US2813949A - Electrical relay - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 19, 1957- v, KLEIN 2,813,949

ELECTRICAL RELAY Filed Feb. 10, 1956 FIGZ. 9 H64.

I M l 15 United States Patent ELECTRICAL RELAY Victor G. Klein, Defiance, Mo., assignor to The McNeil Machine & Engineering Company (Ohio), Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 10, 1956, Serial No. 564,739

9 Claims. (Cl. 200-105) This invention relates to electrical relays, and with regard to certain more specific features, to so-called stepby-step counting or notching relays.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a relay of the class described having a compact and low-cost construction adapted upon predeterminately repeated signals in one circuit to effect incomplete contact actuation in another circuit and then upon a single additional repetition of said signal to complete the contact closure in said other circuit and reopen the contacts. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the following drawings, in which several of various possible embodiments of the invention are illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a relay embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing one position of the parts;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing a subsequent position of parts;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing another sub-. sequent position of parts; and,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross section taken on lines 66 of Figs. 2 and 3.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, numeral 1 indicates a channel-shaped base having a top 3 and sides 5 and 7. Extending laterally from side 5 is an ear 9 having openings 11 for mounting purposes. An insulation sheet 13 is located on the underside of the top 3 and a second insulation sheet 15 on its upper side. At

one end of the base 1 is a terminal 17 located below the insulator 13. At this same end of the relay is also a conducting strip 19 located above the insulation sheet 15. Conductive rivets 21 hold the members 17 and 19, passing through openings 23 with adequate clearance to prevent conduction to the top 3 of base 1.

Located on the top of the insulation sheet 15 is a Ushaped conductive member 25 having a relatively long leg 29 and a relatively short leg 27. In the long leg 29 is an opening 31 in or near which is a separately mounted contact 33 carried upon a vertical support 35. This support is S-shaped, having upper limb 37 which carries the contact 33 and lower limb 39 which rests upon the upper insulation sheet 15. At this point a second terminal 41 is located beneaththe lower insulation sheet 13. Conductive rivets 43 electrically join and fasten the members 41 and 35, passing through enlarged openings 45 in the ice top 3, so as electrically to isolate said members 41 and 35 from the base 1.

At the upper end of the short leg 27 is located a tongue 47 extending loosely through an opening 49 in a magnetic and conductive armature 51 so as to produce a pivot for the latter. A conductive pigtail 53 may join the leg 27 and armature 51, but this is optional. A tension coil spring 55 is anchored at one end to a tailpiece 57 on the armature 51, and at the other end to a portion 59 struck out from the leg 27. Tension of the spring 55 biases the armature 51 clockwise (Figs. 1 and 6). The other end of the armature 51 extends into the yoke formed by the opening 31, near which the armature carries a contact 61. The upper end of the opening 31 is struck out as a stop 63 for limiting the clockwise or contact-opening motion of the armature 51 (Figs. 1, 3 and 6). A sidewise flange 65 extends downward from one side of the armature 51, to one side and past the leg 29, carrying at its outer end a transverse stop 67. This flange 65 has a leaf spring 71 attached to it by means of a rivet 69.

The plane of the spring 71 is essentially vertical. The spring also passes to one side and beyond the leg 29, where it is provided with a pawl 73 which engages with the teeth 75 (six in number in the present example) of a ratchet 77. The ratchet 77 is part of a cylinder 79 having a pintle 81. The pintle is rotary at one end in a bearing hole in leg 29 and at the other end in a bearing hole in a brace 83 extending from and welded to the leg 29 at 85. The cylinder 79 is provided with a fiat or notch 87. The stop 67 is arranged to engage the circular part of cylinder 79, or its flat 87, when the armature 51 is rotated anticlockwise, depending upon the rotary position of the ratchet-cylinder assembly. When the cylinder 79 is engaged, the contacts 33 and 61 are prevented from engaging. When the stop 67 engages the flat 87, the contacts 33 and 61 close. The end of a spring stop 89 is designed to engage the ratchet teeth 75 to prevent reverse ratchet movement when the pawl 73 moves upward, being attached to a struck-out portion 91 of the leg 29.

At 93 is shown an electromagnetic coil wound about a magnetic core 95 supported by the member 25. Extending from member 25 is a third conductive terminal 97. One end of the coil 93 is conductively connected with one of the rivets 21 and hence with terminal 17 (see wire 99). Its other end is grounded to the terminal 97.

It will be apparent that the axis of rotation of the circular portion 79 and ratchet 77 is perpendicular to the pivotal axis at 47, 49 between the armature 51 and the leg 27. This simplifies the structure for low-cost production because it thereby becomes a simple matter to construct the stop 67 and a pawl 73 near the contact end of the armature 51.

In practice, the first or signal circuit has its terminals connected to the terminalengaging elements 17 and 97. The second or afiected circuit (to be closed and opened) has its terminals attached to the line terminals 41 and 97. The first circuit is presumed to have in it a suitable switch for energizing and deenergizing it at intervals. When energized, current flows through the coil 93, thus attracting the armature 51 toward the core 95 and moving the armature anticlockwise from the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6 toward the positions shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The pawl 73 during movement of stop 67 against cylinder 79 engages and drives one of the teeth 75 through one-sixth of a turn (compare Figs. 3 and 4). In the position shown in Fig. 4, the stop 67 has engaged the cylinder 79, thereby limiting the downward movement of armature 51 so as to prevent closure of the contacts 33 and 61. Then when the first circuit is deenergized, the armature 51 returns to its initial position, such as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6.

Upon the next excitation of the first circuit, the pawl 73 picks up the next tooth of the ratchet 77, thus advancing the fiat or notch 87 to a horizontal position, so that the cylinder 79 does not interfere with additional downward movement of the stop 67 (see Fig. .This allows the contacts 33 and 61 to close, thus closing the second circuit for performing whatever operation its excitation is designed to bring about. Again, when the first circuit is deenergized, the armature 51 will return to its initial position. Thereafter, it will require six additional excitations and deexcitations of the first circuit before the second circuit will be reclosed. Obviously this number is variable, depending upon the number of teeth of ratchet 77 for which the device is designed.

One advantage of the invention is that it requires only one make-and-break operation of the first circuit in order to pass through each event, regardless of whether it is one such as illustrated by Fig. 4, or such as illustrated by Fig. 5.

The structure for carrying out the above ends is comparatively simple and economical to manufacture, the ratchet with its notched cylinder being conveniently supported by the leg 29 and the stationary contact 33 arranged adjacent the opening 31 in leg 29 with the contact 61 on the end of the armature 51. The latter conveniently extends through said opening 31, the top of which acts as a convenient back stop to limit armature opening. Moreover, when the end of the armature strikes 63, the tendency for the end to vibrate is damped. This distinguishes from structures in which the stop arrangement for the armature is provided at its end adjacent a leg such as 27. Also, the pawl 73 is located near the outer end of the armature 51, thus providing a substantial stroke which will carry it not only through a distance for partially advancing contact 61 (Fig. 4), but also through a distance with overrun of the pawl with respect to the ratchet, so as to advance the contact 61 into closing position on contact 33 (see Fig. 5).

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, 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.

I claim:

1. A notching relay comprising an electromagnet wired into a first circuit, a pivoted armature extending transversely of the magnet, a fixed contact, a contact on said armature, said contacts being in a second circuit, a rotatable toothed ratchet including a circular portion having a notch, a pawl on the armature engageable with the teeth of the ratchet and a stop on the armature normally engageable with said circular portion to limit movement of the armature in response to excitation of the electromagnet to a position in which said contacts are noncontacting, said notch being moved by said pawl upon successive energizations of said electromagnet to a position to allow sufiicient movement of the armature upon excitation of the electromagnet to produce engagement between said contacts.

2. A notching relay made according to claim 1, including a stop engageable by a portion of the armature near the contact thereon adapted to limit contact-opening movement.

3. A notching relay comprising a base, first and second legs extending from said base and an electromagnet extending in substantially the same direction therebetween andwired into a first circuit, the first one of said legs having a yoke-forming opening, an armature pivoted to the second leg and extending transversely relative to the magnet and into said opening, a fixed contact adjacent the opening and a contact at the end of said armature also adjacent said opening, said contacts being in a second circuit, a rotatable toothed ratchet member including a circular portion having a notch and supported for rotation on said first leg, a pawl and a stop on the armature, said pawl being engageable with the teeth of the ratchet member and said stop being engageable with said circular portion to limit armature movement in response to excitation of the electromagnet to noncontacting positions of said contacts, said ratchet upon predetermined movement by said armature moving said notch opposite to said armature stop to allow sufiicient armature movement to effect engagement of said contacts.

4. A notching relay made according to claim 3, wherein said opening through which extends the armature limits contact-opening movement of the latter.

5. A notching relay made according to claim 3, wherein the axis of rotation of said circular portion is perpendicular to the pivotal axis of rotation of the armature.

6. A notching relay made according to claim 3, wherein said opening through which extends the armature limits contact-opening movement of the latter, and wherein the axis of rotation of said circular portion is perpendicular to the pivotal axis of rotation of the armature.

7. A notching relay comprising a base,,first and second legs extending from said base. and an electromagnet extending in substantially the same direction therebetween and wired into a first circuit, the first one of said legs having a yoke-forming opening therethrough, an armature pivoted to the second leg and extending transversely of the magnet and into said opening, a fixed contact adjacent the opening and acontact at the end of said armature also adjacent said opening, said contacts being in a second circuit, a rotatable toothed ratchet member includinga circular portion having a notch and supported on the outside of said first leg, a pawl on the armature beyond the opening engageable with the teeth of the ratchet and a stop thereon beyond the opening engageable. with said circular portion to limit movement of the armature in response to excitation of the electromagnet to noncontacting positions of said contacts, said ratchet upon predetermined movement by said armature moving said notch opposite tosaid armature stop to allow sufiicient armature movement to effect engagement of said contacts.

8. A notching relay made according to claim 7, wherein a portion of said opening in the first leg is engageable with a portion of the armature to limit contact-opening movement thereof.

9. A notching relay comprising an electromagnet, an armature movable toward and away from the electromagnet upon energization and deenergization thereof, a contact member engageable by the armature upon movement thereof in one direction, a rotary stop engageable by the armature upon movement thereof insaid one direction, means operable by the armature for rotating the stop a fraction of a revolution upon each stroke of the armature, said stop being formed so that throughout a part of each revolution thereof it limits movement of the armature to less than that required for engagement of the armature with the contact member and during another part of each revolution it allows movement of the armature into engagement with the contact member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 507,206 Bogart Oct. 24, 1893 840,516 Rennert Ian. 8, 1907 1,780,612 Anderson Nov; 4, 1930 2,494,520 Riggen Jan. 10, 1950 2,497,466 Olson Feb. 14, 1950 2,547,998 Brockway Apr. 10,1951

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