US1306360A

US1306360A - Snap-switch

Info

Publication number: US1306360A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1919-06-10
Anticipated expiration: 1936-06-10

Description

C. C. STIRLING.

SNAP SWITCH.

APPLICATION mm MAX. 1, 191:.

EnmnmlJume U), 1919.

In van for A 7 far-neu UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE C. STIRLING, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE HART &

HEGEMAN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A. COR- PORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

SNAP-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 10, 1919.

Original application filed June 22, 1917, Serial No. 176,302. Divided and this application filed March 7, 1918. Serial'No. 220,915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE C. STIRLING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snap- Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention. relates to snap switches, and while' I have several. motives in view, my primary purpose is to provide means of an eflicient character for the elimination of arcing as far as practicable, at thecircuit controlling point or points.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification there is illustrated a structure involving the invention which I will outline in detail in the following description. I am not necessarily restricted, however, to this particular disclosure; I may depart therefrom in several respects within the scope of the invention defined by the claims following said description.

Referring to said drawin Fl re 1 is a horizonta section of the switc the parts being shown in different positions by full and dotted lines respectively.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with the cap in section, the switching member being represented in the off and the on positions by fulland dotted lines respectively.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the device, the button, however, being partly in elevation-with a portion broken away, and the section beingon the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view, thesection being on the line 44 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Thepresent case is a division of that filed by me on June 22, 1917, Serial No. 17 6,302. The switch comprises in its organization a base such as that denoted in a general way by 2. This may be made of any of the insulating materials now in every-day use for the purpose. As shown the base is virtually circular or in the form of a disk, and it sustains a cap as 3 usually of sheet metal and of cylindrical form, its top being closed.

The cap or case may be held to the base or body 2 by a fit as it is known, thus obviating the necessity of extraneous fastenings for this purpose. The switch includes a suitable circuit controlling or switching member such as that denoted in a general way by 4, and an actuator for such switching member such as that denoted in a general way by 5. The base 2 constitutes a proper support for terminals such as 6, generally of metal and virtually of L form. The horizontal branches of these terminals are perforated to receive screws 7 extending through openin s in the base 2 and the lower threaded ends 0 which receive nuts as 8 by which wires or equivalent conductors are connected I tal and parallel blades or levers 9 of proper conducting material, for instance sheet metal. These blades or levers are connected as by screws 10 to the body portion 11 of the switching member, said body portion being of suitable insulating material. In view of this circumstance, the blades or levers 9 partake of the movement of the body portion. The rear ends of the blades 9 are ractically coincident with the back edge 0 said body portion but their forward ends extend beyond the front of said body portion to cooperate with contacts as 13. The switching member 4 as shown is pivoted between the terminals 6, and for this purpose screws 12 may be utilized, the screws extending through the rear portions of the. blades or levers 9 and being threaded into the insulating body portion 11. Said screws present journals to provide for the rocking or oscilation of the knife-blade switching mem- Separated from the terminals 6 are the contacts 13, each consisting as shown of a pair of L-shaped sheet metal members 14, the bases of which are superimposed and the upright portions of which are spaced a distance sufiicient to receive the blades 9 when the switching member 4 is in the on or circuit closing position as illustrated for instance by dotted lines in Fi 2 and by full lines in Fig. 4. The bases 0% the two pairs of L-shaped members 14 are perforated to receive screws 15, the shanks of which extend through openings in the base, and the threaded ends of which receive nuts 16. These screws 15 as shown are connected by a wire 17 coiled about the same, and held thereto by'the nuts 16. When the blades or levers9 of the switching member 4 are from out of the vertical or upright portions of the contacts 13 as shown by full lines in Fig. 2, it will be evident that the switching member is in the off position. To limit the swinging of the circuit controlling or switching member I, it may be provided upon its blades with screws 10 constituting suitable stops and whieh'when in the extreme positions will abut against the terminals 6 to arrest the switching member.

The actuating or operating means for the switching member comprises as represented a spindle as 19 extending through the bushing 20, the base having a hole or perforation to comparatively snugly receive the bushing furnished at its lower end with an annular flange to engage the under side of the base. The spindle extends freely through the bushing to permit its readily being turned, and as illustrated is furnished at its lower end with a nut 21 to engage the flanged part of the bushing and prevent accidental downward disp'lacen'ient of the bushing. The spindle as illustrated isfurnished with a stop collar :22 fastened thereto as by a screw 23, and whichengages the upper edge of the bushing to prevent displacement downwardly of the spindle.

The insulating body 11 has an opening 23, the center of which as shown is practically intersected by the axis of motion or center of oscillation of the switching member 4. This opening freely receives the spindle, and its wall at no time comes in contact with the same. The spindle 19 also extends through a hole or opening in the top of the casing or shell 3, and receives a button, knob or operating member as 24 which can be secured to the spindle in any convenient manner as by a screw. The surface of the button is roughened to facilitate its being turned. Fitting around the upper portion of the spindle 19 is the coiled spring 25, the upper terminal coil of the spring having an extension 26 extending into and opening in the hub of the knob to thus connect the two parts. The lower terminal coil of the spring has a prolongation 27 terminating in a loop 28, overlying the insulating body 11. ()n the turning of the spindle, therefore, the spring will be carried around with the knob 24, causing the prolongation or projection to sweep across the upper surface of the body portion 11 and thus compress the spring 25. so that the switching member 4 canbe successively snapped to on and off positions.

I have described more or less briefly with such a type of switch. I obviously do not restrict myself in this regard; the invention may be used with other forms of switches.

A snap switch generally involves one or more switching members, usually made in the form of levers. and with these I associate one or more angular insulating planes. These planes are so related with eachother as to present together a fan-like part which is intended to move near to and rapidly by the point or points of contact at the moment of break or opening. The fan-like element deflects the air across the are at the moment of break or opening. The lovers are separated at their contact portions from the fan. so that there will be between them, gaps across which the air is caused to positively pass in streams to accomplish the desired object. IVith the foregoing general description I will now proceed further with the detailed description of the structure.

Between the blades or levers 9 and in front of the body 11 I dispose the fan-like part. or vane 29 of suitable insulating material such as isinglass. This vane consists of two planes which converge about centrally between the blades 9. It abuts practically at its rear against the front of the insulating core or body 11. Its frontend, however, is in advance of the two blades. The sides of this vane 29 are cut away or slotted as at 30 for a little more than half the length of the device and back from the front end thereof. This cutting away or slotting of the vane provides two airways down which air may rush as the switching member is moved to circuit opening position so as thus to forcibly blow or direct any arcs sid'ewise or at right angles to the direction of the path of the arcs, the two streams of air flowing laterally and outwardly across the points where the circuit is broken.

lVhat I claim is:

1. An electric switch comprising a swinging switching member, contact means engageable by the switching member, and a member of insulating material rigid on and movable with the switching member and set at an angle thereto, to deflect the air across the are on the opening of the switch.

2. An electric switch comprising a switching member, contact. means cooperative with the switching member, and a fan-like part rigid on and movable with the switchmg member and spaced from the contact portion thereof, to blow away the are, on the opening of the switch.

3. An electric switch comprisinga switching member having approximately parallel arms, contact means cooperative with the switching member, and an insulating element rigidly extending between the arms, to blow away the are on the opening of the switch.

4. An electric switch comprising a movable switching member and a contact cooperative with the switching member. and a fan-part of insulating material rigidly connected and movable with the switching member and spaced from the contact cooperatin,g portion thereof to thus permit the said contact. cooperative portion to freely cooperate with the contact and at the same time to blow arcs at right angles to the (lispaced from the switching member at that part thereof which coacts with said contact means.

6. An electric switch comprising a swinging switching member, contact means engageable by the switching member, and a member of insulating material movable with the switching member, set at a constant angle thereto and extending forwardly therefrom, the forward portion of said insulating member being spaced from that part of the switching member which coacts with-said contact means.

7. An electric switch comprising a swinging switching member having approximately parallel arms, contact means cooperative with the switching member, and a fan-like insulating part rigid on and movable with the switching member and spaced from the contact portions of the arms thereof.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE C. STIRLING.

Witnesses:

L. L. MARKEL, HEATH SUTHERLAND.