US2558908A - Circuit breaker switch - Google Patents

Description

July 3, 1951 l. A. PAIGE CIRCUIT BREAKERA SWITCH Filed Feb. 9. 1946 mm u."

IN VEN IOR. [mac d. Page,

Patented July 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIRCUIT BREAKER SWITCH Isaac A. Paige, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 9, 1946, Serial No. 646,627

6 Claims. 1

My invention is concerned with improvements in a circuit breaker switch.

It is an object of my invention to provide a circuit breaker switch device having means responsive to a current overload for automatically operating the device to break the circuit in which it is used and snap action means for manually operating the device to reestablish the circuit when the current is normal and forl thereafter operating the device as a snap switch.

It is an object of my invention to provide a device incorporating therein a circuit breaker element of the thermally responsive type in which relatively movable switch contact elements are brought into engagement by a manually operated lever and normally held in engagement by the thermally responsive element, the manually operated lever being so arranged that it is practically impossible to hold the contact elements in engagement by operation ofthe lever, following movement of the thermally responsive element out of normal holding relation with the contact elements in response to a current overload.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a circuit breaker switch comprising two relatively movable contact members, a manually operated actuating lever and a thermally responsive element which normally holds the contact members in contacting relation and which is engageable by the actuating lever whereby the actuating lever may be operated to release the contact members and simultaneously move the thermally responsive element out of holding relation therewith, the thermally responsive member being movable out of holding relation in response to a current overload on the switch to break the circuit, and the actuating lever being operable to reset the contact members in contacting relation with the thermally responsive member in holding relation when the current is normal. y

A further object of my invention is to provide a circuit breaker switch which may be inexpensively manufactured using a relatively few parts, which is well constructed to withstand hard usage, and which is simple to operate.

These and other objects will be apparent from a description of the preferred form of my invention as shown, by way of illustration, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through my circuit breaker switch device;

l Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of rig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section similar to Fig. 1 showing the operating elements in a different position;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a plan of my device with the top of the case removed.

The preferred form of my circuit breaker switch as illustrated in the drawings, is similar to an ordinary snap actuated type wall switch or the like. The switch elements are enclosed in a two-part casing consisting of a top I0 and a base II. The casing may b3 constructed of any material having good dielectric properties such. as well known plastic materials.

The main elements of my switch are mounted on the base II and comprise two contact members I2 and I3 located at one end of the base. Contact member I2 is resiliently mounted on a short leaf spring I 4 which is connected by a screw I5 to a small base plate I6 embedded in the base II. An exteriorly arranged terminal connection Il is secured on the base II and connected to a plate I 6 by a screw "I8, Contact member I2 may be regarded as a xed contact member since it is mounted on the spring I4 merely to insure a good contact with the movable contact member I3.

Contact member I3 is mounted for movement relative to the contact member I2 by means of leaf spring I9 which is anchored, at the opposite end of the base plate II, to a small metal plate 20 by means of a set screw 2l. The leaf spring I9 is shaped to provide intermediate its ends an inverted V-shaped projection 22.

An actuating lever member 23 is pivotally mounted at 24 in the top portion I0 of the casing and provided with a V-shaped arm or portion 25 arranged to engage the V-shaped portion 22 of the spring I9. When the actuating member 23 is moved about the pivot 24 the peak or end 26 of the portion 25 slides up the side and passes over the peak or end 21 of the V-shaped projection 22 of the leaf spring I9 with a snap action. When the end 26 is on either side of the projection 22 on the leaf spring I9 the contact members I2 and I3 may be separated as shown in Fig. 1. Contact members I2 and I3 will be brought together into contacting relation when the end 26 of the V-shaped arm 25 engages the end 2l of the projection 22, but the conguration of these members is such that it is practically impossible to hold the actuator 23 with th ends 23 and 2l in engagement.

A thermally responsive element in the form of a bimetallic member 28 is provided with one end 29 anchored by screws 30 to a vertical portion 3| of an angle plate 32. 'I'he base 33 of the plate 32 is connected by a screw 34 to an exteriorly arranged terminal connection 35. The bimetallic element 28 is inturned at the free end to provide the angle portion 36 and shaped intermediate its ends to provide a V-shaped projecting portion 31. The plate 28 is normally urged toward the leaf spring I8 and when the contacts I2 and I3 are in contacting relation as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the normal tension in the bimetallic element 28 positions the angle portion 36 over the spring i9 and holds the contact members I2 and I3 in engaging relation. When the contact members I2 and I3 are separated the edge of the angle portion 36 of the element-28 is urged against the side of the leaf spring I9. The V-shaped portion 31 projects into the path of movement of the end of the actuator lever 23 so that when the lever 23 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 1 the end 36 of the element 28 is moved out of holding relation with the spring I 8 and the contacts I2 and I3 separate due to the-tension in the spring I9.

'I'he switch is shown in open or released position in Fig. 1 with the contact members separated. By moving the actuating lever 23 to the position shown in Fig. 3 the contacts I2 and I3- are brought into engaging relation and the end 3-5 of the bimetallic element 28 is moved, by the tension `in the element 28, into holding position above the spring I9 to thereby normally prevent the separation of the contacts I2 and I3. The switch elements are then in the closed position (Fig. 3) in which they will remain until the bimetallic element 28 is actuated in response to a current overload or until the actuating lever 23 is moved to the open position (Fig. l) to manually release contact members I2, I3.

When the switch is closed and the current in the circuit exceeds a predetermined value the bi.

metallic element 28 will react to the current overload and move the end 38 away from holding position over spring I9 allowing contact menbers I2, I3 to separate and break the circuit. The bimetallic element 28 may be so designed that it will react and move the end 36 to open position when the current exceeds the proper predetermined maximum value for the particular circuit in which the switch is designed to be used. After the element 28 responds to a current-overload and moves out of holding position allowing the contacts I2 and I3 to separate, the switch may be reset by moving the actuator end 25 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 1 and then moving it back to the position shown in Fig. 3, provided, of course, that the current in the circuit has been reduced to theproper y .at one end to the end 36 of the bimetallic element 28 and at its other end to a small metal.-

connecting element 39 which is clamped. between the spring I9 and the metal plate 28 by the set screw 2|. This prevents arcing between the end 36 and spring I9 when these members are separated by operation of the lever 23.

The top of the case I0 is provided with a set screw 40 located above contact member I3 which functions as an adjustable stop to limit the movement of that end of the spring I9. Screws 4I may be provided in the top I0 of the casing to secure the device to a panel or other support. The top I0 and base II of the casing may be secured together by a pin 42.

When my device is used to control the ilow of current in a circuit which includes instruments, for example, which are liable to become damaged when subjected to a current overload, the thermally responsive element 28 will automatically prevent injury to such instruments by breaking the circuit when a current overload develops after the circuit is closed. The snap action of the manually operating lever prevents the operator from manually holding the contacts in engagement when there is a current overload at the time the circuit is closed, and thus prevents damage in the circuit which might otherwise occur due to an initial current overload.

While I' have referred to specic details of construction'and specific materials in describing the preferred form of my device, it will be understood that other details of construction and other materials may be resorted to within the scope of my invention.

l. A circuit breaker switch comprising relatively rnovable contact members, a leaf spring mounting one of said contact members, a manual actuator pivotally mounted adjacent said leaf spring, a projection on said leaf spring engageable by said actuator -whereby when said actuator is positioned on either side-of said projection said contact members will be disengaged and when said actuatorl is engaged with said projection said contacts" will be engaged, said projection and said actuator being so shaped that they will not be normally held in engagement with each other, a resiliently mounted bimetallic member normally urged to a position in engagement with said leaf spring, a projection on said bimetallic member engageable by said actuator at one end of its path of movement to move said bimetallic member out of engagement with said leaf spring.

2. A circuit breaker switch as-recited in claim 1 wherein an electrical connecting member is provided between said leaf spring and the end of said bimetallic member to prevent arcing when the members are separated.

3. A circuit breaker switch device comprising a casing having a base and a top, a relatively fixed contact member mounted on one end of said base, a terminal connecting member connected to said fixed contact member, a relatively movable contact member, a resilient supporting element for said movable contact member anchored at the other end of said base, a thermally responsive element supported on said base with a free end normally positioned above and in holding relation with said supporting element, another terminal connecting member connected to said thermally responsive member, means pivotally mounted in said casing top and engageable with said supporting element and said thermally responsive element for manually engaging and disengaging said contact members and for moving said thermally responsive element to position its free end in non-holding relation with said supporting element.l

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein there is provided an electrical connecting element between said resilient; supporting element and the free end of said thermally responsive element to prevent arcing between said elements when they are moved out of engagement with each other,

5. A circuit breaker switch comprising a Xed Contact, a movable contact, a leaf spring xedly secured at one end and having said movable contact mounted on the other end, an inverted V- shaped projection intermediate the ends of said leaf spring, a manually operated actuator having a V-shaped end movably mounted adjacent said leaf spring, said projection on said leaf spring normally projecting into the path of movement of said actuator end whereby engagement of said projection by said end of said actuator moves said movable contact int) engagement with said fixed contact, a bimetallic member mounted for movement at right angles to the path of movement of the free end of said leaf spring, said bimetallic member normally positioned in holding engagement with said leaf spring when said contacts are in engagement, and a V-shaped projection on said bimetallic member projecting into the path of movement of said actuator, whereby said contacts may be brought into engagement by operation of said actuator and held in engagement by said bimetallic member, said bimetallic member being movable in response to an increase in the current to release said contacts from engagement and being movable out of engagement with said leaf spring by operation of said actuator to manually release said contacts.

6. An electrical switch device comprising a relatively fixed contact member, a relatively movable contact member, spring means mounting said movable contact member, a thermally responsive means normally engaging said spring mounting means and holding said contact members in engaged position, said thermally responsive means being movable in response to a current overload to automatically disengage said spring mounting means and thereby release said contact members, and means for manually controlling both said spring mounting means and said thermally responsive means, said manual control means being mounted for movement in one direction to engage said spring means only whereby to move said contact members from disengaged to engaged position and to permit said thermally responsive member to move into normal position in engagement with said spring mounting means, and said manual control means being mounted for movement in the other direction to engage said spring mounting means and said thermally responsive means whereby to release said contact members from engaged position when they are held in such position by said thermally responsive means.

ISAAC A. PAIGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date y 1,294,045 Cavanagh Feb. 11, 1919 1,416,263 Campbell May 16, 1922 1,520,526 Berg Dec. 23, 1924 2,080,799 Wiegand May 18, 1937 2,198,358 Vaughan Apr. 23, 1940 2,225,692 Fisher Dec. 24, 1940 2,228,523 Johnson Jan. 14, 1941

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