US1212161A - Switch. - Google Patents

Description

I F. E. ems.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MT. 4. 1915.

Pa tented Jan. 9,1917.

STATES PATE T osmosrzan x a. cams, or cnIcaeo, ILLINoIs, nssIeNon 'ro ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS noun?- KENT COMPANY, OF, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. Gn'rrs, a citizen of the United States, Chicago, in the county of Cook lllinols, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Sw 1tches,of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to 'theaccompanyin'g drawmgs, formmg a part of this specification.

, The subject matter of this invention is an electrical switch.

Switches for opening and closing electrical circuits carrying large quantities of current have been sub act to the general defect of employing only a part of the maternal In conducting currents. This 1s due to a number of defects of the switches as normally constructed. It has been customary in the prior art to wedge the switch blade between two spring fingers in order to form contact between the stationary terminals and the blade; The wedging has been foundnecessary in order to maintain the fingers in contact with the blade, but the very action of wedging drives the fingers apart so that Imperfect contact is obtained. In general a small part of the surface of the blade is held in contact with the spring fingers. This is especially difficult to overcome in larger sizes and current carrying capacities of switches. a

v The object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of switch structure in which a maximum of contact will be obtained between the stationary lugs and the switch blade or its blades.

I have found that it is possible to obtain every good bearing surface of the switch blade or blades and the stationary terminals or lugs by making the blades self alining with respect to the lugs so that they are free to adjust themselves to the sides of the lugs and thus obtain a maximum of surface contact. a I

In the accompanying drawin form apart of the present spec which cation, I

have shown a number of switch structures embodying myinvention.

Figure 1 1s aside elevational view of a switchconstructed 1n accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same; 3 is a side elevation of a modifi cation; and Fig. 4-is an of the switch shown Figs. 1 and ,2, and

residing at and Stateof only enlarged detail view.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation of a modification.

The movable part of the switch comprises a pair of blades 1 and 2 which are clamped at one end to a stationary lug 3 by means of a bolt l and a pair of spring washers 5 and 6 which maintain a uniform spring pressure upon the blades 1 and 2 to hold them against the sides of the lug 3. The lug 3 is secured toa suitable base board or panel 7 which-may be of slate, marble or the like .as is usual in switch-board construction. The switch blades 1 and 2 which are piv oted on the bolt 1 are held together at their outer ends by means of a bolt 8 and spring washers 9 and 10 similar to the spring Washers 5 and 6. provided with an extension or tongue 12 which serves as a spacer for the extreme outer ends of the switch blades 1 and l2. This tongue 12 serves as a spacer and prevents -the blades from being drawn too closely together by the bolt 8 and the spring Washers 9 and 10. A pair of pins 13 and 14 is secured to the tongue 12 and serves to connect the handle 11 with the switch blades 1 and 2. It is to ever, that these pins are not riveted or other- Wise secured to the blades 1 and 2 but are passed through holes which are slightly larger than the pins to allow of a free sidewi'se movement of the ends of the blades 1 Patented J an. 9, 1917. Application filed October 4., 1915. 1 Serial No. 58,873. i

A suitable handle 11 is be particularly noted, howand 2 with respect to the tongue 12. It can be seen thus that the blades are not rigidly secured to the handle 11 so far as sidewise movement of the blades is concerned, but for the purpose of rotating the blades about the bolt 4. the handle serves as a rigid extension of the blades 1 and 2.

A suitable lug 15 is secured to the baseboard 7 in such position as to be engaged by the blades 1 and 2. The lug 15 has an open slot 16 cut therein to receive the bolt 8 when the switch is moved to the closed position with respect to the lug 15. The outer end of the lug 15 maybe suitably beveled to; give a finished appearance and to assist the blades in alining themselves when the switch is closed. Where the switch is to serve for reversing connections another lug 17 may be provided for cooperation with the blades 1 and 2. The lug 1'2 is spaced from the lug 3 in the same manner as the lug 15 and is also provided with a notch or ,open slot 18 for recelving the bolt 8. The

, is to be understood that'this ismerely fail," I These washers are of spring material:

formed in a cup or conical shape and are,

provided with saw-cuts holding the blades in I It" proper position.

o m, nl t-Wh ch: t e b d s m be yi sly pressed togetherandI am"aware that a great variety of spring means may be employed'for. the same purpose. The particular spring means is not of the essence of my invention; Y Y

It: canbe seen that normally when the switch blades land 2 are out of engagement with the outer lugs 15 and 17 that the spring washers 9 and 10 and the bolt 8 will together,-

gb hold the outer ends of the blades 1 and 2 r as a' spacing block for holding the ends of against the tongue 12. This tongue serves the blades land 2 from coming too close When the switch is thrown to the closed position the blades 1' and 2 are free to spread at their outer ends and to adjust themselves to the terminal 15 so as to gain a'maximum area of contact, The inner or pivot ends of the blades 1 and 2 are similarly free vto adapt themselves to the sur- I face o f the lug 3. The attachment of the handle 11 issuch as to, allow'free sidewise or lateral movement of'the blades 1 and 2 switch terminals.

so that they are practically free to adjust themselves to all the inaccuracies vof the In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a modification in: which instead of employing a single bolt 8' and spring washers 9 and'lO for holding the switch-blades l and 2 against the outer terminal. 15, I employ a pair ofibolts 20 and 21 with coiiperatingspring washers on each side of the lug 22 which does notthave the slot, 16-. The lower terminal lug 23 is similarly formedand is falined with the lugs 3.

and 22 so that the switch blades may be moved to connect with it. The switch blades 1 and 2 may be made relatively thin in order that they may have freedom to adjust themselves to the sides of the connected lugs.

Fig. 5 illustrates the end of an open air switch. Instead of employing a handle for operatingthe' switch an eyelet 25 is pro.-

vided. ,The eyeletw2 5 j is provided with,

shoulders 26 for spacing the blades apart the .properdistance; Otherwise the switch is constructed as shojvvir'irrFig.v l or 3, a's fdement of, my inventioml do not intenld tobe limitedflto the details (if-construction shown I ations and sired; The switch isoperatedbyginserting j a, hook in the eyelet "25,

H While I have shown a particular embodifor, described but intendgthatall such modifivariations as will suggest jthemselves to one skilled in the ar'tand coming one means" securedi tqsaid blades, movement of said blades and-spring means movable with respect to eachoth'er.

my invention beincluded the following claims.

- -19 Ia ebmbmaao spring means at a pl ality of pointsonvsaid switch blades for pressing said blades against said terminals,

switch blades, said spacing means allowing free lateral movement of said blades 'zbetween outeri-endsthereof. l f5 2. In combination air of stationary switch 4 terminals, a pair offseparate switch blades movable into engagement with: both of said terminals, a ='spacing, -blook; between said blades, said -block being of lessiwidth than the width of said terminal,and/spring tionary sw tch-term1nals, a pair of separate movin or kerfs 19 in order lfswljtch blades,

to l fimberrfoflaspringa. arms aforv and spacing means operating independently; ofgsaid :spacr ing'block to hold said bladesifirmlysin'engagement with the sides ofjlboth: oft-said terminals, said blades having. -op'eratin-gmeans secured thereto for'; -moving=isaid switch parallel switch blades pivoted on opposite sides of one of said terminals, spring means for pressing said blades against said one terminal, spring means'operating independently of said first spring means for pressing said blades against the sides of said second;

terminal, and means for moving said switch blades in unison, said means comprising spacing means betweensaid parallel'switch blades, the outer ends laterally movable with 5. In combination a pa'ir ofswitch terminals of substantially the same thickness, a pair of separate substantially parallel switch blades pivoted on one of said terminals,

spring means for holding said blades against:

said one'terminal,spring means independent of said -firs't'spring means for holding said of said blades being respect to each other.

blades against the sidesofsaid second terminal, a spacing blockbetwe'en" theend's of said blades and means for retaining saidspacing block" in positionfbetween said blades; said meansp'rojecting fromthe'sides (if-said spacing block,nthe outer ends-of thi blades engaged by said spacin'g' block'being laterally said blades against the sides of said terminal, spring means independent of said first spring means for holding said blades against the sides of said second terminal, a spacing block between the ends of said blades, pins secured to said spacing means and passing loosely through the sides of said blades.

7. In combination a pair of stationary terminals of substantially the same thickness, a pair of switch blades pivoted upon one of said terminals, spring means for pressing said blades against said one terminal, independent spring means for pressing said blades against said other terminal, a spacing block between the ends of said blades, a pin passing through said blades and secured to said spacing block and a handle secured to said spacing block for moving said switch blades to open or closed position.

8. In combination a pair of stationary switch terminals, a pair of floating blades for connecting said switch terminals, spring means for retaining said floating blades against the sides of said switch terminals, a handle for moving said blades into and out of contact with said terminals and spacing means between said blades for allowing a full floating action of said blades.

9. In combination a pair of stationary switch terminals, a pair of moving switch blades pivoted to one of said terminals, spring means for pressing said blades against the terminals, spacing means between said blades, said spacing means being secured to the outer ends of said blades and having means projecting loosely through the switch blades to permit of limited lateral movement of the blades to adapt them to the terminals.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 24th day of September, A. D.

FRANK E. GETTS.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,212,161, granted January 9,

1917, upon the application of Frank E. Getts, of Chicago, Illinois, for an improvement in "Switches," errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 74, claim 1,- after the word "blades insert the words between the outer end: thereof; same page and claim, line 76, after the word blades insert a period and strike out all to the end of the claim; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the some may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of February, A. D., 1917.

R. F. WHITEHEAD, Acting Uommiuioncr of Patents.

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