US1613266A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

F. F. DORSEY ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Sept. 24, 1924 11mm 511mm:

Patented Jul. 4; 1927.

qUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FABNUIIF. DORSEY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR TO NORTH EAST ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed September 24, 1924. Serial No. 739,726.

One object of this invention is to produce a sim 1e and inexpensive but eflicient switch, in W ich the contact-members are so arranged that no current passes through the springs by which the contact-members are held in engagement with eachother. other object of the invention is to produce a switch in which several circuits may be opened and closed simultaneously by the same contact-member. A third object of the invention is to provide a snap action in the switch without complicated or expensive devices for this purpose.

Other objects of the invention, and the features of construction and arrangement by which these various objects are attained, will. be set forth hereinafter in the description of the illustrated embodiment of the invention.

In the accompanying drawin s Fig. 1 is a side-elevation of a switch embodying the present invention, shown. partially in section on the line 11 in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional frontelevation of the switch, on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, looking toward the rear. Fig. 3 is a rear-elevation of the switch, and Fig. his a sectional detail-view on the line 4.-4 in Fig. 3.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in aswitch suitable for use on a motor vehicle to control the lighting circuits and the ignition circuit. The switch comprises a cylindrical sheet-metal housing 5, to the front of which is attached a face-plate 6 so that the switch may be mounted flush in the instrument-board of a vehicle in the usual manner. The lighting circuits are con.- trolled by a lever 7 at the front of the switch, while the ignition circuit is controlled through a lock operated by a removable key 8.

The rear-end of the housing 5 is closed by a disc 9 of insulating material, which constitutes a base for the fixed contact-members. The fixed contact-members by which the lighting circuits are controlled comprise a series of plates 10, 11 and 12 arranged eonrentrieally. Between these contact-plates are two plates 13 which are dead, that is to say, they are not connected with any circuits, but serve merely as resting points for the movable contact-member when the circuits are all open. The movable contactmember is in the form of a sheet-metal late or arm 14, of a generally triangular orxn,

which is perforated at one corner to pivot loosely upon a stud 15 fixed at the center of the fixed cmduct-members. The contact-arm 14 swings around the pivot-stud 15, and is provided with two fingers 16 which co-operate with the fixed contacts and the dead plates 13. The contact-plates and the dead plates are fixed to the base by means of rivets, and the heads of these rivets, as shown particularly in Fig. 1, are of aconvex rounded form. The fingers 16 are of such width that theyrest between the two rivets on the contact-plates with which they are engaged, while the lateraledges of the fingers are slightly u'p-turned or beveled, so that they may ride over the heads of the rivets when the switch is moved.

The switch-lever 7 is provided with a stem 17, which is journaled, coaxially with the contact arm 14, in front and rear bearings provided, respectively, in the front of the switch and in a bearing-plate 18 mounted within the housing. At the inner end of the stem an arm 19 is fixed, and this arm carries a rearwardly projecting pin 20 surrounded by a coiled spring 21. Upon the front of the contact-arm 14 is fixed a piece of sheet insulating material 22, which is perforated to receive the rear end of the pin 20', and the contact-member is also perforated to receive the pin. As shown in Fig. 1, the pin engages only the edge of the insulating material, and does not contact with the metal of the contact-arm.

The spring 21 presses against the insulator 22, and since its point of engagement therewith is intermediate the pivot 15 and the fingers 16, it acts to press the arm rearwardly at these three points. The pivotstud 15 may be utilized as a terminal of the switch, preferably connected to the batteryor other source of current, and thus the current will be conducted from this point through the arm to the two contact-plates with which it is in engagement. As shown in the drawings, the fingers 16 rest against the .dead plates and the circuits are open. If the lever 7 be moved to the right, however, the fingers 16.will first ride up over the rivet-heads, this movement being permitted byaslight compression of the spring 21. They will then snap into position between the rivet-heads on the contact- plates 10 and 11, thus closin the two circuits which may be connected with these plates.

hen the lever T is moved to the left. a also as the base-members of the binding similar action occurs, the circuits controlled by the plate. 11 and 12 being closed in this case.

The ignition switch operates in a substantially similar manner, though as shown it controls only one circuit. It comprises two co'ncentrically arranged plates 23 and 2d, the plate 23 being dead while the plateQd is adapted to be connected with the ignition circuit. The movable contact-member 25 is in the form of an arm loosely pivoted on the stud 15. An insulator 26 is mounted between flanges 27 on the contact-arm. The extremity of the arm is formed as a contactlinger 28 similar to the fingers 16 on the member 14. A lock 29 of ordinary form is fixed between the plate 18 and the front of the switch, and the barrel of the lock is provided, at its inner-end, with an arm 80 carrying a rearwardly projecting pin 31. A coiled spring 32 surrounds this pin, and the pin and the spring engage the insulator 26 so as to press and move the contact-arm 25 without conductive engagement therewith.

The switch base 9 is tixed in place upon two screw-threaded studs 33, which are lixed in the front of the switch and extend rearwardly therefrom. These studs also pass through the plate 18, and the several parts are suitably spaced by means of bushings 3t and 36, while they are tixed in place by nuts 35 threaded on the studs. A third stud 37 at the top or" the switch is used to hold the plate 1'8 in place. Owing to the presence of the contact-members at the top of the switch'this stud cannot be extended through the base 9, but the latter is held in place, at the top, by means of an inwardly pressed lug 38 on the housing, which engages a bevelled notch in the edge of the base. In assembling the switch the upper ed e of the base may first be put in place behind the lug 38, and the lower part of the base may then be engaged with the studs and secured thereon.

In order that the pivot-stud may be used as a terminal it is provided with a bindingpost 39 at the back of the base. The contactp'late 2% is also connected with a bindingport 40 by means of rivets passing through the base.

A feature of the invention resides in the formation of the contact-plates l0, l1 and "i as inte ral parts at the binding-posts by which i are connected with their re- 31 'T H 1 J11. )tt'lHtf ncuns. .-.-c tins end each 01 these t i b l rearwardly bent en- .u v. .r

t tntoagn an opening w l v c s- 2. e ii and .ided with oindinga wire thereto. By A is and connections in tie are avoided at thes electric circuit points. and the construction 15 simplified and cheapenett since the contact-plates serve posts.

It will be apparent that the elements of the switch just described are few and inexpensive in number, and that they may be readily assembled. 4

In all parts of the swit'ch'the current passes only through rigidcontactnnemhers, while at the same time the tirm engagement of these members is assured by the use of springs, and the engaging surfaces are wide and are kept clean by their sliding movement over each other. The initial resistance to movement due to the rounded rivet-heads causes the movements of the switch to occur rapidly, with a snap, thus minii'nizing arcing between the members.

The invention claimed is:

1. A switch comprising: a base of insulating materal'; a central contact-member and a concentric series of contact-plates mounted on said base; a contact-arm loosely pivoted upon the central contact-member and having two engaging portions formed to rest simultaneously on two of the con tact-plates; and means tor swinging the contact-arm about its pivotal support and for simultaneously pressing it toward the base at a point intermediate its three points of contact.

2. A switch comprising: a baseot insu-- lating material; a central contact-member and a concentric series of contact-plates mounted on said base; a contact-arm in the form of a plate loosely pivoted on the central contact-member and having two fingers adapted to rest simultaneously on two of the contact-plates and to span an intermediate plate; a manually operable member arranged to turn on an axis normal to the base; and means projecting from the manually operable member and connected mechanically with, but insulated from, the con tact-arm at a point intermediate its three contact-points, said means including a spring to press the swinging contact-arm toward the base.

8. A switch comprising: a base; a central contact-member and a series of concentric contact-members mounted on the base; a contact-arm loosely pivoted, at one extremity, on the central contact-member and adapted, at another extremity, to engage one or another c1- said contact-plates; an insulator the contact-arm between said e mities; and manually operable means-en ing said insulator and adapted to swing contact-arm thereby, and simultaneously to press against the insulator so as to maintain the contactnrm in engagement with the fixed contacts.

switch comprising": a base; central contact-nember and series of concentric contact-n mbers thereon; a contact-arm loosely voted on the central contactqnem ill) lier, at one point, and adapted at another point to engage with the concentric contactinen'lbers; a manually operable member arranged to turn on an axis substantially nor.- mal to the base and provided with an eccentrieally mounted pin projecting toward the contact arm; an insulator fixed on the contact-arm and perforated to receive said pin; and a spring coiled around said pin 10 and pressing against the insulator.

5. A switch comprising: a base; contactplates mounted thereon; rivets securing the plates to the base and having convex heads pro ecting beyond the surfaces of the plates;

at spring-pressed contact-finger arranged to 5 FARNUM F. DORSEY.

Images