US1471080A - Electrically-operated switch and the like - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 16,1923.

L. H. WADSWORTH ELECTRICALLY OPERATED SWITCH AND THE LIKE Filed June 30, 1922 Patented Oct. 16, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT oF lcE.

LAWRENCE HERBERT \VADSWORTH, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELECTRICALLY-OPER ATED SWITCH AND THE LIKE.

Application filed June 30, 1922. Serial No. 571,992.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE HERBERT WADswon'rrr, a subject of the King of Great 7 Britain, residing at 7 Revelstoke Road, Wimbledon Park, London, England, have invented Im rovements in and Relating to Electricallyperated Switches and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electrically operated intermittent switches or make and break devices for electrical circuits to be used as controls or relays, for use in connection with the striking or chiming mechanism of electric and other clocks, for ringin electric bells or sounding alarms for signa lling purposes, for flash signs and for other purposes requiring an intermittent and uniform making and breaking of one or more electrical circuits, it has for its primary objects in switches of this type ob taining an instant or impulse contact with quick make and break of the circuit or circuits, adjustability of the rate as well asthe duration of the'make and break, small cur 25 rent consumption and capability of use in series or parallel with any suitable electric apparatus and continuing to act automatically while electric potential is maintained.

The present invention comprises essen tially an electromagnet or solenoid. a rock ing armature, an adjustably spring coutrolled arm. carried by said'armature which is operated by said magnet or solenoid on completingan electrical circuit in which the magnet or solenoid is included, a trans versely arranged, spring controlled sliding switch bar adapted to make contact with a contact included-in the magnet or solenoid circuit and in some cases carrying or opera tively connected with one or more contacts adapted to make contact with other contacts included in one or more electrical circuits which are to be controlled, a single acting dash pot or other suitable mechanism operatively connected to the armature and capable of adjustment whereby the speed of the return movement of the armature under the influence of its spring may be controlled,

mechanism for locking the switch bar in either of the two extreme positions it can assume, comprising a pair of spring controlled bell crank levers pivoted on either side of the armature arm, the one arm of each lever carrying a pin adapted to engage one of a pair of adjustable collars or cams carried on the switch bar and the other arm of the lever engagin one of a pair of adjustable collars mounte on either side of a rod pivoted at its centre to the armature arm the whole arrangement being such that the armature, be ing attracted against its spring, first compresses or extends the spring or one of the springs on the switch bar without moving the latter owing to its movement being prevented by the locking mechanism, at or about the end 01"" the movemnt of the armature, the locking mechanism is liberated allowing the switch bar to suddenly move under the influence of the compressed spring, and so instantaneouslymake or break the circuit or circuits controlled bysaid bar, on the return movement of the armature under the influence of its springits speed being controlled by the dash pot or other mechanismthe spring, or other spring if two be used on-the switch bar is first. compressed or extended without moving the switch bar, and at or about the end of its movement, the locking mechanism is operated allowing the switch bar to again suddenly move in a reverse direction and so instantaneously break or make the circuit or circuits controlled by said switch bar and continuing so to do as long as the potentialis maintained in the magnet or solenoid circuit. I

A convenient construction of apparatus embodying the present invention is that illustrated on the accompanying drawing in which the figure is aiview in plan of the apparatus. Upon asuitable base plate is mounted an electromagnet a, the armature b of which is carried by the one arm o of a bell crank lever. r v p i v I This lever is capable of rocking on a pivot b and its movement is controlled by an adjustable spring 0 acting through anarm b carried on the other :arm 6 of the lever. Adjustable stops a a arelprovided to limit the movementof the armature arm I). -In suitable bearings (Z carried by the base plate a is free to slide--preferably without rotation a transversely arranged switch bar 6,

stops 6 engaging th outer faces of the bearings (Z and in one of the two positions of rest it can assume engages, by one of its ends, with a spring contact g adapted to contact with a contact 9 the said contacts g, 9 being in circuit with the eleetro-magnet (6 and any suitable source of electrical energy.

The locking mechanism for the switch bar 6 comprises a pair of spring controlled bell crank levers it pivoted to the base plate .r on either side of the arm 5*, the one arm of each lever it carries an upstanding knife edged pin 71 adapted to engage one of a pair of collars or cams k adjustably carried on the svitch bar 6 and the other arm of the lever 7a is engaged by one of a pair of adjust able collars Z carried on a rod m passing freely throu h said arms. This rod 171 is pivotally carried by the arm 19*. On the lower part of the base plate a is fixed a single acting air dash pot or having means for regulating theescape of air from behind the piston thereof. The piston rod a of this dash pot is connected to the free end of the armature arm I). The free end of the rod n is free to sli 1c in a bearing n on the base plate and its travel is limited by an adjustable stop if. The rod 12 carries a spring contact piece 0 which can make contactwith an adjustable contact 1). These contacts are included in an external electrical circuit which it is desired to control. In some cases the rod n may directly operate any desired operating mechanism. The arrangement of the various parts is such that movement of the armature Z) together with its lever in one direction first slightly flexes the spring f then one of the collars Z on the rod 77l-Op61tttl by the arm ?icontacts with the one arm of one of the bell crank levers 7L causing it to move angularly and tree the pin a on its other arm from engagement with the collar or cam is on the switch bar 6 thus allowing the latter to suddenly move under the influence of the spring 7' and so instantaneously make or break the internal circuit in which the contacts 9, g are included as well as making or breaking the external circuit in which the contacts 0 and p are included, the return movement of the armature with its lever under the influence of its spring 0 and controlled by the dash pot n will then operate in like manner the movement of the switch bar 8 in an opposite direction.

I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An electrically operated switch, com prising an elcctronnagnet, a rocking armature, an adjustably spring controlled arm arried by said armature, a transversely arranged spring controlled sliding switch bar, acont-act carried thereon, a fixed contact adapted to be engaged by the switch bar contact, electrical connections for said contacts and the magnet to couple them up to a source of electrical energy. a single acting air dash ot having means for regulating the escape of air therefrom and connected to the free end of the armature arm, and locking mechanism for the sliding switch bar comprising a pair of spring controlled bell crank levers pivoted on either side of the armaturearm, the one arm of each lever carrying a pin adapted to engage one of a pair of adjustable collars or cams carried on the switch bar and the other arm of the lever engaging one of a pair of adjustable collars mounted on either side of a rod pivoted at its center to the armature arm, as set forth.

2. An electrically operated switch, comprising an. electro inagnet, a rocking armature, an adjustably spring controlled arm carried by said armature, a transversely arranged spring controlled sliding switch bar, a contact carried thereon, a fixed contact adapted to be engaged by the switch bar contact, electrical connections for said con tacts and the magnet to couple them up to a source of electrical energy, a single acting air dash pot having means for regulating the escape of air therefrom and connected to the free end of the armature arm, locking mechanism for the sliding switch bar comprising a pair of spring controlled bell eranklevers pivoted on either side of the armature arm. the one arm of each lever carrying a pin adapted to engage one of a pair of adjustable collars or cams carried on the switch bar and the other arm of the lever engaging one of a pair of adjustable collars mounted on either side of a rod pivoted at its center to the armature arm, and one or more additional contacts carried by one of the moving parts adapted to make contact with one or more fixed contacts so as to make and break one or more external circuits coupled up to said contacts, as Set forth.

LAWRENCE HERBERT WADSWORTH.

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