US1208575A

US1208575A - Electric switch.

Info

Publication number: US1208575A
Application number: US6?80915A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank Kraemer
Original assignee: PAN AMERICAN ELECTRIC TOOL Co
Current assignee: PAN-AMERICAN ELECTRIC TOOL Co; PAN AMERICAN ELECTRIC TOOL Co
Priority date: 1915-11-27
Filing date: 1915-11-27
Publication date: 1916-12-12
Anticipated expiration: 1933-12-12

Description

F. KRAEIVIER.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED NI)V.2?x 1915.

1,208,575. Patented 1560.121916 w I Q f Off/Z7 56% I 4f UNITED STATES PAT g' Fria FRANK KRAEMER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY BIRECT AND J/IESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO PAN-AMERICAN ELECTRIC TOOL COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Lettersyatent. Palqmfd DQ@ 129 191,5,

Application iiled November 27, 1915. Serial No. $3,809.

To all whom it may concern Be it known thatV I, FRANK KRAEMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to electric switches and has for its object the provision of a switch adapted to make and break a circuit with suflicient rapidity to insure against sparking and consequent burning of the contacts.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of compact and simple construction whereby the circuit will be closed with suticient lrapidity to prevent sparking when the switch is manually operated and automatically and rapidly broken when the switch is released and which is provided with means for regulating the quantity of current delivered therethrough.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent as it is better understood by reference to the following speciication when rea'd in connection with the accompanying drawing disclosing a preferred embodiment thereof in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a switch according to my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation viewed from the right of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a .side elevation viewed from the lett of Fig. 1 with a portion of the operating handle omitted; Fig. l is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the actuating pawl for the switch.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates a suitable base of insulating material to which 'the spindle 2 is secured by means of a suitable bolt 3. Rotatably mounted on the spindle 2 is a member 4 of insulating material, which member is hollowed at 5 to allow a spring 6 to be inserted therein surrounding the bolt 3 and connected to the base 1 at 7 and to the member 4 at Y8.

Secured to the upper face of the member 4 is a contact member 9 provided with an arm 10 in which the Contact 11 is loosely mounted. The contact 11 is normally held in the position indicated in Fig. 4 by spring 13, to engage the contact points 15 secured to the base 1.

An insulating abutment 16 is mounted on the upper face of' the member 4c adjacent the contact 9 and is provided with a. sloping shoulder 17. A contact arm 18 is pivotally mounted at 19 on a post 2O secured to the base 1 and is normally held by a spring 21 in position to engage either the abutment 16 or the contact memberv 9, depending upon the angular position of the member A.

SlidablyV mounted in a guide 22 adjacent one end of the base 1 is an operating member 23 having a handle 2-1, .the member 23 being adapted to be reciprocated in a direction longitudinal of the base 1. A spring 25, surrounding the member 23 between the guide 22 and the handle 24, normally forces the member 23 to its outermost position. An arm 26, secured to the inner end of the member 23 connects the latter with a rack bar 27 provided with teeth 28 and slotted at 29, to engage a pin 30 on the base 1 which maintains the rack bar 27 in proper alinement. Pivotally mounted on the pin 30 is a paw] 31 having an abutment 32 thereon adapted to engage a corresponding abutment 33 formed on the member 4, the pawl 31 serving as a stop to limit the rotativev bar 27 and to the pawl*35, normally forces the nose 36 thereof into position to engage the tooth 37. A downwardly extending flange 39 on the pawl 35 is adapted to engage and force the pawl 31 into position to allow the shoulder 33 on the member 4 to engage the shoulder 32 on the pawl 31. The member 4 is provided with a mutilated gear comprising the teeth 40 adapted for engagement with the teeth 28 or" the rack bar 27.

A resistance element al is secured to the underside of the base 1 and the sections A2 thereof are connected by conductors A3 to the contact points 15. The arrangement of the switch in a circuit is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 1, in which indicates a source of current and A5 a conductor connecting the source of 4current 44 to the con# The mode of operation of my invention should be apparent from the foregoing without further description of the structure thereof., When it is desirable to close the circuit the operator grasps the handle 24 and moves the member 23 inwardly against the springl25, thus causing the rack bar 27 andl the pawl 35.130 move downwardly, viewing Fig. -1. The nose 36 of the'pawl 35 being in engagement with the tooth 37 on the member 4, the' latter will be rotated against the spring 6, thus moving the arm 10, bearing the contact 11, into engagement with the firstv of the contact points 15. -When the member i 4 has been rotated sufficiently to accomplish this result the contact arm 18 will snap o of the abutment 16 onto the contact member 9, thus rapidly completing the 4circuit which at this stageincludes all of the sections 42 of the resistance element 41. The mechanism is so arranged that the'instant the control arm 18 engages the contact member 9 the teeth 28 on the rack bar 27 will engage the teeth 40 on the member 4 and the member 4 may thereby be moved to successively cause the Contact 11 to engage the contact points/15 to cut out the -sections 42 of the resistance element 41, so that more currentis allowed to flow through the switch to the motor 46. As the member 4 rotates under'the actuation of the 'teeth 28 on the rack bar 27 the pawl 3l will be forced outwardly, the member 4 being notched (Fig. 1) adjacenty the abutment 33 to receive the abutment 32, andthe pawl 31 being therefore forced to ride on the i.

periphery of the member 4 when the member 1 4 is rotated and lwill engage the ange 39 to move the nose 36 of the pawl 35 out of engagement with the tooth 37 on the member 4. Should the operator release the-handle 24 the spring 6 will rotate the member 4 in an anti-clockwise direction and the Contact arm 18 will ride onto the abutment 16, thereby breaking the circuit before the contact 11v leaves the last contact point 15.- If the operator4 releases the handle 24 slowly the member 4 will rotate in an anti-clockwise direction at a corresponding speed until the teeth.

4() thereon disengage the teeth 28 on the rack bar 27. Inasmuch as the nose 36 of the pawl 35 is held from engagement with the tooth 37, as previously described,the meinber 4 will .rotate rapidly as soon as the teeth 40 `disengage the teeth 28 on the rack bar 27 and the breaking of the circuit through engagement of the switch arm 18 with the abutment 16 Vwill occur with sufficient rapidity to prevent sparking. In order to again actuate the member 4 to turn in clockwise direction and close the circuit it will bev 'zeA mechanism whereby the circuit is rapidly A made and broken regardless of the speed with which the device is actuated by the operator and of carelessness of the operator in allowing the operating handle to move backward slowly after closing the circuit. The arrangement of the various contacts and the resistance element is such that the circuit when vonce made is continuous while the flow ofcurrent through the switch may be regulated at will without danger of burning the contacts.

I am aware that various changes in the formand proportion of parts and in the details of construction of my invention may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof and I, therefore, reserve the right to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the invention as indicated the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base, coperating contact. members thereon, one of said membersv move `into engagement therewith, an auxil'4 lary contact arm normally restrained from,

engagement `with said movable Contact member and automatically movable to quickly engage said member after said movable member has engagedsaid fixed member, and

means for actuating saidmovable member.

3. In a device of the character described,- the combination of a base, coperating contact members thereon, one of said members being fixed and the other being arranged to move into engagement therewith, anauxiliary contact arm normally restrained from engagement'wlth said movable Contact member andautomat'ically movablel to quickly' engage saidl memberl after said movable member has engaged said fixed member,

manually controlled means for actuating said movable member in one direction, and means for automatically actuating said movable member to move in the reverse direction.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base, cooperating contact members thereon, one of said members being iixed and the other being arranged to move into and out of engagement therewith, an auxiliary contact arm normally restrained from engagement with said movable contact member and automatically movable to quickly engage said member after said movable contact member has engaged said ixed contact member, manually controllable means for actuating said movable contact member in one direction to close said circuit, .and a spring for actuating said movable contact member in the reverse direction to break the circuit.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base, coperating contact members thereon, one of said members being fixed, a rotatable member supporting the other of said contact members, an auxiliary contact arm normally restrained from engagement with the contact member supported by said rotatable member and automatically movable to engage therewith after said rotatable member has been moved to cause the contact member supported thereby to engage Said fixed contact member, and means for actuating said rotatable member comprising a manually reciprocable member, and means providing an intermittent connection between said reciprocating and rotatable members.

`t. in a device of the character described, the combination of a base, cooperating contac-t members thereon, one of said members being fixed, a rotatable member supporting the other of said contact members, an auxiliary contact member normally restrained from engagement with one of said contact members and automatically movable to quickly engage said member after said rotatable member has been moved to cause said cooperating contact members to engage, and means for actuating said rotatable member comprising a reciprocable member, and means carried thereby and adapted for '1ntermittent engagement with said rotatable member.

7. in a device of the character described,.

x cally movable to quickly engage said contact member after said rotatable member has been moved to cause said coperating contact members to engage, and actuating i the combination of a base, cooperating contact members thereon, one of said members comprising ya series of fixed elements, a rotatable member to support the other 'of said contact members, an auxiliary contact arm normally restrained from contact with the contact member supported by said rotatable member and automatically movable to quickly engage said contact member after said rotatable member has been moved to cause said coperating contact members to engage, and actuating means vfor said rotatable member including a reciprocable member manually operable in one direction, a pawl carried by said reciprocable member and .adapted for intermittent engagement with said rotatable member, and auxiliary interengaging means on said reciprocable and rotatable members;

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base, coperating contact members thereon, one ot said members comprising a series of iixed elements, a rotatable member to support the other of said contact members, an auxiliary contact arm normally restrained from contact with the contact member supported by said rotatable member and automatically movable to quickly engage said contact member after said rotatable member has been moved to cause said cooperating contact members to engage, and actuating means for said rotatable member including a recip'rocable member manually operable in one direction, a pawl carried by said reciprocable member and adapted for intermittent engagement with said rota/table member, and auxiliary interengaging means on said reciprocable and rotatable members comprising a mutilated gear on said rotatable member and a rack on said reciprocable member.

l0. ln a device of the character described, the combination of a base, coperating contact members thereon, one of said. members being iixed, a rotatable member supporting the other of said contact members, means for automatically actuating said rotatable member to move in one direction, and means for actuating said rotatable member to move in the opposite direction comprising a reciprocable member, a pawl on said reciprocable member, a tooth on said rotatable member adapted forpengagementwith said pawl, auxiliary interengaging means on said rotatable and reciprocable members, and means for forcing said pawl from engagement with said tooth after said auxiliary means are engaged and preventing reen- A 'hat l@ member to move in one direction, and means for actuating said rotatable member to move v in the other direction comprising a reciprocable member manually operable in one direction, -a pawl on said reciprocable member, a tooth on said rotatable member adapted for engagement withsaid pawl, a mutilated gear on said rotatable member, a rack on said reciprocable member for engagement therewith, and means for forcing said 80 pawl from engagement with said tooth after said gear and rack are engaged and preventing' rengagement of said pawl 'and tooth luntil said reciprocable member is returned to its initial position. .A

l2. In a` device of the character described, the combination of a base, coperating contactmembers thereon, one of said members beingfixed, a rotatable -member supporting the other of Said contact members, a spring 3 for automatically actuating said rotatable member to move in one direction, and means for actuating said rotatable member to move in the other direction comprising a recipro- .cable member manually operable in one diu rect-ion, a spring for returning said reciprocable member to its initial position, a pawl on said reciprocable member, a tooth on said rotatable member adapted forengagement 'with said paWl,-a mutilated gear on said roo tatable member, a rack on said reciprocable member for engagement therewith, and .means for forcing said pawl from engage- Ament with ksaid tooth after said gear and rack are engaged and preventing rengage- "5 mentof said pawl and tooth until said reciprocable member is returned to its initial position. Q

13. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a base, coperating con- .o tact members thereon; one of said members comprising a series of fixed elements, a rotatable member supporting the other of said contact members, an,7 auxiliary contact member normally restrained from engagement with. one of said coperating contact members and automatically movable to quickly engage said member after said coperating contact members lare engaged, a spring for actuating said. rotatable member to move in -one direction, and means for actuating said .rotatable member to move intheopposite directioncomprising a reciprocable member, a .pawl on said reciprocable member, a tooth on said rotatable member adapted for enf` .5 gagement'with said pawl, auxiliary interen'i gaging means onsaid rotatable and reciprocable members, and `means for forcing said engage said member after said coperating contact members are engaged, a spring for actuating said rotatable member to move in one direction, and means for yactuating said vrotatable member to move in the opposite, direction comprising a reciprocable member,

manually operable in one direction, a spring to return said reciprocable member to its initial position, a pawl on said reciprocable member, atooth on said rotatablev member adapted for engagement with said pawl, a mutilated gear on said rotatable member, a rack on said reciprocable member, and means for forcing said pawl from engagement with saidtooth after said gear and rack are'engaged andlpreventing rengagement of said y pawl and tooth until said reciprocable mem-- ber is returned to its initial position.

15. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base, a movable contact member, contact points in the' path of movement of said movable contact member, re-

A sistance elements secured to said base and connected to said contact points, whereby the ow of current may be regulated without breaking the circuit, and an auxiliary -contact member normally restrained from engagement with said movable contact member and automatically movable toquickly 'engage said member after said movable contact member has en'gaged the rst of the contact points.

16. In a device of the character described,

.the combination of a base, a movable contact member, contact points in the path of movement of said movable contact member',

resistanceelements secured to said base and connected to said contact points, whereby thefiow of current may be regulated Without breaking the' circuit, and an auxiliary contact arm normally restrained from engagement with said'movable contact lmember'and automatically movable` to quickly engage said member after said movable contact member has engaged [the rst of the contact points.

17. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base, a contact member,

a rotatable member supporting said contact l0 said rotatable member has been moved to cause said Contact member to engage one of said Contact points, and actuating means for said rotatable member, including means to insure the quick return vof said rotatable member to normal circuit-breaking position l5 when said actuatino' means is released. 2`

FRANK KRAEMER. Witnesses F. J. RAMLER, M. A. Kimm.