US2597080A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

M. N. GLICKMAN ELECTRIC SWITCH 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Snvento-r Mannes ''fman May 20, l1952 Filed Aug. 31, 1948 May 20, 1952 M. N. GLICKMAN ELECTRIC SWITCH 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Aug. 5l, 1948 Patented May 20, 1952 ELECTRIC SWITCH Mannes N. Glickman, Nutley, N. J.

Application August 31, 1948, Serial No. 47,050

7 Claims.

This invention relates to electric switches of the liquid contact, mercury type.

Liquid contact -circuit closers for controlling the flow of current have been constructed of a pair of electrically conducting, dished metal members electrically insulated from each other and hermet ically sealed together by means of a peripheral bead of glass, andcontaining therein a pool of mercury. Additionally, a perforated carrier disc of ceramic material has been included as an-element of such switches to permit the pool of mercury to electrically interconnect the dished members, in one position of the circuit closer and to split the pool of mercury to electrically disconnect the dished members in another position of the circuit closer. In making switches of this type, it has been necessary to carefullyv select the metal from which the dished members are to be formed in terms of its conductivity, adherence to vitreous materials, coelcient of expansion and reaction to mercury and gases. Also, the ceramic for the barrier disc as Well as the glass for sealing the dished members, must be particularly selected so that the various diverse component parts of the circuit closer may be hermetically sealedv together.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a liquid contact switch body which is of a substantially all vitreous construction and includes a pair of juxtaposed, dished members which may be readily fused at their opposed contacting portions to form a hermetically sealed chamber, each of said members being provided with a metallic terminal hermetically sealed therein and so disposed as to extend to said chamber, said terminals also projecting exteriorly of said body whereby they may be engaged by a pair of opposed contacts, said chamber containing a pool of mercury which electrically interconnects the terminals in one position of the body, said pool of mercury being separated from said terminals and electrically disconnecting the same,in another position of the body.

Another object of this invention is to provide a liquid contact switch body comprising a pair of juxtaposed, circular dished vitreous members hermetically sealed at their peripheral portions, forming a chamber for containing a small quantity of mercury, each of the dishedmembers having a metal terminal pin sealed into the wall transversely thereof, said pins being disposed eccentrically of the axis of the circularwalls, the body being adapted to be mounted in a housing for rotation with said terminals disposed below the level of the mercury in the chamber in one (Cl. 20d-152) position of the body and above the level of the mercury in another position of the body, the terminal pins moving in an arcuate path during the rotation of said body.

A further object of this invention is to provide a liquid contact switch body comprising a pair of juxtaposed circular vitreous members fused together at their peripheral portions, said members being formed with similar recesses on their opposed faces so disposed as to form a hermetically sealed chamber disposed in eccentric relation to theaxis of the walls, each of the members having a metal terminal sealed into the Wall transversely thereof, the terminals being disposed at the axis of rotation of the body and being adapted to form pivot means for rotating the' body whereby the chamber mayvassume different angular positions relative to the axis of rotation when the body is rotated about its terminals as an axis.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a switch construction comprising a housing and a liquid contact switch body mounted for rotation within said housing, the switch bodycomprising a pair of juxtaposed vitreous members sealed "to each other at opposed portions thereof and formed to provide a hermetically sealed chamber for containing a small quantity of mercury, each of the members being provided with a metal terminal projecting exteriorly of said body, the housing comprising a pair of opposed walls, each of the walls being provided with an arcuate contact strip slidably engageable by one of the terminals on said body, and means on said walls to guide the movement of the body and the terminals during the rotation of the body, the

contact strips including terminal connector por.

tions extending exteriorly of said housing.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a switch construction comprising a housing and a liquid contact switch body rotatably mounted within the housing, thev switch body comprising a vitreous member formed with a hermetically sealed chamber interiorly thereof for containing a pool of mercury therein, a terminal on opposite sides of the member including portions projecting into the chamber, each of the terminals being formed with similar arcuate guide means, the housing being provided with a pair of opposed electrical conta-ct members, each of the contact members including a projecting pin receivable in the guide means on the switch body whereby to guide the rotational movement of the switch body within the housing when the body is rotated from a position wherein the terminals chamber l2.

which are interconnected by a transverse opening 33. The terminals I5 in walls I3 are disposed slightly out of alignment with opening 33. In one position ofthe body 38, the mercury I'I extends on either side of the disc 3| as well as in the opening 33 therein so as to electrically interconnect the terminals I5. On rotating the body 30 through a predetermined angle by means of handle I8, the opening 33 in the disc 3| will be above the level of the mercury I'I thereby dividing it into two separated pools and break- -ing the circuit between the terminals.

The switch bodies I and 38 may be mounted for rotation in a switch housing 48 which comprises a pair of walled members 4I in opposed relation. The members 4I may be formed with suitable recesses 42 to receivev the switch body. The members 4 I are further formed on their inner surfaces with arcuate grooves 43 for receiving the projecting terminals I on the switch body. Disposed within the grooves 43 are arcuate strips 44 of contact metal for making slidable contact with the terminals I5. The strips 44 may be formed with arcuate grooves 45 which will positively guide the pins I5 during their arcuate movement. Extensions 46 of the strips 44 project outwardly of the housing being provided with screws 41 to form terminal connectors. The handle I8 on the body projects through an opening 48 in the housing to permit rotation of the switch body through a predetermined angle. The rotation of the switch body makes or breaks the circuit in which the switch is connected, in the manner previously described.

The angular extent of the arcuate grooves 45 will determine the limits of rotation of said switch body and form stops to establish on and olf positions of the handle I8.

In Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are shown a further modification of the invention. The same comprises a switch body 50 and includes dished vitreous members II which are hermetically sealed together to form a chamber I2 for containing mercury, as previously described. Each of the members II has secured to the outer face thereof, a terminal 5I. The terminal 5I includes a portion 52 extending through the walls of members I I and projecting into chamber I2. Each of the terminals 5I is further formed on its outer face with a pair of outwardly extending curved, concentric flanges 53 interconnected at their opposite ends to form an arcuate guide way 54.

The switch body 58 may be mounted for rotational movement in a switch housing similar to housing 4I) except as hereinafter described. The housing walls are formed to receive contact members 6I. The members 6I include pins 62 at right angles thereto which are engageable in the arcuate guide Way 54 on terminals 5I of the switch body 53. The contact members 6I may be of spring metal, suitably biased toward each other to resiliently press the pins B2 against the terminals of the switch body and provide sliding contact therebetween. The members 6I also include terminal screws 63 for making suitable connections with the wiring with which the switch is associated.

In Fig. 14 is shown a switch body 'I8 which includes a pair of dished vitreous members II which are fused together to form a hermetically sealed Interposed between the members II is an annular metallic member I3 of T-shaped transverse cross-section. The member 'I3 becomes sealed between the fused members 'II and 6. provides an outer rim portion 14. The rim portion 'I4' may be used lto secure a handle thereto for rotating the switch body. Also the rim portion 'I4 may provide a bearing surface for the rotatable switch body relative to the housing in which the switch body is mounted.

The dished vitreous bodies used in making the liquid contact switches referred to hereinabove, may be of glass or glassy materiaL'having a suitable fusing point. The terminals fused into the dished members are made of suitable metals or metal alloys, well known in the art and selected in terms of the particular glass used in making the vitreous members, to insure the proper hermetic seal therebetween.

The switch bodies may be provided with one or more notches on peripheral portions thereof to attach handles having portions thereof removably engaged in said notches. Since the bodies are of insulating vitreous material, the notch engaging portions of the handle may be of spring metal suitably flanged to engage the notches. Such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 15 wherein the peripheral portion of switch body i8 is formed with notches 80. A handle isa. includes a spring metal portion 8i with flanges 82 at opposite ends thereof which may be snapped into notches 88.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

l. A rotatable liquid contact switch body, comprising a pair of juxtaposed dished vitreous members fused together at peripheral contacting portions thereof to form a hermetically sealed chamber therebetween, a terminal mounted in each of said members with one end thereof extending into sai-:l chamber and the other end extending exteriorly of the member, and a quantity of liquid electrically conductive material within said chamber.

2. A switch body comprising a pair of juxtaposed dished vitreous members having contacting peripheral potrions fused together, said members including spaced circular walls forming a hermetically sealed chamber, a terminal sealed into each of said members and extending transversely of said walls, and a quantity of electrically conductive liquid material in said chamber.

3. A liquid contact switch body comprising a pair of dished vitreous members fused together at opposed contacting marginal portions thereof, and forming a hermetically sealed chamber therebetween, and a rim member secured to peripheral portions of said body, said rim member including a flange disposed between portions of the opposed marginal portions of said dished members.

4. A liquid contact switch body comprising a pair of dished vitreous members fused together at opposed marginal portions thereof, and forming a hermetically sealed chamber therebetween, a terminal secured to each of said members and including a portion extending into said chamber, said terminals being aligned relative to each other, a barrier member disposed within said 7 chamber and forming a pair of compartments Within the chamber, said barrier being formed with a transverse opening interconnecting said compartments, said opening being oiset relative to said terminals, and liquid electrically conductive material within said chamber.

5. A lrotatable switch body comprising a pair of dished vitreous dielectric members including contacting peripheral portions, said members being fused together at said contacting portions to provide a hermetically sealed chamber between said members, a terminal sealed into each of said members and including a portion extending to said chamber and a portion extending externally of said member, said externally extendingportions of the terminals being adapted to provide means for mounting vsaid body for rotation about a transverse axis thereof, and a quantity of elecmaterial in said chamber to` a position above the level thereof@A i 6. A switch body as in claim 5 wherein an axis extending through at least one of said terminals is spaced from the rotational axis of said body.

7. A switch body as in claim 5, wherein an axis extending through said terminals coincides with the vrotational axis of saidy body.

' MANNES N. GLICKMAN.

REFERENCES CITED following references are of record in the iile ofthis patent:

NITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re.21,673 Murad Dec. 24, 1940 1,658,620y Walker Feb. 7, 1928 1,726,426 Disteli Aug. 27, 1929 1,738,140 Despard et al Dec. 3, 1929 2,101,092 Payne Dec. 7, 1937 2,127,473 Sacco Aug. 16, 1938 2,142,326 Murad Jan. 3, 1939 2,231,325 Y -Douglas Feb. 1l, 1941

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