US2683198A - Electromagnetic relay - Google Patents

Description

July 6, 1954 B- S. BENGTSSON ELECTROMAGNETIC RELAY Filed Oct.

50, 1950 fig 5 5a /7 1 a2 a5 37 20 -26 25 3, V l l 39 3nventor BE}? TIL S BENGTOGON u WWW! Patented July 6, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,683,198 ELECTROMAGNE TIC RELAY Bertil S. Bengtsson,

Hartford, Conn., assignor to The Hart Manufacturing Company, Hartford,

Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application October 30, 1950, Serial No. 193,004

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to electromagnetic relays and, more particularly, to an imditions or to ments.

and the scope of be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of an assembled electromagnetic relay embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view of the relay shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view of the relay with the relay turned 90 degress from the position shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, a specific embodiment of an electromagnetic relay constructed in accordance with the invention is shown supported on a circular disclike base having a cenmay be placed about the relay, the enlarged at I5 to telescopically engage the periphery of the base l0.

Threadably received on the upper end of the boss I I and supported thereby is a core 20 about which is disposed a coil 2i for actuating the rewhich is open at its the upper end of the core 20 and surrounds the coil 2i.

A bushing 25 having an cap [6 being 35 forms a seat for one end of a g 38, the opposite end of the spring 38 being received on the upper end of the plunger 2! and abutting against a flange 39 thereon.

As will be apparent, the

against the bias of spring Disposed on the base I0 40 having suitable recesses for receiving the The insulating aperture 4| to accommodate the boss H.

Disposed on a bottom surface of the insulating block 40 are a plurality of stationary contacts 42 which are in the nature of elongated plates and are provided with downwardly extending posts 43 extending through suitable apertures in the base It, the posts 43 being flattened at their lower ends to provide suitable connecting terminals. Since the specific embodiment shown in the drawing is a four-pole, doublethrow relay, there are four stationary contacts 42 provided.

Similar stationary contacts 44 are secured to an insulating cover plate 45 which extends across the top of the insulating block 40. The stationary contacts 44 are similarly provided with downwardly extending posts 46 which extend through apertures in the insulating block 48 and base it, the posts 46 also being flattened at their lower extremities to provide suitable terminals. The four upper stationary contacts 44 are disposed in vertical alignment, respectively, with the four stationary lower contacts 42.

The movable contacts, which are adapted to be moved into engagement alternately with the upper stationary contacts 44 and the lower stationary contacts 42, are provided by four tonguelike members which are apertured at 5| so as to be received on posts 52 which extend downwardly through suitable openings in the insulating block and base in to provide connecting terminals. The posts 52 extend into the insulating cover plate and are provided with a flange I 53 having a parti-spherical lower surface 54 against which the movable members may abut. The members 50 are biased upwardly into seated engagement with the surface 5 3 by springs 55 disposed about the posts 52 and engaging the base of the insulating block 40.

The tonguelike members 59 are bifurcated at 56 to form upper and lower contacting surfaces for engaging against the stationary contacts 44 and 42, respectively. posed, of course, so that the bifurcated sections 56 are situated between the upper contacts 44 and the lower contacts 42.

The bifurcated sections are engaged on generally carrier plates 59 which are apertured at El so as to accommodate the posts 56 of the upper stationary contacts 43. Springs 62, positioned on the posts 46, urge the carrier plates at upwardly so as to bring the members 553 in contact with upper contacts 44 and spaced from the lower contacts :32. The springs 55 assist somewhat in accomplishing this normal positioning of the members 59. The inner ends of the carrier plates 59 are provided with tail portions 63 which are received in a sleevelike clamp 64 whereby the two carrier plates are maintained in substantial alignment.

Approximately plates 60 is a pin suitable apertures in centrally of each of the carrier 65 extending upwardly through the insulating cover plate 45 by means of which the carrier plates 66 may be actuated. As a result of this construction, when the pins 55 are depressed downwardly, the carrier plates 60 are likewise moved downwardly to carry the movable members at into engagement with the lower stationary contacts 52. When the pressure on the pin 65 is removed, the springs 62 and 55 return the carrier plates 60 and movable members 50 to the position shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, in which position the members 50 are in contact with the upperstationary contacts 44.

The means for depressing the pins '65 comprises a yoke 10 which extends across the upper The members 50 are dish 56 of the members 50 triangular insulating ends of the pins 65 through the bifurcation of the boss H. The central portion of the yoke 10 is arcuately curved to form a bearing surface ll which may be engaged by the diaphragm 30. The center of the yoke 10 has an opening 12 through which the lower end or stud 29 of the plunger 2'! may extend to assist in positioning the yoke 10.

As will be apparent, the mounting of the yoke Til is such that the yoke will always be retained in operating position engaging the tops of the pins 65 by reason of the slot l3 of the boss H which prevents turning or lateral movement of the yoke and the lower end or stud 29 of the plunger 2?, which. prevents longitudinal displacement of the yoke. At the same time the yoke is tilta-ble about its midpoint defined by the arcuate bearing surface ll. When the solenoid of the relay is de-energized, the plunger 2'! and diaphragm 3B are thrust downwardly under the influence of spring 38 causing the diaphragm 30 to engage upon the curved bearing surface H of the yoke 73. This moves the yoke iii downwardly so as to actuate the carrier plates 6!} and hence the movable contact members 5i causing the members 58 to make contact with the lower stationary contacts 42, as previously described. Inasmuch as the yoke ill may pivot about its midpoint, it is a distinct advantage of the present invention that the result will be to equalize the pressure on the pins 65, thus insuring that a full contact will be made through the agency of each of the triangular carrier plates 58. At the same time, the carrier plates 56 may tilt at right angles to the yoke it by reason of the spring supports 62. Accordingly, the contact pressure on both sides of the carrier plates 60 is equalized. The result is that the downward pressure exerted on the yoke ill by the diaphragm Sii will produce an equal pressure on each of the contacts of the relay, thus insuring a good contact at all points.

It has been found that, by constructing an electromagnetic relay in accordance with the present invention, the amount of movement or throw required to actuate the switch may be reduced to as little as .0075, and a good contact will be provided at all points. Since the normal position of the relay is maintained by a relatively heavy spring 3-8, it is unlikely that the relay can be actuated by jars or jolts to the mechanism. At the same time the extremely small throw required to actuate the relay permits the relay to be actuated even though a very small energizing voltage and/or current is available.

The relay is formed of easily fabricated elements and may be assembled and adjusted with a minimum of diiiiculty and expense. The relay can be constructed to withstand great extremes of temperature conditions and, in general, will function satisfactorily under extremely adverse operating conditions.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an electromagnetic relay, two pairs of spaced apart stationary contacts having their contact surfaces in substantially the same plane, a movable contact arm disposed adjacent each of the stationary ccntacts for movement into and out of engagement therewith, a pair of carrier plates connected, respectively, to two of said arms, spring means forming a floating supsame, yoke having an arcuate bearing surface ing transversely thereof and actuating means engageable with said bearing surface.

2. In an electromagnetic relay, a pair of stationary contacts, a pair of movable contact arms movable simultaneously into and out of contact, respectively, with said stationary contacts, said contact arms being provided with bifurcated end portions, a carrier plate received in said bifurcated end portions for positioning the movable contact arms, spring means forming a floating support for the carrier plate, means for moving the plate, including a member pivotally engaging the plate, actuating means, and means forming a tiltable connection between said member and said actuating means.

3. In an electromagnetic relay, two pairs oi spaced apart stationary contacts having their contact surfaces disposed in substantially the same plane, a plurality of movable contact arms pivotally supported at one end and having a bifurcated free end extending, respectively, over said stationary contacts, a pair of carrier plates extending, respectively, into the bifurcated ends of two of said arms for positioning same, means forming a floating support for the carrier plates, and means for moving the plates including a tiltable yoke extending between the plates and having an arcuate bearing surface, and actuating means engageable with said bearing surface.

4. In an electromagnetic relay comprising a pair of stationary contacts and a pair of movable contact arms movable simultaneously into and out of contact, respectively, with said stationary contacts, a carrier plate connected to said arms, means forming a yieldable and tiltable support for the carrier plate normally maintaining the arms out of engagement with the stationary contacts, and means for moving the plate comprising a member having a tiltable connection with the plate, spring means urging the member in a plate depressing direction, said member having an arcuate bearing surface extending transversely thereof, and actuating means engageable with said bearing surface.

5. In an electromagnetic relay, stationary contact members, movable contact arms movable simultaneously into and out of contact with said said extendplate received in said bifurcated end portions, means forming a resilient and tiltable support for the carrier plate normally maintaining the arms out of engagement with the stationary contacts, a movable member having a tiltable connection with said plate, means for actuating said member, and means forming a tiltable connection between said member and said actuating means.

6. In an electromagnetic relay, two pairs of spaced apart stationary contacts having their contact surfaces in substantially the same plane,

a movable contact arm disposed adjacent each the yoke and the last-named means.

'2. In an electromagnetic relay, two pairs of spaced apart stationary contacts having their contact surfaces in substantially the same plane, movable engagement therewith, a pair of carrier plates extending, respectively, into the bifurcated end portions of two of the contact arms, means forming a resilient and tiltable support for the carrier plates normally maintaining the out of engagement with the stationary contacts, a yoke extending between the plates and operatively connected thereto, means for actuating the yoke, and means forming a tiltable connection between the yoke and the last-named means.

8. In an electromagnetic relay, a base, stationary lower contacts supported on the base, corresponding upper stationary contacts spaced above the first-named stationary contacts, movable contact arms extending between pairs of stationary contacts, a carrier plate connected to said arms, means forming a resilient and tiltable support for the carrier plate and normally maintaining the contact arms in contact with the upper stationary contacts, and a member having a tiltable connection with said plate and having means forming a tiltable connection with actuating means operable to depress said memher.

9. In an electromagnetic relay, tionary lower corresponding above the firstma-nied stationary contacts,

nected to adjacent contact arms, spring means yoke.

10. In an electromagnetic relay, a base, two pairs of stationary contacts supported on the base, two pairs of corresponding stationary contacts supported, respectively, in substantially cated portions being disposed, respectively, between aiigned contacts, a pair of carrier plates extending, respectively, into the bifurcated end portions of two of the movable contact arms, spring means forming a floating support for the plates and urging the the contact arms with the said superposed stationary contacts, a

its ends, a diaphragm for engaging said arcuate bearing surface, spring means urging the diaphragm against the bearing surface, and means for withdrawing the diaphragm.

11. In an electromagnetic relay, a base, stationary lower contacts supported on the base, corresponding upper stationary contacts spaced above the first-named stationary contacts, movable contact arms having bifurcated end portions extending between pairs of stationary contacts, a pair of carrier plates extending into the bifurcated end portions of adjacent contact arms, spring means forming a yieldable and tiltable support for the plates and normally maintaining the bifurcated end portions of the contact arms in contact with the upper stationary contacts, a yoke extending between the plates, means forming a tiltable connection between the plates and the ends of the yoke, a member biased toward the yoke for depressing the yoke and carrier plates to cause the contact arms to move into contact with the lower stationary contacts, means forming an engagement between the member and the yoke permitting tilting movement of the yoke, and means for withdrawing the member.

12. In an electromagnetic relay, a base, stationary lower contacts supported on the base, corresponding upper stationary contacts spaced above the first-named stationary contacts, movable contact arms having bifurcated end portions disposed between pairs of stationary contacts, a

pair of carrier plates connected together and extending into the bifurcated end portions of adjacent contact arms, spring means yieldably and tiltably supporting the plates and normally maintaining the contact arms in contact with the upper stationary contacts, a yoke extending between the plates having a centrally disposed arcuate bearing surface, a guideway for the yoke, a diaphragm and engageable with the arcuate bearing surface of the yoke, a plunger attached to the diaphragm and spring means engaging the plunger thereby urging the diaphragm against the yoke.

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