US3598935A - Multiple pole electrical switch with improved snap-action actuator structure - Google Patents

Abstract

A multiple pole electrical switch comprising plural male and female contacts mounted on a pair of spaced contact-carrying members. The male contacts are jointly removable axially into and out of engagement with the female contacts. Movement of the male contacts is provided by a toggle mechanism which affords a rapid snap-action. Additional contact-carrying members can be stacked one above the other to increase the number of poles of the switch.

Description

United States Patent Inventors Joseph A. Nave Villa Park; John M. Tums, Oak Park, both 01,111. Appl. No. 846,431 Filed July 31, 1969 Patented Aug. 10, I971 Assignee The Pyle-National Company Chicago, Ill.

MULTIPLE POLE ELECTRICAL SWITCH WITH IMPROVED SNAP-ACTION ACTUATOR STRUCTURE 10 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 200/17. 200/50 AA, ZOO/51.02, 200/78, 200/161 Int. Cl 1101b 3/00, HOIh 15/18, H01h 33/46 Field of Search 200/ I 6, 51-5117, 50.l5,76, 77, 78, 161, 162, 163.17, 18

Primary Examiner-.1. R. Scott Attorney-Hill, Sherman, Meroni, Gross & Simpson ABSTRACT: A multiple pole electrical switch comprising plural maleand female contacts mounted on a pair of spaced contact-carrying members. The male contacts are jointly removable axially into and out of engagement with the female contacts. Movement of the male contacts is provided by a toggle mechanism which affords a rapid snap-action. Additional contact-carrying members can be stacked one above the other to increase the number of poles of the switch.

ill" 11' lll MULTIPLE POLE ELECTRICAL SWITCH WITII IMPROVED SNAP-ACTION ACTUATOR STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to the field of electrical switches and more particularly to disconnect switches as utilized primarily in power supply circuits and in low-capacity control circuits.

Most main disconnect and branch circuit disconnect switches which have been known heretofore comprise a series of contact members generally referred to as knife-blades mounted in axially spaced relation on and projecting radially from a rotating shaft. The knife-blade members are moved into and out of engagement with a corresponding number of spring-clip contact members mounted stationarily on the frame or cabinet enclosure of the switch.

The number of poles, that is, the number of pairs of knifeblade and spring-clip contacts in known disconnect switches is generally limited to no more than four and all the poles of any given switch are generally constructed to accommodate the same current and voltage.

In such known disconnect switches it is generally impossible or infeasible to increase the number of poles. First of all, an increase in the number of poles normally requires an increase in the length of the shaft on which the knife-blade contacts are mounted and this often requires an increase in the width of the cabinet which encloses the switch. Secondly, additional knifeblade contacts and clip contacts cannot easily be added in the field due to the type of construction normally employed in the manufacture of disconnect switches.

Another deficiency in known disconnect switches involves the inability to simultaneously connect and disconnect main power circuits along with low voltage control circuits. Since all of the contacts in any given prior art disconnect switch are sized to accommodate a given power level, it is impractical to utilize a single disconnect switch of the prior art for both main power and low voltage control circuit applications.

Other deficiencies of prior disconnect switches involve problems of service and maintenance of the switches. For example, to replace a single knife-blade contact it is generally necessary to completely remove the shaft upon which the knifeblade contacts are mounted, and, in many cases, many of the blade contacts mounted on the shaft, thus not only increasing maintenance costs but also precluding operation of the remaining operable contacts during service operations.

To. generally improve the art of disconnect switches, to enable main power supply and low voltage control circuits to be actuated by a single device, to enable additional poles to be easily added to existing switches and to reduce service and maintenance costs are among important objects of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention may be summarized as comprising a multiple pole electrical switch in which a pair of contact-carrying members are employed to mount a plurality of male and female contact members which are rectilinearly relatively axially shiftable in unison into and out of engagement with one another. Additional pairs of contact-carrying members may be stacked one above the other in modular arrangement to increase the number of poles of the switch and to provide contacts of various capacities in order to accommodate both main power supply current and low control circuit current in a single switch.

The invention features a toggle mechanism for increasing the engaging and disengaging speeds of the contacts. The flat" or rectilinear switching motion of the contacts reduces the silhouette of the switch enclosure and enables the enclosure to more readily accommodate a flat enclosure door on which may be mounted auxiliary devices such as pilot lights, pushbutton stations and selector switches. The enclosure door may be made of transparent material such as clear plastic to afford easy internal inspection and testing of the switch.

The flat or rectilinear movement of the contacts also reduces the possibility of interference with the operation thereof. The modular construction facilitates repair or maintenance since individual modules can be replaced independently of one another and operation of the contacts of one pair of modules can continue while other modules are removed for repair or replacement.

Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative example only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a multiple pole electrical switch constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken II-II of FIG. 1 position.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 but illustrates the switch in a closed or engaged position.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the operating handle assembly of the switch.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are respectively front, left end and right end elevational'views of one member of the handle assembly.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along lines IV-IV of FIG. 1, the illustration of certain parts of the switch having been omitted for clarity.

' :FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 4 but illustrates the pin contacts in the engaged positions thereof.

along lines showing the switch in an open or disengaged DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawing reference numeral 10 indicates generally a multiple pole electrical switch constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The switchlt) may be more particularly characterized as comprising a frame 11 having a substantially planar top surface 12. Projecting upwardly from the surface 12 at one side 13 of frame 11 are a pair of pedestals l4 and 16 and. along an opposite side 17 a pair of pedestals I8 and'l9.

'Fastenedsecurely to the planar surface 12 are a pair of contact-carrying members indicated respectively at reference characters M and F. The members M and F are disposed in mutually aligned relation with one another along the longitudinal axis of the frame 11 and comprise vertical end walls 20 and 21 which are disposed in longitudinally spaced relation with one another.

Formed in the member F are a plurality of longitudinally extending cylindrical bores, one of which is indicated at reference numeral 22, disposed in spaced relation in a direction transversetothe axis of the frame 11 and arranged in mutually parallel relation. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the female contact-carrying member F has four bores 22'formed therein but it should be understood that this number is not inflexible and can be easily increased or reduced as specific requirements may dictate.

Each of the bores 22 extends through an aperture 23 formed in the vertical'end'wall 21 of the member F, the apertures 23 eachbeing flared to provide a tapered mouth to the entrance of its respective bore 22.

Fixedly secured withineach of the bores 22 is a female contact member 24 having formed therein a cylindrical bore 26 axially aligned with its corresponding aperture 23. The contacts 26, unlike the contact-carrying member F, are made of electrically conductive material such as metal.

Formed in the male contact-carrying member M are a corresponding number of bores 27 each of which is axially aligned with a counterpart bore 22. Disposed stationarily within each of the bores 27 is a member 28 similar to the female contacts 24 and cylindrically bored as at 29 to receive therein a male pin contact indicated at reference numeral 30. The male contact 30 is not secured to the member 28 but instead is slidable axially within the bore 29. Also carried on the contact-carrying members M and F are terminals for receiving the ends of electrical conductors such as wires. One terminal is provided for each of the female contacts 24 and the members 28. It will be appreciated that the members 28 as well as the male contacts 30 are also made of electrical conductive material whereas the contact-carrying member M, like member F, is made of suitable insulation material such as rigid plastic.

The male contacts 30 are interconnected by a transversely extending contact-connecting block 31. The block 31 may be fabricated in two parts 310 and 31b to accommodate a raised rib 32 formed on each of the male contacts 30 and the two parts 310 and 31b may be suitably bonded together to provide a single block member 31.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate that the block 31 is shiftable back and forth between the end walls 20 and 21 of the contact-carrying members M and F and as it shifts back and forth it alternately engages and disengages a tapered nose end 33 of each of the male contacts 30 with a corresponding female contact 24. The male contacts 30 are of sufficient length so that in the closed or engaged position of the switch a substantial portion of each of the male contacts still resides in its respective bore 29 so that a sufficient and suitable journal is provided and any substantial transverse movement or flexing of the male contacts 30 is prevented.

Thus, to engage and disengage the male contacts 30 from the female contacts 24 the male contacts 30 are shifted axially and rectilinearly within their corresponding contact-carrying member M for telescopic engagement and disengagement of the nose ends thereof with the female contacts. It will be appreciated that this straight line movement of the male contacts 30 is altogether different from the swinging or pivoting movement of the knife-blade contacts of prior art disconnect switches.

The present invention contemplates the provision of means for facilitating an addition or reduction in the number of poles or pairs of male and female contacts. As illustrated in the drawing another male contact-carrying member M is stacked directly on top of member M and another female contact-carrying member F is stacked on top of member F. Corresponding female and male contacts 24' and 30' are carried by members F and M and are arranged in axially aligned relation similar to the axially aligned arrangement of contacts 24 and 30.

The number of contacts 24 and 30' may be equal to or different from the number of contacts 24 and 30 and as illustrated may be of different physical sizes to accommodate different electrical loads. It will also be apparent that the physical sizes including the diameters of the respective contacts 24 and 30 may differ from one another and a similar observation is made with respect to the female or male contacts 24 and 30.

Thus each of the pairs of contacts may be sized to accommodate a predetermined load. Some pairs of contacts in a single switch 10 may be utilized in main power supply circuits whereas others may be utilized in low voltage control circuits or the like. The present invention therefore affords maximum flexibility not only in terms of the number of poles which the switch 10 may accommodate (additional contact-carrying members may be stacked one above the other) but also in terms of variations in the loads of the various circuits in which the poles are connected.

The current carrying members M and F are also provided with a male contact-connecting block 31 for joint shifting of the male contacts 30. In the illustrated embodiment the block members 31 and 31' are bonded or otherwise suitably interconnected forjoint movement whereby both sets of male contacts 30 and 30 are shifted back and forth simultaneously.

In order to shift the blocks 31 and 31' and thus to engage and disengage the male and female contacts the invention includes switch operating means which is indicated generally in the drawing at reference numeral 34. Switch-operating means 34 comprises a carrier member 36 engagedly connected to one end 37 of the block member 31 and having projecting therefrom a pin 38. The carrier member 36 is slidably carried on the surface 12 of the frame 11 and is guided back and forth between end walls 39 and 40 of the pedestals 14 and 16 by a cylindrical guide way 36a extending between the pedestals 14 and 16 and received in a bore 36b formed in the carrier 36.

The carrier 36 (and thus the block members 31 and 31) are shifted back and forth by means of a bracket 41 mounted on a shaft 42 which is journaled for rotation on the frame 11. The bracket 41 is yoke-shaped and comprises a pair of radially extending legs 43 and 44 which are spaced angularly from one another and between which is confined the pin 38.

Also mounted on shaft 42 is one arm 46 of an overcenter spring-biased toggle mechanism 47, the other arm of which is indicated at reference numeral 48. The two arms 46 and 48 are pivotally interconnected at 49 and an upper end 50 of the arm 48 is mounted on a bracket 50a pivotally secured to a protruding portion 51 of the pedestal 16. A helical spring 52 is wound about the arm 48 and is placed in a state of further compression as the arms 46 and 48 are brought into alignment with one another as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

As shown in FIGS. 47, the shaft 42 is journaled in a bearing 53 formed on the frame 11. The bracket 41 is locked for joint rotation with the shaft 42 by means of a pin 41a which is press fit into aligned bores formed in the bracket 41 and the shaft 42. The arm 46 is also locked to shaft 42 for joint rotation, and for that purpose a pin 46a is press fit into aligned bores in the shaft 42 and the arm 46.

Pin 46a, however, extends at both its ends radially outwardly beyond the outer surface of the arm 46. The ends of pin 46a are disposed in a radial slot 54a formed in an end wall 54b of a handle shaft indicated at reference numeral 54. A bore 540 is also formed in the end wall 54b to receive the end of the shaft 42. i Y

The shaft 54 is journaled for rotation in a bearing member 55 threaded into an embossment 56a formed on a sidewall 56b ofa cabinet 56 in which the assembly 10 is housed. A reduced diameter portion 54d of shaft 54 and a rectangularly shaped stub end 54c extending axially therefrom are received in a complimentarily shaped bore formed in a handle 57, and the handle 57 is connected fast to the shaft 54 by means of a pin 57a press fit into aligned bores 57b and 54f formed respectively in the handle 57 and the shaft 54.

In operation the handle 57 is selectively pivoted back and forth to move the male contacts such as contacts 30 into and out of electrical engagement with their corresponding female contacts 24. For example, in the disposition of the parts shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the male contacts 30 are spaced from and are out of engagement with their corresponding female contacts 34. To engage the contacts the handle 57 is pivoted to rotate the shaft 54 so that a sidewall 54g of the slot 54a engages the pin 46a to rotate the shaft 42 in a clockwise direction to the position thereof shown in FIG. 2.

As the shaft 42 begins to rotate clockwise the yoke-shaped bracket 41 member immediately begins to rotate in a clockwise direction, but the carrier 36 does not move immediately due to the lost-motion driving connection between the legs 43 and 44 of the bracket 41 and the pin 38.

After the handle 47 has been rotated substantially through its full operating arc of movement in a clockwise direction the arm 46 of the toggle mechanism 47 is brought into longitudinal alignment with the arm 48. The spring 52 then biases the arm 46 (and thus the bracket 41) in a clockwise direction, thereby quickly moving the leg 43 into abutment with the pin 38 and shifting the carrier member 36 and the block 31 to the engaged or closed positions thereof as illustrated in FIG. 3.

The operation of the switch 10 may be conveniently referred to as comprising a snap-action as a result of the lostmotion connection between the yoke-shaped member 41 and the pin 38 and as a result of the operation of the overcenter spring-biased toggle mechanism 47. The male contacts may therefore be very rapidly engaged with and withdrawn from" the female contacts, thereby reducing arcing and deterioration of the contacts.

The width of the slot 54a is sufficient to permit free rotational movement of the pin 46a once the snap-action of the switch movement occurs. This oversized width of the slot 540 prevents inadvertent restraint or braking" of the snap-action by the operator by holding the handle 57 after the snap-action begins.

The switch frame 11 is secured to a bottom wall 58 of the cabinet 56 by means of a plurality of fasteners such as the threaded nuts and bolts indicated at 59 and 60 and is spaced from the bottom wall 58 by means of a plurality of spacer blocks 61 through which the bolts 59 extend. The top face of the cabinet 56 may be covered by means of a clear plastic plate or the like as indicated at reference numeral 62 to enclose the cabinet 56 while affording ready visual inspection of the operation and the various parts of the switch 10.

The internal parts of the switch including the frame 11 may be easily removed from the cabinet 56 for repair or for replacement by another interior with a different contact configuration. Thus it is merely necessary to loosen the fasteners 59 and 60, thereby loosening the frame 11 from cabinet 56. Then the frame in its entirety can be removed by sliding it out such that the end of shaft 42 and pin 46a disengages handle shaft 54, more specifically bore 540 and radial slot 54a.

The invention also contemplates the provision of a safety lock for preventing inadvertent closing or engaging of the male and female contacts. As illustrated, a lock arm 63 is pivotally mounted on a threaded stud 64 which is fastened to the pedestal 14. Wound about the stud 64 is a spring 66 one end ofwhich is stationarily secured at 67 and the other end of which is inturned over the arm 63 as at reference numeral 68. The arm 63 is therefore biased in a counterclockwise direction.

A locking finger 69 extends from the arm 63 and comprises an embossment 70 forming a shoulder 71 and a cutout 72. In the arrangement of the parts shown in FIG. 2 the shoulder 71 abuttingly engages a complementarily arcuately shaped shoulder 73 formed on the yoke-shaped member 71. The wall 72 is thereby disposed with respect to a sidewall 74 of the yoke-shaped member 41 to prevent rotation of member 41 in a clockwise direction to cause engagement of the male and female contacts.

In order to close the switch 10 it is necessary to rotate the arm 63 in a clockwise direction to the position thereof shown in FIG. 3, thereby removing the shoulder 72 from the path of movement of the bracket 41. After the arm has been rotated clockwise the requisite number of degrees and the handle 57 has been rotated slightly clockwise, the arm 63 may be released and a bottom wall 76 of the arm 69 will continue to ride on the arcuate shoulder 73 of the member 41.

When the handle 57 is turned in a counterclockwise direction to open the switch 10, the arm 63 will automatically pivot in a counterclockwise direction to lock the yoke-shaped member in place, thereby precluding subsequent closing of the switch 10 until the arm 63 is rotated to the nonlocking position thereof shown in FIG. 3.

The function of the safety lock is to prevent inadvertent closing of the switch with the cabinet cover open. The cover contains a suitable bracket such that when it is closed the bracket depresses the L-shaped upper end of the lock arm 63 rotating :63 from a position shown in FIG. 2 to a position shown in FIG. 3. Thus the switch can be turned ON." As the yoke 41 rotates to the position in FIG. 3, it rotates lock arm63 additionally to engage the L shaped end of 63 with a suitable bracket in the cover precluding the opening of the cover with the switch in the engaged position. When the switch is turned OFF, the lock arm 63 is allowed to rotate sufficiently back to disengage 63 from the cover and allowing the cover to be opened for inspection orservicing.

Although minor modifications may be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably come within the scope of our contribution to the art.

We claim:

1. A multiple pole electrical switch comprising an elongated switch frame,

a pair of contact-carrying members fixedly secured to said frame and having transverse sidewalls facing one another in longitudinally spaced relation,

a plurality of longitudinally extending bores formed in each of said members axially aligned with one another and opening to said transverse sidewalls,

female contacts mounted in the bores of one of said members and male contacts carried in the bores of the other member for slidable movement only in an axial direction, means between said sidewalls forming a male contact interconnecting block for providing joint movement of said male contacts,

means including a block-shifting arm mounted on said frame for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said frame and having means engageable with said block means for shifting said block means back and forthto move said male contacts axially into and out of engagement with said female contacts, and means for selectively pivoting said block-shifting arm.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said block means comprises an operating pin projecting transversely of said frame and said block-shifting arm comprises a yokeshaped member having a pair of radial legs extending on opposite sides of said operating pin'for engaging and moving said pin back and forth longitudinally of said frame in response to pivotal movement of said yoke-shaped member.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said radial legs are angularly spacedto provide lost motion between said yoke-shaped member and'saidoperating pin.

4. The invention as defined in claim' 3 and including a pivotal shaft mounting said yoke-shaped member and an overcenter spring-biased toggle mechanism mounted on said frame and connected to said shaft to provide a snap-action pivotal movement of saidshaft.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 and including cabinet means having a bottom wall and a sidewall,

meansmounting said switch frame on said bottom wall,

means in said sidewall for receiving said rotatable shaft,

handle means outside said-sidewall and means corotatably interconnecting said handle means and said shaft.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said interconnecting means comprises anothershaft axially alignedwith said shaft,

a handle mounted'fast' on said other shaft, and

cooperating radial pinand slot means on said shafts for interconnecting said.shafts for joint rotation and for limited relative rotation.

7. The invention as definedin claim 1 and includingv another pair of contact-carrying members stacked on top of and-fixedly securedto saidfirst pair, and

corresponding male'and femalecontacts in said second pair of contact-carryingmem bers,

said block means also interconnecting themule contacts of said secondpair of contact-carrying members for joint movement thereof-with said male contacts of-said first pair.

8. A- multiple: pole-electrical switch comprising'a switch frame, a pair" of contact-carrying members stationarily mounted on'saidtframe in'spacedrelation to one another and having axially aligned bores formed therein and opening toward'one'another,

female; contacts stationarily-disposed:in'said bores'of one of said contact-carryingmembers,

block means for shifting same back and forth between said contact-carrying members.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said guide way means comprises a plurality of elongated guide ways extending between said contact-carrying members and means forming bores extending through said block means for receiving said guide ways.

10. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said snapaction means comprises a lost-motion spring-biased toggle mechanism.

Claims (10)

1. A multiple pole electrical switch comprising an elongated switch frame, a pair of contact-carrying members fixedly secured to said frame and having transverse sidewalls facing one another in longitudinally spaced relation, a plurality of longitudinally extending bores formed in each of said members axially aligned with one another and opening to said transverse sidewalls, female contacts mounted in the bores of one of said members and male contacts carried in the bores of the other member for slidable movement only in an axial direction, means between said sidewalls forming a male contact interconnecting block for providing joint movement of said male contacts, means including a block-shifting arm mounted on said frame for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said frame and having means engageable with said block means for shifting said block means back and forth to move said male contacts axially into and out of engagement with said female contacts, and means for selectively pivoting said blockshifting arm.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said block means comprises an operating pin projecting transversely of said frame and said block-shifting arm comprises a yoke-shaped member having a pair of radial legs extending on opposite sides of said operating pin for engaging and moving said pin back and forth longitudinally of said frame in response to pivotal movement of said yoke-shaped member.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said radial legs are angularly spaced to provide lost motion between said yoke-shaped member and said operating pin.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 and including a pivotal shaft mounting said yoke-shaped member and an overcenter spring-biased toggle mechanism mounted on said fRame and connected to said shaft to provide a snap-action pivotal movement of said shaft.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 and including cabinet means having a bottom wall and a sidewall, means mounting said switch frame on said bottom wall, means in said sidewall for receiving said rotatable shaft, handle means outside said sidewall and means corotatably interconnecting said handle means and said shaft.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said interconnecting means comprises another shaft axially aligned with said shaft, a handle mounted fast on said other shaft, and cooperating radial pin and slot means on said shafts for interconnecting said shafts for joint rotation and for limited relative rotation.

7. The invention as defined in claim 1 and including another pair of contact-carrying members stacked on top of and fixedly secured to said first pair, and corresponding male and female contacts in said second pair of contacts-carrying members, said block means also interconnecting the male contacts of said second pair of contact-carrying members for joint movement thereof with said male contacts of said first pair.

8. A multiple pole electrical switch comprising a switch frame, a pair of contact-carrying members stationarily mounted on said frame in spaced relation to one another and having axially aligned bores formed therein and opening toward one another, female, contacts stationarily disposed in said bores of one of said contact-carrying members, male contacts slidably carried in said bores of the other of said contact-carrying members and movable axially between a first position at which they are spaced from said female contacts and a second position at which they are telescopically engaged with said female contacts, block means interconnecting said male contacts for joint movement and disposed for back-and-forth movement between said contact-carrying members, guide way means for guiding said block means in rectilinear movement only to move said male contacts axially between said first and second positions thereof, and means including snap-action means engageable with said block means for shifting same back and forth between said contact-carrying members.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said guide way means comprises a plurality of elongated guide ways extending between said contact-carrying members and means forming bores extending through said block means for receiving said guide ways.

10. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said snap-action means comprises a lost-motion spring-biased toggle mechanism.

Images