US1790330A - Centrifugal switch - Google Patents

Description

am; 21, 1931. y @E SMWH. v1,190,330

CENTRIFUGAL SWITCH Filed Deo. 15, 192e Patented Jani 27, `1931 UNITED STATES GLENN' E. SMITH, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA CENTRIFUGAL SWITCH Application le Decemberl, 1926. Serial No. 154,897.

My invention relates to speed warning devices designed for the purpose ofindicating to the driver of a motor car when he has reached a certain speed, a warning sound being made by the device when such speed is reached. It is quite common for a driver to be absorbed in thought or to have his attention on other things and to be driving faster and faster without being conscious of the fact. It is the main purpose of my invention to provide a simple, practical and eflicient device which will automatically indicate by an audible sound when a given or predeten mined speed has been reached so that the driver may be 4warned and will govern himself or herself accordingly.

Among other objects of my invention are: to provide a devicewhich can be sold as an accessory and which canbe quickly attached to a car without expensive adjustments or reconstructions; to provide a device which can be `coupled into the fiexible drive shaft of the speedometer without cutting the same or interfering with `the efiiciency of the speedometer; to provide a device which can be easily set for various speeds at which the warning sound will be given; to provide a device which will cease to give the warning sound after the predetermined speed has been reached and exceeded and, in general,

to provide an economical. device which can be adjusted `to any desired speed limit at which the warning is sounded and which automatically operates to draw the attention of *5 the driver to that fact.

In order to fully explain my invention, I have shown one practical embodiment thereof on the accompanying sheet of drawings, which I Will now describe.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of an instrument board of an automobile, with my invention shown in enlarged form, in section, to show the construction and arrangement 5 theeof and the connection of the drive shaft; I an Figure 2 is a detail view showing the adjusting mechanism on the side of the case 'of the device.

Referring now in detail to the drawings,

0 my invention as here shown for illustrative purposes, comprises a case or housing, 1, with removable cover, 2, a shaft 3, therein, with bearings 4, at its upper end, in said cover, 2, with coupling, 5, for coupling said shaft, 3, to the shaft, 6, of a speedometer, designated, 6', and indicated in light broken lines in an instrument board, 7, also indicated in light broken lines.

On the shaft 3, within said casing, 1, is a governor, designated as a whole, 8, of well known construction, but provided with a coiled spring, 9, on said shaft, 3, the lower end of which spring bears on the collar, 10, or' said governor, and the upper end of which spring bears against an adjustable collar, 11, adapted to be secured to the shaft 3, in diii'erent positions thereon for the purpose of regulating the tension of said spring, 9, and thus determining the expansion movement of said governor as it is driven by said shaft, 3. The lower end of said governor is provided with a conical or tapering member or part, 12, which moves along said shaft 3, as said governor expands and contracts, as will be understood from the-drawings. The lower end of the shaft 3, is provided with a bearing, 13, in' the lower end of the casing, 1, said shaft terminating in a square end3, for connection with a iiexible shaft, designated, 14, and representing the usual speedometer drive shaft. In the present construction, the short shaft, 3, within the case, 1, is interposed into said speedometer shaft, 14, said speedometer shaft simply being pushed down suiiciently to receive the case and the shaft 3 therein. The lcase is held in place by means. of a coupling member, or nurled collar, 15.

Mounted through a slot, 16, in the side of the case, 1, isa` sleeve, 17, on a face plate, 18, and through which face plate and sleeve is a plunger rod or contact member, 19, the inner end of which extends into the path of movement of the movable part, 12, so as to be engagedl thereby` and moved as said moyable part ,or member 12, moves up on sald shaft 3, as will beclear. The outer end of said rod or plunger, 19, is provided with a head or contact end, 20, adapted to engage and move a spring contact, 21, and move it into engagement With another contact member, 22, to which is connected a circuit Wire, 23, leading to a buzzer, or signal device, 24, the oppos1te side of which is connected by y circuit line 25, to the ammeter, designated 26,

in light lines on the instrument board, and thus completing a circuit to the ground.

The face plate, 18, is adjustable on the side of the case, 1, to move the plunger arm up or down, and is secured in adjusted positions by means of thumb screws, as 27. Said face plate is preferably beveled, as at 18, and can be provided with graduations, as 28, for indicating various speeds to which it can be set, so that Whenthe motor car is driven at a speed which moves the governor sufficiently to move the plunger rod 19, it will cause the operation of the signal device, in this c'ase being buzzer, 24.

Thus have provided a very simple and accurate speed Warning device including Within a case a revolving shaft with governor and a movable part operated by said governor with a signal operating element adapted to be engaged and moved by said part to cause the operation of the signal when a predetermined speed is reached, as

indicated by said governor, and While l have shown and described one practical embodiment of my invention, l am aware that changes in the details of construction and arrangement can be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention, and l do not, therefore, limit my invention to the showing made for illustrative purposes eX- cept as l may be limitedby the hereto appended claims.

1 claim:

ln a speed Warning'device of the character described havinga housing, a revolving governor therein with a supporting and drive shaft therefor and circuit contact elements on said housing, the combination therewith of a circuit breaker including a conical member on said drive shaft and movable by said governor longitudinally on said drive shaft, a rod supported at right angles to said drive shaft and extended into the path of a part of said conical member with its other end adapted to actuate said contact elements, means for adjusting said rod and contact elements together on said housing to move said rod laterally to dierent .positions relative to said conical member, said governor being adapted 'to move said conical member to engage and move said rod longitudinally to actuate said Contact elements.V

Signed at Pasadena, Los Angeles county, California, this 7th dav of December, 1926.

GLENN E. SMITH.

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