US1426811A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

. H; B. BENIAMIN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

` APPLICATION FILED JUN; 26, 1919. 1,426,81 1 Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET VI.

,R. B. BENJAMIN. ELECTRIC SWITCH. APPLlcATnoN man JuNEzs. 1919.

192?h 3 SIIEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Aug. 22

TORNEYS.

,R. B. BENJAMIN. LECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION F|L ED'lUNE26,1919.

Pa'tented Aug. 22, 1922'.

' 3 sHEETssHEET s.

" UNlTsn f stars...

ovinos.

REUBEN 33. BENJAMIN, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COIVEBANY, QE' CHICAGO, ILLINOS, .Pa GOl-EQRATION 0F 'ILLI- NOIS. i i. f

To all who/mf t may concern:

Be it known that I, RnUnnN B. BnNJAMiN, a-citizen ot theUnited States, residing at Chicago, in the countyiot Coolr and State of A Illinois, have invented new and nsetul lmprovements in Electric Switches, ot which the :following is a full, clear, concise, and eX- act description7 reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part ot l0 this specification. 1 l y My invention relates to electric switches and more speciically to pull snap switch sockets.

One of the objectsy of my invention is to provide such a device which will be simple in construction, cheap-to manufacture and durable and eioient in use.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved compact pull snap switch mechanism which can be conveniently located in a socket.

Further objects will appear from the de` tailed description to follow and from the appended claims.

ln the drawings in which one embodiment ot my invention is shown:

Fig.V i is a side elevation ot a pull snap switch socket embodying my invention, parts being' broken'away to show vthe iny terior construction F 2 'is a plan view of the socket with the cap removed;

Fig.V 3 is a section on the line 8 3 oit Fig. 2, the switch mechanism being shown in ele vation; l Fig. l is also a section on the line 3-8 oi: Fig. 2, theswitch mechanism however be` ing shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 oiC Fig.

el looking in tl e direction of the arrows;

y F G is a section on the line 6 6 oi Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig." T is a fragmentary view ot the lower portion ot the socle'tfshowingV part of the shade support and shade;

Fig. 8 is side elevation of the socket and part ci" the shade and holder7 parts being broken away to show the interior construction;

Fig. l9 is a fragmentary sectional view showing part of theswitch socket;

`Fig. 10 is an exploded view showing the connection Jlor the pull chain;

Fig. ll is an exploded view showing the 35 switch shaft and associated part-s;

Specification of Letters Patent.

ELECTRIC SVITCH.

Application led June 26, 1919. Serial No. 306,783.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a sleeve which separates the two springs;

Fig. 13 is a side View of the ratchet-ment ber;

Fig. 14 is a plan view of the shade holder; and

Fig. l5 is a bottom plan view of the soc-het.

In order to give a general idea of the in` vention it is here stated that the switch mechanism shown is of the ratchet snap type, that is to say7 the switchmechanism is actuated by a pull member, which operates the ratchet, so that a pull on the switch will throw the switch to closed position, and the succeeding pull on the switch will throw the switch to open position, and in which the switch mechanism is provided with a re` leasable detent, which holds the switch mechanism until a considerable spring pressure has been accumulated, and then releases the switch mechanism.

In such switch mechanisms, two springs are usually provided, one for returning the ratchet after it has been operated by the pull chain, and one for accumulating pressure to cause the snap action orp the switch.

In the embodiment of my invention shown I use 'for these two springs, two coil torsion springs, one being located inside the other, whereby compact construction is secured.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, he pull snap switch socket shown comprises an insulating base 20 for supporting the receptacle contacts and switch mechanism, and a' cap 2l or' insulating material for housing the switch mechanism and supporting the wiring terminals. The insulating base 2O is provided with a cylindrical recess 22 in its outer end for accommodating the receptacle contacts, and is also provided with a recess 23 in iis inner end 'for accommodating the switch mechanism.

The threaded shell contact 2li' is electrically connected with one o'f the wiring terminals 25 by means of a screw 2G extending throughl a flange at the inner end of the threaded shell contact, through registering apertures in the insulating lbase ,20 and cap 2l, and threaded into the plate 27 into which the vbinding screw of the wiring terminal 25 is screwed. p

vThe switch mechanism 29 controls the cirthe binding screw of the wiring terminal 25 and the center contact 8l. This other wiring terminal 25 is electrically connected with one of vthejbrushes 32 of the switchmechanism, and thecen-ter` contact 31 is electrically connecte-dl with-'thel other brush 33 oi' the switch mechanism (Figs. 3, 4 and 6). They brush `32 is secured to the insulating base 2O by means ot a metal eyelet and is electrically connected with the wiring terminal by means of a screw 35 which extends through the eyelet'3`4` and is thread-` ed into the plate 36 into which the binding screw 37 ofthe wiring termina-l 30' is screwed.

The centerv contact 31v isf held in place 5 onl the base20 and elecrically connected with the brush 33 by means of a screw 38, extend-l ing through registering openings in the brush 33, the insulating base 20, and the center. contact 31, and having a nut 39 threaded'onto its end. A disc 40 of insulating material such' as fibre is held in place between the' insulating base'and the iiisulat`- ing cap 21,.t his serving to keep any loose y strands of the" feedlwires 41 and 42 from coming in contact w'itl1"tliev switch mecha-4 nism. Thescrews'26 and' 35 not only serve asg electrical conductors,'but also serve to hold the insulating'base 2O and cap 21 together. The screw 26A also serves to holdthe threadedshell contact 2 4 in-position on'the base 20; v

` The'switch mechanismwhichcontrols the circuit between the twobrushe's 32 and 33 comprisesa UV-shapedswitch frame 43 which may beof'sheetmetal stamping, a Un-shaped ybridging .plate 44, which` may also be. a

sheet-metal' stamping, which in one posi-V tion electricallyconnects thebrushes 32 and 33 and in another position leavesf them electrically disconnected, a switch shaft 45 rotatably mounted inthe switch frame 43, a

trip-plate 46L connected to rotate with the bridge-plate '44, an eccentric 47 rotatable` with the switch shaft 45"` for'actuating the trip-plate 46 vtov release it when the spring- .pressure has sufficiently accumulated, a

ratchet' driven member 48 secured to the shaft 45 torotate the latter, acoil torsion spring49`having one' end connected to the ratchet driven member 48 and the other fend connectedl to the bridgefpla'te, for ac-l cumulating pressure to Vcause the snap action ot the biidging-niember 44, a switch lever 50h avng ratchetv teeth 5,1 -lor driving the ratchet driven member 48, a pullchain for! actuating the switch" lever 50 and acoil torsion spring v53. having one .end connected to the Ushaped frame 43, and the other end connectedto the switch lever 50, this coil torsion spring serving to `return ythe switch lever after it has been yactuatt-idf by the pull chainV 52;' i

The switch frame 43 has a base portion `t'se'curedto the insulating base by 111621115 of. 'screws 55j and has two' standard portions aiicl ,57 re',spectively.;Y in' which the inurnal" portions' 58 and" 59 oftlie switch shaftv 45 are rotatablyy mounted. Thestandard portion 56 is provided with tour stop vprojections` 59; Vwhichcooperate with a lug or projection 60 on thetrip-plate 46 to-hold vth'istrip.plate 46 froml rotation under the accumulating spring pressure until this trip-plate is moved by the eccentri`e-47 to a position in which the lug 60 is free `from that one of the vlugs 59a .with which it is engaged. The trip-plate 46 is actuated to release the lug 60`rom engagement with one o fthelugs 59a by means ofthe eccentric 47 which worlrs 'in the opening 61 ofthe trip plate.` This eccentric. 47 is secured to rotate with the switch 45'bymeanso'f`a slot 62 (Fig'll) which engages with a flat .por-

tion 63 ottheshaft 45. The trip-plate 46 is relation between the lug" 64` and the slotr 65y is such that the trip-plate. will not ypermit the bridgeplate to rotate until the lug 60 of the trip-plate is free 'from the stop 59a,

but is such that it will permit the eccentric 47` to shift the trip-plateto cause the proiectionO to slide olil of the lug59.

Y When this takes place theV accumulated tension in the torsion spring 49 vcauses the tripplate and bridging member to snap through a 'quarter of a revolution tok quickly break the circuit between the binding terminal 36v n' and the center contact at two points, that is to say, at both of the brushes 32 and 33';

' The ratchet driven? member 48` is con# nected to rotate the shaft 45 by means of a slot vinthe ratchet driven member which i engages a llattened portion 64 of theshaft ics v 45 (Fig. 11).'` The switch lever 50,1Inay be formed ofa plurality ofinsulating y*discs of `libre or other suitable material, Vwhich may be held togetherby an eyelet.member` G5 which maybe formed integral with the ratchet plate which `carries the ratchet teeth 51. @ne end of thethe torsion spring 53 which serves to return the switch lever may be secured to this eyelet portion 65and the other end of said torsion spring may be caught under alug 66 (Figa: 11)` stuclrup from they base portion ot the U-shaped switch frame. The coil torsion spring 49- i, which serves togive the snap action to, the

switch is located Vinside of `andcoalrial-withrespectto the coil torsion springv 53`which serves tovv return the yswitch lever. For separating these coil torsion springs `from each other, a sheet metal sleeve 66a (Fig. 12)

is provided which liesoutside of the smaller spring and inside of` the larger spring-,and

one end oi which is-secured' to and supported on! a hub or lug portion66 formed integral with the bridgingplate 44. This sleeve-'66 hasthree lugs 67 Studi up therefrom., which form supporting means for a sheet metal sleeve 68 which houses the outer coil spring 53, and also forms a journal for the switch lever 50the eyelet portion 65 closely surrounding this sleeve 68 and forming a bearing for-theswitch lever. The end of the sleeve 68 opposite the endwhich bears on the lugs 67 is supported by a hub or boss 69, which may be formed integral with the ratchet driven member 48.

The pull chain 52 is connected to the switch lever byy means of a stamped sheetmetal fastener 70 (Figs. 9 and 10) having a pair of hooks or fingers 7l, between which the ball of the pull chain is caught and held, and a base portion 72 having laterally extending portions extending into slots 73 (Fig. 9) in the fibre discs of which thel switch lever is composed, one of said laterally extending portions also extending into a slot 74 (Fig. 10) formed in the ratchet plate which carries the ratchet teeth 5l (Fig. 13).`

Each pull of the pull chain turns the switch lever through a little more than a quarter of a revolution. The motion of the switch lever in the direction in which it is operated by the pull chain is limited by an abutment 75 9) integral with the insulating base 20, which abutment 75 is located in the path of a stop shoulderl 76 formed on the' switch lever. This movement of the switch arm also causes "the ratchet driven member 48 to be rotated through a little more than a quarte-r of a turn. During about the'first 60 degrees of movement of the ratchet driven member,

this simply" tightens up the coil torsionv spring 49, as the bridging' member 44 and thetrip-plate 46 are held from rotation by thev engagement of the lug 60. with yone of the lugs 59, the lug 64 on the trip-plate holding thebridging plate 44 from movement. However, after aboutl 60 degrees of rotationv of the ratchet driven member, the

.movement of the eccentric 47 with respect to the trip-plate 46 will shift the trip-plate so as to cause the lug 60 to slip olf from the projection 59 with which it is engaged, the relative movement between the tripplate 46 andl the eccentric 47 being such as to cause the lug 60 to engage with the next succeeding sto-p 59. This movement of the bridging-plate44 through an arc of 90 degrees will cause the switch to be shifted from the on to olf position.

`The fact that one of the torsionsprings is arranged coaxial with and inside of the other torsion spring makes for -compactness of construction, as does alsovthe fact that the switch lever is located between the ratchet driven member and the bridgingplate. This compactness of construction enables the pull snap switch device to be assembled and put in place in the insulating base of a lamp socket with the axis of the switch shaft extending transversely to the the axis of the shell contact ofthe socket.

The insulating base 2O is provided with a passage 77 leading from the switch chamber 23 to the side of the insulating'base to accommodate the pull chain 52, and the side of the insulating base 2O is provided with a groove or channel 78 (Figs. l, 7 and 8) leading from the passage 77 downwardly to the bottom of the insulatingl base to permit the pull chain to pass straight down inside of the shade 79 to give a practically straight pull for 'the chain.

The` insulating base is provided with an annular groove channel 80 near its lower edge to accommodate a shade holdingdevice 8l (Figs. 7, 8.and 14).l This shade holding device 81 comprises a pair of clamping members 82, which may be drawn toward each other by means of clamping screws 83, these clamping members 82 being provided with bent in portions 84 which extend through corresponding openings in a shade holding collar 85, the bent in portions 84 extending into the aforesaid annular groove 24 so that when clamping members are drawn up these bent in portions 84 will extend through thev openings vin the shade holding ring 85 and into the annular groove 8O to hold the' shade holding ring 85 and the sha-de 79 in position on the socket. ln securing the shade holder in position the clamping members 84 are so'placed with respect to the insulating base 20 that the pull chain 52 will extend down between two of the bent 100 inportions 84, so that these bent in portions will not interfere with the chain 52 passing down through the channel or groove 78, the depth of this channel or groove 78 is such that it affords a free passage of 105 the chain 52 inside the shade supporting ring 78. The channel 78 at that portion where it crosses the channel 80`is of course more shallow than that portion of the channel 78 above and below the channel 80, but 110 as the bent in portions 84 do not extend into the channel 8O at this point where the channel 7 8v crosses the channel 80, the clamp-ing members 82 will not interfere with the chain 52. As aV matter yof fact, the sleeve portion of the shade holding member 85 forms a sort of a covering for the channel 78 so as to house that part of the chain which lies in this channel 78.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is l. A switch mechanism comprising an oscillatable operating member, a pull member for actuating said operating member, aicoil torsion spring for returning said oscillatingmember after it has beeu actuated, a ratchet-member actuated by said oscillating member, a rotatable switch contact, a coil torsion spring'connecting Said ratchet and said rotatable switch member, a releasable 13o 'detent "for holdingf saidrotatable switchv member from rotationto cause energytobe stored infsaid second torsion spring, one: of'said"coiltorsion `springs surrounding theA berA for actuating saidoperatinglmember, a4

coil'torsion spring orjretnrningI said oscil- 13) latablememberaifter ithas been operated by saidpull member, arratchet driven by said,

oscillating member, arotatable switch memv ber, a isecond coil torsionspring for transmittingiorcevfrom said ratchet member to 15,; said rotatablejswitch member, a releasabley detent for temporarily holding said rotatable member from;l rotatio'ngxone .ofh said springs; siirrbandingr theotherf, and a sleeve surroundl y ing'oneof 'said springs and' surrounded byY 2,01-, the other for keeping them separaten.,

' 3. A; 'Switchi mechanismif. Comprising en' oscillatable member, a pull member for actu-` ating saidos'cillatable member, a coil torsion' spring 'for returning said vosci'llatable jmein Zgbery afterfit hasj/been actuated-by`said pullI member, a ratchet-member driven by` said oscilla-table member, arotatabl Switch mem--l ber, a spring for transmitting force fromy y said ratchet member to said rotatable mem-` l 39;; ber, adetent for temporarily` holdingi said lratablemember from rotation, anda' sleeve surrounding said ,coil 4torstim sp ring on Whichsleeve saidloscillatable, member is mounted.V y ,4. `L switch mechanism, comprisingan'y =,35:osc1llatablc operating member, a pullmember `for actuatingsaidoscillatable member, a' 'spring for returning/said oscllatable member after it-has been actuatedvby said pull member, a ratchet driven by said oscillatable` ember, arotatable switch'arm, a coiltorsion spring for transmitting force from said ratchetto said switch "arm, a releasablede, tentk for temporarily holding said switch from' rotation to'cause energy to be stored iny;,`5 j said coil torsion spring, a sleeve surroundingfsaidfcoil torsion spring, and forminga journal for said oscillatablemember. F

oscillatable operating; 'in ember, a pull mem- QgOj ber for actuating said oseillatable member, a

ratchet driven by-saidy oscillatable member,

a rotatable switch jarmcoaXial with said loscillatable member, a spring for transmit` ting force from saidv ratchet to said switch be arm, a detent foritemporarily holding said Y switchfarm from .rotation to cause energy toV be stored in `saidspring; said oscillatable `memberbeing located between said ratchet andsad Switch armf-f" v comprising an oscillatable member, a ratchet drivenby said oscillatablemember, a switch arm said i switch arm,ratchet and` oscillatable member n being; @axially-,1 mounted; a, c'ol f torsion lie-Sirf spring extending-between saidratchety andy 65 Said rentable Snitch am; fsf-transmitting; fere nomi-Seid ratchet teadvswteh @171er Y a detect erftemporarly heldng Sad SWCQhV arm from rotationlvtocanselpnergy to bei 5, stored 5in saidfl'coil ltorsion spring, said oscill 70 leteble l member being; i loselte between Seid; retehetenclswth arm aedsurreundngsedi coil torsion spring. y y l i A; Switch. mechanism: wmprSngf-en 0s,Cil,latablev membea. a lefhetv member; rlrivembycsaid Aoseillatable; member, a rotar;

'table switch arm, said switch' arm," ratchet;l

and QseiHat-ablef member; ,beine QOXeHr mounted, a i coil torsion s Jr-ing forI transmit-` ting force ,frein YSeid ratchet-member to S-id.; switchiarm, a second coil torsion spring fon retiirning said, oscillatableY, member,l one of. said; coil springs: surrolincline; the other, and: bothol saidsprings beingcoaxialwith said, switch ermf e ideen# for temporarily' hold# ing said switch'arm from rotation toA cause energy to bestored in said firstcoil torsion; spring, said.l oscillatable member being; lojcated betweenfsaid ratchet" member: andv saidjv switch arm; and" surrounding both ,ofy said springs. f l l 8,. A, switch socket comprisingL an insulat. ing support, `a threaded shell andcentercon tacts and-j a switch mechanism supportedthereby, said switch mechanism comprising; an. oscillatable member, al ratchet memberL ydriven by said oscillatable member, arota-` table switch arm, a coil torsion ispri'ng'extending1 between said ratchet member and said switch arm, for transmitting force from .said ratchet memberv to said switch arm, kai releasable detent forv temporarilyfholding said switch arm from rotationffor-causing energy to be stored insaid coil torsion spring, said switch arm, ratchet member, oscillatable" member and torsion springlbeing coaXially mounted, andthe anis extending transversely l with respect toy the axis of the threaded shell contact,4 i

9. A switch*socken-comprising aninsulat- 110 I g ing support," a threaded shell and center con- SLA switch mechanism, comprising an tact` and a Switchl mechanismV supported yby i said "insulating support, an oscillatable mem-y ber, ai ratchet'member `driven by said oscilr BENJAMIN.

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