US1182399A - Automatic switch. - Google Patents

Description

M. MINTZ.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.Z4.19H.

1, 182,399. Patented May 9, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

JE J e/YZ JE' Mia/ THE/COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co, WASHINGTON, D. c.

Patented May 9, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MIKE MINTZ, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GEARLESS AUTOMATIC PUMP COMPANY, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

Application filed February 24, 1911.

Z '0 all to 7mm it may concern Be it known that I, MIKE MINTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rock Island, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to automatic switches, designed to open and close an electrical circuit, and has for its object the production of a device that will give substantially absolute accuracy of contact.

Further objects are the provisions of improved details of construction, whereby the contact may be maintained,

A further object is the production of a device embodying great simplicity of construction, that may be cheaply made and one that is not liable to get out of order.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, are attained by my device, embodiments of which. are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents an end elevation of my improved device with the front plate of the switch casing removed. Fig. 2 represents afront view of the switch casing with the front plate removed; Fig. 3 represents a sectional view 011 the line 33 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 4 represents an end view of the contact yoke or fork; Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of the means for operating the oil relief valve lever. Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of the mercury container with the front plate removed; Fig. 7 represents a sectional View on the line 1111 of Fig. 6, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 8 represents a sectional view on the line 1212 of Fig. 6 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Like numerals of reference indicate like objects of the several figures of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, 13 represents a suitable electric motor case, resting on a base 14 and containing a suitable motor. On the opposite ends of the motor shaft 20 outside the case are mounted crank pins 21 to which are secured pistons 22 of the pumps. The compressed air is forced through suitable valves and pipes into the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916.

Serial No. 610,644.

lower diaphragm chamber of the diaphragm valve casing 27. The air then passes through a pipe 28 1nto any suitable air tank .or receptacle 29. Connecting with the upper diaphragm chamber of the casing 27, is a pipe 30, having an end connection 31 screwed into a suitable casing 32, mounted on the motor casing. Screwed on to the top of this casing and in open communication with the chamber 33 is a diaphragm casing comprising a lower shell 3%, and an upper shell 35 screwed or secured thereto. A flexible diaphragm 36, the edges of which are preferably held between the upper and lower shells, actuates a stem the end or seat 40 of which extends into the switch casing.

It is evident from the above that as the chamber below the diaphragm is in open connection with the upper chamber of the diaphragm valve and the compressed air tank, the pressure in the chamber will be the same as that in the tank and when the pressure in said tank is suiiicient to raise the stem, it will remain in a raised position until the pressure in the tank falls below a predetermined point, when the stem will drop.

A switch casing comprising preferably a cylindrical shell or box 41 with a suitable cover 42 is rigidly mounted on the top of the diaphragm casing 27 by means of suitable castings 43. A socket 44 is secured to the inside, preferably at the center of the back plate and a shaft or journal 15 is mounted therein passing through the casing and through an opening in the cover 42 and adapted to be engaged by a thumb nut 46, serving to hold the cover rigidly in place as well as insuring the rigidity of the shaft 45.

The circumferential shell 47 is cut away at 48, and a porcelain mercury-containing block A mounted therein and held rigidly in place by means of a clamping member comprising a bent strip of metal, one end 49 of which is screwed to the back of the casing and the other end 50 bent a little less than 90 degrees and engaging the side of the block, the interior angle between the sides of the bent strip being a little over 90 degrees. It is thus apparent that by screwing down the sides 49 the side 50 is brought tightly against the side of the block, locking it securely in place. This block is made wedge shaped and cut away at 5152 to fit within the opening in the circumferential wall of the casing and forming the shoulders 53 bearing against the inner face of the casino. 7 V

In order to remove the block, it is simply necessary to loosen the screw 5% which will permit the block to be slipped out of place and the fact that it is made wedge shaped insures great rigidity, even though the shoulders abovereferred to are omitted.

Referring now to theblock itself, this is preferably formed from porcelain or some other insulating material and is provided with a pair of cups or depressions 55, placed side by side and having raised flanges or rims 56. This feature prevents the mercury from over-flowing from one cup into the other cup or from short circuiting the device. Screw openings extend through the block from near the bottom of each cup to the outside and in these openings suitable contact screws or pins 57 are mounted terminating in contact buttons 58 within the cup. The block is'formed with enlarged openings 59 surrounding the screw openings and also with channels 60 leading therefrom,'

thus permitting the insertion of the binding nuts 61 and connectmg wires 62. These wires are held in place by means of screw nuts 94. The outer face of'the block is formed with depressions 63 adapted to receive corresponding bosses or lugs 64 on the face of the covering plate 65 which is adapted to fit over the outer face of the block and protect and insulate the binding posts and connections. This cover is held in place by means of a suitable bolt 66 passing through the block and is held removably in place by means of a thumb nut 67, thus making all of the connections accessible from without by simply removing the plate 65.

In order to prevent too great an amount of mercury within the cups, I provide the openings 68 in each cup, a definite distance from the bottom so that any excess of mercury will drain off and give the known depth of mercury within the cups. I provide an opening 96 in the bottom of the casing so that any mercury that may overflow while the cups are being filled or at any other time, can at once escape, thus avoiding all dangers of short circuiting.

Loosely mounted on shaft a5 is a segmental arm 70 provided with a weighted end 71 and a pair of stays or lugs 7273 spaced apart on said arm, a definite distance from each other. On the other end of this arm is mounted an insulating block 74 in the end of which is mounted a. metallic yoke or fork B comprising cross bar 75 and downwardly projecting pins 76 and 76 Swingingly mounted on the shaft 45 and beside the arm 7 O is an arm 7 7 provided with a. weighted end 78. The lower end of the arm extends below the shaft and terminates in the fork or yoke members 7 97 9 This arm is close to the segmental arm 70 and is positioned between lugs 7:273 and adapted to engage lug 72 and force the pins of the fork within the cups when it is desired to close the circuit and to force the arm backwardly and the pins out of the cups, when it is desired to break the circuit. The movement of this arm is accomplished in the following manner :-Pivotally mounted at 80 within the casing is a lever 81 extending outside the casing and adapted to support a weight 82; an upwardly extending arm 83 is mounted near the end of the lever $1 at 84; and bent over at its end 85, said in extending between the yoke member 979 The top d0 of the stem engages the bottom of the lever slbetween its pivotal point and its lowerend, forming a fulcrum therefor, thus providing means for shifting the position of the lever and also the weighted arm 77. A bell crank lever 87 is pivotally mounted on a pin 86 outside of the casing, one arm 87 extending within the switch casing and in position to be engaged by pin 88 extending rearwardly from the end of the lever 81. The other arm 87 of the bell crank lever extends downwardly and its end 87 is adapted to control the valve 89 for carrying off surplus oil opening into an oil. receptacle 90.

My device is illustrated in connection with a. system used in the sale of liquors in which compressed air is utilized to force the liquor from faucets. The device may be used in many other arts, for instance, in dentists and photographers shops, etc, or in fact. in any place where compressed air is used.

It is well known that in the use of compressed air it is quite essential" that the pressure within the storage tank should not be allowed to fall below a predetermined point. This is regulated by the automatic switch mechanism in the following manner: The required degree of maximum pressure being determined upon, the weight 82 on the arm 81, is moved to such a distance as to require an exertion of the desired pressure exercised through the diaphragm 36 and stem 38 to raise the lever and open the switch. The switch will remain open until the pressure falls to the predetermined point when the action of the weight will again close the switch and start the motor.

Referring now more particularly to the operation of my device, let us suppose the current to be on and the motor operating the prunps, the parts of the switch being in the position indicated in full lines in 2 and the circuit being closed through the mercury in the cups and the fork. Compressed air is forced through the pipe 28 into the tank or receptacle at the same time a like pressure is transmitted to the chamber below the switch releasing diaphragm and when this pressure reaches a predetermined point the stem 40 raises the lever 81 and rocks the arm 77. As soon as the ball 7 8 passes the vertical plane of the shaft 45, the arm falls and strikes against the pin 73 and rocks the segmental arm into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, withdrawing the fork from the mercury and breaking the electrical circuit through which the motor is operated, thereby stopping the motor. The compressed air is then used from the tank until such a time as the pressure within the tank falls below the predetermined point and when the pressure below the diaphragm reaches such a point, the weight 82 forces the lever 81 down and carries the weighted arm forwardly until it falls against the pin 72 and rocks the segmental arm forwardly and car ries the fork again into the mercury reestablishing the electrical circuit not shown and starting the motor, thus completing a cycle. It will be noted that the lever 81 at the time that it operates to break the circuit opens the relief valve 89 thereby reducing the pressure within the lower diaphragm chamber 26 below the diaphragm 92 as shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 7.

By the use of the porcelain block with the cups therein for containing the mercury, I provide for positive insulation and by the use of the over-flow holes I produce a positive minimum breaking distance between the fork and the mercury.

Attention is also called to the method of securing the wires as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 in which the nut 9% is first screwed firmly in place, making it possible to remove the wire from the terminal without disturbing the mercury in the cups.

The cover or front plate 42 is preferably cast with a plurality of inwardly branching lugs 95 adapted to bear against the inner periphery of the casing, thus insuring a tight fit when the nut 4L6 is screwed in place.

Other details of construction are of course possible instead of those illustrated in the drawings w iich are not departures from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a circular casing, a mercury container mounted therein, said container comprising a black of insulating material having cups integral therewith and adapted to bear against one side of said casing, raised flanges surrounding the tops of said cups above the level of the mercury, a movable member mounted to swing within said casing, a contact fork mounted on said member and insulated therefrom, and means for causing said fork to swing into and out of said cups.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a circular casing, a mercury container mounted therein, said container comprising a block of insulating material having cups integral therewith provided with over-flow openings and adapted to bear against one side of said casing, raised flanges surrounding the tops of said cups above said overflow openings, a mov able member mounted to swing within said casing, a contact fork mounted on said member and insulated therefrom, and means for causing said fork to swing into and out of said cups.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a circular casing, a mer cury container mounted therein, said container comprising a wedge-shaped block of insulating material having cups integral therewith and adapted to bear against one side of said casing, a movable member mounted to swing within said casing, a contact fork mounted on said member and insulated therefrom, means for causing said fork to swing into and out of said cups, permanent contacts from the bottom of said cups to the back of said block, a portion of the casing being cut away at the rear of said block, and an insulating plate removably mounted on said block covering said contacts.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a circular casing, a wedgeshaped mercury container mounted therein and adapted to bear against one side of said casing, said container comprising a block of insulating material having a pair of cups integral therewith provided with overflow openings, raised flanges surrounding the tops of said cups above said overflow openings, a movable member mounted to swing within said casing, a contact fork mounted on saic. member and insulated therefrom, means for causing said fork to swing into and out of said cups, permanent contacts from the bottom of said cups to the back of said block, a portion of the casing being cut away at the rear of said block, and an insulating plate reinovably mounted on said block covering said contacts.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto sub scribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

MIKE MINTZ.

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

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