spring means automatically operable upon the deenergization of said magnet for causing said armature to move said movable polepieces one away from and the other into engaged relation with the last-mentioned stationary polepiece, and a plurality of independently operable switching members actuated by said movable pole-pieces following successive operation of said magnet.

2. In a switching device, a plurality of switching means, a magnet having a core, a stationary pole-piece secured at each end of the core, a bracket of nommagnetic material and an armature pivotally mounted on one of said pole-pieces, a pair of pole-pieces carried by said bracket diverging from the pivotal center of said bracket in attractable relation with the stationary pole piece at the other end of said core, said movable pole-pieces and said armature cooperating to form with the other of said stationary polepieces a system of air-gaps of different length for causing the movement of said armature in opposite direction in response to successive energization of said magnet, and spring means for moving said armature and said movable polepieces upon each deenergization of said magnet in position for alternately operating said switching means.

3. An electromagnet having a core, a pole-piece secured at each end of said core, each of said pole-pieces having a portion extending toward each other in line substantially parallel to the axis of the core, a bracket of non-magnetic material and an armature pivotally mounted on one of said pole-pieces, said bracket having a pair of arms diverging toward their free ends and a pole-piece carried by each of said arms and disposed in attractable relation with the pole-piece at the other end of the core, and spring means acting on said movable armature for changing the position of said movable pole-pieces relative to said stationary pole-piece upon the deenergization of the magnet for preparing another magnetic circuit for said armature and switching means actuated consecutively by the movement of said movable pole-pieces.

4. In a switching device, an electromagnet having a core, an angle-piece secured at each end of said core and having their projecting ends extending toward each other to form stationary pole-pieces, a bracket of non-magnetic material and an armature pivoted on one of said anglepieces, a pair of arms carried by said bracket diverging from the pivotal center thereof, a polepiece carried by each of said arms and disposed for alternatively engaging the sides of the other angle-piece and the sides of said armature and a spring for actuating said armature for operating said bracket for changing the position of said pole-pieces upon the deenergization of said magnet for preparing another magnetic path and thereby causing the movement of said armature in another direction upon each energization of said magnet and contact members actuated by the movement of said pivoted pole-pieces when oper-- ating under the tension of said spring.

5. An electromagnetically operated switching device comprising a plurality of independent operable contact members, a magnet having a core, a pole-piece secured at each end of said core, an armature and a bracket mounted on one of said pole-pieces, a pair of arms formed with said bracket diverging toward the pole-piece at the other end of the core, and a spring hooked to the first-mentioned pole-piece and to said armature, the line of maximum tension of said spring passing through the longitudinal axis of said armature and to a point between the arms of said bracket to form a toggle mechanism for automatically operating said armature for moving said bracket and said pole-pieces, one of said pole-pieces away from and the other toward the stationary pole-piece for preparing another magnetic path for said armature upon the deenergization of said magnet, and means operated upon each reversing movement of said armature under the tension of said spring for successively actuating said contact members.

JOHN B. WORTH.

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