US1293309A

US1293309A - Snap-switch.

Info

Publication number: US1293309A
Application number: US12677116A
Authority: US
Inventors: Reuben B Benjamin
Original assignee: Benjamin Electric Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Benjamin Electric Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1916-10-20
Filing date: 1916-10-20
Publication date: 1919-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 1936-02-04

Description

R. B. BENJAMIN.

SNAP SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20, 1,915

Patented Feb. 4,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1:

R. B. BENJAMIN.

' SNAP SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-20.1916.

1,293,309, Patented .F eb. 1, 1919 2 SHEETSSHEET 2- M (ByWIW WT'M,

OF CHICAGO,

SNAP-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, REUBEN B. BENJAMIN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at hicago, in the county of Cook and State of llinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Snap-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 an improved snap switch in which arcing when the contact is broken is reduced to a minimum, and which will be simple in construction and efficient in use.

In the accompanying drawings, in which twov embodiments of my invention are shown;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a key socket,

parts being broken away to show the interior construction.

Fig. 2 is an axial section of part of the socket on the line 22 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an axial section on the line 4-4 p of Fig. 2.'

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 66 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a detail end view of aratchet sleeve.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail view of part of the key sha Fig. 10 is an end view of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view of part of a socket, showing a modified form of switch.

Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view showing the key shaft of Fig. 11.

F 1g. 13 is a detail view showing the manner in which the spring contacts are secured on the shaft of Fig. 12. Referring now to the drawlngs in detail,

' my invention is shown in connection with a key socket 15 comprising the casing 16 and shell and center contacts an insulating base 17 r supporting the 18 and 19 respectively, and the snap switch mechanism 20.

The socket has the usual bushing 21 for con'-.

nectionwi'th a conduit, the usual fiber lining 22 for insulating the casing, and the usual the base by means of a shoulder 23 for retaining the base 17 in position. The center contact 19 is held in place on the base 17 by means of a reinforcing and binding plate'24 into which is threaded the retaining screw 25 and the binding screw 26. he snap switch mechanism 20 com.- prises an shaft 28, fixed substantially flat contacts and 31 cooperating with the spring contact 29, and a combined retaining and ratchet member 32 for holding the spring contacts 29 in place on the shaft 28 and for engagement with the ratchet members on the shaft The shaft 28 is rotatably mounted in a bearing plate 33 secured to the base 17 ('Fig. 4). v

Each spring contact 29 comprises a semicircular 28, and a bent-spring contact portion 35 for erilgagement with the contacts "30 and 31.

ese ca'tes and are formed in the same dies. The retaining and ratchet member 32 may be formed of sheet metal into a cup shape (Figs. 7 and 8), provided 'with an opening 36 through which the shaft 28 passes and with opposed slots 37 through which the spring contact portions 35 extend. The edge of the cup portion is provided with opposite ratchet teeth 38 which engage corresponding ratchet teeth 39 on the key shaft 28. he cup portion of the member 32 embraces the semicircular portions 34 of the spring contacts spring 40 is provided, having an opening which receives a reduced portion 41 of the key shaft. This bow spring is secured to the key shaft by riveting over the end of the key shaft at 42 (Fig. 6).

The fixed contact 31 is secured to the base 17 by means of a screw 43 which also assists in holding the shell contact on the base. The other side of the shell contact is secured to screw 44 and nut 45. are located in recess is recess has opposed The contacts 30' and '31 46 in the base'17. Th

fiat walls 47 and 48 extending at substantially right angles to the

contacts

30 and 31, and is also provided and .50 which engage with flat portions 49 the tips of the bent.

portion 34 which engages the shaft i spring contacts 29 are exact duplispring contact portions 35 to prevent reverse rotation as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 3. The contact has a binding plate portion '51 in which is threaded a binding screw 52.

which retards them with respect to the shaft 38. This bending and retarding of the spring contact portions continues until the tips of the portions 35 pass a plane through the axis of the shaft 28 perpendicular to the

contacts

30 and 31. Shortly after this the spring contact portions 35 will be released and due to their bent condition and their retardation with respect to the shaft 28, will snap suddenly to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, breaking the circuit suddenly and preventing arcing.

A similar action of the spring contact portions 35 takes place in their movement from the dotted line position of Fig. 3. to the full line position, the portions 35 beingbent orq doubled up and retarded until their tips pass a plane through the axis of the shaft 28 perpendicular to the walls 47 and 48, when they will be released suddenly and snap into engagement with the

contacts

30 and 31. The spring contact is prevented from reverse rotation by engagement of the tips of the contact with the walls 47 and 18 and with the slot portions 49- and 50.

The ratchet connection between the shaft 28 and sleeve 32 and the leaf spring permits the shaft 28 to be turned backward without turning the spring contact, the projections 39 sliding up the sloping sides of the teeth 38 and the spring 40 yielding to allow the necessary endwise movement of the shaft 28.

In Figs. 11, 12 and 13 another form of shaft and spring contact is shown, in which the spring contact is secured directly to the shaft and the switch key is secured onto the shaft so that it unscrews from the shaft when turned in a direction opposite the direction in which the spring contact member rotates.

In this form the insulating base 17 and the bearing plate 33 may be the same as in the form of Fi s. 1 to 10.

The sha t 53 is split at 54 to receive the

leaf spring contacts

55, 55 and the switch key 56 is screwed onto the split threaded end 57 of the shaft 53 to hold the contacts in place. If the key is turned in the wrong direction, it simply unscrews from the shaft.

In this form of switch as well as in the form of Figs. 1.to 10, the tension in the leaf spring contacts may be such as to tend to hold the free ends of the spring contacts away from the fixed contact, there will be a double break in the circuit, lessening the tendency to arcing.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A snap switch comprising a substantially fiat contact, a substantially flat insulated' surface in a plane substantially perpendicular; to the plane of said contact, a rotatable shaft, said flat surface and said flat contact each extending on both sides of planes through the axis of; said shaft per-- pendicular to said planes respectively and having their intersection substantially parallel to said axis, and a bent leaf spring contact carried by said shaft, having a free tip portion moved by said shaft into contact, in contact and out of contact with respect to said flat contact, and with respect to said insulated surface.

2. A snap switch comprising a substan-. tially flat contact, a substantially fiat insulated surface in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of said contact, a rotatable shaft, said flat surface and said flat contact each extending'on both sides of planes throughout the axis of said shaft perendicular to said planes respectively and iaving their intersection substantially parallel to said axis, and albent leaf spring contact carried by said shaft, having a free tip portion moved by said shaftinto contact, in contact and out of contact with respect to said fiat contact, andwith respect to said insulated surface, said tip snapping away from said fiat contact into engagement with said insulated surface shortly after it passes the plane through the axis perpendicular to the plane of the flat contact, and snapping away from said insulated surface shortly after it passes the plane through said axis perpendicular to said insulated surface.

3. A snap switch com rising a rotatable shaft, two substantially Hat contacts on opposite sides of said shaft, two substantially flat insulated surfaces on opposite sides of said shaft lying in planes substantially perpendicular to the planes of said contacts, said flat surfaces and said flat contacts each extending on both sides of planes through the axis of said shaft perpendicular to said surfaces and contacts res ectively and having their intersections su stantially parallel to said axis, and a bent leaf spring contact carried by said shafthaving two free tip portions moved by said shaft into contact, in contact and out of contact with saidfiat contacts and with said insulated surfaces, said tips snapping away from said flat contacts and flat surfaces respectively shortly after they pass said perpendicular planes.

'4. A switch comprising a first contact, a

and outer bent leaf spring contact members movedby said-sha carried by said shaft, the tip of the outer one of said spring contact members being t into contact, in contact and out of contact with respect to said first contact. y

5. A switch comprisinga first contact, a

rotatable -shaft, and two superposedfinner' outer bent leaf spring contact member's and carried by said shaft, the tip of- .the outer one of said spring contact members being moved by said shaft into contact, in'contact spring members and out of contact with respect to said first contact, the tension in said belng such as to tend to hold their tips separated.

6. A switch comprisinga first contact, a' I two superposed inner and outer bent leaf spring contact members rotatable shaft, and

carried by said'shaft, the tip of the'outer one of said spring contact mem ers being moved by said shaft into contact, in contact and out of contact with respect to said first contact, each spring member having a semi-circular portion embracing said shaft, and a sleeve member surroundlng said semi-circular por-' tions for holding them on the'shaft, said sleeve member having an opening in its side through which said leaf members extend.

7. A switch comprising a first contact, a rotatable shaft, and two superposed inner and outer bent leaf s ring contact members carried by said sha the tip of the outer one of said springcontact members being moved by said shaft into contact, in contact 5 its side through which tend, said shaft and sleeve having cooperate I carried by said shaft,-the ti I of said sprlngcontact mem lar portions for holding them on the shaft,

said sleeve member having an opening in sald leaf members exing ratchet members whereby said shaft will members in one direction only.

8. A switch comprising a first contact, a rotatableshaft, and two superposed inner and outer bent leaf spring contact members of the outer one ers being moved by'said shaft into contact, in contact and out of contact with respect to said first contact, each spring member having a semi-circularportion embracing said shaft, and a sleeve member surrounding said semi-circuncause' rotation of said sleeve and spring 'lar portions for holding them on the shaft,

scribed my name.

REUBEN? B. BENJAMIN.

opening in its members exsaid sleeve and spring