US1062185A - Electric switch. - Google Patents

Description

WITNESSES fia /37l L. J. PIERCE. ELECTRIC SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24, 1912.

Patented May .20,v 1913.

W. @fm

.DONNIE J. PIERCE,

OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WINDOW GLASS MACHINE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A COPH`D^MTON F NEW J ERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

' Patented May 20.11913.

Application filed September 24, 1912. Serial No. 722,028.

To all whom t may concern: Be it known that I, BONNIE J. PIERCE, a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful, Improvement'` in Electric Switches, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, re erence being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication, 1n which-.- v

Figure away, of

"-' 1 is a side view, partly broken a double-throw switch embodying my invention. Fi 2 isA section of the same on line II-II o Fig. 1. Figs. 3and .4 are details showing a modification of a portion of the switch. v

My invention has lrelation to electric switches; and is designed lto provide means of simple and effective character for insuring a good electrical contact betweenv the movable, or blade member of the switch and the terminal member to which itis attached, at the time when such contact is most necessary. .Myinvention also provides means of this character which remains elective notwithstanding wear onfthe pivotal connection between the movable or blade member and the terminal to which it is pivoted.

The nature of my invention willbe best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which I have shown the preferred embodiment thereof, and which will now be described, it being premised,

however, that various changes can -be made 35 in the details of construction and arrangement of the several parts without.departing from the spirit and scope of my invention,

as deiined-in the appended claim.

In these drawings, the numeral 2 designates the base 'of the switch, of any suitable or-usual character,'and which is provided with three terminals 3, 4 and 5. Each of these terminals is preferably formed in two sections having a screw. connection at 6, as 45 -shownin Fig. 2, and clamping the vbase between them. The upperportion 4a of the central terminal 4is formed with a slotor socket 7 to receive the lower end of the shank 8 of the switch handle 9, -said shank being pivoted in said socket on the bolt or screw 10. 11 are switchlblades which are shown as forming a part of blades being adapted to enga'gethe upper portion of' the terminal 3 and .the ot er these contact plates has a forked portion` 14 at its upper end, these forked portions yopen position shownv in Figs. 1 and 2, and

reducing the Shanks, one of said l blade the upper portion ofthe terminal 5. l

Secured to opposite sides of the upper portion 4* of the central terminal 4, by means ofthe bolt or screw 10 and another bolt or screw 12, are contact plates 13. Each of each forming a cage for a contact ball 15. The contact balls project loosely through openings in the inner members of the fork and contacting with the segments lof the shank 8. These segments areprovided each with a central depression 17 adapted to receive the balls when the switch is in thev with other similar depressions 18 which receive the balls when the switch is in one Vor the other of its closed positions.' The engagement of the .balls with the central depressions 17 of the segments tends to .hold the switch in its open position; but during the time that theswitch is being moved from its open position to one or the other of its closed positions, the balls have a minimum contact with the segments 16, thereby the friction of movement to a minimum. When either of the blades 11 engages with its coperating terminal, the balls snap into the corresponding end depressions 18, which increases the contact surface between the balls and segments and insures a ood electrical contact while the switch is c osed, the contact members 13 being of sprin character. r

' In the mo iication shown in Figs. 3 and 90 l 4, instead of providing these contact members 13 with forks at their upper ends by securin separate p ieees thereto, their upper en s are bent backwardly and inwardly, as shown' at 13a to form the ball-containing cages. l

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, since it provides a switch in which the maximum electrical contact is obtained when the switch is in either of its closed positions and not withstanding considerable wear which may occur at the switch pivot.

While I have shown my invention as applied to a double-throw reversing switch,

.it is obvious that it is also applicable to switches` of various other forms. I claim: l An electric switch having a terminal member anda blade pivoted thereto, ,said terminal member having parallel spring oonblade is in certain positions, substantially tact members between which the blade is as described. Y 11 adaptedv to move, and each of the said con- In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set tact members having a ball-retainin seat or my hand.

5 cage near its free end portion, toget er with LONNIE J. PIERCE.

balls seated therein and adapted to Contact Witnesses: with the blade, the latter having depressions ROBT. J. WHALEN,

td reoeive portions of the balls when the WM. L. WARDLE.

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