US1841519A - Switch mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Mum.

Jan. 19, 1932. B, H, BERKELEY 1,841,519

I SWITCH MECHANISM Filed May 19, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES: INVENTOR A'TToRNEY Byron H.BerkeZe Jan. 19, 1932. B. H. BERKELEY SWITCH MECHANISM Filed May 19. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 4.

V J m k T P W 8 V m H n O r m WITNESSES:

ATTRNEY Patented Jan. 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE BYRON n. BERKELEY, E wn-xmsnuae, maintain?Aims, ASSIGNOB. '10 WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC & fmAnurAc'runme COMPANY, A CORPORATION or PENNSYL VANIA swrron MECHANISM Application filed Kay 19,

My invention relatesto switch mechanisms and particularly to switch mechanisms for controlling current supplied to the heating elements of electric ranges, ovens, etc.

One object of my invention is to provide a switch mechanism wherein the usual loadchanging switch is used in combination with a contactor switch or circuit breaker that is controlled by a switch actuatedby the. load changing switch mechanism.

Heretofore,the usual load-changing switch for controlling the current supplied to heating elements, served to interrupt the circuit. It has been found that the service is too severe for [the usual load-changing switch of the rotary snap-action type, the contacts of the switch being rendered inoperative by. reason offrequent burning and disconnectin switch.

Another 0 ject of my invention is to provide a switch having the above-noted characteristics,wherein the control switch for the contactor switch or circuit breaker may be mounted upon a standard load-changing or disconnect switch of the rotary snap-action lilly invention contemplates the application of the control switch mechanism to a loadchanging or disconnect switch of the rotary snap-action type such as is disclosed in a copending application, now Patent Number 1,678,856, filed March 10, 1922 by Frank F. Forshee, Current indicating and illuminating means for electric ranges and assigned to the W. E. & M. Company.

These and other objects will be made apparent throughout the further description of my invention hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view of a rotary snap switch with the cover and operating handle removed;

1 tacts of the first-mentioned grou and 1927. Serial No. 192,578.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section throug the switch shown in Figure 1,

Figs. 3 and 4 are bottom plan views of the control switch mechanism showing the control switch in closed and open positions, respectively, and 1 Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of parts of the switch mechanism shown iirFigs. l to 4, with a diagram illustrating the wiring connections.

- Referring to the drawings, the rotary snap switch comprises an insulating base 6 upon which an operating shaft 7 is rotatably mounted. Contact members 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 are mounted upon the insulating base, the first three being mounted in one plane. and the latter three in another plane in such manner that a contact member 14 having contact fingers 15, 16 and 17 engages the cona contact member 18 having contact ' n ers 19, 21 and 22 engages the contact mem ers of the second group. I

The contact jaws 8 and 11 are connected by a conductor 23. The contact members 14 and 18, are insulated from each other, but

are connected in such manner that they move together when actuated by a coil spring I 24 that is attached at one end to an operating handle 25 that is fixed to the shaft 7,. and at the other end to a bracket attached to the switchmembers.

' A releasable latch'mechanism, not shown) serves to retain the switch mem ers in any of their operative positions, until the shaft 7 has been rotated through substantially at which time the latch releases the switch members and permits the spring 24 to rotate them into their next operative position which is determined by a stop, (not shown).

Since the operating mechanism of rotary snap switches well known in the art, it is not believednecessary' to describe specific details thereof. No claim is made to this part of the switch apparatus.

Referring to the wiring diagram of Figure 5, it will be noted that the heating elements 27 and 28, which are of different heating capacities, are connected to the feed conductors 29 through the contact members 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, and associated conductors.

As shown in Fig. 5, the switch members 14 and 18 of the load-changing'or disconnecting switch are in the open position, wherein no currentpasses through the heating elements. Assuming that the contact elements 14 and 18 are turned through in a clock wise direction, it will be seen that contact fingers 16 and 17 will engage contact jaws 10 and 9, respectively, and that contact fingers 21, 22 and 19 of the switch member 18 will engage contact jaws 12, 11 and 13, respectively. lVhen the contact members 14- and 18 are in such position, current hows on conductor 29 through conductor 31 to contact jaw 9, contact linger 1'7, switch member contact fingers 16, contact jaw 10, conductor 2, terminal 33 of the heating coils 27 and 28, and through coil 27, conductors and 23, contact jaw 11, contact finger 22, switch member 18, contact linger 19, contact jaw 13,

conductor 35 to the other feed conductor 29.

Current also flows through the heating coil 28, through conductor 36, contact jaw 12, contact finger 21, switch member 18, contactfinger 19, contact jaw 13, conductor 35 to one of the feed conductors 29. Thus, both heating coils 27 and 28 are energized when the switch members 14 and 18 are in the position described, and maximum heat is generated.

It will be noted that rotation of the switch members 14 and 18 through an additional 90 causes a medium heating condition, wherein heat is conducted through the coil 27 only. A further rotation of the switch members 14 and 18 through 90 causes a lowheat condition, wherein the coils 27 and 28 are connected in series between the feed conductors 29.

The switch members 14 and 18 serve as load-changing or disconnect switches and do not function to interrupt the circuit. The circuit is interrupted by means ofa contactor switch 37 that engages contacts 38 and 39 connected in one of the feed conductors 29. The contactor switch 37 is actuated by an electromagnet coil 41 that is connected across the feed conductors 29 by conductors 42, control switch 43 having a movable contact 44 and a stationary contact 45. The contact 44 is connected to one of the feed conductors 29 by means of a conductor 46. When the control switch 43 is closed, the contactor switch coil 41 is energized and .the switch 37 is moved to closed position. When the control switch 43 is open, the contactor switch opens and interruptsthe circuit through the loadchanging or disconnect switch.

In order to cause the contactor switch or circuit breaker 37 to open the circuit, prior to each operation of the load-changing or disconnecting switch, the control switch mechanism disclosed in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 is provided.

does not interfere with The control switch mechanism comprises a flexible switch arm 47 that is secured at the end 48 to the inner side of the insulating base 6 and within the recess 49 provided therein. The switch arm carries the movable contact member 44, which engages the contact member 45, that is secured to the inner side of the insulating base, as shown in Fig. 2. The switch arm 47 is provided with a pair of notches 51 and 52 for receiving flexible latches 53 and 54, respectively. The latches 53 and 54 are provided with latch notches 55 and 56, respectively, which engage 2 10 adjacent ends of the notches 51 and 52 and serrc to retain the switch arm 47 in the open position shown in 4 and 5.

The flexible latches 53 and 54 are secured to the end-side of the insulating base 6 and are twisted so that they may be flexed later ally in a plane parallel with the bottom of the insulating base and flexed longitudinally at right angles to the bottom face of the insulating base for a purpose that will hereinafter appear.

An operating disc 57 is fixed to the inner end of the shaft 7 and is provided with four spaced pins 58, 59, 61 and 62 that successively engage the switch arm 47 and flex it to the open position shown in Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 5, the operating disc 57 is shown in the position it occupies when it has been turned clockwise through substantially 45, and wherein the pin 58 has flexed the switch arm 47 to its extremeopen position, and wherein the shoulder 63 of the latch 54 is moved inwardly and engages the corner 64 of the switch arm 47 and retains it in the open position. The switch arm 47 will be retained in open position until the free end of the pin 59 is moved across the cam 65 on the free end of the latch 54 and forces the latch away from the disc 57 a sufficient distance so that the shoulder 63 clears the corner 64 on the switch arm 47. The switch arm then is free to spring to closed position. During this latter movement of the pin 59, the pin 61 engages the edges of the latch 53 and flexes it towards the left sufiiciently to prevent the shoulder 66 thereof from engaging the corner 67 of the arm 47. Therefore, the latch 53 switch.

It will be noted that the latches 53 and 54 are counter-parts, and that the purpose of the latch 53 is to function similarly to the latch 54 when the disc 57 is rotated in a counterclockwise or reverse direction.

During the next movement of the switch members 14 and 18 in a clockwise direction to secure medium heat, the pin 59 will depress the switch arm 47 and the pin 62 will release it. i

The pins on the disc 57 are so positioned that they will cause the control switch 43 to open and to thereby open the contactor the operation of the switch 37 prior to the snap operation of the switch members 14 and 18 and to cause closureof the switch 47 just after the switch members 14 and 18 have been moved to their next succeeding operative position.

It will be apparent from the foregoing, that the contactor switch37 always interrupts the circuit prior to the operation of the load-changing or disconnecting switch and that the circuit is closed immediately after the said switch has been actuated. The control switch. is of such characteristics that it may be applied to any standard form of retary snap switch andespecially to a switch having a lost-motion connection between the operating shaft and the switch members.

WVhile I have illustrated and described but one embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a load-changing switch and an operating handle having a lost-motion connection thereto and adapted to move initially without effecting operationof the said switch, of a contactor switch for controlling the current through the load-' changing switch, and a control switch therefor actuated by the operating handle and 1 adapted to be actuated by initial movement of the operating handle for actuating the control switch rior to operation of the loadchanging switch 2. The combination with a disconnect switch and an operating member therefor having a 1ost-mot1on connection thereto and adapted to move initially Without effecting operation of the said switch, of a circuit breaker for controlling the current through the disconnect switch and a control switch therefor actuated by the operating member and adapted to be actuated by initial movement of the operating member for'actuating the control switch prior to operation of the disconnect switch. I

3. The combination witha rotary disconnect switch having a plurality of operative ositions, and an operating means therefor having a lost-motion connection thereto and adapted to move initially without effecting operation of the said switch for moving the switch to its operative positions with a snap action, of a circuit breaker for controlling the current through the disconnect switch and a control switch therefor actuated by the o erating means and ada ted to be actuated by initial movement the operating member for actuating the control switch prior to operation of the disconnect switch.

4. The combination with a rotary disconnect switch having a plurality of operative positions, and an operating means therefor having alost-motionconnection thereto and adapted to move initially without effecting operation of the said switch for moving the switch to its operative positions with a snap i action in response to a predetermined movement of the said means, of a circuit breaker for controllin the current through the disconnect s witc a control switch therefor comprising a movable contact actuated by the initial movement, of the operatin means, anda latch for releasably retaining t e movable contact in open position and releasable by the operating means after the latterhas moved a predetermined distance and after the disconnect switch has moved to an operat'ive position.

5. A control switch comprising a yieldingly mounted contact-member, a yielding latch member for retaining the contact member in one of its extreme positions, a second switch and an operating member therefor having amember for moving the contact member to the said extreme position and for releasing the latch when the operating mem- V ber has moved a predetermined distance.

6. A control switch comprising a yieldingly mounted contact member, a yielding latch member for retaining the contact member in one of its extreme positions, the said contact member having a notch for receiving the latch member, and the latch member having a notch for engaging the contact memher when in the notch of the contact member, a second switch and an operating member therefor having means for engaging the contact member and moving the contact memher to latched position and for moving the latch to releasing position when the operating means has moved a predetermined distance. I j

7. Switch mechanism comprising a rotatable shaft, a contact member, a switch member mounted thereon and relatively movable with respect thereto and movable into and out of engagement with the contact member, a second movable switch member, a latch for releasably retaining it in one position and means carried by the shaft and movable therewith for'consecutively actuating the said second switch member, and the said ;rlatch.

able into and out of engagement with the contact member with a snap action in response to a predetermined relative movement of the shaft, a second movable switch memher, a latch for releasably retaining it in one position and meanscarried by the shaft and movabletherewith for consecutively actuating the said second switch member and the said latch, the said latch being released after the shaft has caused movement of the first switch members. 9. A control switch com rising a movable contact member, a pair f releasable latch 5 members for selectively retaining the contact member in one osition and a rotatable operating member aving means for actuating the contact member and the said latches, one of the said latches being operative to retain the contact member when the operating member is turned in one direction and the other being operative to retain the contact member when the operating member is turned in the opposite direction and both of the latches being actuated to release the contact member when the operating member is turned a predetermined distance.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this eleventh day of May, 1927.

BYRON H. BERKELEY.

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