US1717729A - Gang-operated disconnecting switch - Google Patents

Description

June 18, 1929. H. w. MORREALL GANG OPERATED DISCONNECTNG SWITCH Filed 0G12. 20, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet June 18, 1929. v H. w. MORREALL y 1,717,729

GANG OPERATED DISCONNECTING SWITCH (gw/pente@ H orfealfl Patented .lune 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES HERBERT VJ. MORREALL, OF PINE GROVE, PENNSYLVANIA.

GANG-OPERATED DISCONNECTING SWITCH.

Application filed October 20, 1925. Serial No. 63,758.

This invention relates to an improved gang operated disconnecting switch and seeks, among other objects, to provid-e a switch of this character having superior' mechanical strength, and wherein the current conducting parts of the switch will be effectually insulated.

The invention seeks, as a further object, to provide a switch embodying a novel operating shaft incorporating a number of insulating units, and wherein the length of the shaft may, within reasonable limits, be increased to accommodate additional switch blades without mechanically weakening the shaft.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a novel mounting for `the switch blades whereby the blades may be angularly ad# justed with respect to the operating shaft, and wherein improved stationary tern'linals will be provided to coact with the switch blades.

@ther objects of the invention not previously specifically mentioned will appear in the course of the following description.

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of my improved switch,

Figure 2 is a plan view,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the construction of the operating shaft of the switch as well as the mounting of the switch blades,

Figure 4l is a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows,

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 6 6 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows,

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 7 7 of Figure 7, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing the fixed terminals employed to cooperate with the switch blades,

Figure 7 is an end view of the structure shown in Figure 11, and

Figure 8 is an end elevation showing a slightly modified form of switch.

ln carrying the invention into effect, I employ a supporting structure including spaced upright-s 10, and extending between the upper ends of said uprights are spaced cross beams 11. Mounted on said cross beams are spaced insulating posts, each of which is formed of sections 12, 18 and let respectively. These sections are fianged at their confronting ends and are bolted together, while the section 12 of each of the posts is similarly secured to a bottom plate 15 spanning the beams 11. Securing the plate 15 to the beams are bolts or other fastening devices 16 extending between the beams and engaged at their lower ends with anchoring plates 17 overlying the lower edges of the beams.

The sections 12 and 13 of the posts are of insulating material and provide insulating units electrically isolating the sections 14 which are of metal and are provided with bearings 18. Rising from the end portions of the beams 11 in alignment with the insulating posts are end posts 19 of metal. These posts are provided with base flanges 2() resting on the beams, and extending through said flanges are securing bolts 21 engaged with anchoring plates 22. Bolted to the longer lower sections of the posts are short upper sections 23, which are provided with bearings 24, and journaled through the bearings 18 and 24 of all of the posts is an operating shaft. i

The operating shaft is composed of end sections 25, intermediate sections 26 and insulator sections 27 forming insulating units interposed between the other sections. Removably keyed on the ends of the sections 26, as shown in Figure 3, are collars 28 also preferably se` cured by set screws 29. These collars mate with flanges 30 on the adjacent insulator sections 27, and extending through the collars and said flanges are bolts 31 rigidly .but detachably securing the parts together. The sections 27 are secured together and to the .sections 25 of the shaft .by similar mating flanges 32 and bolts 33. Thus, as will be seen, the shaft may be made any reasonable length desired by inserting additional sections while, since only a torsional strain will be imposed 'on ths insulator sections, the operating shaft will not, by being thus lengthened, be appreciably weakened. The sections 25 and 26, are of metal to cooperate with the bearings 18 and 24 and, as will be perceived, the sections 27 are arranged to effectively insulate the sections 25 and 26 with respect to each other.

Fitting at their inner ends over the bearings 18 ofthe insulating posts are inverted channel shaped switch blades 3&1 having side flanges apertured to accommodate the shaft sections 26. In the present instanceI have shown the use of three insulating posts on the cross beams 11 and three switch blades, but of course, the number' of insulating posts and switch blades employed maybe varied to meet the requirements of any particular installation. Fitting the shaft sections 26 to overlie the side flanges ofthe switch blades are pairs of collars 3S secured to said shaft sections by set screws 37 and provided, as shown in Figure 4, with elongated inner end 'flanges 38. Formed in said flanges near the ends thereof, are arcuate slots 39, and extending through the side flanges 35 of the switch blades freely through said slots, as shown in Figure 5, are bolts 40. Thus, the switch blades may be swingingly adjusted with respect to the shaft, when the nuts of thebolts 40 may be tightened for clamping the blades in adjusted position and rigidly connecting the blades with the shaft.

Arranged forwardly of the uprights 1G, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, are spaced uprights 41, like the former uprights, andextendingbetween the upper ends of the uprights 41 are spaced cross beams 42. Mountedon said cross beams are insulating posts each of which is formed of sections 43, 44 and 45 respectively. The sections 43 are formed ofmetal and are secured to the cross beams by bolts 44 in a manner similar to the mounting of the posts 19.A At their confronting ends, all of the sections are provided with mating anges 47 detachably bolted together,

and formed on the upper ends of the sectionsl 45 of all of the posts are similar flanges 48; The sections 45 carry the fixed terminals employed to Cooperate lwith the switch blades. Each ofthese terminals includes a base plate 49 which, as shown in Figures 6 and, 7, is bolted to the flanges 48 ofone ofsaid insulator sections, and rising from said base plate are spaced arms 50 at right angles to which are spaced upstanding stop. members 51. Supported by the arms 50 is a pair of companion shoes 52 provided near their lower ends with mating ears 53 projecting between the arms to receive a pivotbolt 54 extending through said ears and the arms vfor swingingly mounting the shoes. The shoes are arranged in opposed relation and at their inner sides carry lugs 55 over which is engaged a spring 5G pressing the shoes apart to normally seat at their lower ends against the stop member 51. Thus, the stop members limit the shoes intheir spreadingmovement, so that when the switch blades 34 are sw ing down, the side flanges 35 of said blades will ride over the shoes of the several pairs to wipe said shoes andswing the shoes of each pair towards each other. Accordingly, the spring 55 will be tensioned to tightly press the shoes againstfth-e side flanges of the blades so that etiicient electrical Contact will be had between the shoes and the blades when the switchis closed."

Gonnectedto one ofthe end sections 25 of the operatingshaft is a` forwardly extending lever 57, and connectedto the otherof the end sections 25 of said shaft is a similar rearwardly directed lever 53. These levers are of inverted channel shape like the switch blades andare connected with said shaft sections by collars 59 identical with the collars 36, the

levers fitting over the bearings 24 of the post sections 23- Thus, the levers may be angularly adjusted with respect to the operating'shaft.

In Figure 8, I have illustrated a slight modification. Uprights are indicated at 131 and projecting laterally from said uprights are insulating posts 132and 133. The posts 132 support an operating shaft 134 having switch blades 135 to cooperate with fixed terminals on the posts 133. All of this structure is identical with the previous structure as first described but is mounted in a different position with respect to the uprights. Extending between the outer ends of the posts 132 and the uprights are insulating brace members 136 for the posts. These brace members are preferably composed of a plurality of suitable insulators detachablj7 connected with each other, the brace members being anchored attheir upper ends by brackets 137 and at their lower ends by rods 138 engaged with suitable ears 139 near the outer ends of the posts 132. Qtherwise, the modified structure is identical with the prior embodiment of the invention and further description is accordingly believed unnecessary.

In connection with the operating shaft' of my improved switch, it is desirable to point out that said shaft has rotative movement only and the entire mass being-close to the axis of rotation, the inertia in starting movement and the momentum to overcome in retarding are very small. Therefore, it'fellows that the stresses set up in starting and stopping are small. These features malte possible very high speed operation which is very desirable. Furthermore, it is to be notedi' that while I have shown insulating units of the bell type still, other suitable insulating units of greater mechanical strength may be substituted therefor, if found. desirable.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is: Y

1. In an electric switch the combination of a pivoted supporting member, a switch blade thereon, a coupler adjustably mounted upon the pivoted supporting` member, and means adjustably connecting the switch blade to the said coupler.

2. In anelectric switch the combination of a pivoted supportingmember, a switch blade thereon, flanged collars at the sides of the switch blade and having the latter adjustablv connected to the anges of the collars, and means adjustably connecting the collars to the pivoted supporting member.

3. In an electric switch the combination with a bearing and a shaft therein, of a switch blade on the shaft and engaging aside of the lie bearing, and a coupler secured to the shaft and switch blade.

el. In an electric switch the combination with a bearing and a shaft therein, of a switch blade on the shaft having portions engaging opposite sides of the bearing, of flanged collars secured to the shaft and switch blade at opposite sides of the bearing and acting to prevent endwise movement of the shaft.

5. An electric switch comprising a bearing, a switch blade havingportions embracing the bearing, a shaft passing through the said bearing and the portions of the switch blade embracing the bearing, flanged collars on the shaft adjacent the embracing portions of the switch blade, and means adjustably connecting the said collars to the shaft and switch blade.

6. A gang operated switch comprising metal bearings. a shaft including alternate metal and insulator sections, the metal sec tions being mounted lin the said bearings, switch blades on the metal sections of the shaft and having portions embracing the bearings and receiving the shaft, and iianged collars adjacent the portions of the switch blades embaeing the bearings and adjustably connected to said embracing portionsvand the metal sections of the shaft.

7. In an electric switch the combination of spaced Contact elements, a support therebetween and having the Contact elements independently pivoted thereto, a spring normally pressing the contact elements apart, and stops at the sides ofthe said support separate from the support and free from the Contact elements and disposed for engagement by the contact element to limit the outward movement of the said contact elements.

8. In a gang operated disconnecting switch, a base plate having upstanding arms and provided in angular relation to the arms with upstanding stop members, coacting contact shoes having ears accommodated between said arms, means extending through the ears and said arms pivotally mounting the shoes, a spring interposed between the shoes and pressing the shoes apart to normally engage said stop members, and a switch blade movable to engage over said shoes and shift the shoes toward each other to coact with the blade.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

HERBERT WV. MORREALL.

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