GB793173A - Improvements in or relating to electric conducting liquid switches - Google Patents

Abstract

793,173. Mercury and other conducting liquid switches. ENGEL & GIBBS, Ltd. June 25, 1954 [July 17, 1953], No. 19955/53. Class 38 (5). A tilting mercury switch comprises an envelope which is formed with a ground or roughened track for the mercury. Various arrangements of electrodes may be used, for example, the mercury 14 may be in permanent contact with a rod 15, Fig. 3, and may be moved into engagement with either electrode 17 or 18. Each of the latter has an end 21, 22 pointed by grinding or by electrolysis. A number of additional electrodes 46 ... 49, Fig. 5, may be arranged alongside the rod 15 so that the electrodes are progressively engaged. The electrodes are preferably connected through resistances to a motor-controlling a gyroscopic unit. In a further arrangement (Fig. 6, not shown), the rod 15 is omitted and the mercury cooperates with a pair of electrodes at each end of the envelope, and in Fig. 7, the rod 15 is interrupted midway and an electrode 57 arranged in the gap. The envelope may be straight, as shown, or curved (Fig. 4, not shown). The mercury is preferably amalgamated with 8 per cent thallium so as to reduce its freezing temperature, as described in Specification 793,174.