US1467527A - Quick-break switch - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 11, 1923.

' J. F. BURNS QUICK BREAK SWITCH Filed Aug. 8, 1918 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 11, 1923.

J. F. BURNS QUICK BREAK SWITCH Filed Aug. 8, 1918 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w //0 .f O 2. M h 0. 7%

Sept. "1-1; 1923. 1.467.527

' J. F. BURNS UICK-BREAK swrrca Filed Aug. 8, 1918 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I; Ill/1 I Patented Sept. 11', 1923. 1,467,527 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. BURNS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO V. V. FITTINGS COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA. QUICK-BREAK SWITCH.

Application filed August 8, 1918. Serial No. 248,886.

To all whomz't may concern: such a nature as to be conveniently manu- Be it known that 1, JAMES F. BURNs, a factured and assembled. citizen of the United States, residing in These objects and other advantageous ends Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference Quick-Break Switches, of which the followbeing had to the accompanying drawings, in 60 in is a specification. hi h v %ne object of this invention is to provide Figs. 1 and 2 are side elevations partly in a novel device for insuring movement of a section, illustrating a quick break switch switch blade at a high speed after the opconstructed according to my invention, in its erating member of siich switch has been closed and in its open positions, respec- 65 moved to a predetermined position, with a tively;

view to preventing or to a large extent re Flg. Zfyis a horizontal section on the line ducing, the arcing ordinarily occurring. 33 Fig. 1;

It is further desired to provide an elec-' Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of one of tric switch with a novel form of toggle the toggle elements and its associated parts; 7

mechanism for insuring the quick action of and its blade and which shall be of such con- Fig.5 is a perspective view of the construction that it is not possible for its tognecting member for the toggle elements, the gle arm pivots to remain in line or at their operating link and the switch blades.

'20 dead point even though the switch op- In the above drawings 1 represents a 7 crating memberbe moved slowly; the ar sheet metal box constituting an enclosing rangement of parts being such as to matecasing provided with a front door 2 hinged rially reduce the power necessary for the to swing from the top and haaing within itoperation of said switch. a base plate or slab 3 of insulating material It is further desired to provide a switch such as slate, marble or the like, on which operating mechanism whose parts shall'be are fixed in the customary manner, two sets so formed and connected that when power of switch terminals 44 and 5-5. To the is applied to the actuating element to open terminals 5-5 are pivoted switch blades 6 or close the switch, said parts shall be free to and cable or "conductor terminals 7 the 0 assume those positions in which there will Switch terminal 5 being likewise designed 35 be the least resistance to their movement. for the attachment of conductor terminals 8. Another object of my invention/is to pro- Extending centrally between. the top and vicle an enclosed switch with a novel form bottom of the casing. 1 at the front thereof of link connecting its blade with its opis a relatively heavy, rigidly fixed vertical 35 crating member whereby a closure of the bar 9 having a thickened block-like central opening through which said link passes in portion 10. This bar has on its front face the enclosing casing shall be ,insured rea projecting boss 11 and the doorv 2 has a gardless of the position of the switch, said correspondingly formed elongated opening vlink being so formed that when the switch whose edges are designed to closely fit 40 is equipped with a locking bolt, the latter around it. At the bottom of the boss a post cannot be moved-through a part of its pos-. 12 projects horizontally and at its outer end sible path of movement when the link is in is forked for the reception of a switch-opersome position corresponding to a closed or ating member 13 pivoted to it by a pin 14. partially closed condition of the switch. The member 13. is prevented from moving 45 With my invention the switch must be in its inwardly toward the bar 9 beyond a posifully open position before the bolt can be tion substantially parallel therewith by a operated to lock the link and prevent closecond-post 15 at the top of the boss and sure of the switch. 7 said member at its upper end has a handle I also desire to; provide. a switch with a 16, similar in form'to that of an ordinary 60 novel form of connection between its opsingle blade switch. For limiting the outeratin member and its blade or blades ward movement of the member 13, its lower where y the quick disengagement of the latend has an abutment 17 designed to strike ter from the fixed contact or contacts is ina second abutment 18 provided by a suitably sured;the arranggment of parts being relplaced portion of the post 12. A bar 19 of.

66 atively simple, su tantial, durable, and of insulating material such as vulcanized fibre,

extends between and is movably connected to the two blades 6 at or adjacent their middle portions, by pins 20 having 'heads 21 1'0- tatably fitting correspondingly formed open ings in said blades respectively. The latter are held to these pins by washers 22, outside of which the ends of the pins are spread or headed as indicted at 23.

The cross bar 19 has mounted in it an arm or link in the form of a stem 24 having an integral head 25 on its outer end and at its opposite end having a nut 26 between which and said bar is confined a coil spring 27.

The latter extends into a recess in the bar and has a cap 28 confined between its outer end and the nut 26, being so designed that when the stem 24 is drawn outwardly through the bar 19, the edges of said cap will strike said bar before the convolutions of the spring are so far compressed as to strike each other.

The head 25 of the stem 24 is connected to the handle 13 by an elongated link- 29 made of two similar fiat pieces both pivotally held to said head by a pin 30 and to said handle by a second pin 31. The head 25 has two pairs of abutments 32 and 33 between which pass the two parts or branches of the link 29, and the space between these abutments is greater than the width of said link parts so that said'head may turn to a limited extent relatively to the link 29 on the pivot pin 30.

The head '25 constitutes the central member of a spring toggle, having at each side a link 34 pivotally connected to it by a pin or rivet 35 and longitudinally slotted for the greater part of its length to receive a second pivot pin 36 mounted between the branches of the forked end of a fixed arm 38 projecting downwardly and to the rear within the casing 1 from the central en-.

largement 10 of the front bar 9. The second link 34 is similarly connected by its pin 36 to the forked end of a second arm 37 extending upwardly from the structure 10 but not projecting so far toward the rear of the casing as the arm 36. The links 34 are guided between the forks of their arms 37 and 38 respectively by pairs of parallel plates or washers 39 and each has mounted upon it a coil spring 40 confined between a cap 41 adjacent said plates and a second cap 42 engaged by a cottor pin 43 mounted in its link adjacent its point of connection to the head 25.

The parts are so proportioned that when the switch blades 6 are in their closed position between'the clips of the fixed terminals 5. the handle or operating member 13 is perpendicular and in engagement with the post 15. At such time the springs 40 of the links 34, as Well as the spring 27 on the stem 24, are practically uncompressed. When an outward force is exerted on the handle 16 of the operating member in order to open the switch, the first efi'ect thereof is to cause a compression of the spring 27, owing to the longitudinal movement of the stem 24 through the cross bar 19, there being at the same time a compression of the toggle springs 40. At or just before the time when the cap 28 strikes the cross bar 19, the frictional hold of the switch clips 4 on the blades 6 is overcome so that they suddenly disengage said clips, whereupon the compressed spring 27 expands to move the cross bar with the blades away from the clips at an increased speed until said bar engages a flange 44 on the stem 24 immediately adj acent the head 25.

The switch blades-6 are thus-caused to move away from the fixed-contacts at the moment of disengaging the same, at a speed very considerably higher than that due to the outward movement of the operating lever 13 and the link 29, by the operator and as this outward movement is continued, the toggle elements 34 approach and pass the dead point at which they are substantially in line. Thereafter the springs 40 act to again increase the speed of the outward movement of the switch blades and their associated parts, until further movement is stopped by engagement of the abutment 17 on the operating member with its cooperating abutment 18 on the post 12.

It is to be noted that asthe above movements occur, the head 25 with the cross bar 19 turns on the pins 20 as an axis and moves from a position in which the abutments 33 engage the branches of the link 29 to a second )OSltlOIl in which the latter is engaged by the abutments 32;-there being thus a slight turning of said head on the pivot 30.

Even if the outward movement of the operating member is made as slow as possible, the above described arrangement of parts prevents the switch blades being held in a position immediately adjacent the terminal clips 4, for since a straight line between the pivot pins 35 passes to one side of the center line of the pin 30, the expansive force of the springs 40 is exerted in such manner that it is a practical impossibility to bring and hold the parts to a position in which said springs can'not act to turn the head with the cross bar 19 in one direction or the other and either to close the switch or move the blades to their extreme open position. Similarly, when it is attempted to close the switch, even though the operating member be slowly moved toward its'inner position, the springs 40 are first compressed.

llf.

to a. maximum extent when the four pins 36353536 all lie in the same straight line, but in view of the freedom of the head .25 and cross bar 19 to turn on the axis prohead from the position in which the abutments 32 engage the link 29, As a result the lines of action of the forces exerted by the sprin s extend on the inner side of the straig t line between the pivots 36, and the head with the cross bar and blades 6 are therefore forcibly moved to their innermost positions in which said blades engage the clips of the terminals 4.

While the above quickv make and break mechanism may be utilized as described regardless of the shape of the link 29, I have illustrated the latter as designed for coaction with a locking bolt mounted to move longitudinally in guideways provided by passages in a block 51 of the bar 9 and a second passage in the structure 10. Such a locking bolt may form part of and be operated by the apparatus shown and claimed in my application for U, S. Patent #198,968, filed October 29, 1917, and in order that it may not be possible to move it through a portion of its possible path of movement when the link 29 is not in its extreme outer position with the switch blades 6 fully opened, I give the under edge of said link the curved form indicated at 52, so that regardless of the swinging accompanying its longitudinal movement as the operating member 13 is moved, said edge at all times remains adjacent the end of the bolt. The central portion of the link 29 (Fig. 3) is preferably cut away or omitted so that when theoperating member 13 is in its extreme angular position corresponding to the fully opened position of the switch blade 6, said bolt 50 is free to be moved into said link element,,thus preventing inward movement thereof and closure of the switch until the bolt has been withdrawn. v

It will further be noted that the upper edge of the link 29 is provided with two enlargements or projecting parts 54 and 55, while its lower edge likewise has a similar projection 56 so placed that when the operating member. 13 is in the closed position shown in Fig. 1, the projections 55 and 56 completely close the opening in the block 10' and similarly, the projection 54 cooperates with the curved under edge of the link to likewise completely close said opening when the operating member 13 is in its fully open position. i I

From the above description it will be noted that the movement of the switch blades away from their coacting fixed contacts is acce erated just as they clear the latter and their movement is agaln further accelerated by the heavier springs of the toggle elements, after these latter have been brought to and past positions in which their pivots are approximately in line. As a result, even though the operating member be moved at a slow speed, the switch'blades are moved at such a high velocity that destructive arcing two blades; a rotatable is effectually prevented. Owing to the peculiar shape given the connecting link, the locking bolt is effectually prevented from movement until said link has been drawn outwardly to a position in which the switch blades are at their maximum distance from the fixed switch contacts, and this result is obtained in spite of the lateral swinging of two spring toggle elements pivoted thereto;

an oscillatory intermediate element pivoted to both of said toggle elements; a switch including a reciprocable blade pivotally connected with atlng member connected through said to the intermediate element.

2. Thecombination of a switch including a pivoted blade; a member rotatably connected to said blade: a head connected to said member; a spring toggle connected to the head to accelerate movement of the blade on either side of a dead point; an operating member; a longitudinally movable link connecting the head with the operating mem ber; and a spring operative between "the head and the rotary member.

3. The combination of a switch including a blade; an operating member; a link and an oscillatory head pivotally connected between said member and the blade; abutments on the head for limiting its pivotal movement said intermediate element; a longitudinally movable link and an oper link relatively to the link; with a spring toggle operative on the head for accelerating openmg and closing of the blade.

4. The combination of'a switch including block connecting said blades; ahead having a portion longitudinally movable through said block; a

spring between the head and the block; a spring toggle connected to the head for accelerating movement of the blade toward and from its closed position; and an operating member connected to said head,

5.' The combination of a switch including two .blades; a rotatable block connecting said blades; a head having a portion longi tudinally movable through said block; a spring between the head and the block; two spring actuated toggle links respectively connected to opposite sides of the head for accelerating movement of the blade toward and from its closed position; and an operating member connected to said head.

6. The combination of a switch including a blade; a block pivoted to said blade; a

frictionally engaged thereby;

member slidable through the block; a spring operative between the block and a portion of said member; an operating member pivotally connected to said slidable'member; and two spring toggle elements operative on said first member to accelerate its movement on either side of a dead point.

7. The combination of a' switch including a blade; a block pivoted to said blade; a member slidable through the block; a spring operative between the block and a portion of said member; an operating member pivotally connected to said slidable member; and two spring toggle elements operative on said first member to accelerate its movement on either side of a dead point, there being abutments on the slidable member to limit its movement relatively to the operating memher.

8. The combination of a switch including atpivoted blade and a contact placed to be a block pivotally connected to the blade; an operating member; a member connected to the operating member and slidable through the block;

with a spring operative between the block and said slidable member for accelerating movement of the blade away from the contact after it has disengaged the same.

9. The combination of a switch including a plurality of blades and contacts mounted to coact therewith; a bar extending between said blades and having pivot pins rotatably engaging the same; an oscillatory member connected to said bar; two spring toggle elements operative on said member; and an operating member connected to the oscillatory member.

10. The combination of a switch; a bar connected to the movable element of said switch; and means for operating the switch including a stem extending through the bar; a spring mounted between a head fixed on the stem and said bar; with an abutment on the stem for limiting its movement under the action of the spring.

11. The combination of a switch; a bar connected to the movable element of said switch; and means for operating the switch including a stem slid-able through the bar; a cap on said stem; and a spring confined between the cap and the bottom of a recess in the bar.

12. The combination of a switch; a bar connected to the movable element of said switch; and means for operating the switch including a stem slidable through the bar; a cap on said stem; and a spring confined between said cap and the bar, the cap being formed to engage the bar before the convolutions of the spring engage each other.

13. The combination of an operating element; a switch blade; a link connected to the operating element; a member pivotally connected with the blade and with the link; and a pair of spring actuated toggle links operative on said member.

14. The combination of an operating element; a switch blade; a plurality of links connecting said blade and said element, one of said links being longitudinally yieldable; stops on one of the links for limiting its angular movement relatively to the other; with a spring toggle operative on one of the links. I

15. The combination of a switch including a pivoted blade; a head rotatably connected to said blade; an operating member; a link connecting said member and the head; with a device interposed between the head andthe blade for accelerating movement of the latter.

16. The combination of a switch including a pivoted blade; a head rotatably connected to said blade; an operating member; a link connecting said member and the head; a device interposed between the head and the

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