US1336583A - Control apparatus - Google Patents

Description

I.. G. RILEY.

CONTROL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 6. 1915.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.'

INVENTOR wITNEssEs: 2,

TTONEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LYNN Gr. RILEY, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO IVESTINGrI-IOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROL APPARATUS.

Application led October 6. 1915.

To all 107mm t may' concern:

Be it known that I, LYNN Gr. RILEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of llfrilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and Estate of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Control i Apparatus, of which the following is a speciti 'at-ion.

My invention relates to control apparatus, and it has special reference to controllers ofthe drum type that are adapted for governing electric railway motors and the like.

The object of my invention is to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive device of the above-indicated character which shall be adapted to increase the speed of contact-making and breaking within the controller, whereby the formation of destructive arcs, welding of contact surfaces and other injurious conditions may be obviated.

More specifically stated, it is the object of my invention to provide, in connection with a controller of the drum type, a positionaccentuating means ofthe usual type which shall be adapted to actuate the control fingers toward and away from the cooperating contact segments of the controller under predetermined conditions.

t is well known to those skilled in the art that the amount of destructive arcing which takes place when a circuit is made or broken within a controller varies in an inverse ratio to the relative speed of the cooperating contact members at the instant that the circuit is made or broken. In many prior controllers of the type wherein the contact see-ment is rotated and the coperating control fingers remain stationary, the relatively low speed of contact-making has, in some eases, eiiected a welding of the parts by reason of the high resistance of the initial line contact before complete oo ntact is established. Moreover, when the circuit has been broken, injurious arcs have been created, which has resulted in the burning and pitting of the contact members.

According to my present invention, I provide means for obviating the above-inentioned ditculties by materially increasing the relative speed of contact-making and breaking of control fingers land contact segments within controllers of the drum type. To eifect the desired result, the linger-base Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

serial No. 54,342.

for supporting the control lingers is movably mounted upon the control drum proper, and the pawl that comprises, together with a suitable star-wheel, the customary position-accentuating means for the control drum., is mechanically associated with the linger-base to effect movement thereof toward and away from the control drum when the drum is operated out of and into its olf position, respectively, thereby greatly increasing the relative approaching and receding speeds of the control lingers and contact segments, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a view in transverse section taken along the line I--I of Fig. 2, which is a view in elevation of a portion of a drum-controlling device constructed in accordance with' i invention, the cover .being removed.

Referring to the drawing, the structure shown comprises a suitable incasing member or cover l which is associated with a suitable back-plate la, in accordance with customary practice; a switching device, here shown as a control drum CD of a familiar type, that is located within the cover l; a linger-base FB that is associated with the control drum CD in a manner to be described; and positionaccentuating means PA for the control drum CD.

The control drum @D is provided with a centrally located shaft 2 that has its lower end supported within a suitable bearing block 3, the upper endof the shaft extending through an appropriate bearing bushing -l within the incasin g member l; and a familiar handle member 5 is associated with the upper end of the shaft 2 outside of the cover l. Interoonnected contact segments (i, of a cont-our suitable for the purpose intended, are associated with theshaft 2 of the control drum in any appropriate manner and are adapted to rotatively engage a plurality of suitable control lingers F that are mounted upon the linger board FB, in accordance with a familiar practice, and are respectively connectedL to conductors C to complete the desired circuit connections.

-The linger board EB is here shown as being trapezoidal in section, and a plurality of suitable bracket members or arms 7 and 8 are respectively secured to the ends of the finger-boa rd by means of suitable screws 9 or their equivalent, the arms 7 and 8 being provided with apertured ends through which the shaft 2 loosely extends. The finger board FB is thus rotatively mounted upon the control drum CD for a purpose to be set forth later.

The position-accentuating means PA comprises a star-wheel 10, of a familiar form, that is rigidly associated with the shaft 2 intermediate the bearing block 3 and the bracket member 8, and a pawl member 11 that is adapted to engage the notched periphery of the star-wheel. Notches 12, 13, 14, 15, etc., are provided in the outer edge of the star-wheel 10 to respectively correspond to the control positions of the drum, as will be understood, the end notch 12 that corresponds to the off position of the controller being deeper than any of the other notches, for a purpose to be explained.

The pawl member 11 is provided with an intermediate outwardly extending arm 16 that is disposed slightly above the plane of the remainder of the pawl member, as best shown in Fig. 2, and the pawl member, as a whole, is pivoted at a point 17 opposite the arm 16, upon a suitable pedestal or block 18 that is suitably associated with the base 1b of the controller. A suitable roller 19 is associated with oneend of the pawl member 11 to engage the notches of the starwheel, in accordance with customary practice, and a suitable helical spring 2O is disposed intermediate the other end 21 of the pawl member and a point 22 of the backplate 1a to bias the roller 19 to engagement with the various notches, as will be understood.

To effect movement of the finger base FB through the agency of the position-accentuating means PA, the arm 16 is provided, near its outer end,- with a suitable pin or stud 23, the free end of which is located within a slot or opening 24 of the bracket member 8, whereby a suitable pin andslot connection is establisl ed intermediate the pawl member 11 anc the finger base FB. However, it will be understood that any other sutiable mechanical connection between the two parts just mentioned may be employed, if desired.

Although, for the sake of simplicity and clearness, I have omitted from the drawing the customarily employed reversing switch and other associated structural details which are not material to my present invention, it will be appreciated that such apparatus is normally employed in connection with my invention.

Assuming the parts to occupy the positions shown, the operation of the apparatus may be set forth as follows Upon movement of the control drum CD in a clockwise direction by means of the handle member 5, as indicated by the arrow, the star-wheel 10 gradually forces the roller 19 out of the initial or offposition notch 12 along that portion of the surface of the star-wheel which lies intermediate the notches 12 and 13. rl`he pawl member 11 is thus actuated around the pivotal point 17 in a counterclock-wise direction, whereby the pin 23 engages one side of the slot 24 and effects rotative movement of the finger-board FB and the associated control fingers F toward the approaching contact segment 6 of the control drum. In this way, the speed of contact-making within the controller attains a. relatively rapid rate, and all danger of welding of the control fingers and contact segments is obviated. The arrai'lgement of parts is such that` the roller 19 just passes the crest of the surface lying intermediate the notches 12 and 13 when contact is established between the control fingers and the contact segments.

The pawl member 11 then rotates through a relatively small angle in the clock-wise direction as the notch 13 approaches the roller 19. However, by reason of the arrangement of parts and the difference in the operating radii of the roller 19 and the finger base FB, the control fingers F drop back at a speed somewhat less than the velocity of the drum as the roller 19 approaches the notch 13, so that contact is still maintained. Inasmuch as the initial notch 12 is deeper than the succeeding notches, the movement of the pawl member 11 and the finger-base FB, during the remainder of the forward operation of the control drum, is relatively slight, as will be understood.

In other words, the pawl member 11 oscillates around the pivotal point 17, while the finger base FB and, therefore, the fingers F have a motion of pure rotation around the drum shaft 2. Consequently, the actual contact between the fingers F and the drum segment 6 is not affected by movement of the roller 19 into successive notches 13, 14, etc.

W hen the control drum is returned toward its off position, so that the roller 19 gradually drops into the relatively deep notch 12, the pawl member 11 is rotated through a relatively large angle in a clockwise direction, whereby the pin-and-slot connection between the pawl member and the finger-base causes the control lfingers F to move away from the receding contact segment 6, and the speed of separation of the cooperating contact members, as the drum reaches its off position, is relatively great, thus preventing the formation of the destructive arcs hereinbefore referred to.

I do not wish to be restricted to the specific structural details or arrangement and location of parts herein set forth, as various modifications thereof may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a switching device, the combination with a control finger and a coperating contact segment, of a supporting frame, a movable carrying member and position-accentuating means for saidy segment mounted on said frame, means for movably moimting said finger on said carrying member, and means associated with said position-accentuating means for actuating said finger under predetermined conditions.

2. In a switching device, the combination with a control finger and a coperating contact segment, of position-.accentuating means for said segment, and means dependent upon the movement of said position-accentuating means for actuating said finger toward and away from' said segment under predetermined conditions and for maintaining contact -between said finger and said segment during the movement of said position-accentuating device.

3. In a switching device, the combination with a plurality ofcontrol fingers, a control drum and a coperating contact segment disposed thereon, of position-accentuating means for said drum, means for rotatably mounting said fingers on said drum, and means interposed between said position-accentuating means and said mounting means for actuating said fingers respectively toward and away from said segment upon predetermined forward and backward movement of the segment.

4. In a switching device, the combination with a plurality of control fingers, a control drum and a coperating contact segment disposed thereon, of means for rotatably mounting said fingers on said drum, a notched member movable with said drum, a pawl adapted to engage the notched member, and means associated with said pawl for actuating said fingers under predetermined conditions.

5. In a switching device, the combination with a plurality of control fingers, a control drum, and a coperating contact segment disposed thereon, of means for rotatably mounting said fingers on said drum, a notched member movable with said drum, a pawl adapted to engage the notched member, and means dependent upon the movement of said pawl for actuating said fingers toward and away from said segment under predetermined conditions.

6. In a switching device, the combination with a plurality of control fingers, a control drum, and a coperating contact segment disposed thereon, of means for rotatably mounting said fingers on said drum, a notched member movable with said drum, a pawl adapted to engage the notched member, and means associated Vwith said pawl for increasing the speed of contact-making and breaking of said finger.

7. In a switching device, the combination with a plurality of control fingers, a control drum, and a coperating contact segment disposed thereon, of a notched member movable with said drum, a pawl adapted to engage the notched member, means for rotatably mounting said fingers on said drum, and means interposed between said pawl and said mounting` means for actuating said fingers respectively toward and away from said segment upon predetermined forward and backward movement of the segment.

8. In a controller, the combination with a plurality of control fingers, a control drum and a coperating Contact segment disposed thereon, of a star-wheel movable with said drum and having a plurality of notches respectively corresponding to the several control drum positions, a pawl adapted to engage the notched member, a finger-base for said fingers rotatably mounted on said drum, and a mechanical connection between said pawl and said finger-base for actuating said fingers respectively toward and away from said segment upon movement of the pawl out of and into a predetermined notch of said star-wheel.

9. In a controller, the combination with a plurality of control fingers, a control drum and a coperating contact segment disposed thereon, of' a star-wheel movable with said drum and having a plurality of notches respectively corresponding' to the several control-drum positions, the notch corresponding to off position being deepest, a pawl adapted to engage the notched member, a finger-base for said fingers rotatively mounted on said drum, and a mechanical connection between an arm of said pawl and said finger-base for actuating said fingers respectively toward and away from said segment upon movement of the pawl out of and into said oposition notch to increase the speed of contact-making and breaking of said control fingers.

10. In a controller, the combination with a stationary supporting member, a plurality of control fingers, a control drum and a cooperating contact segment disposed thereon, of a star-wheel movable with said drum and having a plurality of notches respectively corresponding to the several control drum positions, the notch corresponding t0 off position being deepest, a pawl having a roller disposed near one end to engage said starwheel and also having an outwardly-proj ecting arm, a biasing spring secured to the opposite end of' the pawl, means for pivotally mounting said pawl near said supporting member at a point opposite said arm, a finger-base for said fingers rotatively mounted on the control drum, and a mechanical connection between said pawl arm and said finger-base for imparting a rotative movement to said nger-base respectively toward and away from said Contact segment upon movement of the pawl out of and into said off position notch, whereby the speed of contactmaking and breaking of said fingers is increased.

11. In a controller, the combination with a control finger and a coperating contact segment, of position-accentuating means and a movable carrying member for said segment, means for movably mounting said finger on said carrying member, and a mechanical connection between said means and said control finger for actuating the finger toward the approaching segment when contact is to bemade and away from the receding segment when contact is to be broken, whereby the speed of contact-making and breaking of the control finger is increased.

12. In a controller, the combination with a plurality of control fingers, a control drum and a contact segment mounted thereon, of a star-wheel movable with said drum and. having a plurality of notches respectively corresponding to control-drum positions, a pawl adapted to engage said star-wheel, a finger-base for said fingers rotatably mounted on said drum, and means interposed between said pawl and said finger-base for actuating the fingers toward the approaching segment upon movement of the pawl out of the notch corresponding to the drum off position and for actuating the fingers away from the receding segment upon the return of the pawl to said notch.

13. In a switching device, the combination with a contact segment and a coperating contact finger disengaged therefrom when said segment and said finger occupy a normal position, of accentuating means for Said segment which is adapted to actuate said finger toward said segment when said Segment is moved from said normal position.

lll. In a switching device, the combination with a control finger and a coperating Contact segment, of an accentuating cam having a recess, a paWl for coperating with said recess, and means for actuating said finger toward said segment when said paWl is moved from said recess.

15. In a controller, the combination with a controlv drum and aK coperating contact finger rotatably mounted thereon, of a notched member movable with said drum, and a. pawl adapted to engage said notched member and having an outwardly extending arm loosely connected to said finger.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 28th day of Sept., 1915.

LYNN G. RILEY.

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