US1354758A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

L. KELLNER.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED 050.3, IIIII.

1,354,758. Patented OCI. 5,1920.r

9 .59 III IIIIIIIIIII I INVENTOR ATTORNEY L. KELLNER.

ELECTRIC SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED 050.3. 1917.

1,354,758. Patented oct. 5,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

m' I /f/ ///////////////////////////l/ //,//l j ATTORNEY L. KELLNER. 'ELicTRIC swITcH. APPLICATION FILED DEC.3. 191?.

famed oct. 5, 1920.

3 SHEETS-suffe.

INVENTOR uw 214,-/

ATTORNEY PATENT OFFICE.

lLOUIS KELLNER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specicaton of Letters Fatent.

Application filed December 3. 1917. Serial No. 205,139.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, Louis KELLNER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElectrioSwitches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in manually operable electric switches.

One of the principal objects of the inventionis to provide a switch having a recip- `rocable contact-carrying member adapted to bc reciprocated with a rapid or snap action to make and break the circuit upon swinging or rotating an operating lever or switch handle. v

A further object is to provide means whereby the reciprocable contact-carrying member will only be shifted when the actuating lever lias been moved to substantially the limit of its throw, thus preventing accidental making or breaking ofthe circuit through an accidental or careless movement of the switch lever.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a switch so constructed and arranged that access to the fuse plugs is impossible except when the switch has been operated to break the circuit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a switch having a reciprocable contact and fuse plug carrying member operable with a snap action by a swinging lever, the entire switch beinginclosed within a casing having a cover ,permitting access to the switch lever, and the fuse plugs being inclosed within an inner casing held to the reciprocable member, the inner and outer casings being so constructed that the inner casing can only be opened when the switch lever has been swung to break the circuit,

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the switch taken on the line I-I of Fig. 4;

Fig. 2 a sectional plan taken on the line II--II of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 a longitudinal section on the line IILIH of Fig. 4, the parts being shown in position to close the circuit;

Fig. 4 a vertical central transverse section, the parts being shown in position to break the circuit;

Fig. 5 a fragmentary sectional plan taken through the fuse box;

Figs. 6, 7 and are fragmentary sectional views showing the positions assumed by the operating mechanism when the switch lever has been moved to break the circuit, when the lever is in an intermediate position, and when the lever has been moved to close the circuit, respectively;

Fig. 9 a fragmentary vertical section showing the vrack and segment for shifting the reciprocable switch member;

Figs. 10 and 11 detail views of a part of the operating mechanism;

Figs. 12 and 13 detail views of another part of the operating mechanism, and Fig. 14 a detail view illustrating the operation of setting the latch-releasing device 45 during an initial movement of the operating handle.

Referring to the various parts by numerals, the switch is mounted on a suitable base 1, which may be formed of porcelain or other suitable material, and the entire switch mechanism is inclosed within a boxlike outer casing, preferably formed of sheet metal and held to the base 1 in any suitable manner. The casing is formed with side walls 2, end walls 3, and a cover 4 hinged to one of the end walls at 5.

Two'vertically extending frame members or plates 6 and 7 are held at their ,lower ends substantially centrally of the base 1, said members being preferably connected by an integral base plate 8 fastened upon the upper face of the base 1 by vsuitable screws 9.

lThe frame plates 6 and 7 are connected adliacent their upper ends by a rod 10 on which is rotatably mounted a sleeve 11 having reduced angular end portions 12 and 13. The sleeve'11 is adapted to be oscillated by a sii/'inging switch handle or lever 14 havan angular opening or socket through vwhich the reduced end portion 12 of the sleeve extends. A disk 15 is mounted on the reduced angular end portion 13 of sleeve Y11, said disk being formed with a central Patented oet. 5, 1920.Y

. path of the stop shoulders 17 and 18 lby a suitable fiat spring 22 held to the frame member 6. l

A disk 23 is loosely mounted on the rod l() adjacent the outer face of disk 15, and a mu. tilateol gear wheel or segment 24 is held to the outer face of disk 23 to rotate therewith by means of suitable pins ,or rivets 25. The teeth of the gear wheel 24 mesh with the kteeth ofV a rack 26 formed at one side of a vertically extending elongated opening 27 in a bracket 2.8,. The bracket or plate 28 is held at its lower end by screws 29, to the upper face of a reciprocable block 30 formed of insulating material. The block 30 and bracket 28 are guided vertically the block being provided with openings 31 through which the frame plates 6 and 7 extend, and

the bracket being yprovided lwith an outwardly projecting pin or lug 32 working in an elongated slot 33 formed in the frame plate 7. The pin 32 serves also to limit the upward movement vof the blocky 3.0 and the parts mountedthereon. Y

A spring .34 is coiled about the 'sleeve 11 and the ` opposite ends 35 and 36 of said spring project .outwardly at one side of the sleeve in different horizontal planes. The switch lever 14 is provided with an inwardly projecting pin 37 extending between the ends 35 and 36 of spring 34, and the disk 23 is provided with van oppositely projecting pin 38 extending between the ends. of said spring. The disk23 is cut away through slightly more than half its periphery to form stop shoulders 39 and 40 adapted to engage latch 19 in the same manner as shoulders 17 and'18 of .disk 15, and said disk 23 is also formed with oppositely disposed notches 41 andv 42 in which the upper edge of latch 19 is ,adapted to engage to hold the disk 23 against rotation until the latch is released as hereinafter described. The latch 19 is adapted to be disengaged from notch 41 and notch 42 bythe inclined or cam- shaped ends 43 and 44 of an arcuate oscillating releasing Vmember 45 pivotally held at 46 to the inner vface of disk 15. The disk 15 is provided `with .two lugs or stop pins 47 and 48 and the arcuate releasing member 45 is `adapted to be rocked about its pivot 46 and held against said stop pins alternately to alternately project the cam ends 43 and 44, re-

spectively,.beyond the periphery of the cutaway portion of .disk 15 in position to depress latch 1.9 and disengage said latch from notches 41 and 42'in disk 23, 'as hereinafter described Thev member 45 is Vadapted to be held against either of the stops47 and 48 by a fiat spring 49 held at one end to disk 1.5 in any suitablemanner and formed with van offset portion 50 adapted to engage against vopposite sides ef Ya projection 51 tfprmed on the member- 45 adjacent the pivot r46i of said member.

' opposite ends of said plugs being detachably held in two pairs of suitable spring metal clips 53 and 54. Two pairs of contact brushes 55 and 56 are held to the under side of block 30 and electrically connected with the pairs of fuse- holdingclips 53 and 54, respectively, by screws or bolts 57 and 58, the ends of the brushes preferably fitting in cut-away portions of the block 30, as shown. The outer ends of the brushes 55 are adapted to engage with contacts 59 held to the base 1, and the ends of brushes 56 are adapted to engage contacts 60 held to said base to complete the circuit through the switch when block 30 is depressed, as hereinafter d escribed,

The fuse plugs 52 are inclosed within a divided inner casing, the two halves 61 and 62 of whichare hinged to rods 63 and 64 supported in the opposite ends of a pair of bars 65, preferably countersunk in opposite sides of block 3.0 and held thereto by screws 66` The parts 61 and 62 of the casing may be 4provided with interlocking portions or latches 67, if desired. The outercasing is divided into upper and lower compartments by a false bottom or horizontally extending partition 68 having a central opening 69 therethrough to permit the passage of the fuse casing and block 30 through said partitioniwhen the switch lever 14 is operated, as more fully hereinafter described. Y

To operate the switch to close the circuit, the switch iever 14is swung through an arc of substantially 189O from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3. Referring more particularly to Figs. 6 to 9, it will be observed that as the lever 14 is thrown over, the sleeve 11 and disk 15 are rotated in a clockwise directionv whileV disk 23 is held stationary by latch 19 which is engaged in notch 41 in disk 23, and it will also be seen that spring 34 isrwound or placed under tension by pin 37A on lever 14, which forces the end 35 of said spring before it as thelever is swung tothe right. It will be observed also that the inclined or cam end 44 of releasing member 45 is in projected position with its rear. face 44a in position to engage latch 19 during the initial movement of the switch handle. As the rear face 44a rides overulatch 19 the releasing member' 45 will be rocked about its pivot 46, as spring 22 is stronger than spring 49;,thus forcing the projection 51 to the opposite side of projection 50 on spring .49, retractingcani end releasing member 45 engages latch 19, as shown in Fig. 7, depressing said latch and releasing disk 23 which is rapidly rotated in a clockwise direction by reason of the engagement of the end 36 of spring 34 under pin 38 on disk 23. The rapid-movement of disk 23 imparts asimilar rapid semi-revolution to the mutilated gear or segment 24 meshing with rack 26, thus rapidly projecting or forcing bracket 28, block 30, and parts carried thereby, downwardly into the position shown in Figs. 3 and 8, in which position the pairs of brushes 55 and 56 engage the pairs of contacts 59 and 6() and close the circuit through the switch. The latch 19 is preferably beveled at each side of its upper edge at the points where said latch is engaged by the cam ends of the releasing member 45 to form a cam surface having its apex or highest point substantially centrally of the upper edge of the latch. 1t will thus be seen that it is practically impossible for the switch lever to be held or to remain in a position to hold the latch 19 in its fully depressed or releasing position as the high point or rear end of cam end 44 cannot be held or dwell upon the apex of the cam portion 70 of the latch. It will be seen, therefore, that the instant disk 23 is moved through half a revolution as above described to force the laminated spring- metal contacts 55 and 56 into close engagement with the contacts 59 and 60, the latch 19 will snap into notch 42 in disk 23 and positively lock said disk against rotation. This construction is especially advantageous since the locking device is free to act instantly upon the completion of the circuit-closing movement, independently of any subsequent movement of the switch handle, thus positively locking the actuating mechanism against rebounding or a return movement under the influence of back pressure due to compression of the sprino' contacts 55 and 56. This is a feature of importance,l not only because it insures holding the contacts in firm engagement, but also because it insures locking of the mechanism inA order to enable power to be stored for a subsequent', operation of the switch handle to break the circuit with a snap action, andV prevents rebounding or reverse rotation of the parts to a point at which the locking mechanism cannot act.

At the completion of the circuit-closing operation just described the parts assume the position shown in Fig. 8, with the rear edge 43a of a cam end 43 projected into'position to engage and ride over latch 19 during the initial movement of the switch handle toward the left to break the circuit. The circuit-breaking operation is the reiA/erse of the operation just described and is thought to be obvious.

yFrom the foregoing it .will be observed that the switch lever may be swung substantially the full length of its throw without moving the4 brush-carrying block 30; that the movable contact member is operated with a rapid reciprocatory snap action to close the circuit as well as to break the circuit; and that the entire switch mechanism is inciosed within a protecting casing.

1t will also be seen that the fuse plugs are incloscd in a box or casing which is shifted into the lower .compartment of the switch casing when the circuit is closed, and that the fuse box is so constructed that the hinged covers or sections thereof cannot be swung upwardly to permit access to the fuses when the circuit is closed, the false bottom 68 being so positioned as to prevent the hinged sections 61 and G2 of the fuse boX from being swung upwardly and outwardly except when the switch is in olf position as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, in which position the fuse box is projected above the false bottom or partition 68. It will be noted furtherthat the switch cannot be moved to on position with the hinged sections of the fuse box in open position as said sections will be swung upwardly and inwardly to closed position when the block 30 moves downwardly by reason of the engagement of the partition 68 with the end walls of said sections, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The cover 4 of the outer casing may also be pro- .vided with a suitable locking means to prevent unauthorized access to the switch lever 14, ifdesired It will also be observed that the operating mechanism is positively locked immediately upon) the completion of its movement in either direction to prevent rebounding and to insure the setting or locking of the parts in position to perform a subsequent operation.

VVhat 1 claim is:

1. In an electric switch, the combination of stationary contacts, movable contact-bridging means, a rotary element operatively connected to shift the contact-bridging means into engagement with the stationary contacts when rotated in one direction and to shift said means to break the circuit when rotated in the opposite direction, a coiled spring having laterally Vprojecting end portions, an arm on sai d rotary element eisten ding between the end portions of the spring, a switch handle capable of rotary movement in either direction independently of said elcment, an arm on said handle extending between the ends of the spring, a spring pressed latch for automatically locking said rotary element in both its on and off positions, and means operable by said handle for releasing said latch after a predetermined movement of the handle in either direction In an electric switch, the combination of stationary contacts, movable Vcontactb'ridging means, an element rotatable in opposite directions and operatively connected to shiitt said bridging means to on and oit position, a handle rotatable in opposite direltions iiidependentiy of said element, a

-coiled motor spring having projecting ends,

of stationary contacts, movable contactbridging means, an element rotatable in opposite directions and operatively connected to shift the bridging means to on and off positions, said element being formed with two spaced recesses, a spring pressed latch adapted to engage in said recesses alternately, a handle rotatable in opposite directions independently of said element, a coiled motor spring having projecting ends, arms carried by said element and handle extending between the ends or" the spring, a rockable releasing device rotatablewith said handle one end of which is adapted to release said latch from one of said notches and the other end of which is adapted to release `the latch from the other of saidnotches, and

means for rocking said device upon an initial movement of the handle to position the same to release the latch after a predetermined movement of the handle. Y

t. In anelectric switch, the combination of stationary contacts, movable contactbridging means, an .element rotatable in .opposite directions for shifting said bridging means to on and oii positions, a motor spring, a switch handle rotatable in oppositek directions to store power in said spring to rotate said element, a latch for locking said elementagainst rotation, a latch releasing device movable with the handle and shiftable relativelythereto, and means whereby said releasing device is shifted relatively to the handleby engagement with said latch during the'initial movement ofthe handle into position to release said latch after ak predetermined additional movement thereof with the handle.

5. In an electric switch, the combination of stationary contacts, contact-bridging means, a rack held to vsaid bridging means,

a pinion meshing with said rack, a coiled spring, a handle rotatable in opposite directions independently of said pinion, means for automatically locking 'Said pinion against rotation in both the on and -o'positions of said bridging means, connections between Vsaid spring and the handle and pinion for storing power in said spring for rotating the pinion in the direction ot'movement of the handle, and means movable with the handle for releasing the pinion after a predetermined riovement of the handle in either direction. Y Y

6. Inan electric switch, the combination of stationary contacts, contact-bridging means, a rack held to said bridging means, a-pinion meshing with said rack, an element rotatable with said pinion in opposite directions, said element being Jformed with two spaced recesses, a spring-pressed latch V adapted to engage in said recesses alternately, a handle rotatable in opposite directions independently of said element, a coiled spring, connections between said spring and the handle and rotatable element for storing power in the spring to rotate said element and pinion when the handle is moved in either direction, a releasing device rotatable with the handle and having a relative rocking movement, and means for rocking said device upon an initial movement of the handle in either direction to position the same to release the latch after a predetermined movement of the handle.

7. In an electric switch, the combination of a swinging switch lever, means for limiting the throw vofsaid lever to and from cirvciiit closing position, reciprocable circuitclosing means, a rack and pinion for reciprocating saidV circuit-closing means toward and from circuit-closing position, power-operated means for rotating said pinvion in either direction, and means controlled by said` switch lever for causing said power-operated means to rotate said pinion in opposite directions as the switch lever approaches the opposite limits of its throw.

8. In an electric switch, the combination of stationary contacts, contact bridging means, a rack held to said bridging means,

a lined shaft, a pinion loose on' said shaft meshing with said rack, a disk rotatable on said shaft in opposite directions with said pinion 'and'having twoV spaced notches in its periphery, a spring-pressed pivoted latchlever adapted to engage in said notches alternately, a sleeve rotatable in opposite directions on saidshatt independently of Asaid disk, a handle held to said sleeve, a

motor spring coiled about said sleeve, connections between said spring and the disk and handle for storing power in said spring to rotate the disk in the direction of rotation of the handle when the handle is moved in either` direction, a second vdisk held to rotate with the sleeve, areleasing lever pivvoted intermediate its ends on said second disk, each `end of said lever being adapted to move the latch lever out of one of said notches in the first disk after a predetermined movement of the handle and to be shifted into position to operate the latch by movement of the opposite end of the releasing lever over the latch lever during the initial movement of the handle, and means for releasably holding the releasing lever in its adjusted positions.

9. In an electric switch, the combination of a switch handlevrotatable in opposite directions, reciprocable contact-bridging means, stationary contacts, a rack for reciprocating said bridging means, a pinion meshing with said rack, a motor spring adapted to rotate said pinion in either direction, means actuated by movement of the handle in either direction for storing power in said spring, means for normally holding the pinion against rotation, and means for releasing the pinion as the handle approaches the limit of its movement in either direction.

l0. In an electric switch of the snap action type, the combination ofV a swinging switch lever, contact-bridging means, means for limiting the throw of said lever, a motor spring, means actuated by the movement of said lever in either direction to place said spring under tension, means actuated by said motor spring and embodying a racl and pinion for shifting said contactbridging means toward and from circuitclosing position, means for locking said pinion against rotation, and means movable with said lever for releasing said locking means as the lever` approaches the limit of its throw in either direction.

ll. ln an electric switch, the combination of circuit-closing means, an element rotatable in opposite directions for shifting said circuit-closing means to on and oil p0- sitions, a switch handle, power mechanism for rotating said element, a latch for locking said element against rotation in both the on and off positions of the circuitclosing means, means controlled by the handle for storing power in said mechanism, latch releasing cam means rotatable relatively to said element by the handle, and means for automatically shifting said cam means independently of the handle during successive movements of the handle to present. two different parts of said cam means alternately in position to release said latch.

l2. ln an electric switch, the combination oi circuit-closing means, an element rotatable in opposite directions for shifting said circuit-closing means to con and o' positions, a switch handle, power mechanism for rotating said element, a latch for locking said element against rotation in both the on and o positions of the circuit-closing means, means controlled by the handle tor storing power in said mechanism, and latch releasing cam means rotatable bodily in either direction by the handle relatively to said element and shiftable by engagement with the latch during such rotation to set said cam means in position to release said latch after a further movement of the handle.

ln an electric switch, the combination of circuit-closing means, an element rotatable in opposite directions for shitting said circuit-closing means to Con and ot po- Sitions, a switch handle, power mechanism tor rotating said element, a latch ter locking said element ag. nst rotation in both the on and off positions ot the circuit-closing means, means controlled by the handle iorstoring power in said mechanism, and latch releasing means revoluble in opposite directions by the handle and having cam suriaces at opposite ends thereof, said latch releasing means being shiftable automatically dnring r volntion thereoil in either direction by the engagement of one end of the latch releasing means with the latch to present the cam snrlace at the opposite end oi said means in position to release the latch after said releasing means has been revolved a predetermined extent.

la. ln an electric switch, the combination oi shiftable circuit-closing means, a motor spring, rack and pinion means operable by said motor spring to shift said circuit-closing means to on and off positions, a latch adapted to automatically lock said circuit-closing means in both its on and oit positions, a switch handle shiftable in different directions, means controlled by said handle 'for storing power in said motor spring to actuate the rack and pinion mechanism, and cam means revoluble in opposite directions by said handle for releasing said latch after a power storing movement of the handle in either direction.

l5. In an electric switch, the combination of shiitable circuit-closing means, a motor spring, racl and pinion means operable by said motor spring to shiit said circuit-closing means to on and oli positions, a latch adapted to automatically look said circuit-closing means in both its on and off positions, a switch handle shittable in dili'eront directions, means controlled by said handle for storing power in said motor spring to actuate the rack and pinion mechanism, and cam means revoluble in opposite directions by the handle and shiiitable automatically independently of the handle by engagement with the latch during movement of the handle in either direction to set said cam means in position to release said latch after a further movement of the handle in the same direction.

16. In an electric switch of the snap-action type, the combination ot a motor spring, reciprocable circuit-closing means, means embodying a rack and pinion for projecting said circuit-closing means With a snap action toward and from circuit-closing position7 power-operated means for rotating said pinion in either direction7 manually operable means adapted to be rotated in opposite directions, means for limiting the extent of the rotary movement of saidmanually controllcd means in either direction, and means controlled by said manually rotatable means for causing said power-operated Vmeans to rotate said pinion in opposite directions as said rotatable means approaches the limits or' its rotary movement. Y

17. In an electric switch of theY snap-action type, the combination of contact-bridging means, acoiled motor spring7 rotatableV means adapted to place said spring under tension when -rotated in either direction, means actuated by Vsaid vmotor spring and embodying a rack and-pinionfor reciprocating said contact-bridging means toward and from circuit-closing position, means for locking said pinion against rotation, and means kcontrolled by said rotatable means for releasing the pinion at the conclusion of the power-storing movement of said rotatable means. c

n testimony Wh'ereoic hereunto affix my signature.

LOUIS KELLNER.

Images