US2593436A - Electric rocker switch - Google Patents

Description

April 22, 1952 w. H. GILLILAND 2,593,436

ELECTRIC ROCKER SWITCH Filed D60- 16, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET l INVENTOR W/YI/bm H. Gilli/0nd 5 By A ffa7rneys April 1952 w. H. GILLILAND ELECTRIC ROCKER SWITCH 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed Dec. 16, 1949 INVENTOR Will/am H Gil/[land M %m%% A Hart/47s Patented Apr. 22, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC tOCKER SWITCH William H. Gilliland, Birmingham, Ala., assignor to Usco Power Equipment Corp., Birmingham, Ala., a corporation of Alabama Application December 16, 1949, Serial No. 133,408

. 1 This invention relates to a rocker assembly for anelectric switch for high tension power lines in which an insulator carrying a conductor element is mounted for pivotal or swinging movement in an arcuate path with relation to a relatively stationary conductor element to open and close the switch. Examples of switches of this type are disclosed in patents to A. G. Steinmayer No. 1,928,635 and W. A. Gussow et al. No. 2,354,991.

The present invention has for its general object and purpose to provide certain improvements in the means for mounting the movable insulator switch unit and connecting the same with an operating bar, and embodies an insulator supporting member and a clamping member. In Patent No. 2,354,991 each of these members is directly supported by a common pivot pin mounted on a stationary base with adjustable means connecting said members to clamp the same upon an interposed operating bar. This arrangement results in the transmission of severe distorting stresses to the pivot pin tending to create frictional resistance to the free pivotal movement of the switch unit.

Therefore, it is a more particular object of this invention to provide a novel assembly of the insulator support and adjustable clamping member in which only the supporting member is mounted directly upon the pivot pin so that the clamping stresses are absorbed entirely by the operating bar and not transmitted to the pivot pin, to insure the free operation of the movable switch unit with a minimum of manual effort.

Another object resides in an improved construction of the insulator support and clamping member whereby their assembly and mounting on the stationary base member under field conditions will be greatly facilitated.

A further object is to provide a fixed base member and an insulator switch unit supporting member pivotally mounted thereon with coacting parts on..-said base and supporting member accuratelyfiguiding the movement of the switch unit to closed position and preventing angular displacement thereof by thrust forces on said member or unit parallel to the pivotal axis thereof.

An additional object of this invention is to provide an improved electric switch mounting means asv above characterized for large scale production at minimum unit cost and in which the several parts are of very simple and rugged structural form, capable of withstanding abusive handling to which such devices are frequently bracket or base member I6 is also rigidly secured 7 Claims. (01. 200-48) subjected without impairing efficient operation thereof.

With the above and other subordinate objects in view the invention comprises the improved electric switch and the construction and arrangement of its several parts, as will hereinafter be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings, wherein there is disclosed one simple and practical embodiment of the invention and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a high potential electric switch illustrating one service installation incorporating my present improvements and showing the switch in closed position.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1. s

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevation illustrating the assembly of the several parts of the switch mounting with the operating bar.

Figure 5 is a detail inner side elevation of the clamping member, and

Figure 6 is a detail outer side elevation of the insulator unit supporting member.

In Figure l of the drawings, by way of example, I have shown a supporting beam I0 upon which two longitudinally spaced insulators l2 and M respectively are rigidly mounted. Substantially mid-way between these insulators a mounting to the beam I0. At its opposite side edges this member is formed with apertured bearing lugs l8 in which the opposite ends of a pivot pin 20 are supported. At each of its ends the base member I6 is formed with a flange 22 projecting in the same direction as the lugs l 8 but of less width than said base and equally spaced inwardly from its opposite side edges, as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The purpose of these flanges will presently be fully explained.

Upon the pivot pin 20 a supporting member 24 for the movable switch insulator unit 25 is directly mounted at one of its ends. As most clearly seen in Figures 2, 3 and 6 this member 24 is preferably in the form of a one-piece casting having spaced parallel side portions 26 integrally connected at one end by a bolting flange 28 rigidly secured to the insulator unit 25 and by a transverse web 30 integral with the flange 28 other ends of the side portions 26.

stationary insulator l2. horns 60 are attached to the conducting members B and 58 and a line terminal 62 is connected to conducting member 58.

3 and terminating in spaced relation from the The web 30 includes angularly related parts forming a seat 32 for engagement with one side of an operating bar 34 in the form of a rectangular tube.

An arm 36 is integrally formed with the web 30 and projects from the seat portion 32 centrally between the side portions 26 of member 24. As shown in Figure 3 this arm gradually increases in width from the web 30 and has an outer inclined side edge 38 provided adjacent to said web with a semi-circular recess 40. The end of said arm and the corresponding ends of the side portions 26 are provided with aligned openings through which the pivot pin 20 is fitted.

A clamping member 42 of generally similar form to the seat portion 32 of the web 38 is adapted for engagement upon the other side of' the operating bar 34 and one of its angularly disposed parts is provided with a longitudinal slot 44 throughwhi'ch the arm 36 of member 24 is recelved. The outer end of slot 44 is closed by a cylindrlcally formed fulcrum portion 46 rockably seated in the recess 48 in arm 36.

At its'other end clamping member 42 is formed "with an extension lug having a tapered aperture 48 to register with an aperture 58 in the web 30 of member 24. These apertures receive the clamping bolt 52 upon which nut 54 is adjustably threaded to urge the members 24 and 42 into tight clamping contact with opposite sides of the operating bar 34.

The insulator 25 carries a conducting member 55 having a blade which, when the switch is closed,

is engaged between a pair of resiliently yieldable blades of a conducting member 58 mounted on the The customary arcing To the other stationary conductor 4 a conducting member 64 is also secured and the members 5B and. are'c'onnected by and suitably insulated from counterbalancing linkage 6B, 68 for the movable switch unit. This linkage is not a feature of the present invention and may be siin- 'ilar to that shown in' the above mentioned patents. It is provided with suitable supporting means for flexible conductors electrically connecting members 56 and 64, to the latter of which the other line terminal in is connected.

Suitable actuating means of conventional form (not shown) is connected with the bar 34 for the .operation of the movable switch unit 25 about the axis of pivot pin 20 and, it will be understood; that a series of similar switch units may be mounted and secured to bar 34, as above explained, for simultaneous movement to open and I -closed position-in accordance with conventional practice in the art.

From the above construction the several novel features of. the present invention will be readily understood. In mounting the insulator switch .unit 251cm the bracket or base member 16, the clamping member 42 is first assembled with the insulator support 24 by passing the arm 36 of said support through the slot 44 in the clamp and engaging the cylindrical end portion 46 of the clamp in recess 49 in said arm. In mounting the switch unit 25 on the base member IS the clamp 42 is preferably arranged in the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 relative to the insulator support 24 and said unit is disposed in circuit closing position relative to insulator [2 with the lower ends of arm 36 and side portions 26 of member 24 disposed between the lugs l8 on the base member. One of the flanges 22 on the base mem ber extends upwardly between the side portions 26 and has supporting contact with the web portion 32 of member 24. Thus the openings in parts 26 and 30 of member 24 may be quickly aligned with the openings in bearing lugs IS on the base and pivot pin 20 inserted through said aligned openings, and clamp member 42 then moved to the full line position of Figure 5 where it is supported by said pin.

By pre-assembling the clamp member 42 on the insulator support 24, instead of directly mounting said member on pivot pin 20, the final assembly of the several parts may be expeditiously accomplished.

As the insulator switch unit may weigh as much as 50 pounds and, under field conditions, and using'the prior art structures, the alignment of the openings in the clamp and insulator support with each other and with openings in the bearing lugs on the base, and holding the parts in proper position while the pivot pin is inserted through said openings, requires considerably dexterity and manual effort. Such difficult and time consuming operations in the assembly of the several parts of the switch mounting have been obviated by means of the present invention.

Referring again to Figure 4 of the drawings after operating bar 34 is placed upon the seat portion 32 of support member 24 the clamp 42 is swung inwardly on said bar, its fulcrum portion 46 rocking freely on arm 36 in the recess 40 thereof. The clamping bolt 52 is then inserted through openings 48 and 50 and nut 54 adjusted thereon. As the bolt is tightened the operating bar 34 is tightly clamped between member 42 and the seat portion 32 of web 38 as seen in Figure 3. The clamping action tends to laterally displace the ends of side portions 26 and arm 36 in one direction which is counteracted by the tendency to lateral displacement of the fulcrum portion 46 of the clamp member 42 in the opposite direc tion. Thus as the pin 20 and part 42 are located at opposite sides of a plane bisecting the bar 34, the clamping stresses are borne entirely by the operating bar 34 and not transmitted to the pivot pin 20. Therefore, the possibility of distortion of the pivot pin and frictional resistance to free swinging movement of the switch unit is also avoided by the present improvements.

From reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be noted that as the pivotally mounted switch unit approaches the circuit closing position, the side portions 26 of member 24 move over the opposite side edges of stop flange 22 on base member [6 in close clearance relation thereto.

Thus, deviation of the blade element of conductor 56 from its path of arcuate movement is more effectively prevented so that the blade will enter between and properly coact with the resilient blade elements of the stationary conductor 58 without excessive bending and possible distortion of the latter. Also, this construction provides additional means which willprevent displacement of the switch unit axially of pivot pin 20 under heavy longitudinal thrust forces on the operating bar 34, which might result in damage to the switch blades and impair their proper cooperation.

It will of course be evident that this invention may also be used with the same advantages when the beam [0 and base member [6 are arranged in a vertical position instead of horizontally, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric switch having a movable insulator unit carrying a current conducting element for separable engagement with a relatively stationary conducting element; a support operatively mounting said insulator unit for movement in an arcuate path to and from circuit closing position comprising a stationary base, a pivot pin mounted thereon, a supporting member fixed to said insulator unit and mounted said pin to rock about the axis thereof, an oper ating bar for said insulator unit, a member to clampingly secure said bar against said supporting member, said clamping and supporting members having respective formed parts coacting to provide a rockable fulcrum for said clamping member on the supporting member between said pivot pin and the operating bar, and an adjustable connection between said supporting and clamping members.

2. In an electric switch having a movableinsulator unit carrying a current conducting element for separable engagement with a relatively stationary conducting element; a support operatively mounting said unit for movement in an arcuate path to and from circuit closing position comprising a stationary base, a supporting member for said insulator unit pivotally mounted at one of its ends on said base and fixed at its other end to said insulator unit. and means for releasably securing said supporting member to an operating bar. including a clamping member having an end portion embracing a part of said supporting member and directly pivoted thereon between said other end of said supporting member and the axis of pivotal movement of said supporting member on said base.

3. In an electric switch having a movable insulator unit carrying a current conducting ele ment for separable engagement with a relatively stationary conducting element; a support operatively mounting said insulator unit for movement in an arcuate path to and from circuit closing position comprising a stationary base, a pivot pin mounted thereon, an operating bar for said insulator unit, a supportingmember fixed to said insulator unit and including an arm directly mounted on said pivot pin and provided betweensaid pivot pin and the operating bar with a bearing recess in one edge thereof, in sub stantial alignment with said pin longitudinally of said arm, a member to clampingly secure said bar against said supporting member having a part rockably fulcrumed in said bearing recess, and an adjustable connection between said supporting and clamping members.

4. In an electric switch having a movable insulator unit carrying a current conducting element for separable engagement with a relatively stationary conducting element; a support operatively mounting said insulator unit for movement in an arcuate path to and from circuit closing position comprising a stationary base, a pivot pin mounted thereon, a supporting member fixed to said insulator unit and mounted on said pin to rock about the axis thereof, an operating bar for said insulator unit, a member to clampingly secure said bar against said supporting member having a part rockably fulcrumed on the supporting member between said pivot pin and the operating bar, said pivot pin and fulcrum part of the clamping member being located at relatively opposite sides of a plane bisecting said operating bar, and an adjustable connection between said supporting and clamping members.

5. In an electric switch, having a movable insulator unit carrying a current conducting element for separable engagement with a relatively stationary conducting element; a support operatively mounting said unit for movement in an arcuate path to and from circuit closing position comprising a stationary base, a pivot pin mounted on said base, a supporting member for said insulating unit having a plurality of spaced parallel parts at one end engaged upon said pin to pivotally mount said supporting member on said base, and means for releasably securing said supporting member to an operating bar including a clamping member, said clamping member and one of the parts of said supporting member having integrally formed coacting portions forming a pivotal connection between said supporting and clamping members located between the other end of said supporting member and the axis of pivotal movement of said supporting members on said base to directly pivot said clamping member upon said supporting members.

6. An electric switch as defined by claim 5, in which said clamping member is provided with a slot through which said part of the supporting member projects and said coacting means comprises, a cylindrical portion on said clamping member pivotally seated in a recess in said part.

7. An electric switch as defined by claim 5, wherein said base is provided with a stop flange to limit pivotal movement of said supporting member in one direction and receivable between the other spaced parts of said member to coact therewith and restrain said member against movement axially of said pivot pin.

WILLIAM H. GILLILAND.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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