US2574745A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 13, 1951 5 LANGLEY 2,574,745

LECTRIC SWITCH Filed Feb. s, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet l l im ,45, 16min N156 /M i i531 a6. Af/324mm S. LANGLEY ELECTRIC SWITCH Nov., 13, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1950 /71 'rfa/may Nov. 13, 1951 s. LANGLEY 2,574,745

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Feb. s, 195o a sheets-sheet 5 Patented Nov. 13, 1951 ELECTRIC SWITCH Stanley Langley,

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, as-

signor to Amalgamated Electric Corporation, Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a corporation of Canada Application February 3, 1950, Serial No. 142,211 In Canada January 10, 1950 7 Claims. i

This invention relates to power distribution switches of the safety type, and more particularly to the switch enclosure and means for operating.

It is an object of this invention to provide an enclosed switch whereby the switch contacts can be closed only by closing the cover.

. It is a further object of this invention to provide an enclosed switch whereby the switch contacts are opened by opening the cover.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an enclosed switch with means for closing the cover with the switch in the 01T position.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an enclosed switch having an operating handle on the cover which provides a mechanical advantage in forcing the contacts closed cr open.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an enclosed switch having a guard which prevents closing the cover except in predetermined fashion.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an enclosed switch having means for making a quick break.

A further understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the switch with the cover ajar.

Fig. 2 is a detail of the operating mechanism with section 3-3 shown in Fig. 3 and section |G-IU shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 3 is section 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail of the operating mechanism with the operating handle in the position necessary to initiate closing.

Fig. 5 is a detail of the operating mechanism with the operating handle moved a part of its closing rotary travel.

Fig. 6 is a detail of the operating mechanism in the fully closed position.

Fig. 7 is a detail of the operating mechanism with the operating handle commencing its opening rotary travel.

Fig. 8 is a detail of the operating mechanism with the operating handle moved its full opening rotary travel.

Fig. 9 is a detail of the operating handle indexing mechanism.

Figs. 10 and 11 are details in section of the operating handle indexing mechanism in an indexed and non-indexed position, respectively.

Figs. 12 and 13 are details of the contacts mounted on the cover with the contacts in the on and 01T position. respectively.

Section |4--I4'of Fig. 12 is shown irl-Fig. 14.

The same numerals are used to designate particular parts throughout the illustrative figures.

Referring now to Fig. l, the enclosure has a cover 2 hinged at 3. The operating handle 4 is pivotally mounted by pin 5 on handle mounting 6 attached to cover 2. Insulating baille I has openings 8--8 which allow the movable contacts 9 9', mounted on cover 2, to enter and engage live contacts mounted on the enclosure behind baille openings 8 8. Bale provides a dead front when the cover is open and also serves as an arc quench when breaking an energized circuit. Contacts 9-9 are conductively connected so thatengagement with the live contacts closes the circuit between those live contacts. Ventilating holes ill on the top and bottom of enclosure I have a staggered relation to permit mounting several switches adjacently on a rack without forming a continuous passage from one switch to the next. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, space is provided in the enclosure for mounting fuses Access to the cable connector is from the side of the enclosure and is not shown.

Operating handle 4 has embossments |2-|2' and |3-|3 which form part of the indexing mechanism described below. Drillings I5 in the handle mounting and I4 in the operating handle provide means for applying a locking device when the switch is in the closed position, as for example, by means of a padlock 34 illustrated in Fig. 9.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 embossments IS--IS and spring I1 cooperate with embossments |2-|2' and |3-I3 of Fig. 1 to index the operating handle in a manner described below. Operating handle 4 has an extension I8 which bears against fulcrum surfaces I9 and 2U to lever the switch closed and open respectively. Guard member 2| is pivotally mounted on enclosure I by pin 22 and equipped with restoring spring 23.

In Fig. 4, the operating handle 4 is in the particular position required to initiate closing. Finger 24 of handle extension |8 enters indent 25 of guard 2| and forces stop surface 26 of guard 2| against fulcrum surface 2U, preventing contact 9 from engaging live contact 2l. Also, with the handle 4 in any other position, extension I3 interferes with guard 2| and/or projection 28 preventing closure of the cover and maintaining a separation of contacts 9 and 21. Entry of nger 24 in indent 25 permits operating handle 4 to mesh with guard 2| so that clockwise rotation of handle 4 displaces guard 2| in a counterclockwise direction. Projection 42 of guard 2| rides on surface 43 of handle extension I8 maintaining separation of contacts 9 and 21 during the initial rotation of handle 4. Rotation of the handle 4 as described brings the mechanism to the position illustrated in Fig. 5. Contact 9 begins to engage contact 21 and lever surface 28 of handle extension ,i8 bears on fulcrumssurface I9. Further rotation of @handle 4 levers the switch fully closed with contacts 9 and 21 engaged as shown in Fig. 6.

Starting frointhe closed position of Fig. 6, theY operation of opening the switch is illustrated by Fig. '1. Counterclockwis-eA rotationof handle 4 brings lever surface 29 of handle extension I8 to bear on fulcrum surface 29, forcing contacts 9 and 21 to partially disengage. Full counterclockwise rotation of handle 4 brings themechanism to the position illustrated in'Fg. 8. Con` tacts 9 and 21 are left suiiciently engaged to carry current temporarily. Pulling the handle completes the disengagement of the contacts, and their sudden release provides a quick break.

`Therotary motion of the handle 4 is followed by guard 2l by virtue of restoring spring 23. Completing the opening operation by means of a pull 'allows the guard 2l to restore to the guard position,` as shown in Fig. 4.

Operation of the switch is facilitated by positively indexing `the operating handle 4 in the position required to initiate closing and in the fully closed position. The rotary travel'of the operating handle 4 is conned by stop surfaces 3| and 32, Fig. 8, coming into contact with the cover. Positive indexing at these extremes of handle travel is provided by embossments IG-I 6',

Fig. 2, on the handle mounting nesting in em- -orderto illustrate the relativepositions of the contacts with respect to the operating mechanism'.

Asectiongtransverse to the axis of rotation of the movable contact mounting, is shown in Fig. 12. Contact 9 has a support 33 of insulating ymaterial hinged on cover 2 by pin 31 working turnably in bracket 46. Screw 5l] clamps sup- `port 35, spacer 41 and pin 31 together'by means of a tapped hole in projection 51 of pin 31. Support 3Shas stop surfaces 42 and 43 which act on .the cover to limit rotation. When contact 9 is approximately normal to the cover, as in Fig.

l2, closing the cover engages contact 9 with its mating contact mounted on the enclosure. When contactv 9 is approximately parallel tothe cover, as in Fig. 13, the mating contacts cannot engage. These two positions of contact 9 correspond, respectively, to the on and olf conditions of the switch. i

Referring again to Fig. 12, support 36 has fastened to it an arcuate indicator 44 viewable lfrom outside the cover 2 through aperture 45, which indicates the on or off condition.

Referring to Fig. l, aperture 45 exposes the .indicator in the on position. Y

Referring now to Fig. 13, cover 2 has mounted on it a Spring member having a hat portion 4l. Camv surfaces 38 and 39 acting on the dat spring portion 4l serve to positively index contact 9 in the on and off positions respectively.

Section l4-l4 of Fig. 12 is shown in Fig. 14. Pin 31 is turnably mounted in bracket 43. Projection51 ofipin 31 has a. tapped hole 48 by which means screw 5D .clamps-support 36, spacer 41 and pin 31 together. Contacts 9--9 have a tapped hole 52 by which means screw 5I clamps contacts 9 9' to support 36.

In order to permit alignment of contacts 9-9 with the mating contacts on the enclosure, projection 51 is made narrower than the space between the uprights of bracket 46, and spacer 41 is madewithfan elongated hole 49. This permits adjustment of contacts 9-9 along the axis of pin 31 when screw 53 is slackened. When screw 59 is tightened, spacer 41 prevents subsequent lateral movement by acting on the upper portion of bracket 46, which upper portion is removed by the section of Fig. 14 but is shown in Fig. 13 at 53.

What is claimed is:

l. In a switch mechanism having an enclosure with rst contacts mounted thereon anda cover hinged thereto with second contacts engageable with said rst Vcontacts mounted thereon, the combination of an operating member pivotally mounted on said cover, and a guard memberdisplaceably1 mounted on said enclosure, projecting means on said operating member acting on said guard member to maintain separation of said first contacts from said second Icontacts whenmade to approach by motion of the cover, and means on said operating member meshable with meanson said guard member whereby rotation of said operating member from a specific initial position displaces said guard member to a non-interfering position.

2. A switch mechanism as described in claim 1, said guard member having a proled surface including projecting means acting von said operating member, wherebythe spacing apart of said rst contacts and said second contacts is maintained during an initial portion of the travel of said operating member.

3. A switch mechanism having an enclosure with a guard member mounted pivotally thereon, a cover hinged to said enclosure with an operating member pivotally mounted thereon, means on said operating member meshable with means on said `guard member when said cover is swung towards said enclosure Ywith saidoperating member in a specific position, said guard member being rotatable by rotation of said operating member when meshed, means on said operating member acting on said guard member when meshed whereby a spaced relation ismainvtained between first contacts mounted on said enclosure and second contacts mounted on said cover during an initialrotation of said operating member, and means on said operating member actingon means on said guard'member to displace said guard member to a non-interferingposition during a'further rotation of said operating member, said displacement permitting said second contacts to approach and engage said first contacts at a position in which levering means on said operating memberbegins .to engagea fulcrum iixed to said enclosure. l

4. A switch mechanism as described in claim 3 having rst contacts mounted on said enclosure and second contamtsl mountedon said cover and movable relative thereto, saidy rstcontactsand said second contacts being brought into engagement or non-engagement by said further rotation depending on the setting of said second contacts relative to said cover.

5. In a switch mechanism having an enclosure with a cover hinged thereto, the combination of an operating member pivotally mounted on the cover and a guard member pivotally mounted on the enclosure, means on said operating member meshable with means on said guard member whereby rotation of said operating member from a specific position causes said guard member to rotate, profiled surfaces on said operating member in contact with proled surfaces on said guard member during such rotation, said proled surface on said guard member including in sequence a raised portion, and a portion recessed relative thereto, said raised portion maintaining a space relation between rst contacts mounted on said enclosure and second contacts mounted on said cover during an initial rotation of said operating member, and said recessed portion acting on said operating member to displace said guard member to a non-interfering position during a further rotation, and means on said operating member acting on means on said enclosure whereby a further rotation of said operating member moves said second :contacts closer to said rst contacts.

6. In a switch mechanism as described in claim 5, means mounting said second contacts movably on said cover, said means permitting positioning of said second contacts for engagement or nonengagement with said rst contacts during said further rotation of said operating member, and

means viewable exteriorly to the cover indicating said positioning of said second contacts.

7. A switch mechanism in which the relative position of rst contacts mounted in an enclosure and second conta-cts mounted on a cover hinged to said enclosure, is controlled, during the initial closing rotary travel of an operating member pivotally mounted on said cover and projecting therethrough by said operating member acting on a displaceable guard member pivotally mounted on said enclosure; is controlled during a, further closing rotary travel of Said operating member by said operating member levering against a rst fulcrum mounted in said enclosure, said guard member being displaced to a non-interfering position by said operating member; and is controlled during the opening rotary travel of said operating member by said operating member levering against a second fulcrum mounted in said enclosure.

STANLEY LANGLEY.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 528,900 Bolles Nov. 6, 1894 728,195 Brady May 19, 1903 1,342,563 More June 8, 1920 1,436,622 Horton Nov. 21, 1922 1,729,864 Brown Oct. 1, 1929 1,935,512 Massey Nov. 14, 1933 2,267,704 Abel Dec. 30, 1941

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