US2478564A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

1 J. BORDELON ELECTRIC SWITCH Aug. 9, 1949.

Filed Oct. 25, 1946 IN V EN TOR. awe/Ice J. borde/on BY Patented Aug. 9, .1949

ELECTRIC SWITCH Lawrence J. Bordelon, San Diego, Calif., assigner to Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation, San Diego, Calif., a corporation oi Delaware Application October 25, 1946, Serial No. 705,578

6 Claims. (Cl. 20o- 106) This invention relates to improvements in electrical switches and more particularly to an electrical switch which is so constructed that it will serve, not only to initiate the actuation of a motor or motors associated in circuit therewith, but will also indicate when devices actuated by said motor or motors have completed the function or movement for which they are designed.

Basically, the switch consists in a spring biased operating element which is so associated with a rocking contact element that the rocking element always tends to return to a neutral, circuit breaking position. To control the returnI of the operating element there in associated with the operating element a solenoid installed in series with the switch, which is adapted to maintain the rockingcontact element in its circuit making position. To permit the proper actuation of the switch it is necessary that there be placed in circuit with it limit switches or similar circuit breaking devices. Thus, when the elements driven by the motors actuated by the switches have performed their function they inactivate the limit switches, break the circuit, withdraw the solenoid core and permit the operating element to be returned to its neutral position. Therefore, the necessity for the manual throwing of the switch to its circuit breaking position is precluded and the return of the operating element gives a visual indication of the satisfactory completion of the operation. Further, the operating element is automatically retained in its circuit making position and it is no longer necessary to hold the switch in its circuit making position until the desired sequence of action initiated by the throwing of the switch is accomplished.

One object of this invention is to provide an electrical switch which is so constructed that it c will automatically return to its neutral, circuit breaking position upon the completion of an operation for which it has been thrown.

- Another object of the invention is the provision of a switch, the position of whose operating element or throw will indicate the proper completion of a predetermined action by a mechanism associated with the switch.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an electrical switch which has embodied therein means adapted to indicate a failure in the circuit or mechanism associated with said switch.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an electrical switch which, although having means embodied therein to accomplish its automatic return to the circuit breaking position, need not be held in position by manual means in performing its circuit making function.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent by a consideration of the specification and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure i is a side elevational view, partly in sec-1 tion, showing the switch in its circuit making position;

Figure 2 is an end elevational View oi' the switch, partly in section, shown in its circuit breaking or inoperative position;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the coniiguration of the rocking contact element; and

Figure 4 is a schematic view showing the switch elements and a typical circuit in which they are utilized.

There is shown in the drawings a preferred embodiment of the 'switch IU which includes a generally rectangular housing ll having ears I2 formed integrally therewithdepending from its lower edge which are crimped over to retain a base or closure member i3 thereupon. Closure member I3 is made of insulating or non-conductive material and has cut or otherwise formed therein at opposite ends slots Il adapted to receive terminal members I5 and I6. The upper ends of terminal members i5 and i6 are bent over with binding screws I9 t0 permit the attachment thereto of conductors 20.

Located within the housing il in such a manner that opposite ends thereof are adapted to be imposed upon contact points Il and i8 for circuit making action is a rocking contact member 2l which is mounted upon a bracket 22 whose vertical sides 23 have orifices therein adapted to receive ears 24 projecting from the sides of the rocking contact member 2| at its mid-portion.

The rocking contact member 2 l, which is made of conductive material, comprises a slightly bent plate 25 having a rectangular oriilce 26 which is traversed by a band 21 of material formed integrally with the plate 25. The band 2l is so formed thatvit" presents an arcuate concavity 28 in which there is cut a longitudinal slot 30 for a purpose to be hereinafter shown. As previously indicated ears 24 project from the opposite sides of bent plate 25 at substantially the mid-point of the plate.' Thus, the rocking contact member is susceptible of being actuated upon the bracket 22 in such a manner that its opposite ends may be 34 which seats in annular flange 3| and is retained therein by means of switch mounting plate 35 fastened to the housing I I, as by means of rivets 36 and which has formed therein an annular flange 31 adapted to cooperate with the upper portion of ball base 34 and retain it in position on the top of housing There is formed within both the ball base 34 and the grip portion 33 an axial hole 38 in which is seated an expansion spring 39 which biases against the end of a plunger or rod 4| formed of non-conductive ma- -terial and adapted to ride within the arcuate concavity 28 formed in the rocking contact member 2|. The displacement of the operating element 29 causes the rod 4| to be moved along the surface of the rocking contact member 2| thus causing the rocking contact member 2| to be tilted on its bracket support 22 and bringing either end of the rocking contact member 2| to bear upon either of contact points I1 or I8.

When the rocking contact member 2| is displaced from its neutral position into either of its circuit making positions by the movement of operating element 29 the spring 39 is compressed by the upward travel of rod 4l and there is a tendency for the spring to return operating element 29 and its associated rocking contact member 2| to its neutral position.

To prevent this displacement during a prolonged operation and yet permit the switch to break the circuit in which it is located automatically, there is provided a solenoid 42 which is mounted on closure member i3 by means of rivets or similar fastening devices 43 which pass through upper flange 44 0f the solenoid 42 and hold it immediately below rocking contact member 2|. The solenoid 42 comprises a magnetic coil 45 of conventional type which is wired in series with the switch and through the center of which runs a core 46 which is adapted to be displaced upwardly upon the making of the circuit by the throwing of the switch Il). The lower end of core 46 has formed thereupon an integral ange 41 on which is seated one end of an expansion spring 48, the upper end of said spring being biased against the bottom iiange 49 of solenoid 42. Therefore, when the circuit is broken by the action of associated limit switches or similar devices and the coil 45 of the solenoid 42 is no longer activated, the spring 48 will retract the core 46 into its inactive position within the coil 45.

There is formed on the upper end of the core 46 of solenoid 42 a blade or detent portion 5| having a concavity 52 formed in its tip and adapted to project through an aperture 40 in base or closure member I3 and longitudinal slot 30 in rocking contact member 2 l. When the throwing of operating element 29 causes the rocking contact element l2| to make the circuit with one of the contact points |1 or I8, the blade portionVJ '5| is longitudinally displaced through the slot 30 in rocking contact member 2|. The edge of blade will be brought into contact with the operator the completion of said sequence.

end of plunger or rod 4| (as shown in Fig. l) and will retain the operating element 29 in its circuit making position so that the end of rocking contact member 2| will be kept in circuit making position with contact point |1. In order to provide for the conduction of electricity through rocking contact member 2i a lead 53 is entende i from the upper portion of the coil and soldered or otherwise alxed to said rocking contact member.

In Figure 4 there is shown a typical circuit in which a switch of the above described type could be eiciently utilized. The switch I0 is placed in circuit with limit switches 54 by means of conductors 55. Conductors 55 connect the limit switches 54 to the motors 56 which are grounded at 51. A source of power or battery '58 powers the circuit and a lead 59 is shown rlmning therefrom into solenoid coil 45. Motor driven actuators 60 are adapted to contact limit switches 54 at the end of their travel so that the circuit will be broken and the switch Ill returned to its neutral or circuit breaking position upon the inactivation of the solenoid 42.

The switch I0, in addition to holding the circuit closed during an operational sequence and then breaking the circuit to indicate the proper completion of said operational circuitY by the return of switch throw 29 to its neutral position, also serves a vital protective function. In the circuit shown in Figure 4, an inoperative limit switch would prevent the actuation of the motors since the switch l0 controlling the circuit would not remain in its circuit making position because the circuit would not be made through the solenoid and the retaining blade or detent would not be extended against the switch throw. Therefore, an immediate indication of an inoperative circuit would be presented.

There is thus provided a switch which will automatically be retained in circuit making position until the completion of an operational sequence, and which will return to its neutral, cirv cuit breaking position to indicate visually to the The switch also possesses a safety feature in that it cannot be held automatically in circuit making position if the failure of associated circuit breaking devices should occur.

The embodiment described above is merely a preferred embodiment of the invention utilized to display the manner of construction and mode of operation of the device and it is, of course, obvious that changes could be made in details of construction which would still fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In an electric switch, a housing, a closure means for said housing, a plurality of stationary contact members supported by said closure means, a contact member for individually engaging said stationary contact members, means for pivotally mounting said movable contact member, spring biased means exerting its force normally to maintain said movable contact member in circuit breaking position, an actuating member movably supported on said housing, adapted to control said spring biased means for moving said movable contact member into its circuit making and circuit breaking positions, electromagnetically operated means in series circuit with said movable contact member supported by said closure means and cooperating with said spring biased means to maintain said movable contact member in circuit making position.

2. In an electric switch having a housing and closure means therefor, stationary contact means supported by said closure means, a movable contact member for engaging said stationary contact means. mounting means provided on said closure means for pivotally mounting said movable contact member, spring biased means engageable with said movable contact member providing a force normally to maintain said movable contact member in circuit breaking position, an actuating member movably supported on said housing adapted to control said spring biased means for moving said movable contact member into its circuit making and circuit breaking positions, electro-magnetically operated means in series circuit with said movable contact member supported by said closure means and engageable with said spring biased means to maintain said movable contact member in circuit making position.

3. In an electric switch, a housing, a closure means for said housing, a plurality of stationary contact means supported by said closure means, a movable contact member for individually engaging said stationary contact members, mounting means carried by said closure means for pivotally mounting said movable contact member at a point substantially centrally thereof, spring biased means engageable with said movable contact member providing a force normally to maintain said movable contact member in circuit breaking position, an actuating member pivotally y supported on said housing adapted to carry said spring biased means for movement bodily thereof to actuate said movable contact member into its circuit making and circuit breaking positions, electro-magnetically operated means supported by said closure means and cooperating with said spring biased means to maintain said movable contact member in circuit making position, said electro-magnetically operated means comprising a solenoid coil in series circuit. with said movable contact member and a movable means actuable upon energization of said coil to move into engagement with said spring biased means when the latter has operated said movable contact member into circuit making position.

4. In an electric switch having a housing and a closure means therefor, a plurality of stationary contact members supported by said closure means, a moveable elongated contact member for successively engaging said stationary contact members, said movable contact member being provided with an opening therethrough, mounting means carried by said closure means for pivotally mounting said contact member at a point substantially centrally thereof, spring biased means engageable with said movable contact member providing a force normally to maintain said movable contact member in circuit breaking position,

a manually operable actuating member pivotally supported by said housing adapted to carry said spring biased means for movement bodily thereof to actuate said movable contact member into its circuit making and circuit breaking positions, electro-magnetically operated latch means supported by said closure means and cooperating with said spring biased means to maintain said ymovable contact member -in circuit making position, said electro-magnetically operated latch means comprising a solenoid coil in series circuit with said movable contact, a movable core actuable upon energization of said coil and disposed on the side of said movable contact member opposite to said spring biased means, and

detent means mounted on said core and adapted Acircuit making position.

5. In an electric switch, a housing, an insulating closure means for said housing having an opening therethrough, a pair of stationary contact members supported by said closure means, a movable elongated contact member for alternately engaging said stationary contact members, said movable contact member being provided with an opening aligned with said opening in said closure means, mounting means carried by said closure means for pivotally mounting said contact member for movement about its center, wiring terminal means carried by said stationary contact members, a manually operable actuating member pivotally supported by said housing, spring biased means carried by said actuating member and engageable with said movable contact member for pivoting it into circuit making position upon operation of said actuating member and for automatically returning it to circuit breaking position, electro-magnetically operated latch means supported by said closure means and cooperating withl said spring biased means to maintain said movable contact member in circuit making position, said electro-magnetically operated latch means comprising a solenoid coil in series circuit with said movable contact member supported exteriorly of said closure means, a movable core actuable upon energization of said coil and disposed on the side of the movable contact member opposite to said spring biased means,v

and detent means mounted on said core and adaped to be moved by said core to move through the opening in said movable contact member to engage said spring biased means when the latter has been moved by the manual actuating member to move said movable contact member into circuit making position.

6. In an electric switch, a housing, an insulating closure means for said housing having an opening therethrough,4 a pair of stationary contact members supported by said closure means, a movable elongated contact member for alternately engaging said stationary contact members, said movable contact member being provided with an opening aligned with said opening in said closure means, mounting means carried by said closure means for mounting said contact member for rocking movement, said stationary contact members extending to the exterior of the housing and carrying wiring terminal means on said exterior portion, a manually operable actuating member pivotally supported by said housing, spring biased means operatively carried by said actuating member and engageable with said movable contact member for moving it into circuit making position upon operation of said actuating member and for automatically returning it to circuit breaking position, electro-magnetically operated latch means supported by said closure means and-v cooperating with Ysaid spring biased means to maintain said movable contact member in circuit making poeltion, said electro-magnetically operated latchmeans comprising a solenoid coil in series circuit with said movable contact member supported exteriorly of said closure means and adapted to be energized on movement of said movable contact in circuit making position, a movable core actuable upon energization of said'ccil and dis- 8 REFERENCES crrnn UNITED STATES PATENTS posed on the side of the movable contact member opposite to said spring biased means, and detent means mounted on said core and adapted to be moved by said core to move through the opening in said movable contact member to engage said 5 spring biased means when the latter has been am E moved by the manual actuating member to move Nlurgrgo Ausn Noaemn said movable contact member into eircuitmaking 22027338 Krieger "Jan 14' 1936 position 2,043,879 Bentley June 9: 1936 LAWRENCE J. BORDELQN. l.

Images