US1333115A - Electric push-button or push-button switch - Google Patents

Description

L. H. JONES.

ELECTRIC PUSH BUTTON 0R PUSH BUTTON SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 1916.

Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

LENORA H. JONES, F WICHITA, KANSAS.

To all wkom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LENORA H. JoNEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at -Wichita,county of Sedgwick, and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Push-Buttons or Push-Button Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention, which relates to electric push-buttons or push button switches, has

for its object .the provision, first, of a novel expansible and contractible contact whether movable or stationary and however combined with the other electric contact or contacts; second, of said expansible contact when stationary. and adapted to be expanded by the pressure'of the button so as to spread for the purposes of engaging the other contact and to contract when the button is released.

My improvements provide for electrical contact being made at a number of points, in a rubbing or scraping fashion, thereby minimizing corrosion due to sparking and substantially insuring good electrical contact at all. times without possibility of catching or sticking and consequent short-circuit- The present improvements can be embodied in various forms of push-button switches and are susceptible of modification; hence I do not limit myself to the details hereinafter specified which are to be considered as illustrative, rather than restrictive, of the scope of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of the push button having my improvements, parts being in normal position;

Fig. 2, a similar view, the ball or button being pushed in, means being. provided to keep the circuit closed;

Fig. 3, a plan view, the cap being removed;

Fig. 4, a vertical section of a modlfication, the parts being in' normal position;

Fig. 5, a cross section on l1ne 55, Fig. 4, the button being pushed in and the contact and shell engaged;

Fig. '6, a detail section of a modification;

Fig. 7, an enlarged detail showing theoperation of the contact spring;

Fig. 8, a plan view of anothermodificaand Specification of Letters Patent.

tion, the expansible contact being removed;

ELECTRIC PUSH-BUTTON 0R7-PUSH-BUTTON SWITCH.

Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

Application filed May 26, 1916. Serial No. 100,026.

Fig.9, a detail side View. of the tubular stationary contact thereof.

Referring first .to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, the

invention is there shown embodied in a push-button, 1 being'the base and 2 the cap. To the base are ,secured by screws 3 'the semi-circular or arc-shaped metal contacts or terminals 4 to which the circuit-wires 5 are connected.

My improve-d expansible and contractible contact 6 is reversible so that either end may be uppermost to receive the pushbutton, marble, or ball 7 that is exposed through the opening in the cap 2. The

contact 6' which is composed of springy or resilient Wire such as German silver, for

instance, 'formed intosuccessive narrow closely positioned, coils or loops 5*, is of general tubular and cylindrical form. The inner end of the contact 6 is secured or anchored to the base 1 in any preferred manner intermediate the terminals 4 so that its outer portion can be expanded against said termmals by pushing in the ball or button 7, but normally the contraction of the contact 6 causes it to remain free of said terminals. The terminals. ,be'ing arcshaped, preferably semircirculai'jit is"impossible for the contact 6. to catch on them or .become displaced therefrom. The numerous points of contact (between the con-- tact 6 and the terminals 4 insure electrical connection being made at all times by a rubbing or scraping action, so that I thereobviate the ,corroding which tends to prevent good electrical contact in push buttons or switches which depend on a slngle point of contact for oompletion of the electrical circuit. The. sphere or marble 7 tends to evenly spread the-contact 6 i-adially in all directions and the adaptability of the ball orsphere to turn, coupled with its shape, insures its being pressed back agaanstthe cap 2 when the pressure of the finger is released. A laterally swinging lever 7 pivoted at 7 (Fig. 2) may be .used to maintain a closed circuitby holding sphere 7 down.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, theinvention' is there shown as embodied in a tubular push button such as 'iscommonly used in press plates, desks, street cars, Pullman cars, automobiles, and other places where it is desired that the body of the push button or switch shall be sunk substantially flush with the surface to which it is connected.

The metal shell'or case 8 contains a lin-v ing 9 of fiber or other insulating material which may be open at one or more places 10 to expose the metal surface of the shell. A washer or end piece 11 of insulated material is fitted in the rear end of the shell and suitably secured thereto in any manner, as by a screw 12. Another screw 13 constitutes the terminal for one of the circuit wires. The contact 6 is carried by a metal terminal member 14 which is secured to the insulating washer 11, as for instance, by a screw 13, to which the remaining circuit wire may be connected. The pushbutton may be a sphere, marble or ball or, as shown in Fig. 4, a tapered and shouldered spreading button 17 whose tapered or conical inner end is adapted to expand the contact 6 as previously described in connection with the ball or sphere. The contraction of the contact 6 serves to keep it out of engagement with the shell or body 8 at the point or points 10 and also tov hold the push buttonor ball pressed outwardly. The insulating lining 9 serves to -insulate remaining portions of the contact 6 from the shell. When, however, the push button or ball is pressed in, the expansion of the contact 6 causes a portion thereof to engage the metal body or shell at the exp tions 10, thus completing the electrical circuit.

Referring to Fig. 6, the shell is shown at 18 and is provided with an insulating washer 19 which carries contacts 20 and 21. A metal stem 22 slides through the washer 19 and is adapted to engage the contacts 20 and 21 when said stem is pressed inwardly. The stem carries a cup 23 in which the ball, sphere or push button 24 is firmly seated. A spring 25, similar to the spring 6 bears on the cup 23 and on the washer 19 and'holds the push. button or ball 24 in raised position and the stem '22 out of engagement with the contacts 20 and 21; When the push button24 is pressed inwardly, this movement is resisted by the spring 25 which then spreads out or expands, as the cup 23 enters it, the stem 22 meanwhile engaging the contacts 20, 21 and completing the circuit. 'On the release of the push button 24, the spring 25 returns the parts to normal position.

My invention maybe carried out in modiosed portion or porfied forms in other switches or push buttons for electric lights, magnets, spark plugs, andother switches and I do not limit myself to the details of construction hereinbefore specified.

In Figs. 8 and 9, the tubular metal contact 26 having binding post 27 is fixed to base 1 and loosely encircles the expansible contact 6 which, in turn, loosely encircles c entralpost 28 fixed to base 1 and has an arm 29 extending through slot 30 and provided with binding post 31. sphere 7 is'pressed, all points of contact 6 engage contact 26. 9

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an electricpush button or switch, the combination with electrical contact means, of a tubular expansible and contractible spring composed of a plurality of coils, a cap, and a spherical push button adapted to fit within and spread said spring to cause completion of the circuit, said spring being adapted to retract the push button and hold 'it against the cap, said cap serving to retain the. push button in the switch;

2. In an electric push button or switch,

the combination with a contact or terminal,

of a tubular expansible and contractible contact spring comprising a plurality of coils, said spring being adapted, when expanded to engage the electrical contact, and a spherical push button adapted to fit within and spread said contact spring by a wedging action when pressed inwardly 1n.

relation thereto, said contact spring serving to normally retract the push button and hold it against the cap, said cap. serving to retain the push buttonin the switch.

3. In an electric push button or switch, the combination with relatively movable normally separated contacts or terminals, of a cap, a spherical push button held in position by the cap and adapted, on depression,

to cause engagement of said contacts or terminals, and a movable locking device normally free of said push button and adapted to be disposed over the outer face of the push button and in engagement therewith to hold said pushbutton in depressed position, with the contacts engaged.

7 In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my 4 signature.

- 'LENOR-A H. JONES.

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