GB924120A - Rotary motor driven rotary switch - Google Patents

Abstract

924,120. Snap-action switches. MASON ELECTRIC CORPORATION. July 20, 1960 [Jan. 11, 1960], No. 25253/60. Class 38 (5). A rotary switch comprises one or more annular housings 16 carrying pairs of fixed contacts 32 recessed to receive bridging rollers 36 resiliently mounted in and supporting respective annular rotors 42 which are operated by a reversible electric motor 12 accommodated therewithin and coupled thereto by resilient lost-motion torque-multiplying means including a cylindrical actuator 54. Actuator 64 is coupled to rotors 42 by springs 58 and to the motor shaft 76 by arms 98 and mechanism within the coupling housing 22. The annular housings 16 are clamped between the coupling housing 22 and an end cover 20 by means of studs 24 and nuts 26. When motor 12 is energized it rotates U-shaped member 78, one arm 80 of which first engages one end of spring 88 and then one end of slot 82 in a member 84 which is thus rotated. Thus lost-motion allows motor 12 to develop peak torque before cylindrical cam elements 86 mounted on member 84 engage levers 94, pivoted at 96 in the housing 22 (only one lever being shown in diagrammatic, Fig. 4). As levers 94 are then moved they act on the ends of arms 98 with increased torque and thus turn the actuator 54. Pins 50, fixed in the rotors 42, support springs 48 which press against pins 52 and on to contact carriers 40 to urge rollers 36 against the contact, track of housing 16. Each pin 50 also supports two springs 58 tensioned in opposite directions against pin 52 and having their other ends 62 extending through holes 64 in the actuator 54. When actuator 54 is turned, half of the springs 58 are tensioned and tend to rotate their rotor 42 while the oppositely oriented springs 58 are not engaged until lost-motion due to the diameter of holes 64 is taken up, whereupon they give a positive kick to rotor 42 (Figs. 6 and 7, not shown), and the rollers 36 leave the recesses in fixed contacts 32 ; rotor 42 then rapidly rotates until the rollers bridge the next pairs of fixed contacts 32. The motor 12 is de-energized at about the time rollers 36 are leaving the fixed contacts 32 and this is preferably accomplished automatically by connecting the motor 12 in circuit with certain of the contacts 32. Reverse operation of the switch is obtained by energizing the motor in the opposite sense. The arms 98 of actuator 54 extend through levers 94 into notches 104 in a member 102 rotatable in a cover 74 which closes housing 22, and a screwdriver slot 108 in the hub of member 102 enables the switch to be operated manually. Specifications 837,432 837,433, 837,434, 837,435 and 871,568 are referred to.