US1005402A

US1005402A - Electric switch.

Info

Publication number: US1005402A
Application number: US54429110A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alfred A Ziegler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1910-02-16
Filing date: 1910-02-16
Publication date: 1911-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 1928-10-10

Description

A. A. ZIEGLER.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.16, 1910.

1,005,402. Patented 011111111911.

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A. A. ZI EGLER.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, 1910.

1,005,402. Patented Oct. 10,1911.

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ALFRED A. ZIEGLER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1911.

Application filed. February 16, 1910. Serial No. 544,291.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED A. ZIEGLER, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric-switches, adapted to be operated by hand or otherwise, and to be used alone or in conjunction with electric-apparatus of any kind.

It has for its object to construct a very strong, substantial and durable switch, having means for electrically connecting the parts thereof whereby the employment of electric wires is obviated, and also to provide means whereby the parts are very securely attached to the base-plate, and not liable to become loosened. Such an electric-switch is well suited to railway signaling work, where it is apt to be roughly used and given little or no attention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an electricswitch embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the switch-arm and engaging-members being omitted, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the electricswitch taken on the dotted line 33, Fig. 1, Fig. 4. is a modification showing but a single stationary switch-member, Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a modified form of electricswitch to be referred to, Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section of the switch shown in Fig. 5, taken on the dotted line 66, Fig. 7'

1s a transverse section of the switch shown in Fig. 5, taken on the dotted line 7--7, Fig. 8 isa transverse section of the support for the switch-arm and one of the bindingposts, taken on the dotted line 88, Fig. 5, Fig. 9 is a front elevation of another modified form of electric-switch embodying this invention.

a represents a base-plate of any suitable material.

1) represents a movable switcharm or blade, here shown as a fiat bar, which serves as the movable circuit-making-and-breaking member. Said arm is here shown as having at its outer end a knob 5, adapted to be engaged by the fingers for the purpose of moving it, although, so far as my invention is concerned, it may be moved by any suit able manual or mechanical means.

A curved guide is arranged on the base, in the horizontal plane of movement of the switch-arm. It comprises an upper-plate b and an under-plate 6 shown in Fig. 1, as

integrally connected at their ends, and separated to present a guide-way. Said guide is attached to the base by screws extending through the base and into its ends, or by other means. In Fig. 5 a short under-plate only is employed, which extends along the middle of the guide-way. The switch-arm extends through and works in said guide-way, and is thereby prevented from being rocked or moved on its pivot in such manner as to exert an undue strain thereon and cause wear. At a point intermediate its length the switch-arm is enlarged and provided with a hole through it, and said enlarged portion rests upon a flat seat formed on top of a pivot-support e. Said pivot-support has one or more ears extended laterally from it, and attaching-screws extend through the ears into the base. Said pivot-support 6, see Fig. 1, has a screw-threaded hole through it which receives the screw-threaded shank 0 of a pivot-bolt, which extends therethrough and also through a hole in the base-plate, and said shank receives upon its inner end a nut 0 The pivot-bolt has a head 0 and a shoulder 0 directly beneath its head. The

hole through the switch-arm is made to fit the shoulder 0 which latter extends through it and engages the pivot-support, and a washer is arranged on said shoulder between the head 0' and the switch-arm. By providing a screw-threaded hole through the pivot-support for the shank of the pivotbolt, and also providing a large flat seat on said pivot-support, which is continuously engaged by the switch-arm and also by the shoulder on the pivot-bolt, a good electrical connection is insured for the passage of the current.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 8, the pivotsupport chas a screw-threaded hole through it, and its upper side is shouldered to form a circular projection 6 around said hole, of a size corresponding to the size of the hole through the switcharm, so that when the switch-arm is placed on top of said support the projection e thereon will enter the hole in said arm. Said projection e is made long enough to extend through the hole in the switch-arm and also through a hole in a washer 6 which is placed on top of said arm. The shank 0 of the pivotbolt is threaded from end to end and extends through the threaded hole in the pivot-support, e, and also through the baseplate, and the head 0 of the bolt engages any suitable length.

the washer c and a nut c is turned on the shank which is contained in a recess formed in the under side of the base-plate a. By tightening said nut the switch-arm is firmly held between the plate 6 and washer. The switch-arm is thus electrically connected with the pivot-support e by its engagement therewith and also by the bolt, the head of which rests on the washer which is in firm engagement with said arm. The head of the bolt is made quite large to insure a good and eflicient connection with the washer, which is made approximately as large as the inner end of the switch-arm.

A wire f, see Fig. 1, is secured at one end to the switch-arm by a screw f, or otherwise, and is secured at its opposite end to the pivot-support by a screw or otherwise, thereby electrically connecting them together. Tn Fig. 5 one end of said wire is connected to the switch-arm and the other end to the pivot-bolt. Said wire is bent so as to extend around the pivot bolt or other supporting-means for the switch-arm as a loop or coil to provide for a wide range of motion of the switch-arm. This wire is provided for the purpose of establishing a path for the current without resistance in case any foreign substance should collect between the switch-arm and the contiguously disposed parts. It is particularly effective when the bolt is connected with the pivot-support e by a screw-threaded or equivalent connection.

The pivot-support 6, see Fig. 1, is integrally connected with the body of a binding-post by a link 6 which is made of The body 6 of said binding-post has a screw-threaded centerhole through it, and a screw 6 extends through a hole in the base-plate a and through said body and also extends above said body for a short distance, and on its upper end a binding-nut e and a check-nut e are turned. By integrally forming the body of the binding-post and the pivotsupport 0, a circuit-wire is not required to connect them. The body 6 of the bindingpost, see Fig. 1, has a recess 6 adapted to receive the extremity of the switch-arm, when said arm is disengaged from the stationary-member or members of the switch. The free end of the switch-arm is thus pro tected. Referring to Fig. 1, said recessed body 6 is arranged in proximity to the stationary switch-members, so that the spaces between it and said switch-members are quite short, and the end-portion of the switch-arm is made wider than said spaces, so the said end portion is at all times held against outward movement due to excessive pressure applied to the opposite end of the switch-arm. In Fig. 5 the binding-post e is arranged at one side of the pivot-support and the connecting-link e is angularly formed. The stationary member of the switch or equivalent member into and out of engagement with which the movable member is moved, is likewise secured to the base-plate. As here shown, see Fig. 1, 9 represents a supporting-block which is shouldered upon its upper side to provide a raised portion g along one edge, see Fig. 2.

11 slitted plate of copper g or equivalent material is arranged on said block, being attached thereto along one edge only to the raised portion 9, the opposite edge being free or unattached; although in Figs. 5 and 7 a thin strip of copper or equivalent material is bent to partially inclose the supporting-block, extending both over and under said block and around one side of it, and is secured thereto by solder or otherwise. In both instances the plate is slitted to form several spring-acting fingers, which serve as a yielding engaging plate. By providing the block with a raised portion 9 the spring-acting fingers may be supported above the top of the block, a space being formed beneath them or between them and the top of the block to receive the switcharm. Any other form of support may be provided for the engaging-member in lieu of the block here shown.

The supporting-block bearing the engaging-member is secured to the base-plate a by a screw or other suitable fastening passing through or into a hole 9 and is arranged in the path of movement of the switch-arm. Said supporting-block g is in tegrally connected by a link with the body 9 of a binding-post. Said body 9 has a screw-threaded center-hole through it, and a screw g extends through a hole in the base-plate and through said body, which projects a short distance above said body and receives upon it a binding-nut, which is adapted to engage the top of the body or a wire arranged thereon. By integrally connecting the body of the binding-post and the supporting-block for the engaging-member a circuit-wire is not required to connect them. Furthermore, the supporting-block or equivalent form of support and the body of the binding-post being integrally formed, and each being separately secured to the base-plate, neither can turn on its attachingmeans, or move with respect to the other and thereby become loosened.

While the engaging-member and its supporting-block here shown are particularly well suited for many purposes, yet I do-not desire to limit my invention to the particular construction herein shown; nor to their combination with a switch-arm or other circuit-making and breaking lever of any particular construction.

In Figs. 1 and 9 the switch is provided with two stationary members, arranged at opposite sides of the switch-arm, the supporting-blocks for said members being respectively integrally connected with the bodies of the binding-post by links; whereas, in Figs. 4 and 5, but one stationary-member is provided.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an electric-switch, the combination of a base-plate, a switch-arm, a pivot-support therefor, a binding-post having a body provided with a recess for the end of the switch-arm, and a link integrally connecting said body and pivot-support, substantially as described.

2. In an electric-switch, the combination of a base-plate, a pivotally supported switcharm, a bindingpost having a body provided with a recess for the end of the switch-arm, a stationary switch-member into and out 01 engagement with which said switch-arm is movable, arranged in proximity to said binding-post, the end-portion of the switcharm being made wider than the distance between said stationary switch-member and the binding-post, whereby said end portion is at all times held, substantially as described.

3. I11 an electric-switch, the combination of a base-plate, a pivotally supported switcharm, a pair of stationarily supported switchmembers into and out of engagement with which the end-portion of said switch-arm is movable, a body-piece having a recess arranged between said stationary switch-members to receive and permit passage of the end-portion of said switch-arm, the endportion of said switch-arm being made wider than the spaces between said body-piece and the stationary switch-members, substantially as described.

4;. In an electric-switch, the combination of a base-plate, a movable switch-member, a stationary switch-member comprising a supporting-block having a raised portion along one edge, and a resilient engaging-portion attached to said raised portion, means concealed beneath said engaging-portion to secure said supporting-block to the base-plate, a binding-post having a body and a screw extended through the base-plate and body having a binding-nut thereon and a link integrally connecting said supporting-block and body, the integrally formed parts being thus secured at both ends to the base-plate, substantially as described.

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

ALFRED A. ZIEGLER.

\Vitnesses:

H. B. DAvIs, B. J. NoYEs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.