US1289654A - Switch. - Google Patents

Description

J. F. CAVANAGH.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.9. 19]?- 1,289,654, Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

3 VLUQVHTO'Z John F Uawmay/z a Gite anew UNITED STATES OFFICE.

JOHN F. CAVANAGH, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO CONNECTICUT TELEPHONE & ELECTRIC CO., OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

SWITCH.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918..

Application filed August 9, 1917. Serial No. 185,236.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. CAvANAoH, a citizen of the United States of AIIIOIICR. residing at. Meriden Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Switch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to control swltches for automobiles and is in the nature, as to some of its features, of a division from my prior applications #123,785 and 12 3l,321.

A special object of the present lnvention is to provide a compact. simple and inexpensive form of switch, particularly adapted for controlling the circuits of an automobile and which can be locked in position to prevent theft or tampering with the machine.

Another and more specific object is to provide a switch for controlling the lighting mechanism and signaling circuits of an automobile which can be readily operated to control such circuits and which after being operated to put the circuits in a predetermined condition, may be locked with the cirzuits in such condition.

Briefly the invention resides in the combination with a switch operating member for controlling one or more sets of switch contacts and a second independently operable switch controlling element of a unitary locking means for locking both of said switch controlling devices in desired relation. In the present embodiment of my invention the first switch controlling member is in the form of a combined rotary and recipro;atory push button for controlling by its rotary and push button movement two, different sets of (ontacts and the second controlling member is in the form of a re:ipro catory swit'h closing button and the two controlling devices are locked by means of a single key plug having lockingmeans operably engaging both of the aforesaid devices.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated the intention embodied in a practical and preferred form, but I would have it understood that changes and modifications may be made without departure from the true spirit and scope of the invention.-

In said drawings,

Figure 1 is a side view of the invention as applied to the steering column of are automobile.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the switch look ing in the direction of the arrow 2 in 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the body or base portion of the switch.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the switch base and parts carried thereby.

Fig.5 is a sectional view taken of the switch substantially on the plane of the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a similar view taken substantially on the plane of the line 6-6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is an inside view of the combined cap and operating push button.

Fig. 7 is a broken sectional view taken substantially on the line 77" of Fig. 7.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view of the locking cylinder taken substantially on the plane of the line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring and circuit arrangement for this type of switch. I

Referring to the drawings more in detail, 10 designates the base of the switch usually formed of suitable insulating material and 11 designates the so-called push button or combined rotary and reciprocatory switch controlling member. Attached to the back of the insulating base is a shell or casing member 12, which with the insulating base forms a housing for the switch terminals, said casing being shown provided with a conduit extension 13 through which the circuit wires are led to the several terminals.

The push button is rotatably confined to the base in the present disclosure by providing it with a stem 14 workingin a bore 15 in the base, the lower end of such stem extending through the under side of the base and having a srew 16 engaged therewith to limit the upward movement of the button. A spring l'Z coiled about the stem yieldingly supports the button in an upralsed position as shown in Fig. 6.

The push button carries at its under side a more or less centrally disposed push but ton contact 18 for engagement. upon depres sion of the button, with a cooperating; con tact 19 on the base and also carries two se rated segmental contacts 20 and 21 for e11 gagement with upstanding contacts on the base. These upstanding contacts eat from the under side of the base up thr-oi passages extending through from the to the front of the base and are sprui wardly as most clearly indicated in so as to engage with the conta ts 20 and tion 22 of the push button, said contacts being numbered 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27. (See Fig. 4.) At the under side of the base these contacts are shown provided with contact lugs 28, held in place by screws 29. The terminal of contact 24 is connected with the.

push button as by means of a strap 30 (Figs. 3 and 6.)

In use, the parts thus far described are connected in circuit as indicated in Fig. 9. The contact 27 being grounded by means of a suitable wire connection 28, the contact 26 being connected by wiring 29 with one of the head lights 30, the contact 25 being wired at 34 to the tail light 35, the contact 24 being connected by wiring 31 with a battery or other source of current 32 and the contact 23 by wiring 33 to a point in the connection between the head lights, the other one of the head lights, the other side of the battery and the other side of the tail light all being grounded as indicated. In the position with the lights ofl the push button is rotated to the right so as to carry the short button contact 20 out of engagement with the base contacts and leaving the longer button contact 21 in engagement only with the base contacts 25, 26, 27, this position of the button contacts being indicated by the full lines in this diagram. In this position no battery current reaches the button contacts and so far as the lights are concerned the switch is therefore dead. It dim lights are required the push button is rotated one stop to the left so as to bring the two contacts on the button into the position indicated in dotted lines. The flow. can now be traced from the battery through wire 31 to base contact 24 across button contact 21 to base contact 25, to the tail light and ground and further along contact 21 to base contact 26 and by way of the wire 29 to the head lights in series and groin-1d. This series connection of the head lights gives a dim light as well known. To secure the full lighting effect, the button is turned a further step to the left bringing the button contacts into the position indicated in dotand-dash lines in Fig. 9. lln this condition the circuit to the tail light is the same as above, but as the button contact 21 now touches the base contact 23, a path is opened up through connection 33 to a point intermediate the head lights where the current may divide and flow part through the left head light and by way of wire 29, base contact 26. button contact 29, base contact 26,

button COI'llllCt 20, base contact 27 and eonn ction 28 to ground and part throu h the ht hand head light to ground. This, it il be seen, is a parallel connection with the Eamps receiving the full current force.

Nhen the push button is depressed and the contact 18 on the under side thereof brought into engagement with the contact "5.9 on the base, a flow of current is providedaaeaeea from the button contact 18, which is charged through connection 30 from the terminal of base contact 24, to the contact 19 which latter contact is connected by means of a wire 36 with a terminal 37 on the under side 01 the base which latter terminal is connected by wiring 38 with the horn or other signaling device 39 which latter device is grounded as indicated. It thus follows that upon depression of the push button, irrespective of what position rotatably it may occupy, the circuit will be completed through the signaling device. I

For the purpose of providing a good sliding contact between the upright contacts 23, 24, etc., on the base and the dependent contact segments on the button, the upstanding contacts may be rounded out as indicated in Fig. 4 and the dependent contacts 20 and 21 be hollowed as indicated in Fig. 7. These 00- operating contacts serve to yieldingly retain the button in the positions to which it is rotated and additional notches 40 may be provided in the non-metallic portion of the de pendent rim 22 into which the upstanding contacts fit with the button in the OE position.

The locking means for the push button comprises in the particular embodiment illus trated a rotatable locking cylinder or plug 41 adapted to receive a suitable key 42, said plug being journaled at the under side of the insulating base at right angles to the axis of the push button and carrying at its inner end a radially extending arm 43 formed with a cam slot 44 receiving a pin 45 on the lower end of the locking pin or slide 46 which works up through the top of the base in position to engage in sockets 47, formed in the under side of the button. The locking cylinder is held in the position to which it is turned by the key, by a detent 48 projected by a spring 49 into engagement with sockets or keeper surfaces 50, provided for it in the base.

The operation of thi lozking device will be apparent from Figs. 3, and 6 in the latter of which, it will be seen that as the point of the key is inserted in the plug, it will engage the forward end of the detent spring 49 and retrmt the detent from engagement with the socket 50 in which it has been seated. The plug can then be freely turned by the key. Thus, if the switch is in the unlocked condition, as indicated in 6 and the plug is rotated to the position indicated in Fig. 5, the cam arm will project the locking pin up into engagement in one of the so kets 47, thus locking the push button in the position to which it has been turned and preventing further rotary manipulation of the push button. These sockets 4-? in the push button may be made of such a depth that the locking pin when projected will extend to the bottom oi the socket and thus lock the button against depression as well as rotation.

,msaeea In the illustration (Figs. 7 and 7*) two of these ockets are made relatively shallow so as to lock the button against push button movements and a third socket is made deeper so as to permit the button when locked rotarily in this last position to be depressed for the purpose of sounding the horn. This construction therefore enables the push button being locked either against both rotary and push button'movements or being locked against rotary movement alone.

In addition to controlling the lights and signaling mechanism my improved switch is adapted for the control of an additional circuit. such as the ignition. The controller for this additional circuit comprises in the present disclosure a reciprocatory push and pull switch element 51 having a contact portion 52 adapted, when said control device is pressed inward, to connect a pair of contacts 535at. When the switch operating member 51 is drawn outward in the position indicated in Fig. 5 the contact portion 52 is freed from the contacts 53-54 and the circuit thereby broken. The switch member may be locked in this position by means of an eccentrically disposed locking lug 55 on the inner end of the locking cylinder which, when the cylinder is turned into the position shown in Fig. 5, is placed in front of the inner end of the member 51, thus locking it in its outer circuit broken position.

It will be clear therefore that by withdrawing the ignition plug and turning the locking cylinder by means of the key to the position indicated in F ig. 5 both the ignition and the light circuits will be locked and, if the push button has been turned to bring one of the shallower locking sockets 47 into the plane of the locking pin 46, the ignaling circuit as well will be locked off.

The switch may conveniently be mounted on the steering base or column of a ma chine as shown in Fig. 1, it being for this purpose provided with a yoke or clamp 57 adapted to embrace the steering column and secured to the back of the switch casing as by screws 58. Means for securing the switch casing together is preferably located beneath this supporting yoke so that when the switch is mounted in place, it will be impossible to get at the terminals without entirely dismounting the switch. This securing means is hereby shown as a screw 59 extend-- ing through the casing into the back of the insulating base and having its head arranged beneath the yoke so as to be covered by the steering column when the switch is mounted on the column.

I claim:

1. In a switch of the character set forth, a switch base. a switch operating member rotatahly and reciprocably mounted on said base and therefore capable of rotary and push button movements on the base, switch contacts controlled by the operating member in the rotary and push button movements thereof, and mean for locking said operating member against rotary movement without affecting the push button movements of said member.

2 In a switch of the character set forth, a switch base, a switch operating member rotatably and reciprocably mounted on said base and therefore capable of rotary and push button movements on the base, switch contacts controlled by the operating member in the rotary and push button movements thereof, and a ingle lock mechanism for locking the push button operating member against both rotary and push button movements.

3. A switch of the character described, comprising an insulating base provided with passages extending therethrough from the back to the front of the base, contacts having base portions secured at the back of the base" and shank portion projecting freely up through the passages and terminating in yielding contact portions exposed atv the front of thebase, a cap rotatably mounted on the front of the base covering the exposed portions of the contacts and provided with portions engaging said contact portions, terminals on the base portions of the contacts at the back of the base and a casing secured to the back of the insulating base and covering said terminals.

4. A switch of the character described, comprising an insulating base having passages arranged in a substantially circular series and extending through from the back of the base to the front thereof, a series of contacts having base portions secured at the back ofv the insulating base and yielding contact-making portions extending up through the passages to the front of the base, a cap rotatably mounted on the insulating base covering the contact-making portions of the contacts and provided with portions engaging said contact-making portions and a casing secured to the back of the base and covering the base portions of the contacts.

5. A switch of the character described, comprising an insulating base having passages arranged in a substantially circular series and extending through from the back of the base to the front thereof, a series of contacts having base portions secured at the back of the insulating base and yielding contact-making portions extending up through the passages to the front of the base, a cap rotatably mounted on the M1811- lating base covering the contact-mak ng portions of the contacts and provided with portions engaging said contact-making portions, a casing secured to the back of the base and covering the base, the cap having a series of seats in the underside thereof arranged substantially'in the arc of a circle, a locking plunger slidably mounted in the base for engagement in said seats and means for projecting said plunger into any one of said seats for locking the cap in difi'erent positions to which it may be rotated.

6. In a switch of the character set forth, a switch base, an operating push button on the base, contacts'controlled by said push button, a sliding pin on the base adapted for projection into engagement with button, an independently operable switch controlling member on the base and a rotat ing locking element having connection with the push button locking pin and having a part adapted to be projected into the path of movement of the independently operableswitch controlling member.

7. In a switch of the character described, the combination of an insulating base, a cap having a pivot stud rotatably engaged in said insulating base, contacts mounted on the base and covered by said cap, means on the underside of the cap for engagement with said contacts, a terminal on the back of the base, a conducting strip connected with said terminal and electrically connected with the pivot stud of the cap and a relatively'stationary contact on the base adapted for electrical connection with said pivot stud. t

- 8. In a switch of the character set forth, a switch base, a switch operating member rotatably mounted on said base, switch contacts controlled thereby, a reciprocatory switch controlling member mounted on the base at an angle to the axis of the rotary operating member, a locking member journaled on the base, a stop carried by said locking member arranged to be positioned in the path of movement of the reciprocatory operatingmember and a stop member adapted to be projected by the locking member into engagement with the rotary switch operating member.

9. In a switch of the character set forth,

a switch base, a rotary push button rotatably and reciprocably mounted on said base, switch contacts controlled thereby in the respective movements thereof, a second independently operable switch controlling member on the base, switch contacts controlled thereby, a rotatable key cylinder mounted on the base, a stop positioned by said hey cylinder in the path of movement of the second independently operable switch controlling member and a stop element pro jected by the rotatable locking element into engagement with the push button aforesaid.

10. In a switch of the character set forth, a switch base, a rotary switch operating member rotatably confined to the base, switch contacts controlled thereby, a reciprocatory switch controlling member moun ed on base substantially right the push to the axis of the rotary operating member, a locking cylinder journaled on the base substantially at right angles to the planes of the operating members aforesaid, a stop lug on the locking cylinder arranged to be positioned thereby in the path of movement of the reciprocatory operating member, a sliding pin for engagement with the rotary switch controlling member and operating connection between the locking cylinder and said sliding pin.

11. In a switch of the character set forth, a switch base, a locking plug journaled in the base and provided with an eccentrically disposed stop lug and a radially extending cam arm, a locking pin slidably mounted on the base and operated by said cam arm, a switch operating member controlled by said lockingpin and a second independently operable switch controlling member controlled by the stop lug aforesaid.

12. In a switch of the character set forth, a switch base, a locking plug journaled in the base and provided with an eccentrically disposed stop lug and a radially extending cam arm, a locking pin slidably mounted on the base and operated by said cam arm, a rotary switch operating member controlled by said locking pin and an independent reciprocatory switch operating member controlled by the stop lug.

13. In a switch of the character set forth, a switch base, a locking plug journaled in the base and provided with an eccentrically disposed stop lug and a radially extending cam arm, a locking pin slidably mounted on the base and operated by said cam arm. a rotary push button rotatably and reciprocably mounted on the base and provided with sockets for the locking pin, a second independently operable switch controlling member mounted on the base and controlled by the stop lug.

14:. In a switch of the character set forth, a switch base, a rotary push button rotatably and reciprocablv confined to said base and provided with locking shoulders on the under side thereof, switch contacts controlled by said push button in the respective movements thereof, a locking plug journaled in the base substantially at right angles to the axis of the push button and provided with a radially projecting arm sub tantially parallel to the axis of the push button and having a cam slot therein, a locking pin slidably mounted in the base substantially parallel the of the push button, having a lug engaged in the cam slot and adapted to be project I thereby into engagement with the oulders the push button, a reciprocz cry switch element mounted on the e side of the locking plug and sub a right angles to the axis of the on and a stop lug on the locking to be positioned thereby in the path of movement of the reciprocatory switch element.

15. In a switch of the characterset forth, a switch base, a push button journaled on said base and provided with looking sockets in the under side thereof, switch contacts controlled by the rotary push button in the rotary and push button movements thereof, a locking pin extensible up through the top of the base into engagement with the sockets in the under sideof the push button and a key plug journaled in. the base connected with the locking pin for projecting the same into engagement in the sockets in the push button. I

16. In a switch of the character set forth,

-a switch base,'a push button journaled on said base and provided with a series of sockets of different depth on the under side there- .of, contacts controlled by said push buttonin the rotary and reciprocatory movements thereof, a locking pin extensible up through the base into engagement with the different ones of the sockets in the under side of the push button and a key engageable member --mounted in the base for projecting the locking pin into engagementwith s'uch' sockets.

17. In a switch of the character set forth, a, switch base, a switch operating member journaled on said base and provlded with locking sockets in the underside thereof, switch contacts controlled by said rotary switch operating member, a. lockin pin extensible up'through the top of the ase into engagement with the sockets in the underside of the rotary switch operating member and a member journaled'in the base and con-- nected with said locking pin for projecting the same into engagement with thesockets in the switchoperating member. 1

18. In a switch of the character set forth, a switch base, a, push button contact on said base, an independent set of contacts on said base, switch operating means having rotary and reciprocatory movements on the base and carrying contact means for coiiperation.

base and means also operated by said looking plug for controlling said second switch operating member. K

20. A switch of the character set forth comprising a base, 'an operating member rotatably and reciprocably mounted on said base, a set of push button contacts brought into engagement by the push button move-' ments of said. operating member, contact elements engaged by the rotary movements of the operating member independently of the push button action thereof and means for locking said compound operating member in a predetermined position.

:21. A switch of the character set forth comprising a base, an operating member rotatably and reciprocably mounted on said base, a set of push button contacts brought into engagement by the push button move-' ments of said operating member, contactelements engaged by the rotary movements of the operating member. independently of the push button action thereof and means for locking. the operating member immovably on the base in a predetermined position.

22. A switch of the character set forth comprising a base, an operating .member rotatably and reciprocably mounted on said base, a set of push buttoncontacts brought into engagement by the .push button movements of said operating member, contact elements engaged by the rotary movements of the operating member independently of the push button action'thereof, a locking slide mounted on the 'base for engagement with the push button and key operated means for shifting the locking slide into engagement with the push button.

23. In a switch of the character described,

a switch base, a switch operating member rotatably mounted on the to of said switch base, switch contacts control ed by said rotatable member, a reciprocatory switch operating member projecting from the side of the switch base and a lock on the switch base for locking both the rotar switch 0 crating member on the top of the as'e and t e reciprocatory switch operating member at the side of the base.

' 24. In a switch of the character set forth, a switchv base, switch operating mechanism rotatably and reciprocably mounted on the base, switch contacts controlled by said mechanism' in the respective movements 1 thereof and means for locking said mechanism against both reciprocating and rotary movements. Y g

' JOHN F. CAVANAGH.

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