US2473845A - Control apparatus - Google Patents

Description

June 2l, 1949. H. F. BARSUN 2,473,845

CONTROL APPARATUS Filed July 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ffy.; 2

WITNESSES: INVENTOR Herman/F'arsa/z ATTORNEY June 21, 1949. H. F. BARsuN CONTROL APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 20, 1945 INVENTOR Herma/7 3a/1mm BY M f.

ATTORNEY WITNESSES: 65M

Patented J une 21,

2,473,845 CONTROL.A1PAIti\1lli5E Herman .F.Barsunl Sharon, Paaassignonto Westf.

ingh'ouse El'e'ctric Corporationnllasis Pittsburgh.

Pat, acorporatio'no Pennsylvania I Application July. 20e-1945, Seriali-No.' 608,1205

6 Claims.'4 (Cl. '14e-540)?- This invention relates .to electrical;circuitconf'. trolling switch devices,

mechanism associated'.

and,A particularly, to safetii.. ti'ierewith` .to preventunf.

authorized or unintended operaonoi the switch device.

In many types of. apparatus .where it. is,neces. sary to operate. internal .equipment from an opere ating handle on .the .outsi necessary to locate and de of the4 ease. it is .often is the load center power .transformer where an" externally operated handlelis used vto control a.

disconnect switch'inside For this application',

practice to use a spring the case.. it has. been conventionalf biased l"stop 'pin v:which l5 gives positive engagementiwithtwo or three holes in a stop plate,- depending upon the number pf positions in which 1t `is desired to ioclC'the switch device. At presentato sure "until operate such'a switch it is'y necessary to pull the pin against the-springpres- 20 it is disengaged"fr`om-the mole; and

then while still holding thapininfthefree posi tion, to operate the -switch bynthe handid Asthis procedure is'awkwardfand oftenfdiiiieultfa mechanism in `accordance fw'ith the :present in 26 vention is provided which'willl-be sin-improvement" from the operating standpoint and which-stili retains the positive stopping feature Iwhen' opent the switch operative positionsis reached."

One objectv of the inven cealed switch device therefor. having a pluralits'oiinperve positibns t and provided with novei means ri on automatically i and positively locatingzan operativepositionzxofx.

the switch:` device and holding 1 erative positions. "which: and simple in zconstnlcti A- more specic nobject.l provide a switch device pos paratus housing with an of the housing and in:

operative :handle outside which locking .means :is i

provided within the'housingxrfor locl-xingfizheder` vice in any one of a-plu tions, the locking means rality f of operative posi-l manually operable `xneans .extendingqoutside the unlocking position one of its operative positions; Meanssalsopro vided for automaticallyreleasing:the 1ockingv50 means during movement of-the switohdevice from one switch operativelpos it wilLagain the switch device :unoni r tive position.

ition .tofanother- .so :that

be in a zposition to llocate --and' look tionis to provide'acon-i 30 and latching #mechanisme theoperatingA 35 itionedfwithineansape' 49 being providedy l with 45 f to be operateditcny .one

Othenpbleets and. advantages-of the invention: will be apparent from the following description: of afpreferred embodiment of theinventiom reference-beng :had-'to the Vaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1;is a fragmentary elevationalaview-.of an electrical apparatus 4including a switch Vdevice andrlocking mechansmthcrefor..organized infaofz. cordance with.- fthe 1invention with certain parts behind. thel housing @wall f shown: in dotted i lines.

Fig. 2 tis ta "view dn sectional. elevationV showing the Llatehing mechenismof;Fig.-.1 with the llocking pin .infits 's'witloh locking position.

Figlia isa view. similarrtoFigm withv the locking pin latcheddndts.switchzoperating position.

Fig. 4 is asectional view'of the camtaken along the .line lV-IV on Fig. 12.1

Figirafisa 4view similar. to:Fig.-.2 witnthe latch` ing .piniV in its released orV locating position.

Figf is ranend' viewfoiA theiocking -pinshown in Figs. 1,3 .and 4f.

Figs. 'zisia view inA sectional elevation-showing anothenmodification ion the invention with. -the locking pin, in zits locating position.

Fig. 8 is a view-dnrsectional-,elevationsimilar to Fig!! *wili'the latchapin ,inritsz released oriocating position:-`

Fig.V 9 .laas/levain sect'lanat elevation similar-.to Figc? 'with'rthe-labch pin.in its .released or locking positionp and Figr'i isfa-.sectionaiaviewtaken along theiine X-Xbi Figz'gs Referring to Figi of thedrawing, a portion of one i Walle! .Loma housing .is `.illustrated which is preferably formed .1, of.: sheetv steel." Within. Vthe housingthere is mounted a pair of stationary com tactftonguesfa 4`anzid; each mountedon separate insulators .and 6,. supported withinthe `housing on transversely extending spaced; channelesupf ports-4 1 fand-` E.; A bracket` 'stop-pin :supporting member #I I as mest'. shownin Figs. 2 and 3, is attached'toartransversely vextending channel support .5 :by-.suitable meansfsuch as by welding, or by means iof screws; Said'member II Amay simi-f larly'besattached tothesaid wall 2 of the nous. ing to assure-keeping said .wall 2 and said member II in closercontact. The .bracket member .is -provldedwith ,twmdownwardly extending portions I 2 andr- I l *which are biiurcated toA accommodate a shaft FI 5 textendingihrough; .an= opening vin the housings/aim and carryinganoperating handle IB onthefouter;end-thereof., A switch bladeJl is providedaon the .inner end-ofthe shaft i5 and in: sulated thereirompthe switch blade being adapted of,.thr.ee `switch opera-4 tive positions. In Fig. 1, the blade I1 is shown in its middle operative position, out of contact with both contact tongues 3 and 4 and is adapted to be operated to engage either the contact tongue 3 or the contact tongue 4. The switch blade I'| may be of a type having spaced sides secured against relative movement at their outer ends by a bolt I8 so that when the blade is pivotally moved about the axis of the shaft I5, the bolt i8 will engage the slot I9 in one of the contact tongues 3 or 4. The particular structure of the switch contact elements forms no part of the present invention and, therefore, need not be further described.

A cam 2| having hubs 22 is attached by any suitable means, such as pins 23, to rotate with the shaft I5. The cam 2|, as best shown in Figs. l or 4, is provided with three slots 24, 25 and 26, corresponding to the three switch operative positions existing in the illustrated embodiment of the invention. Adjacent the slots, relatively low flat surfaces 21 are provided with higher surfaces 26 therebetween.

A locking member 3|, shown as a stop-pin or latch pin, is provided extending through openings ln the ieg members I2 and I3 of the bracket II. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the inner end 32 of the stop-pin 3| is smaller than the outer end and extends through an opening 33 of suitable size in the leg I2 of the bracket II. A spring member 34 is shown about the smaller end of the stop-pin 3l positioned between the leg l2 of the bracket and an abutment 35 of the stoppin for forcing the pin toward the right as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3. A spring 36 is illustrated mounted on the upper portion of the bracket for engaging the pin 3|, biasing it downwardly. In the position illustrated in Figs. l and 2, a portion of the pin 3| is engaged within the middle notch 25 of the cam 2|, and the stop-pin 3| is biased toward the right by the spring 34 until a surface 31 engages the inner surface of the cam 2|. In this position of the stop-pin 3|. the shaft I5, carrying the cam 2| and the switch blade I1. cannot be moved from the operative position in which the switch device is positioned.

Two notches 33 and 33, are shown in the under side of the stop-pin 3|. An operating knob 4| is provided on the outer end of the stop-pin 3| and a hole 42 is provided through the body of the stop-pin adjacent the outer surface of the wail 2 when the stop pin is in its locking position shown in Fig. 2. The hole 42 is to accommodate a padlock or other suitable locking means to prevent inward movement of the stop-pin 3| necessary to place the mechanism in an unlocked or switch operating position when it is desired to effect operation of the switch. When no such locking means is inserted through the hole 42, the knob 4I may be pushed inwardly manually compressing the spring 34 as shown in Fig. 3. The spring 36 will bias the locking pin 3| downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3 so that the notch 39 engages the lower edge of the opening through the bracket latching the pin 3| in this position. It will be noted, by reference to Fig. 3, that in this position of the stop-pin 3|, the notch 38 registers with the cam 2|, thus allowing it to move freely if actuated by the handle I5. This is the switch operating position of the stoppin 3|. When the handle |B, together with the shaft |5, switch blade il and cam 2| are moved to the next adjacent switch operative position, the surface 2B of the cam 2| will engage the upper edge of the notch 38 raising it from its latched Position and allowing it to assume the"pc "s`ition 4 shown in Fig. 5 in which the lower surface 43 is shown as having entered a certain distance within the opening 44 in the leg I3 of the bracket i This position of the stop-pin 3| is termed the locating position, because the pin is in a position to locate and lock the mechanism when it reaches the next switch operative position. In the position of the pin 3|, illustrated in Fig. 5, the spring 34 biases the pin 3| toward the right until the surface 35 adjacent the notch 33 rides on one side of the cam 2| until one of the notches 24, 25 or 26 in the cam comes adjacent this surface at which time the pin 3| will be forced by the spring 34 to the locking position shown in Fig. 2.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 is generally similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 5, with the exception that only two notches 48 and 49, corresponding to the notches 38 and 35 of Figs. 2, 3 and 5, are provided, the surfaces 45 and 31 shown on the stop-pin 3| in Figs. 1 to 5 being omitted in the stop-pin 5I shownin Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10. A further difference consists of the manner in which the stoppin 5| is biased to its several illustrated positions. In Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10, a pin 52 extends downwardly from the upper part of the bracket I I, accommodating a single spring 53 having one end 54 adapted to extend along the surface of the bracket I I and the other end 55 adapted to engage an opening 56 in the pin 5|. This spring is so arranged as to perform the duties resulting from both the spring 34 and the spring 36 in Figs. 1 to 5. That is, the outer end 55 of the spring 53 is biased both downwardly to cause the stop-pin 5I to latch in a switch operating position shown in Fig. 8 when the notch 49 is in latching position and also the end of the spring 55 is biased in a direction to urge the stop-pin 5I outwardly as viewed in Figs. '7, 8 and 9, so that after the stop-pin 5| has been raised from its latched position, as shown in Fig. 8, it will be biased to the position shown in Fig. 9 with the surface 5i forming one side of the notch 48 will ride along the inner surface of the cam 2| until the device reaches its next switch operative position, in which position the spring 53 will cause the pin 5| to be moved outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 7, the body of the pin engaging within one of the notches 24, 25 or 26 corresponding to the switch operative position.

It will be noted that in both illustrated embodiments of the invention, the latching mechanisrn is so arranged that it is concealed entirely within the switch housing except for the end of the stop-pin carrying the operating knob which projects through the side of the housing. The stop-pin or locking member 3| or 5| is easily operated by the knob 4| by one hand and latched in the switch operating position. Both hands are then free, if desired, for operating the switch handle I6 to operate the switch device to its next operative position. If the switch operating lever I5 is so operated, the cam 2| unlatches the stoppin allowing it to assume the locating position to stop the switch at the next switch operative position. The switch device remains in this locking position until the stop-pin or locking member is manually reset to the switch operating position.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that modifications may be made in the details of the structure illustrated and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not wish to be otherwise limited than by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim asmyinventio'cv:4 i

1.'J Irl` 1a cincnitsccntroiliiig devic'en a manually operablefswitch actuating member-having qa. #plu-- ralitys ofi" switch operative 1 memberm operative 4'uponf movement for: the :switch actuating fmember to vany one of `said plurality oi-^- positions for locking i said' switch'r actuatingA memv ber in saidfswitchfoperative rposition, saidfiociiing: member-being manually-'operableftosaswitch op-` eratiiig position-'to permit *operation of the switch member,` means automatically operable '-f or =latch` ing saidflocking meinbe'r 'in' its switch operating position? andicam' means vactuated move ment of said switch :actuating member from@ one f switch operative position to another-"-andvopera tive toorelease sairlfA locking member from its switch operating position to a released position to adapt it to lock`the -switch'actuating member uponmiovement thereof toV one .of saidswitch: 0perative positions.

2. Switch operating mechanism comprising a housing, a switch operating shaft extending throughv an opening in a Wall of the housing and havhigrazipiura-lityof switch operative positions;l a switzhtactuating member attached to saicishait andwositloned-outside of said housing for oper-v ating said shaft to any selected one of said plu rality of switch operative positions, a cam within the housing operatively connected to said shaft and having a plurality of notches corresponding to the number of switch operative positions, a stop-pin within the housing and operative to engage within a notch in said cam upon movement of the switch to any one of said plurality of switch operative positions for locking said shaft in said switch operative position, means within the casing for supporting said stop-pin, and means for biasing said stop-pin to a switch locking position, said stop-pin extending through an opening in said housing and having means exterior of the housing for manually moving said stop-pin from its switch locking position to its switch operating position when the shaft is in a switch operative position, latch means for retaining said stoppin in its switch operating position and means for biasing said stop-pin to latch the stop-pin in its switch operating position, said cam being operative upon movement of the shaft from one switch operative position to another switch operative position to unlatch said stop-pin from its switch operating position, and biasing means effective upon the unlatching of the stop-pin from its switch operating position for returning it to a locating position in which position it will be ef- Iective to engage a notch in said cam and lock the shaft in the next one of its operative positions to which it 1s moved.

3. Switch operating mechanism including a housing, a switch operating shaft extending through an opening in a wall oi the housing and having a plurality of switch operative positions, a switch actuating member attached to said shaft and positioned outside of said housing for operating said shaft to any selected one of said plu rality of switch operative positions, a cam within the casing operatively connected to said shaft and having a plurality of notches corresponding to the number of switch operative positions, a supporting frame within the housing having a pair of leg members on opposite sides of the cam. a stop-pin extending through openings in the pair of legs of the supporting frame and having a portion positioned for engaging within a notch in said cam upon movement of the shaft to any one of said plurality of switch operative positions positions,= a locking# f or flockhigsaidshatt innsaidfswitch Voperative position;- bising-rmeans :for causing movement of thestopapiriftozaaswitchilockingJposition, said stop-pin being arranged for manual operation from iintswichrlockmgpositionto apcsition out of engagementriwith the cam-fonpermitting operationfotheshairt fronnone switch operai-ive po-A sitlonftofanothbr'latch?means for retaining said stopspinri lnzzits switch:-4 operating f position ineansfdnibiasingsaidfstoppinrto latch the stoppin imita-switch. operating position,- saidy cam being'operativceuporvmovementof -the shaft fron. onei-switchi operative epositicn: to another switch operativoeposit'mnf toeuniatch saidl stop-pin from its swhrhioperating!position; and biasing means efiediueeuponathe uniatching;of. .the stop-pin fromzits. switch: .oper-.ating position if or returning it totaalocatingizpositoniniwhich 4,position it wili be eectiuectonengage 'afmctchz in said'cam and lockctheishaiirin themext onefof its switch operative'fpositions :tooyhich fit is; move d.

isA Invrasrctucuit :controlling device, a manually operablcrswitchractuatingmember having a plurality.v foin switclzu'loperating ff positions, a locking membernoperativerdipen` movement of the switch actuatingfnnemhemtc fanyione :of said -plurality of positionserforeldckmgfwsaiduswitch. actuating member in said switch operative position, said locking member having a pair of notches therein and being manually operable to a switch operating position in which position one of said notches provides a space for movement of the cam to permit operation of the switch operating member and the other of said notches provides for latching the locking member in a switch operating position, and cam means actuated upon movement of said switch actuating member from one switch operative position to another and operative to engage said locking member for unlatching the locking member to permit it to move from its switch operating position to a released position to adapt it to again lock the switch actuating member upon movement thereof to one of its switch operative positions.

5. Switch operating mechanism comprising a housing, a switch operating shaft mounted thereon and extending through an opening in a wail of the housing and having a plurality of switch operative positions, a switch operating handle attached to said shaft and positioned outside of said housing for operating said shaft to a plurality of switch operative positions, a cam within the housing operatively connected to said shaft and having a. plurality of notches corresponding to the number of switch operative positions, a stop-pin operative to engage within a notch in said cam upon movement of the switch to any one of said plurality of switch operative positions for locking said shaft in said switch operative position, means for supporting said stop-pin, and means for biasing said stop-pin to a switch locking position, said stop-pin having means for manually moving said stop-pin from its switch locking position to its switch operating position when the shaft is in a switch operative position, latch means for rctaining said stop-pin in its switch operative position and means for biasing said stop-pin to latch the stop-pin in its switch operative position, said cam being operative upon movement of the shaft from one switch operative position to another switch operative position to engage said stop-pin and unlatch the stop-pin from its switch operative position, and biasing means eiective upon the unlatching of the stop-pin from its switch operative position for returning it to a locating .i position in which position it will vbe 'etective to engage a notch in said cam and lock -the shaft in the next one of the switch operative positions to which it is moved.

6. Switch operating mechanism comprising a switch operating shaft, a switch operating handle attached to said shaft for operating said shaft to a plurality of switch operative positions. a cam operatively connected to said shaft and having a plurality of notches corresponding to the number of switch operative positions, a supporting frame having a pair of leg members on opposite sides of the cam, a stop-pin extending through openings in the pair of legs of the supporting frame and having a portion positioned for engaging within a notch in said cam upon movement of the shaft to any one of said plurality of switch operative positions for locking said shaft in said switch operative position, biasing means for causing movement of the stop-pin to a switch looking position, said stop-pin being arranged for manual operati-on from its switch Vlocking position to a position out of engagement with the cam for permitting operation of the shaft from one switch operative position to another, latch means for retaining said stop-pin in its switch operative position comprising a notch in the side pin arranged for engaging the side of oneI of the openings in the pair of legs of the supporting frame and means for biasing said stop-pin to cause the notch in the stop-pin to latch with the stop-pin in its switch operative position, said cam being operative upon movement of the shaft from one switch operative position to another switch operative position to unlatch said stop-pin from its switch operative position, and biasing means effective upon the unlatching of the stop-pin from its switch operative position for returning it to a locating position in which position it will be eiective to engage a notch in said cam and lock the shaft in the next one of its operative positions to which it is moved.

HERMAN F. BARSUN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,803,163 Beebe Apr. 28, 1931 1,873,797 Turner Aug. 23, 1932 2,015,553 Exner Sept. 24, 1935

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