US739205A - Automatic switch. - Google Patents

Description

No. 739,205. PATENTED SEPT. 15 1903.

A J. E'. MGELROY. AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

APPLIUATION FILD JAN. 13, 1903.

F0 MODEL.` I

min-.Egg www A Vf UNITED STATES iatented September 15, y A 2 PA TENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. MCELROY, OE ALBANY, NEw YORK, AssIeNoR To ,CONSOLIDATED OAR HEATING COMPANY, OE ALBANY, NEw YORK, A CORPORATION OE VES'I VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 739,205, dated September 15, 1903. Application fata Tammy 13, 190s. serai No. 138,917. @To model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. MCELROY, av citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, county of Albany, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches, of which the following' is a specification, refer-- ence being made to the accompanying' drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a section of the switch and the shaft by which it is operated. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.

My invention is designed for use with a shaft which is reversed indirection at intervals and is required to simultaneously operate a switch. In particular the invention is applicable to a dynamo driven bya vehicleaxle, and hence subject to reversal of rotation, and requires a simultaneous reversal of its connection with the circuit by means of a switch worked automatically by the shaft.

My apparatus comprises a switch that is positively thrown to one side or the other by the engagement therewith of a pawl carried by the shaft, the engagement being controlled by a cam, which acts upon reversal of the shaft to cause the engagement and upon the completion of the switch movement to break the engagement of the pawl with the switch. Referring to Fig. 1, B and B2 represent the upper and lower halves, respectively, of the dynamo-casing, while between them and inclosed thereby is the dynamo-shaft C in j ournal-box D, resting in a partition E, that traverses a special compartment formed Within the casing for the reception ofthe bearing.

In a separate compartment at the left of the one just mentioned is the reversing-switch M. It comprises two movable blades O and O', pivoted, respectively, on the upper and lower sides of an insulating-block P on a common axis c. The upper blade O plays between a set of opening jaws 1 on the left and a similar set 2 on the right. The lower blade O likewise plays between two sets of jaws, one being directly below the'said set 1, but not shown, and the other being the set 4, directly below set 2. The electrical circuits of the switch are not shown, since they are such as are well known to the art, while any other form of switch that is to be operated in a similar manner may be employed. The outer extremities of blades O andO are both jointed to an insulating-bar R on the axis ZJ. To

On the extremity of shaft C and rotating therewith is a flanged disk F, and directly opposite it a disk F2, integral with a stud F4, that is free to turn in a socket g, projecting inward from a cover-plate G, that isset into an opening in the front wall of the dynamocasing and held in place bya spring-latch G' or by other means. The stud is secured. in the socket bya ring-key f2. The socket g terminates in a stationary cam-disk F2, in which is a curved slot f, through which projects from disk F2 a pin H, energizing the operating-bar J. Thus the oscillation of disk F2, so far as it is permitted by the curved slot and pin H, will act through the bar J to throw the switch M to one side or the other, and it remains to show how the disk F2 receives such l which is on shaft C, rotates, except as it may be prevented from dropping into the Vnotch by the cam-disk F3. The cam-disk, which is stationary, has its shorter radius above and its longer radius below the center of stud F4. Therefore, assuming the' parts to be in the relation shown inFig. 1, when the shaft C starts to rotate in a clockwise direction the pawl K will on the first turn drop into notch A of disk F2 and by hooking its right-hand edge draw it around nearly a half-turn until it rides up on the lower half of cam-disk F3, when it will be forced out of the notch and will thereafter travel around the disks without being able to engage the notch. When, however, the rotation of the shaft is reversed, the pawl K will engage the exposed left-hand edge of notch A, turn disk F2 in the reverse direction until it is again lifted by the cam. Of course the switch M follows the movements of disk F2, because of the intervening operating-bar J.

I have found that in the device as thus far described the pawl will sometimes become loo disengaged before the throw of the switch is fully completed or that the switch will work back to a slight extent by the jarringof the apparatus when mounted on a car-truck, and this will cause the pawl to become battered by striking as it rotates the edge of the notch .until Vlinally it will fail to operate the switch at the right moment, it being understood that the switch is of substantialconstruction and requires a considerable force to throw it from one side to the other. To overcome this difliculty, I have provided a spring', which is put un der ltension bythe pawl simultaneo usly with its operation of the switch, and on the latter half of the stroke is released and allowed to act upon the switch to force it home and retain it in position with the'edge of the notch, which is well behind the curve of the controlling-cam. The spring thus acts over a dead-center7 it being powerless when the pin II is central in the slot, but operative on each side of said center to assist the throw of the switch, as well as the throw of the disk F2. In other words, the spring at the central point has no leverage on the switch or disk, but on either side of the center has a gradually-increasin g leverage thereon.

Referring to Fig. l, J is a lever pivoted at its rear end to the bar R and at its forward end bearing on a slideway G2 on the under side of so'cket g at a point directly below the pin Il'. The lever is connected to rod J by a strong spring S, and of course travels to and fro with the rod. It will be manifest that as the pin H moves in either direction over the latter half of the arc formed by the curved slot f it will be assisted in its movement by spring S, which is put under tension during the progress of the pin over the first half of the arc. This will tend to throw the disk F2 to the full end of its stroke and force the leading end of the notch A well behind the enlarged portion of the cam, where it is not exposed to engagement by the pawl K. It also serves to force the switch-blades home into the jaws and retain them there, since it exerts at the end a strong leverage on the blades, the pin II at such times coming nearly to a dead-center with respect to rod J. The same action is repeated at each end of the stroke.

It will be understood that the apparatus shown herein is butA an illustration of the invention, being that form thereof which I now regard as the best out of the various forms in which the principle of the invention may be embodied.

lVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination with a dynamo-electric machine of a reversible driving-shaft therefor, a reversing-switch, a pawl for operating the switch by the movement of the machine, a notched disk engaged by the pawl and a cam for disconnecting the pawl from the disk at a predetermined point.

2. The combination with a dynamo-electric machine of a reversible driving-shaft there-v for, a reversing-switch, a disk connected to the switch and provided with a notch in its periphery, a pawl carried by the dynamo-shaft adapted to engage the said notch and a cam for disengaging the pawl at a predetermined point.

3. The combination with a dynaino-electric machine, of a reversible shaft therefor, a reversing-switch, a rotating pawl driven by the shaft and movable radially with respect to its center of rotation, an engaging device connected with the switch and lying in the path of thepawl, and an automatic disengaging device dependent on the throw of the switch.

fi. The combination with armature-shaft C of a reversing-switch, a disk F, a pawl K, notched disk F2 connected to the reversingswitch and a stationary cam-disk F3.

5. The combination with a shaft reversible in direction and a reversing-switch, of an intermediate pawl and engaging device, the one connected to the switch and the other to the shaft so as to rotate synchronously therewith, and automatic disengaging devices dependent on the throw of the switch.

G. The combination with a shaft adapted to rotate continuously in either direction, of a switch operated thereby, engaging devices intervening between the shaft and switch, means for limiting the engagement period, a switch-operating spring, and leveragechanging devices for the spring whereby the spring' acts upon the switch over a dead-centerl 7 The combination with a shaft adapted to rotate continuously in either direction, of a switch operated thereby, an engaging device acting for both directions of the shaft to con= neet the shaft with the switch, means for limiting the engagementv period, a switchoperating spring, and leverage-changing devices for the spring, whereby the spring acts upon the switch over a dead-eenter- 8. The combination with a dynamo driven in reverse direction by a car-axle', of a reversing-switch therefor, an engaging device between the dynamo shaft and the switch, means for limiting the engagement period, a switch-operating spring, and leverage-changing devices whereby the spring acts upon the switch over a dead-center.

9. The combination with a reversible rotating shaft, of a switch operated thereby, a pawl carried by the shaft, a part connected to the switch .and engaged by the pawl at starting, means for disengaging the pawl when the switch is thrown, a switch-operating spring, and leverage-changing devices whereby the spring acts upon the switch over a dead-center.

10. The combination with a dynamo driven in reverse directions by a car-axle, of a reversing-switch therefor, a rotating engagement device driven by the axle and a corresponding engagement device connccted with the switch, a disengaging cam, a spring act-= IIO IZO

ing on the engaging devices in the-direction of their joint movement to supplement the action of the cam.

11. The combination with a reversible dynamo-shaft, of a reversing-switch for the dynamo, a pawl for engaging the shaft with the switch, operating devices for the switch moving in an arc, a switch-operating spring, and leveragechanging devices whereby the spring acts upon the switch over a dead-center.

12. The combination with a reversible dynamo-shaft of a reversing switch, 'a pawl carried by the shaft, a rotatable notched disk connected with the switch and engaged by said pawl, a cam controlling the engagement of the pawl and disk, and a spring put under tension by the shaft and acting on the said disk when the pawl is disengaged by the cam.

13. The combination with a switch of an operating-rod therefor running at one end in an arc, a rotating shaft, engaging devices between said rod and shaft7 means for limiting the period of engagement, a lever moving with the switch in a right line and a spring between said lever and said rod.

11i. The combination with a reversible dynamo-shaft of a reversingswitch operated thereby, a pawl K, notched disk F2 connected with the switch by a rod J, a cam F3 controlling the length of engagement-pawl K with disk F2, a lever J, a guide G2 therefor and spring S between said rod J and lever J.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, before two subscribing witnesses, this 10th day of January, 1903.

JAMES F. MCELROY.

Vitnesses:

WILLIAM A. MoRRILL, J r., BEULAH CABLE.

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