US1295913A - Push-button switch. - Google Patents

Description

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UOMSFANY, ELYRIA, 0310, A CORPORATION UF OHIO.

:PUSH-BUTTON SWITCH.

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Application filed May 18, 1914, Serial No. 839,215.

To all whom it may concern.'

lle it known that l', Rar l-i. Manson', a citizen of the United States, residing at Elyria, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trish-Button Switches; and l do hereby declare the following to bea t'ull, clear, and exact description ot the in.` vention, such as will enable others skilled in .the art to which it appertains to malte and use the same.

My invention relates to push button switches for control-ling electric circuits, and especially t`o1' devices of this kind which are employed tor operating the warning signal `iliparatus of automobiles, motor cycles and other vehicles.

The particular object of my invention is to provide a switch of the typementioned which is easilyv operated, .no matter where the button is touched. In the use to which l have referred. though of course l am not limited thereto. the driver must keep his attcntion upon the operation ot' the machine, and consequently. has no time to lool( at the button when he operates it. It is also desirable that the warning signal should be operated immediately. 'With many of the old type ot' buttons, the operator always has to take time to look at the button; consequently, this style ot' button, when employed upon :mtomobiles, frequently causes dangerous lela'y in the operation of the horn.

By my invention.' ll overcome these obstacles. and provide a button which can be eas ily touched without looking` at the button, and which will operate the switch no matter which part ol the button is touched.

Other objects ot' my invention and the invention itself will probably be better understood trom a description ot' an embodimentot the invention.

l`he ligure illustrates one embodiment of my invention.

lciferring now to the drawing and to the embodiment illustrated therein, at l l show a 1flame member, which here consists of a cylindrical shaped casino. At f2 is shown a base member, which here consists of insulating material, inclosed within the member 1 and held securely in position by lugs 3 on the casing, which may be formed integral the-rewith and which bite into the insulating material. The `member 2 is formed with a chamber l, here shown as cylindrical in shape, and extending clear through the Specicaton of Letters Patent.

. the upper 'edge of the casing` l. l have shown the member l until the Patented Iller. ll,

Renewed November Il, 1913. Serial No. 261,148.

member 2, the upper portion ot the chamber being of less diameter than the lower portion. the casing and are here shown as integral therewith, being formed by turning inwardly the catch member 6 as extendiilg all around the periphery of the `asing` but it` may readilybe formed in any other suitable manner. The terminals of an electric circuitare shown at l' and 8, each consisting ot a screw driven into the insulatingg` member 2, and insulated each from the other thereby. These screws may be provided with washers 9 and l() separated from each other. At ll is shown the push button which may be ot any suitable form. l here show it ot' greater area than the stationary member and ot' nmbrella shape, having an annular groove l2 into which the upper partsl ot' the casing lit when thc button is depressed. il. catch member 13 is provided for the push button, here shown consisting ot an annular plate cooperating` with the catch member (3 upon the stationary member and normally held in engagement therewith by a spring 14 which. abuts at one end against a bearing surface l5 in the button 1l, which may be formed by a bearing plate. The other end oi the spring' `abuts against a bearing' surface formed in the stationary member. here shown between the screws 7 and 8. rl`he member l?) is connected to the button l1 by suitable means, such as screws :20.

The switch which includes the contacts is carried partly upon the stationary member and partly upon the movablemember. In the form shown this switch consists of the two contacts illustrated and a member 30, here shown as a pin connected at one end to the movable'member l1 and extending through the coil vof the spring la, having an end 3l projecting therefrom.

As will be seen, the movable member l1 presents a large area to the operator.l li the operator presses upon the central portion of the member ll, it will descend in a substantially horizontal position, that'is, the member ll will descend substantially parallelto end 31 of the member 30 engages the washers 9 and l() which are electri 'ally connected with the terminals of the electric circuit, thereby closing' the'switch andgcausing the operation of the signal. lt the button is depressed upon the edge, say `for example., at the point 0, the

Catch means (i are provided upon till) edge i0 will descend about the point ll as a pivot or inici-nm, the curved point oi" the pin engaging the washers t) and 10 and closing the circuit. The point 31 oi this pin is formed with a curved area, preferably hemispherical in shape, so that no matter whether the pin descends in a Istraight line or 'is .inclined and descends, the switch will be readily operated and the circuit closed.

it 50 is illustrated asignalingA device, at (Sil.) a :source of current, and at 70;'71 and 72, the conductors which are employed to connect. the signaling device7 the source oif current and the switch in an electric circuit4 As .-.fi will be seen, the catches C and 13 term a plurality ot loose t'ulcrums which permit the i' .ingl ot' the button, no matter upon what point et" the edge it is depressed, and at the vaine time, permits a depression of the buton when it is depressed upon the center. With this arrangement7 the button responds to slight pressure, no matter where it is apf plied thereto. A

i have shown this embodiinent'of my invention, not that l wish to be limited to this torni er to the detaiis thereof, as l conteni- 'plate numerous and extensive departures from such 'torni and details, the invention more particuiarly set forth in the* appended cieims.

i cinim: i l. ln a circuit controller, the combination ct" Y A bei' formed on the open end thereof by turning inwardly the upper edge ot" the casing,

a blot-lr ot' insulating material within the casing; having a chamber therein, a pair ot' electrical temninals in said chamber separated and insulated from each other, a /push button relatively large area, a plate fastened upon the bottom of the push button` said plate being within the casing and a spring' Ynormally holding the edges ot' the plate aga-inst the under side ot' the turned over edges ot' the casingE permitting either depressible or tiltingmovement, said .springev located between the push button and the member of ii inletK cf material? and a pin carried by the pn li button havingr a substantially hemisphericai point adapted t'o connect. the cleccylindrical casing' having; a catch neem! trieal contacts together when the push button is either depressed or tilted.

ln a device ot the class described, the combination of a push butt/on, catch means thereon, a base, catch means thereon, an elec'- tric switch comprising a plurality of switch cont-acts and a switch closing member having a semi-globular point, said member carried by said button, said catch means permitting rectilinear and tiltabie movement engaging with each other at a plurality of points to hold said switch normally in switch open pcsition and yielding,T means between said button and base, said button when pressed on an edge rocking about a point ot' engagement ot said catch means and when pressed in the center descending substantially parallel to the base to operate saidswitch.

3. In a circuitecontroller,'the combination olf a base, a pair oit normally'open electrical contacts mounted on said base, a push button slidably connected to said base, means to slidably and rockably connectthe button to the base including' an annular catch on each of the button and the base, said button being tiltable about said catch members when clen'essed, and a member de )endi'nc' from the center o'i the underside of the but-ton adapt-v ed to connect said contacts when the but-ton is either depressed or rocked about said catch members.

4. li. a circuit controller', the combination ot' a base, a pair ot' electrical contacts mounted on the base, an annular inwardly turning liange on the base, a push button Vhaving an annular outwardly extending Hange; said Hannes loosely cngaging'to permit rocking movement, yielding means for normallyholding' said ianges 1n engagement,v and amember project-ing' from the central portion of thc button tor connecting said contacts when the button is either depressed or' rocked.

In witness wliereot', l have signed my name in the presence oti two witnesses this 11th day ot' lylay, 191i.

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Sloxnr BYLAN, Guo. ll. llonnn'rs.

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