US2143158A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 10, 1939. C ow z 2,143,158

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 3', 1936 The loop i of the brush member seats in the curved portion III of the pocket 5 and from there the brush member extends as shown at ll across the pocket 5 and then the brush member is formed into a loop l2 which seats in the curved recess |3 so that the two loops I, I2 seating in their respective curved recesses Ill, |3 prevent the brush member from being dislocated during the operation of the switch and the construction allows ready assembly of the brush members without the employment of jigs or tools. Both brush members and their pockets are constructed alike. The free arms l4 of the brush members extend into the rotor chamber 3 and on opposite sides of the axis of the rotor they engage with the conducting member l5 which is part of the rotor. The rotor itself consists in part of a disc-like member l6 shown as having four eccentric curved portions l1, each followed by an abrupt shoulder Hi. This member of the rotor is preferably made of insulating material. There is a disc of insulating material conforming in outline to the member IE but it has no aperture therein so that it insulates the sleeve 22 from the member IS. The contact member on the rotor is shown as a disc I9 which lies against the lower face of the disc 60 and it has two arms 20 extending outwardly or radially therefrom and on the ends of these arms are formed contact plates 2| which lie against the outer, curved surfaces of two of the eccentric members I! of the rotor so that when the rotor is in the position where the free ends of the brush members touch the portions 2| a circuit will be established through the switch because the brush memberswill be inconducting relation with each other through the metal member l5 ofthe rotor. On the other hand, when the rotor is turned to a position where the free ends I4 01 the brush members rest only against the outer surfaces of the two eccentric portions H which are not covered by the contact member I 5 the circuit will be opened because there will be no conducting material between the free arms of the brush members.

There is a sleeve 22 of polygonal cross section and the sleeve extends into a central polygonal aperture 26 in the disc member of the rotor It. The disc 21 is preferably of insulating material and it is of such diameter as to project over the face of the circular shoulder 4 of the base so it may 'restin contact with the latter. The sleeve 22 receives the disc 21 thereover and the central aperture 28 in this disc may be circular and large enough so that the disc does not have to rotate with the rotor.

- There is-another disc 29 which may be made of metal and it is shown as resting face to face against the disc 21 of insulating material. This disc 29 is shown as having a polygonal, preferably a square, central aperture 3! to fit the square end of the sleeve 22. It is also provided with apertures 3|, four being illustrated. which are arranged concentrically around the axis of the disc.

The oscillating member of the ratchet device is formed an offset shoulder." adapted to form a hook to be engaged by one end of the pull cord or chain 44, 45. This ocillating member of the switch (portion 32) has a small projection 31' on its under side forming -.a pawl adapted to arcane engage in any one of the apertures SI of the disc 29 to advance the latter disc in one direction and to escape from one apertur'eto the other of the disc upon the return movement of the oscillating member. The helical spring 31 has one end hooked around the cross member 4| of the shaft and one end is hooked against one edge of one of the lips 34 of the oscillating member. This spring performs the operation of returning the oscillating member after each operation by the pull chain to its initial" or stop position and it permits the disc 32 to rise slightly to allow the tooth 31' to escape on the plate 29.

The shaft for guiding the rotor and the oscillating member is shown as having a vertical portion 40 which may be round or rectangular in cross section and this portion of the shaft extends through the center of the spring 31 and into the central aperture 22' of the sleeve 22 but preferably this end of the shaft does not extend through an aperture of the base as in prior devices, thereby eliminating the possibility of dirt working through a shaft aperture into the casing. It is sufiicient that the shaft merely enter the sleeve 22 to guide it and thereby guide the rotor and the ratchet device where the shaft is provided with the angular arm hereinafter referred to.

The shaft has a laterally extending arm 4| at its upper end and near the outer free end of this arm there is a downwardly extending member 42 which is adapted to move vertically down into the slot 43 of the switch base so that this projecting end seats in the slot 43 in which it fits andforms a support and guide for the vertical portion of the shaft.

The pull chain for operating shown as consisting of a number of spheres 44 connected by links 45 and is of the usual type employed in switches of this character. The first ball of the chain is placed ahead of the projection 35 of the ratchet device so that the adjacent link engages in the notch 46. From there the chain extends partly around the ratchet device, the balls lying in the cup shaped members 34 and in the condition shown in Figure 3 the chain extends from the lowermost end of the iowercup shaped member 34- through the bore of the tubular connection 41 which is integral with or attached to the metal cover and thence through the bore of the tubular nut 48 from which the chain hangs down suiilciently to be grasped by the fingers.

When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 3 the and ball 44 of the chain which is on one side of the member 25 tests against one side of the lateral arm 4| of the shaft so that the latter acts as a stop for the ratchet device upon'its return to the inactive or starting position, as shown in this figure. When the ratchet device is oscillated by the pulling on the chain the parts will move to the position shown in Figure 4 and the end 49 of the cup shaped member 34 of the. ratchet device will strike against the opposite side of the lateral arm; 4| of the shaft and thus limit the movement of the ratchet device in one direction, i. e., it limits the movement when the chain is pulled. Thus, the lateral arm of the shaft acts as a stop for the ratchet device in both directions of movement, limiting the oscillating of the ratchet device to approximately one-quarter of a revolution.

The cover for closing the shell is shown as stamped from sheet metal and consisting of a the switch is e plate portion 50- which covers the open side of the base and therefore covers the several compartments 3, 5; and there are two depending side walls 5| extending from the top wall, and these sidewalls enclose and lie against 'opposite sides of the block I and the tongues 52 formed in the free ends of these plates 5| are adapted to be turned over intothe notches 52' of the base to lock the cover in place. I have also shown end tongues 53 adapted to lap over the end walls of the block to guide and hold the cover.

When the parts of the switch are assembled as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the free ends M of the brushes will press against the eccentric surfaces I! of the rotor, or as shown, in Figure 5, against the plates 2| of the conducting member l5 which cover two of the eccentric surfaces While the switch is at rest or in starting position as shown in Figure 3, the end ball 44 of the chain is resting against the portion 4| of the shaft where it is pressed by the action of the spring 31,

When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 5 the current is on. If the chain 44, 45 is pulled, the oscillating member 32 will be turned until the edge 49 of one of the members 34 strikes against the one side of the member 4| of the shaft, thereby stopping the movement of the oscillating member 32. During-this movement of the member 32 the tooth 31' engaging in one of the apertures 3| of the disc 23 causes the latter to be: rotated one-quarter turn so that the parts I! of the rotor which are covered with the plates 2| move out of contact with the arms M of the brushes and the two uncovered projections l'l move under the .arms l4 and of course the circuit is thus broken.

, There can be no retrograde movement of the rotor because of the shoulders l8 which cannot turn backward because of the brush arms l4. When the chain is released the spring 31 returns the member 32 to the first or starting position shown in Figure 3, ready for a second operation. The disc 29, however, is not returned because the projection 31' on the member 32 escapes from one aperture 3| back to the next aperture as the member 32 may rise, to allow this escape against the pressure of the spring 31. The torque action of the spring 31 is the force which returns the member 32 to the starting position. The disc 21 does not revolve; its purpose is to facilitate assembly of the parts and also serve as a guide for the disc 23 and the sleeve 22, and

through the latter it acts to guide the vertical.

shaft 40.

a From the above it will be apparent that I have provided simple means for stopping the ratchet device, impz oved the assembly of the switch, eliminated the shaft hole which might otherwise allow dirt to enter the switch. I have also provided the sleeve.22 with a rotor, permitting certain parts to be assembled before being placed into the shell.

is; V I

1. Aswitch including a shell or base having a compartment, a rotor revolvable in said compartment, a vertical shaft for said rotor, a laterally extending arm on the end of said shaft beyond the outer face of said'rotor said base having-a slot to receive the laterally extending member of said shaft therein, a ratchet device for operating said rotor and means for operating said ratchet device comprising a membermounted to oscillate about the vertical portion of said shaft and havshaft, whereby said lateral member of the shaft acts as a stop for the oscillating member.

2. A switch including a shell or base having a compartment, a rotor revolvable in said compartment, 9. vertical shaft for said rotor, a laterally extending arm on the end of said shaft beyond the outer face of said rotor, said base having a slotto receive the laterally extending member of said shaft therein, a ratchet device for operating said .rotor and means for operating said ratchet device comprising a member mounted to oscillate about the vertical portion of said shaft and having means to engage the ratchet device to operate the latter step by step as the oscillating member is oscillated and thereby operate the rotor step by step, said oscillating member being so positioned that as it oscillates it strikes against the lateral member of the shaft in both directions of oscillation whereby said lateral member of the shaft acts as a stop for the oscillating member in both directions of oscillations thereof.

3. A switch including a shell or base having a compartment, a rotor revolvable in'said compartment, a sleeve fitting into said rotor and having a polygonal cross section, said sleeve extending beyond the outer face .of the rotor, a ratchet device for rotating the rotor step by step and including a disc having a polygonal opening fitting the polygonal portionof said sleeve, and a vertical shaft for said rotor extending into a central aperture in said sleeve, a laterally extending arm on the outer end of said shaft; said base having a slot to receive the laterally extending arm of the shaft.

4. A switch including a shell or base having a compartment, a rotor revolvable in said compartment, a polygonal sleeve fitting into said rotor and having a portion extending beyond the outer face of the rotor, a ratchet device for rotating the rotor step by step and including a disc having a polygonal opening fitting the polygonal portion of said sleeve, and a vertical shaft for said rotor extending into a central aperture in said sleeve, a laterally extending arm on the outer end of said shaft, said base having a slot to receive the laterally extending arm of the shaft, said shaft terminating within said base whereby there will be no shaft opening in the bottom wall of the base.

Having describedmy invention, what I claim 7 the rotor step by step said parts adapted to be rounding said shaft and acting on said oscillating member, said spring and shaft being insertable into the base after said first mentioned assembled parts have been placed in position.

'6. A switch including a shell or base having a compartment, a rotor revolvable in said compartment, a sleeve into said rotor and adapted to turn the rotor, said base having a shoulder intermediate the top and bottom ofthe base, a non-revolvable disc surrounding said 3 sleeve and seated on said shoulder'of the base,

a. shaft Ior said rotor extending into an aperture in said sleeve and a ratchet device for operating the rotor step by step. 3

7. A switch including a shell or base having a compartment, a rotor revolvable in said compartment, a sleeve fitting into said rotor and adapted to revolve said rotor, said base having an arcuate for operating the rotor step 'by step.

araaiss 8.'A switch including a shell or base having a compartment, a rotor revolvable in said compartment, a polygonal'sleeve fitting into said rotor and having a portion extending beyond the outer face or the rotor, a non-revolvable disc on said sleeve, said base having -a shoulder on which said disc is adapted to rest, a ratchet device for advancing the rotor including a disc having a polygonal aperture to fit said sleeve, an oscillating member mounted on said sleeve and havingvm means for advancing said second named disc step by step, a vertical shait projecting into an aperture in said sleeve, and a laterally extending arm on the outer end of said shaft, said base having a therein.

- CHARLES M. mom.

,slot to receive said laterally projecting arm 15

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