US1229473A

US1229473A - Automatic make-and-break device.

Info

Publication number: US1229473A
Application number: US8770816A
Authority: US
Inventors: Patrick S Keenan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1916-03-30
Filing date: 1916-03-30
Publication date: 1917-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 1934-06-12

Description

P. S. KEENAN.

AUTOMATIC MAKE AND BREAK DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. so. |916.

1,229,473. meme@ June 12, 1917.

nx n

STATES'. PATENT omen.

PATRICK S. KEENAN, OF IIENVEB,A COLORADO.

AUToMArIc MAKE-AND-BREAK DEVICE.

make and use the same, reference -being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon,

' which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in means for automatically making and breaking an electric circuit by downward pressure as by sitting upon a cushion or other seat in an automobile, the special use which I have in mind, being the closin of the electric light circuit with which be headlights or lamps of an automobile are connected, the arrangement being such that as the chauffeur takes his seat inthe machine, the pressure upon the seat or cushion will act upon the make and break device to close the light circuit and, consequently, light the lamps in front, while, as the chauffeur stops the machine and leaves the seat, this circuit will be automatically broken, as it should be, since there is no occasion that the lamps in front should be lighted when the machine is standing still and not occupied. Provision is also made whereby a signal of any kind may be operated as the circuit is closed, sopthat in the event that an unauthorized person who wished to tamper with or steal the machine, should occupy the seat, the signal may be operated, thus notifying others in the vicinity that the person in charge has no authority. This signal may, of course, be of any desired character and may be cut out of the circuit by the owner of the machine or the one properly authorized to handle the same, before he takes his seat upon the cushion. This signal is auxiliary to the automatic control of the front lamps, and may be employed or not as desired or as circumstances may seem to dictate or require. y

Having briefiy outlined m improvement, as well as the function which it is intended to subserve, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference bein made to the accompanying drawing, in w ich 'is illus- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1917'.

Application led March 30, 1916. Serial No. 87,708.

trated an embodiment thereof. In this drawing,-

Figure 1 is a section taken through my improved construction shown in connection with a cushioned seat, a signal being also indicated and adapted to be arranged in the circuit. This view may be considered asection' taken on the line 1 3, Fig. 2, so far as the operating parts of the make and break device are concerned.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the make and break device with the vertically movable cover for actuating the movable parts of the device, removed.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 1--3, Fig. 2, but showing the complete construction, that is to say, with the top cover and the cushioned seat above in place.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate@ suitable stationary support as the part of an automobile below the4 cushion 6 of the seat. lThis support 5 is recessed or cut out as shown at 7 to form a depression of suitable depth and area, in which is located a casing 8 which is provided with a central opening 9 which communicates with an opening 10 through the part 5. Supported in the opening 9 by means of an insulating bushing 12 and a fastening nut 13 of the same material, is a cylindrical member 14 whose upper extremity is anged as shown at 15 to overlap the bushing 12 and support the said member in place, the latter being open at the top to receive a hollow, inverted, cup-shaped, telescoping member 16 which coperates with the member 14 and 'is closed at its upper extremity' as shown at 17 where it is engaged by the upper extremity of a vertically disposed spiral spring 18 whose lower extremity engages the bottom 19 of the member ,14, a binding screw 20 being passed through the bottom of the member 14, a nut 21 being applied to its lower protruding extremity for the purpose of securing a terminal 220i an an oval shaped leafspring 27 whose upper' portion passes through slots 28 formed in the adjacent extremities of two twin members 29 which are hinged to the bottom of the casing at opposite'ends as shownl at 30, the slotted extremities of these two hinged members being normally supported above the telesco ing member 17 except ywhen there is su cient pressure on the cushion 6 to bring the hinged members into engagement with the teles'copingpart 17, and the' latter result is accomplished `through the medium of a vertically'movable cover 31 which is provided with a 'depending' flange 32 which overlaps the upwardly extending flange or rim 33 of the'casing 8 and is ar ranged in telescoping relation therewith.

This cover is provlded with two dependin parts or lugs 34 which are suitably space 4 whereby they are arranged on opposite sides of the opening 9 in the ottom of the casing,

being normally respectively in contact with the two members 2 9 of the make and break device. When these members 29 are in their normal position or' when the circuit is open, the cover 31, while,` resting on the device 2 9,

does not exert any downward pressure, or at least enough pressure to overcome 'the tension of the oval 4or bow-shaped spring 27.; However, as soon asthere is vconsiderable pressure on the cushion 46 as is the case when a person is sitting thereon, the telescoping cover 31 will be forced downwardly upon the two members 29 with the result that the slotted extremities of the members 29, will be brought into engagement with the top -of the telescoping member 17 ,which will -V yield sufficiently to maintain the contact within a considerable vertical range, thus providing for the vibration of the machine and the up and down movement of the person occupying the seat or cushion 6. As soon-` as the parts 29 are brought into engagement with the parts 17, the circuit will be closed as the two

terminals

22 and 24 will 'thus be bridged since the members 29 are in engagement with 'the metallic casing 8, and the parts 14 and 17 together vwith the spring 19 are also of metal'.

The two

conductors

23 and 25 lead to the opposite poles of a suitable electrical source (not shown). If it is desired for any' reason that the device should be ino erative the two

conductors

23 and 25 may e short circuited between the make and breakl device and the source of current, by means of a manually operable switch arm 35 which is pivotally mounted as shown at 36 where it is in engagement with a contact 37 with which are 'connected two parts of the conductor 23. In other Words, the contact 37 may be arranged in the' conductor '23 by simply separating the latter and connect-` ing its parts on opposite sides of the contact 37 with the latter. The switch arm 35 is maarrev of suicient length to reach a contact 38 located in or forming a part of the conductor 25. This switch arm is rovided with an insulating hand iece 39 or convenience of manipulation. ormally, or when the make and break device is to be operative for making and breaking the circuit through the lights of the automobileor other translating device or devices, the switch arm 35 is in the full line position in Fig. 1.

If it is desired to locate a signal as an electric bell -40 in thecircuit, this may be accomplished by opening one branch thereof as the conductor 23 (see Fig. 1) and connecting a part 41 ofthe conductorl 23 with the bell as shown at 42, and employing a' switch arm 43 which is pivotally connected as shown at 44 with a contact with lwhich the conductor 23 is connected on the opposite side of the interruption from the part 41 of this conductor. When the signal 40 is cut out of the circuit, the switch arm 43 is in the full line position in Fig. 11, while, when the signal is in the circuit this switch arm `is inthe dotted line position in the same ligure'. It will be understood thatthe person C `in charge of the machine will-not desire to operate this signal, and, consequently, before occupying the cushion 6, he will move the switch arm 43 from the dotted to the full line position, it being assumed that beforer leaving the machine he has shifted ized person should attempt to move the mavchine, the signal will be operated.

Attention is called to the factthat the slots 28 which are formed in the adjacent extremities of the two members 29, are open for the insertion of the leaf spring 27, the said spring being put in place before the parts are arranged in operative position, as

' will be readily understood.

branch of the circuit and composedl of twok hinged members normally spring supported intermediate their hinges out of engagement with thev first namedv contact but movable downwardly intoA engagement therewith when subjected to pressure.

2. A make and break device, comprising a contact composed of spring spaced telescoping members mounted on the support and located in one branch of the electrical cirthe switchu arm 43 to the dotted line position so that in the event that an unauthorl centrally mounted in the casin cuit, a second contact arranged in the other branch of the circuit and composed of two hinged members normally spring supported intermediate their hinges above and out of engagement with the first named contact but vertically movable to engage the latter, substantially as described.

3. A make and break device composed of a casing having a central opening, a contact suspended in said opening, and located in one branch of the electrical circuit, a second contact in the other branch of the circuit composed of two hinged members which extend from their hinges toward each other, a spring connecting the contact portions of said members and normally supporting the same above the first named contact but movable downwardly under suitable pressure into engagement therewith, and means for normally7 insulating the two contacts from each other.

4. A make and break device, comprising a metallic casing having a central opening formed in its lower surface, a contact slidably mounted therein and insulated therefrom, the said contact and casingV being respectively located in the two branches of an electrical circuit, a second contact composed of two members hingedly connected with the casing and extending toward each other, their adjacent extremities being normally spring supported above the first named contact but movable into engagement therewith under the iniuence of pressure in a downs ward direction.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a metallic casing, a contact and insulated therefrom, said contact an casing being respectively located in the two branches of an electrical circuit, a second contact composed of two members hingedly connected with the said casing and extending from their hinges toward each other, their adjacent extremities being normally spring supported above the first named contact, and a top casing member having depending parts engaging the said hinged members of the 'second contact and movable vertically for circuit closing purposes.

6. The combination of a metallic casing member having a central opening, a contact suspgided in said opening but insulated from the casing, a second contact composed of two members hinged to the casing at its opposite extremities and extending normally above the first named contact, and a leaf spring whose extremities are secured to the said casing on opposite sides of the opening therein and extending upwardly above said opening and forming a connection with and a support for the adjacent extremities of the hinged members of the second contact, whereby the said members are normally supported out of engagement with the first named contact.

7. A device of the class described, comprising a metallic casing member having a central opening, a contact suspended in said opening but insulated from the casing, a second Contact composed of two members hinged to the casing at the opposite extremities of the latter and extending from their hinges toward each other and terminating above the first named contact, and a leaf spring whose extremities are secured to the said casing on opposite sides of the opening therein and extending upwardly above said opening, the adjacent extremities of the hinged contact members being slotted to receive the opposite edges of said spring, whereby the said contact members are normally supported abovel and out of engagement with the first named contact.

8. A make and break device, comprising a bottom metallic casing member having a central opening, a contact supported in said opening but insulated from the casing, a second contact composed of two members hinged 'to the casing at its opposite extremities and extending -inwardly toward each other and terminating above the first named contact, a leaf spring whose extremities are secured to the said casing on opposite sides of the opening' therein, and extending upwardly above said opening and forming a connection and support for the adjacent extremities of the hinged members of the second contact, and a top casing member ar-