US1067452A - Electric-switch-operating mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

O. N. WISWELL.

ELECTRIC SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 12, 1911.

Patented July 15, 1913.

WM WM 3 flzzo hereinafter UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC OZRO N. WISWELL, 0F SNOQUALMIE, WASHINGTON.

ELECTRIC-SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

ing electric switches, and more particularly to such as have a plurality of arms and are of considerable size, such, for instance, as are known as pole or line switches and are placed in high tension transmission lines.

The object of my invention is to provide means for throwing a plurality of switches at the same time, whereby the effort needed to do this may be reduced to a minimum.

My invention comprises the novel parts and combinations of parts which will be described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown my invention embodied in the form now preferred by me.

The figure shows in plan and diagrammatically a three throw switch, such as is placed in a transmission line, in which my invention is embodied.

In the operation of such large switches as the pole switches which are placed in transmission lines, it requires considerable effort to open such switches, even under favorable conditions. This is partly due to the fact that these switches are of large size, partly to the fact that there are three switches to move at one time, and, under special conditions, to the formation of crusts of ice, snow, dirt or rust which tends to cement the blades between the j aws. Under these latterconditions it is sometimes almost impossible to start the switches. In my invention I have proyided means whereby the three switches are started in succession, the starting effort being confined to one of the switches until it is started, and then being applied to the other switches in succession, its application to any switch being delayed until all the switches preceding it in order have been started. By this plan the starting effort is reduced to that necessary to start one switch, instead of three.

In the figure I have shown diagrammatically, in plan, a pole switch of ordi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 12, 1911.

Patented July 15,1913.

Serial No. 638,217.

nary construction, except for the incorporation therein of my invention. This contains three switches, 1,. 2 and 3 with the jaws l which are connected in their respective lines. Each of the switches 1, 2 and 3 turns upon a pivot placed at its center 5, swinging into position such-as indicated by the dotted lines, when they are opened. The'pivot axis of one of these switches usually consists of a shaft extending downward to a convenient point and'having a handle, as 25' by which they are all operated. Each switch also has a crank arm as 10, 20 and 30, secured to its pivot and all of these arms are connected by a barG so as to cause all the switches to move together. The above features are, or may be, of usual construction. r

Referring to the figureit will be seen that the arm 20 is connected with the bar 6 by a pin 7 which is within a slot 70 in the bar 6 whereby the bar 6 is not set in motion until after the switch 2 has been started. The arm 30 of switch 3 is however connected to the bar without any slack or lost motion, so that the switch 3 starts with the bar 6. The arm 10 of Switch 1 is connected with the bar 6 by means of a slot 70 which receives its pin 7, whereby switch 1 is not started until after switch 3 has gotten under motion. By this plan of employing two slack'connect-ions, the starting resistance of the switches is overcome, one at a time, thus greatly reducing the maximum effort required. As the friction of rest, even under favorable conditions is much greater than the friction of motion, and as the momentum of a switclnafter it is started, will assist slightly in continuing the movement, the effort required to start switches so connected is greatly lessened by this plan of connection.

Tlhile by my invention, the switches are started successively, so that there is no overlapping of time in their respective starting effort, the switches, once started, are moved together and the contact surfaces of bar and jaws may be so proportioned, in length and position, that the actual time of breaking contact may be exactly simultaneous. As the moving parts are well under way when the make and break occurs, this is a small matter and need not be practically considered.

I have shown a preferred form of connection for bar 6 with two of the switches,

the bar 6 without any slack.

while the like member 91 upon the opposite end of the bar 6 has a round hole for the pm 7 thus forming a snug connection with switch arm 30, leaving no slack motlon. By

this construction the length of the bar may also be adjusted.

In operation the switch 2 is first started, as it is directly and positively connected with the operating lever 25. Immediately after the switch 2 is started the pin 7 carried by arm 20 engages the end of the slot 70 and the effort is then appliedto switch 30, this switch being the one which is connected with After this switch is started, the effort is then applied to switch 1 because of'movement of the bar 6 enough to consume the slack provided for by the slot 70. It will thus be seen that the maximum or starting efforts for the different switches do not overlap in time, but occur successively, from which it follows that the maximum effort required is greatly reduced.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is:

1. In a switch for a three-wire line, the

' combination with three separate switchelements, of a bar having a snug connection with one switch, a slack connection with the other two switches, and an operative member connected with and operating said connecting bar through one of the switches of the slack-connected pair.

2. In a three wire switch, in combination,

a switch for each line, a common connecting member for all three switches, the connec tion for said member with one switch being a snug connection and for the others being slackconnections, and means for adjusting the relative positions of said connections.

3. In a three wire switch, the combination with a separate switch mechanism for each wire, an actuating arm for the movable member of each of said switch mechanisms,

each of said arms carrying a projecting pin,

a common operating member having slots for the reception of two of said pins to form slack connections with their arms, and a socket snugly fitting the remaining pin and connected with said common operating memher, and means for adjusting the distances between said slots and socket.

4. In an operating mechanism for a three wire switch, in combination, separate mov able switch members for each wire, an actuating arm for each of said movable switch members carrying a pin, a common operating member for said arms comprising a bar having a slot'receiving the pin carried by one of said arms to form a slack connection therewith, a similarly slotted member adapted to receive the pin carried by another arm and itself adjustably connected with said bar, to vary its distance from the slot in the bar, a socket member adapted to snugly receive the pin carried by the remaining arm and adjustably connected with the bar to vary the distance from the slots therein.

' In testimony whereof I have hereunto atiixed my signature at Seattle, Washington, this 6th day of July, 1911.

O N. WISVVELL. Witnesses:

H. L. REYNOLDS, R. C. TOTTEN.

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