US1309822A - Switch - Google Patents

Description

H. A. STEEN.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5. 19H)` l 1,309,822. PzltvntcdJuIy l5, 1912).

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- H. A. STEEN.

swnca. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6| |910.

1,309,822, Patented July 15, ISHS).

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@Wag/W g5@ ,g W.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFEIoE.

HALFDAN A. STEEN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSllfiirlf,V BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T ALLIS-CHALMERS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1919.

or circuit breakers and especiaiiy to auto-l matically operated switches to be used in systems of remote control of motors or oth-ei` translating devices.

The object of my invention is to provide a simplel and inexpensive switch of durable construction. The invention embodies novel features contributing to the effective operation of switches and including a novel type of operating magnet for the switch.

The various novel features of my inventiolr will be described in the specification and particularly set forth in the appended claims.

This invention is illustrated on the acceuipanying sheets of drawings in which Figure .i is a side elevation of a switch embodying iny invention, the switch as here shown being in ciosed position;

Figi? is a front elevation of saine;

Fig. 3 is adetaii sectionai view of a: socket tor the reception of knife blade contacts of a blow-out magnet used in connection with the switch; and,

Fig 4L is a side eievation of the saine switch as shown in Fig. if, the switch being in open position.

Mounted upon any suitable base l0, is the ifi-anic il oinagnetic material of a magnet i2.V This traine, which has three iegs 13, Mc, sedile, is secured to the base by bolts 16, and has a projection i7 which acts as a stop. 'Bie magnet i12* is provided with an actuatwinding 18' which surrounds the middle ieg or core il: and is adapted to attract a' itch actuating member 19. This switch actuating member comprises two members 2G and 2i, each of which is pivotaiiy connected to tbe frame il, as vindicated at 22. and 1proviced with armatures 23 and 24 respectively, these individual armatures or armature portions beingl integrai with the i'uenibers on which they are mounted', as in dicated in the drawings.,A The part 20 of the ntch actuating member is provided with a gin :25, which slides in s siot 26 of the other f1.1 of the actuating member. The part Q0 of the actuating member also hasa projection 27, which is adapted to engage the projection 17 to limit the'inovexnent of said part. The part 2i of the actuating member likewise has a' projection Q71, which is adapted to engage the projection 17 to limit the movement ot" said part. The two parts 2G, Ql'are relatively movable and when in open position with 'the projections 27, 271, against the stop projection i?, the pin is slightly spaced from the upper end of the slot 26., This switch actuating member is provided with these two reiativeiy movable parts so that only a comparatively small or decreased amount of current will be required to draw the armatures '23 and 2e of said switch actuating meinberinto contact with their corre spending engaging faces or surfaces 28 and 29 respectively of the eiectromagnet. By means ot this arrangement the air gap between the armature 23 and its corresponding attracting; member is nurterialig7 decreased from that ot' the orcinary arrangenientand a steady and gradual puii off the switch actuating nieinber is thus obtained. This is ai )arent from the drawings where it is seen yhat after part 2O has been drawn toward he iixed ci* the magnet a siight amount the pin of said part engages the part 2l giving this part an initiai startj decreasing its gap and inairing the puii ci? the magnet steady graduai. portion of the members 2i adjacent the armature 1portion 23 oi the member 2G is preiferabiy oit such formation as to cor-.ie into substantiai engage nient throughout with the rear tace of they armature portiony when both armature portions are attracted positioii.-..as indi cated in l? effect of which. in this iattei1 'condition oit the rts, is ,to complete a. series inegi circa t through the polar portion 28 of d c core, armature, portion 25%,

and'7 to extent, the side pieces of the member 20 surrounding; the adjacent oortion oiftiie member 2l, and me er 2l? armature. portion 24. and @oder portion 29 of the i it wiii be apparent that there may 'be a piuraiity oi galos in this magnetic circuit and that the eiiect oi movement or" the armature portion, 23 toward its cooperative pois? portion "of the core is to decrease the reinctance of the series magnetic circuit and thus increase the attractive torce exerted on eaciiff 'armature portion. c

Mounted in the .lower :portion or" the ac.y

tuating member 19 is the main brush contact 29a, preferably laminated, and adapted to engage a stationary contact 30, which 1s located at the end of support 31', the latter being secured to the base 1() by bolts Clamped into contact with the brush 29a 1s a conductor 33, which is connected to a .stud 3i, the latter forming one of the ternunals of the switch. Located at the other end of the switch actuating member 19 is an auxiliary contact 35, which is adapted to engage, with a wiping action, a relatively stationary contact member 36. This contact member is secured to a spring pressed mem ber 36u, which is pivotally mounted, as shown at 37. rIhe main contacts are arranged horizontally, breaking vertically, and the auxiliary contacts are arranged vertically, breaking horizontally. These contacts are placed at opposite ends of the switch actuating member 19, with the auxiliary contacts above'the main contacts in order to prevent any damage, which might occur to the main contacts due to. arcs formed when the auxiliary contacts are separated.

In order to destroy arcs formed at the auxiliary contacts when the circuit is broken, a. blowout magnet 38 is employed. The coil 4of this magnet is wound ona spool 39- and its ends terminate in knife blade contacts 40 and il respectively, which are adapted to Ltit in contact sockets 42 and 42a, as shown 1n cross section in Fig. 3. The contact sockets are suitably Inpunted, the socket 42a being integral with or connected to a support 45, to which the contact carrying member 3Ga is pivoted, and which is secured to the 'base 10 by a bolt 46, and the socket 42 being mounted separately or insulated from the support 45 and being suitably connected to the line terminal. 47. By using a construction such as this, the blow-out magnet is efficiently supported in operative position and can-be removed rapidly at any time simply by drawing out the same with its knife blade contacts from the contact sockets 42 and 42u. It is thus seen that no screw connections are used and that the blowout magnet can be removed rapidly without the use of any instruments. This blow-out magnet is provided as usual With poles 50 and 51, which are so located that the iux between them is directly in the path of arcs formed when the circuit through the auxiliary contacts is broken.

The switch circuits will now be traced. i

Current enters at the plus terminal 47, and passes through contact socket 42, knife blade 4:0, blow-out coil, knife blade 41, and contact socket 42a. At this point, the circuit divides, one branch including bolt 46, conductor 4:8, bolt 32, support 31, contact 30,

I ,brush 29?, conductor 33, and the minus terminal 34. The other branch includes conductor 49, contact carrying member 36, auxiliary contact members 36 and 35, part 21 of the actuating member 19, conductor33 and minus terminal 34.

IVhile, strictly speaking, each of the portions 23 and 24 constitutes an armatureas to itscoperative 'polar portion of the core, it will be apparent that these armature portions along 'with the connection of magnetic materia-l between the same may quite accurately bevconsidere'd as the armature of the 'electromagnetas a whole, that is, considering the armature as the movable part which is actuated to attracted position through magnetic effects produced therein and completes the normal magnetic circuit of the electromagnet.

It is evident that several modifications of the precise form and arrangement herein shown and described may be made and in my claims I intend to cover. the invention broadly.

Vhat Iclaim as new is:

1. In combination, a switch, and an electromagnet for actuating said switch, said electroma et comprising coperative fixed and mova le parts, the movable part of said electromagnet comprising two pivotally mounted and relatively movable armature portionsmovable about the same axis and engageable with separate spaced polar portions of the fixed part ofsaid electromagnet, and Said spaced polar portions being in series in the normal magnetic circuit of said electromagnet.

2. In combination in an electromagnetically-actuated switch, an operating electromagnet comprising lixed and movable parts of magnetic material, said fixed part comprising polar portions magnetically in series in the normal magnetic circuit of said electromagnet, and said movable part comprising a plurality of pivotally mounted and relatively movable armature portions of magnetic material coperative with said polar portions of said fixed part and magnetically in series with each other in the normal magnetic circuit of said magnet, each of said armature portions being movable about its axis to attracted position, and one of said armature portions being more readily actuated toattracted position than a second' armature portion and assisting in the actuation of said second armature portion to attracted position by decreasing the reluctance of the magnetic circuit ot said electromagnet.

3.V In a switch, a magnetic element and a Winding therefor, a movable element coniprising two pivotally mounted and relatively movable parts each having a portion of magnetic material forming an armature normally spaced from and cooperative with a polar portion of said magnetic element, said armature portions in attracted position being magnetically in series and in unattracted position being spaced diiferentdistances from the coperative polar portions of said magnetic element, and the armature portion nearest its cooperative polar portion being first moved to attracted position, and a connection between said relatively movable armature portions mechanically independent of said magnetic element whereby the armature portion nearest its coperative polar portion assists the other armature portion in its movement to attracted position.

4. In a switch, a magnetic element and a winding therefor, said magnetic element having tivo polar portions, and a movable element comprising two relatively movable parts each having a portion of magnetic material forming an armature coperative with one of said polar portions, said armature portionsbeing magnetically in series Whenl in engagement with the coperative polar portions, and said relatively movable parts of said movable element being pivotally mounted on a common axis and being movable in the same plane of movement.

5. In a switch, relatively movable contacts, a magnet comprising frame and armature of magnetic material, said frame including two spaced polar portions, anenergizing winding'for said magnet, said armature being movable and associated with said relatively movable contacts for causing same to function, said armature having polar portions normally separated from and movable to a. position directly in series with said 'polar portions of said frame to magnetically bridge same, and means for mounting said armature with one of its said polar portions at a distance from its corresponding frame polar portion different from that separating another of its said polar portions from its corresponding frame polar portion, said mounting permitting the exercise of the resulting magnetic bias tending to cause the engagementof the less spaced polary portions prior to that of the more separated polar portions.

6. In an electromagnetically operated device, an electromagnet comprisin frame and armature, 'an energizing Win ing for said magnet, said frame having a plurality of spaced nolar portions, saidlarmature comprising two polar portions mounted for relative angular movement about a common axis and for engagement directly in series with said frame polar portions, and means'for mounting said armature with its said polar portion nearest said axis spaced from its corresponding frame polar portion a distance less than that separating the remaining corresponding armature and frame polar portions, said mounting pernntting :the exercise of the resulting magnetic bias armature portions each of which is movable about its axis ot' movement into engagement with one of the polar portions of said core on energization of said magnet, said arma ture portions being connected through magnetic material, and being in series in the normal magnetic circuit of said electromagnet, and one of said armature portions being more readily attracted to its cooperative polar portion of the core on energization of said magnet 'whereby the attraction ofthe other armature portion of its cooperative polar portion of the core is assisted through a decrease in thereluctance of the magnetic circuit of said magnet.

8. In an electromagnetically-actuated controllin device, an electromagnet comprising a coreghaving a plurality oi polar portions magnetically inseries in the normal magnetic circuit of the magnet, an energizing Winding for said core, and a plurality of relatively movable armature portions each of which is angularly movable about its axis of movement into engagement With one of the polar portions ciz said core on energization ofsaid magnet, magnetic material outside of said core connecting said armature portions magnetically in series in the normal magnetic circuit of said electromagnet whereby approach of one of said armature portions toward its cooperative polar por- ,tion on the core has the effect of varying the attractive torce exerted on the other armature portion through variation of the reluctance of the magnetic circuit of the electromagnet. v

9. In an electromagnetically actuated circuit-controlling device, an operating electromagnet comprising a core having a plurality of polar portions magnetically in series in the normal magnetic circuit of the core, and a plurality or" pivoted, relatively movable armature portions each of which coperates with one of the polar portions of said core, a pair of contacts 'the circuit-controlling operation of which is effected by one of said armature portions, and a connection between said armature portions external of said core and of good magnetic conductivity and in series with said armature portions in the normal magnetic circuit of said eleetromagnet whereby approach of one of said armature portions toward its cooperative polar porlll) Correction in Letters PatentNo. 1,3()9'822.,

tion on the core causes an increase in the attractive force exerted on the other armature portion.

10. In combination, a magnet having spaced polar portions, an armature having a polar face of constant form during its cycle of operation and adapted to coperate with one of saidl'spaced vpolar portions and another polar face adapted to cooperate with another of said spaced polar portions, said polar faces being magnetically in series and carrying substantially the entire eiective flux produced by said magnet when the armature is in fully attracted position, and means for causing one of said polar faces to engage its coperating polar portion before the other polar face engages its cooperating polar portion.

11. In combination, a magnet having spaced polar portions, an armature having a polar face of constant form during its cycle of operation for cooperating with one of said polar portions and another polar face for cooperating with another of said polar [ann] portions, and means for causing one of said polar faces to engage its coperating polar portion before the other polar face engages its co ratin polar portion.

12. n comllnn'ation, a magnet having spaced polar portions, an armature having a polar face of constant form during its cycle of operation for coperating with one of said polar portions and another polar face for coperating with another of said polar portions, eaoh polar face having substantially the same area as its coperatlng polar portion, and means for causing one of said polar faces to engage its cooperating polar portion before the other polar face engages its co rating polar portion.

Milwaukee, isconsm, August 26, 1910.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

HALFDAN A. STEEN.

lt is hereby certied'that in LettersPatent No.-1,309,822, granted July 15, 1919-, upon the application of Halfdan A. Steen, of Milvvauke, Wisconsin, for` an im-- provement-in l"Switchesj an error appears inthe printed specification requiring p correction as followsz-Page 3,.li11e 87, clain 7, for the word of readto; and

that the said Letters PatentA be'v redn'with thiscorrection therein that the same may conform tothev record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed lgth'day of August, A. D., 1919.

J. T. NEWTON, Commissioner of Patente.

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