US1001796A - Self-adjustable contact-maker for electric switches. - Google Patents

Description

F. W. YOUNG. I SELF ADJUSTABLE CONTACT MAKER FOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26. 1905.

1,001,796. Patented Aug.29, 1911.

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nae/ma w: round, or EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SEARS B. CONDI'I, JR. or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SELF ADJUSTABLE CONTACT-MAKER FOR ELECTRIC S WIT CHESL earner.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 29, 1911,

Application filed December 26, 1905. Serial No. 293,248.

following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specificatron, lik'e; letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to electric switches,

being herein shown as applied to the automat c ClI'CUlCblEZlkBl type of switch; and

has for its object the provision of means for maintaining perfect seating of the switchcontact upon the contact blocks in that type of switch havnig a bridge-contact member.

The constructional details of 'my invention will be fully eirplained in the course or V the following detailed description, refer-' ence being had to the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown a preferred embodiment of .my invention.

. ,In' the drawings, Figure 1 represents in side elevation a circuit breaker having my invention applied thereto. FLlgS.-2, 3 and 4 are enlarged broken details showing my improvementin top plan, longitudinal and transverse'sectmn; the latter figuresibeing "taken on the dotted lines 3 3 and i e,

Fig.2,respectively Both -troi i" the inanu'facturers standpoint and .the' uscrsstandpoint, consid- .terrible,-ditlicultyhasv been commonly eX- perienced --1n securing and maintaining "proper alinernent of the switch contact with" the stationary contactblocks in abridge-contact switch? For instance, if the castings were slightly out of true, it has beenconimo'nly necessary toreadjust all the ijointsjand pivots, trueup.thefvarious hearing surfaces, and otherwise waste time andmoney in adjusting each individual circuit breaker-, in'order to bring the sliding contact of the ends of; the laminated brush into flat rubbing pressure with the contact blocks. Also, in use,-'it the contact surface "of the brushbecomes burned or otherwise roughened or injured, it'- is necessaryto file it off so as to maintain the flat-rubl' 1ng contact'above mentioned. and this has usually necessitated .a I careful adjustn'icnt of the pressurebytighteni-ng or loosening certain screws, alarms necessitated repeated testthat the back ing and experiments to insure that the sure is even on bothends of the brush, 1

My invention -aims to provide means for fitting the brushes once for all, so that there is no necessity for fitting each individual circuit breaker in the laborious. manner above e plained', at the factory, and also I have-eliminated the laborious and skilled adjustment in use.

Referringto Fig. 1, it will be understood plate 1, upper and lower contact blocks 2, auxiliary carbon contact 3, binding posts 4, trip'5, armature core 6, and armature inclosure ,7, may be ofany well known or preferred kind, as also the general features of this switch, which is ,herein shownas comprising a handle 8 pivoted at 9 and connected by a toggle link 10 to a switch-arm or leverll, which carries atits pres- 'free end a bridge-contact l2 and auxiliary contact 13.

Referring now to Figs-2, 3 and 4, it will be seen that the laminated contact 12 is clamped between a back plate '14: and front plate 15, having complementary angular surfaces for maintaining the lamina: of they bridge 12 in proper position and all secured together by a bolt 16 and nut 17 on the threaded end there'ot..-Above the back plate 14.1 provide a chambered cap or supporting barrel 18, pivoted on opposite trunnions or pivots 19 and carrying a plurality. of comparatively heavy springs 20, preferably of considerable length, as shown in Fig. 3, and retained separated in the .in-

terior of the cap 18, as by means of pockets 21, as herein shown. In the type of switch herein explained," I have shown four of these springs arranged to get a proper counterbalancing etiect, as shown in Fig. 2, and .in pairs at the opposite sides of the longitudinal center and alsoin pairs-at the opposite sides of the transverse center of V the bridge and its supporting parts. In larger types of switch I employ six or more springs, while in smaller ones I employ one or more o'nly. or other forms or kinds of yielding member, such as rubber. for instance. These springs 20 bear forcibly uponthe top surface ofthe back plated/l, the adjacent edges of the back plate and cap being cut awayor shouldered. as indicated at 22 23, to permit limited yielding movement freely'in any direction; A pin 24;, or any other suitable means, may be provided 2 memes for preventing=relative rotation of the parts on the fboltiiltij and a pin 25 is provided to limit the swingingmovcment of the bridge on its Epivots19.

5 It will be understood that the yielding arrangement and construction will be varied to suit the various types of switches and circuit breakers, and that various modificationsgthei'eof' maygbe made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the claims and explained in t-hedescription,

The practicalside of my invention will be at once seen? 'Iftthe contacting surfaces of the bridge 12 become'iniured or for other reasons are fileddown, all that is necessary is to slightly slacken the bolt 16 in order to restore the bridgejtoits original distance from the switch-arm 11, unless the bolt is 2 left always in slack' adjustment, which is often preferable, inasmuch as the yielding construct-ion provided my the springs 20 will tend automatically to giving the required even pressure fontlie oppositeends of said bridge; These rrnc'lsi or legs of'the bridge or A- 'shaped contact have their engaging surfaces oblique tothe'general direction of their length, Thisle liminates entirely the necessity of repeated k xperiment and careful adjustment of pressure screws and other devices which have heretoforebeen commonly employed rcr bringing the'correct even pressure upon the opposite ends of the bridge. It also, does away with the necessity for the extreme accuracy. of filingdown the opposite ends lofthe brush; which has heretofore been necessaryfifln other words, it renders the bridge vcontact"of the circuit breaker largely 'alutomatic and self-adjusting. Also 40 from the manufacturing standpoint my invention' is even more advantageous. The bridge .fpieces may all be made alike and imply clamped between the holding plates n usual manner, and then the parts assem- '.-bled, whereupon all minor difierences or inaccuracy in the arm, casting 11 and the various pivots andtconnections thereof, will not materially aifectft-he accuracy of the bridge inasmuch as the springs will permit '50 the latter. to aline properly and accurately with theacontactvblocks. This does away with the expensive ,and laborious fitting of,

each individual circuit breaker, heretofore necessary.

.55 Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is;

1L In an electric switch, separated contact blocks, va mo 'able contact element for spanninp' samje,-a, movable carrier for operating saio movable contact element, and a backing support pivotedto said movable carrier affording aseatfor, said movable contact element, said backing supporthavihg pro- 5 vision to permit yielding of'said movable sistance to angular displ-acen contact element relative thereto in all directions:

2. In a electric switch, separated fixed contacts, a movable spanning contact element, a movable carrier therefor, a pivotedgt) connection to permit said movable contact" element to swing transversely in its plane of operative movement and another, connectionpermitting said movable contact element to yield bodily and angularly in all directions relative to said carrier.

3. In an electric switch, separated fixed cont-acts, a-movable spanning contact 'element, acarrier therefor mounted for movement bodily toward and from said fixed contacts, and interfitting connections between said movable co'ntact'element and said carrier formed to permit' relative bodily yielding in the direction of its movement and self adjustment angularly in all directions between said parts, said interfitt-ing connections including strongly resilient means acting uponsubstar'itial areas of the interfitting portions and offering substantial resistance to relative angular displacement of said members 4. In an electric switch, separated contact blocks, a movable bridge-contact for spanning the same, a. supporting arm for operating said bridge-contact, a spring-supporting device separate from the bridge-contact, pivoted 1n sald arm, spr1ngs carried thereby,

and means carried by said bridge-contactin engagement with said springs and mov'ably connected to said separate supporting device, cooperating with said springs and device in automatically al'ining said bridge with the contact blocks as the supporting arm carries the bridge-contact into closed position, v

5. In an electric switch, separated fixed. contacts, a movable bridge-contact for spanning the same, a. supporting arm for operating said bridge-contact, a cap 'pivoted to said arm forming a seat for said movable bridge-contact and springs housed in said cap disposed to act at Separated points upon said bridge-contact to offe 'si'l'bstantia-l re-' I t thereof.

6. In anelectric switch, separated contact blocks in the planeof ovement of the bridge-contact, a. movab e' arched bridgecontact for spanning the same having its projecting ends provided with engaging sur- 7 faces oblique to the general direction of their length, a supporting arm foroperating said bridge-contact, a spring-supporting device separate from the bridge-contact pivoted in said arm, springs carried thereby, and means carried by said bridge in engagementiwith said springs and movably connected Ito-said ioo supporting device, cooperating-"with 'said 1 springs and device in automatically ali ning said oblique ends with the c act-blocks,

blocks, a movable bridge contact for spanning the same, a supporting arm for operating said bridge contact, a cap transversely pivoted in said arm, means movably connecting said bridge withsaid cap, and yielding means retained by said cap in pressing engagenient against said bridge for equalizing b the pressure of the latter.

8. In an electric switch, separated fixed contact blocks, a bridge-contact for spanning the same, a carrying lever therefor, a chambered cap pivoted transversely in said carrying lever, yielding means carried within said cap, and means retaining said bridgecontact in movable engagement with said yielding means.

. 9. In an electric switch, separated fixed contact blocks, a brid contact forspanning the,same, a carrying. lever therefor, a chamber d cap ridge-con act centrally to said cap in yielding engag cut with said" springs.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my 25 name to th specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' FRANZ W. YOUNG.

in oppositEiairs, and means connecting said Witnesses:

. GEO. H. MAXWELL,

ELLA. Jones.

pivoted transversely in said 20 I carrying ever, springs-mounted 1n said cap

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