US1475667A - Rheostat - Google Patents

Description

Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

winmx s'run'r wnBsrEn, or BRIGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

nnnos'rnr. l

Application Med November 20, 1920. Seriallo. 425,371.

yfor an object thereof to provide a device of this character which will permit better ventilation than is possible with rheostats now known.

Another structural advantage of my invention resides in the dual function of the pins, the pins acting both as supports for the wire winding-and as contacts.

With-the above neral objects in view and others which wille obvious to those skilled in the art from the description hereinafter, In invention consists in the features, details ofy construction and combination of parts which will rst be described in connection with the vaccompanying drawings and then particularly defined in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus, parts being in section, and

Figure 2 is a plan view of the lower side of the rheostat.

Two l insulating discs 1, 2, are held in spaced relation by means of shoulders 3, 3, formed on the spindle bearing 4. Adjacent the periphery of each of these discs is a series of escutcheon pins 5, and the resistance wire 6 is progressivel laced between the two discs, passing un er the heads of the escutcheon pins. The pins also act as contact members.

The discs and the resistance wire winding carried thereby, may be secured to a micarta panel 7 by any desirable means such as by screws (not shown) passing through the upper disc andinto the panel, spaclng washers 8 surrounding the screws. If desired, spacing members 9 may also be inserted between the discs.

A spindle 10 passes through the spindle' vbearing 4 and (panel 7, and secured thereto at its upper en is a pointer 11 .and an ordihard rubber operating knob 12.

11B/ w ashers 13 are mounted on the lower portion of the spindle which may be reduced as shown, and between these washers the contact brush 14 is positioned. A nut 15 secures these members in place.

The terminals of the rheostat are indicated by numerals 16 and 17, a flexible metallic conductor 19 connecting the latter terminal with the brush. Numeral 18 refers to blank contacts.

The o eration of the device will be obvious. y rotating the operating knob 12 the brush 14 will be caused to travel over -the contact pins1andcut in the desired amount of resistance, the pointer 11 indicating the position of the brush.

A rheostat of the character described is I very compact and permits splendid ventilation -thereby preventing undue heating.

While I have shown and described only one contact brush and that located on the under side of the apparatus, it will be apparent, of course, that, with slight modifications in the mode of attaching the rheostat to the panel, the brush could be positioned on the upper side of the rheostat, or if desirable, two brushes may be used, one on each side. By such an arrangement finer adjustments could be obtained as it would be possible to secure contact at each half turn of wire. l y

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A rheostat including spaced members, resistance wire laced between but outside the peripheries of said members, and means for holding said resistance wire in place.

2. A device of the character described including spaced discs, resistance wire laced between said discs, and conductive means ixed'to said discs over which said Wire is uninterruptedly laced.

3. A device of the character described including spaced discs, resistance wire laced `between but outside the peripheries of said discs, and a rotatable brush for variably utilizing the resistance of said wire.

4. A rheostat including spaced members having contact pins arranged adjacent the peripheries of said spaced members, resistance wire laced between the spaced members and around the pins, and a movable brush for making a, variable connection with the p 5. A device of the character described including spaced discs, contact pins arranged adjacent the peripheries of said discs, resistance wire laced between the discs and around the pins, the pins acting both as an electrical connection and as a support for the wire, and a rotatable brush for making a variable connection with the ins.

6. A rheostat including a spmdle, means for rotating the spindle, a bearing for the spindle, said bearlng rovided with shoulders, discs carried by t e bearing and spaced by said. shoulders, contact pins arranged adjacent to the peripheries of the discs, resistance wire progressively laced between said discs and around the contact pins. a brush carried by the spindle for making a variable contact with the pins, and a. flexible metallic conductor connecting the brush with one of the rheostat terminals.

7. A rheostat including spaced members, a continuous wire of uniform resistance laced between said members, and means for utilizing each turn of said lacing as a progressive step in the resistance characteristics of said rheostat.

8. A rheostat including spaced members, a continuous uniform resistance wire uniformly laced between said members, and means for utilizing each section of said lacing as a resistance element in a rheostat of uniformly progressive characteristics.

9. A rheostat comprising spaced rows of conductive elements and a length of resistance wire uninterruptedly laced between the elements of said rows and in electrical contact therewith.

10. A device of the character described comprising spaced rows of conductive elements and resistance wire stretchedly laced between the elements of said rows and in contact therewith.

11. A rheostat comprising spaced rows of elements supporting resistance wire uninterruptedly laced therebetween, a movable contactor to progressively make Contact with any desired number of said elements cooperatively arranged to conduct electrical currents from said wire to said contactor.

W. STUART WEBSTER.

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