US1461072A

US1461072A - Rheostat with auxiliary contact system

Info

Publication number: US1461072A
Application number: US604820A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr David Harrison Sheriff
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1922-12-04
Filing date: 1922-12-04
Publication date: 1923-07-10
Anticipated expiration: 1940-07-10

Description

July 10, 1923. l,46l 0?2 D. H gHEFHFF, JR

RHEOSTAT WITH AUXILIARY CONTACT SYSTEM Filed Dec. 4, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 High.

INVENTOR if. 5/26/7711 J:

BY 7/; fim4W ATTORNEYS July 10, 1923 D. H. SHERIFF, JR

RHEOSTAT WITH AUXILIARY CONTACT SYSTEM 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

Lame

INVENTOR I Sizen'ffi Jr:

ATTORNEYS July 10, 1923. 1,461,072

D. H. SHERHFF, JR

RHEOSTAT WITH AUXILIARY CONTACT SYSTEM Filed Dec. 4, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 f9 69 2/9 E 25 26 H E 9y mm l I E 27 E 24 2 g Patented duly 1d, 1923?.

unit

DAVID HARRISON SHERIFF RHEOSTAT V7 Application filed December 4, 1

To aZZ whom it may concern:

B it known that 1, DAVID SHERIFF, a citizen or the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented new and lmproved Rheostat with Auxiliary Contact Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in ,rheostats of the kind especially designed for use in radio sets and the invention particularly has for its object to provide means in connection with the rheostat for connecting one or more meters in the circuit while manipulating the rheostat in adjusting the resistance in the circuit; to provide a means whereby one set of meters may serve any number ct rheostat sets that may be used, without interference between the several rheostat sets the bulbs controlled thereby.

in its general nature, the invention resides in providing a rheostat of the rotary spindle type with a set of auxiliary contacts de-.

signed to be controlled by the movement of the rheostat spindle, particularly while adjusting the resistance.

In its more detail nature, the invention includes a rheostat having a spindle and knob adapted to be turned to cut in or out an amount of resistance connected in the circuit and provided with a set of auxiliary contacts whereby while the rheostat spindle may be turned for varying the resistance, the auxiliary contacts may be simultaneously controlled, substantially automatically, by the operator to cut in either a volt meter or ammeter, or both, so that the current flowing through the bulb and the voltage at the bulb terminals may be indicated to the operator, the arrangement of auxiliary contacts being such, and they being so combined with the-rheostat, that one set of meters can be used with any number of sets of rheostats so that if there are a plurality of bulbs in circuit each with their separate rheostat controls, the operator need only provide a single set of meters in order to cooperate with all of the rheostats and without the necessity of changing any wire terminal connections be tween the meters and the line circuits, or, in other words, one set of meters is permanently wired up with all of the rheostats but separately responsive to each rheostat manipulation.

In its'more specific nature, the invention OF KANSAS CITY, lEISEaOURE.

' CONTACT SYSTEI'JI.

Serial lilo. 604,820.

resides in thos novel details of construction, combination and arrangement or parts, all of which will be first fully explained, then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a rear view of a rheostat of the rotary type embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical entral longitudinal section of the same, parts being shown in elevation.

Figure is a modification of the rheostat shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are circuit diagrams showing how a plurality of rheostats are connected up with one set of meters and indicating the paths of current with different adjustments of the rheostat.

rigure 7 is a vertical section, somewhat diagrammatic, showing how the invention may be applied to rheostats of that type wherein the resistance coil is mounted on the dial and turns with the same.

Figure 8 is a vertical section showing how the invention may be applied to rheostats of the compression t pe.

In the drawings, in which like numerals and letters of reference designate like parts in all of the figures, 1 is the panel to which the insulated block or bas 2 of the rheostat and the dial 11 thereof are secured in any usual way. 3 is the resistance block which is mounted on the insulating base 2 and on which is wound the resistance wire a, one end of which is connected to the terminal post 5, as shown. 6 is the contact spring finger whose hub 7 is secured in any suitable way to the rotatable spindle 8, which is adapted to be turned on its axis by the knob 9. The latter may carry a point-er 10 to cooperate with the dial 11. All of the foregoing parts are of the ordinary construction except that with my arrangement the spindle 8 has aXial or longitudinal movement as well as rotary movement, the longitudinal movement being limited by a suitable stop 21 in one direction and by the knob 9 in the other direction.

In carrying out my invention, I provide one or more auxiliary contact fingers mount ed on the insulating base 2 and having their contact ends projected to cooperate with a disk 12 on the spindle 8, the disk 12 in the preferred embodiment of the invention being rigidly mounted on the spindle and in electrical contact therewith.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, I provide four auxiliary contact fingers, numbered 13, 14, 15, 16, respectively, in the drawings, and secured to

contact posts

17, 18, 19, 20, respectively, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. These auxiliary contact fingers have their contacting ends projected over one another as shown in Figure 1, but not in electrical connection with one another, and

contact fingers

14, 15 are united at the projecting ends by an insulating block 28 which causes the

fingers

14, 15 to move in unison in a manner presently explained.

In the practical arrangement of this embodiment of the invention, the disk 12 and contact finger 13 are normally in electrical engagement (see Figure 2) and are held normally in such engagement by the resiliency of the finger 6, which tends to pull the spindle 8 from right to left in Figure 2. When, however, the spindle 8 is pulled outwardly from left to right in Figure 2, the disk 12 will disengage the contact point of the finger 13 and engage the contact point of the finger 14, thus shifting the circuit at the disk 12 from the contact 13 to the contact 14. Further movement from left to right in Figure 2 causes

contacts

14, 15 to be pushed over from left to right in Figure 2 until the contact points of

fingers

15, 16 are in engagement.

In my embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 3, the contact fingers 13 to 16, inclusive, are reversed and normally the spindle 8 is held in its right hand extremity of movement by a spring 22 which overcomes the tension of the spring 6 but when the knob is pushed inwardly, the disk 12 will disengage the contact point 13 and engage that of the finger 14 and on further movement cause the contact points of fingers 15 16 to be brought together. As best shown in Figure 3, the parts 19, 20 correspond to the parts 19 and 20 in Figure 1.

In using my invention, all of the

contact points

13, 14, 15, 16 may be used or only one or more, as desired \Vhen the system on which the rheostat is to be used includes a bulb 23 and a volt meter V and an ammeter A, all of the auxiliary contacts are used, as shown, for example in Figures 4, 5 and 6, by reference to which it will be seen that one of the line wires connects directly to the bulb 23 and to the volt meter, the other line wire connecting to the terminal 17 While the other terminal of the bulb 23 connects to the

terminals

5 and 20. The other terminal of the volt ammeter connects to terminal 19 and the other terminal of the ammeter connects to terminal 18. When two or more bulbs and rheostats are employed in the circuit, terminals 17 of each rheostat are connected together, terminals 18 are connected together, terminals 19 are connected together but

terminals

20 and 5 are individually connected with their respective bulbs.

Assume the diagram shown in Figure 4 having been adjusted as indicated, the normal circuit connection from the resistance is made through the finger 6 and disk 12 to the contact finger which is carried by the terminal 17, with the result that the current flows through the bulb, through the resistance cut in, through the contact finger 6, disk 12, finger 13 and terminal 17. Should the operator desire to adjust the resistance and at the same time get an ammeter reading, he merely pulls out on the knob (if the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 is used) or pushes in on the knob 9 (if the embodiment shown in Figure 3 is used) to move the disk 12 out of contact with the finger 13 which thereby opens the circuit at terminal 17, (see right hand rheostat, Figure 5) and closes the circuit with contact 14, thus causing the current to flow to contact 18 and through the ammeter, as indicated in Figure 5, the right hand rheostat being the one under adjustment in the present consideration.

Now, assume the operator wishes to get a volt reading and an ammeter reading both, he moves the spindle 8 to the complete limit of its movement against the tension of the spring to open the circuit between the spindle disk 12 and the contact finger 13 and its terminal 17 and closes the circuit with the contact finger 14 and its terminal 18 and at the same time closes the circuit between the

fingers

15 and 16, which produces a current over terminals 19 and 20, thereby cutting in the volt meter, as well as the ammeter, as shown in the left hand unit in Figure 6. In this way, he can obtain the reading of both the voltage and current passing through the bulb 23 of the particular unit under adjustment. Of course, if only an ammeter is used, the contacts which control the volt meter may be omitted, and vice versa.

In Figure 7 I have illustrated the manner in which my invention may be applied to those rheostats in which the resistance coil is rotatable and the contact finger stationary. In this figure those parts corresponding to similar parts in the preceding figures bear the same reference characters plus the index letter K, as 1", 4", etc. In this embodiment of the invention the dial 11 turns with the spindle 8 to vary the resistance. The spindle 8 is pushed in or pulled out to change the relation of the disk 12 with the

auxiliary contacts

13, 14", 15 and 16 as in the preceding embodiment illustrated and described herein;

Figure 8 shows the embodiment of my invention, adapting it to rheostats of the compression type. In this figure those parts which functionally correspond with similar parts in the preceding figures bear the same memes numbers asin the preceding figures lus the indexletter y,. as,l, 43,57, etc. The resistance element 44' is compressible betweena stationary plate 5 and flmovable platefi on a-screw 25 threaded into therboxing 24 and having a uared end-26 sli'dably socketed at,27 into t e endof zthe spindleS so that by turnin the s indie-the resistance may be varied. y pus ing; in or] ulling out the spindle the relation. of. the. isks 12 to the auxiliary contacts 13, 14315- andlG may be varied as desired, in the same way as in the preceding embodiments.

The essential feature of my invention resides in combining with a rheostat an auxiliary contact system useful for cutting in circuits'or circuit branches while manipulating the resistance adjustment of a circuit;

While I-have shown but two embodiments of the invention I desire it understood that modifications in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be readily made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a .rheostat wherein is provided a rotary spindle and means cooperating therewith for var ing the resistance in circuit;

a set of auxiliary contacts, and means bringing the same into action.

.2. In a rheostat wherein is provided a rotary spindle and means cooperating'therewith for varying the resistance in circuit; a set of auxiliary contacts, and an element on said spindle cooperating with said auxiliary contacts 'for the purposes described.

3. In a rheostat wherein is provided a resistance element and a rotary spindle with contact finger riding over said resistance element; a set of auxiliary contacts, and means on said spindle adapted on axial movement of said spindle to cooperate with said auxiliary contacts.-

4. In a rheostat wherein is provided a rotary spindle, a stationary resistance element, and a spring contact finger carried by said spindle for engaging said resistance element to vary the resistance in circuit; of

an auxiliary contact finger, a disk on said spindle normally engaging said auxiliary contact finger, a second auxiliary contact. finger spaced from said disk, said spindle being longitudinally movable whereby said disk may be disengaged from the first auxiliary contact finger and engaged with the said second auxiliary contact finger, substantially as shown and described.-

5. In a rheostat wherein is rovided a rotary spindle, a stationary resistance element, and aspiring: contact finger. fia lled by said spindle-- for engaging saidresistance element to vary the resistance in cireu-it;.o fan auxiliary contact-finger, a disk on said spin dle normally engaging said auxiliary contact finger, a second auxiliarycontact finger spaced from-said disk, said spindle being longitudinally. movable whereby said further movement of said spindle to ,push' said second and third contact fingers over 6. In an apparatus of the character stated, a line circuit, a plurality of rheostats and bulbs controlled thereby connected with said line circuit, a single set of meters, and

means on each of said rheostats and electrically connected with said meters whereby the manipulations of the movable element of the rheostat may be caused to connect that particular rheostat and the bulb controlled thereby in circuit with said meters.

7. In an apparatus of the, character stated, a line circuit, a lurality of rheostats and bulbs controlled t ereby connected to said line circuit, a single set of meters and cooperative connections and mechanisms between said meters and the several rheostats whereby at least one of said meters may be electrically connected to the bulb circuit of any rheostat by manipulation of the rheostat. adjustment element.

8. In a rheostat wherein is provided a rotary sgindle, a resistance element, a spring contact nger for engaging with said resistance elementto vary the resistance in air cuit; of an auxiliary contact finger, a disk on said spindle movably engaging said auxiliary contact finger, said disk being axially movable to engage and disengage said auxiliary contact finger.

9. In a rheostat wherein is provided a rotary spindle, a. resistance element, a, spring contact finger for engaging with said resistance element to vary the resistance-in circuit; of an auxiliary contact finger, a

. disk onsaid spindle movably engaging said auxiliary contact finger, said disk being axially movable to engage and disengagesaid auxiliary contact nger, and other auxiliary contact fingers adapted to be controlled by the movements of said disk.

Dim HARRISON si IEnrFF. JR.