US1473856A - Switch terminal - Google Patents

Description

Mv. 13, 1923. www@ H. D. JAMES SWITCH TERMINAL Filed April 9, 1919 "Mauri" l WITNESSES: INVENTOR ,/{47 Hen/y 0. James ATORNEY Patented Nota lli, "i923,

VANIA.

SNTCH TERMINAL.

Application filed April. 9,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, HENRY D. Jarras, a citizen' of the United States, and a resident of Edgewood Park, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Switch Terminals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to controllers for electric motors and particularly to controllers that are employed in connection with motors requiring heavy currents in starting under load.

The object of my invention is to provide a controller of the above designated character with the use of which it shall not be possible for the operator to come accidentally into contact with live parts.

According to my invention, the contactbearing members of the controller are mounted upon insulating supports. Conductors are connected directly to the contact members and to terminal members which are mounted in insulating plates that bridge openings in the controller casing. The plates and the terminal members are Y enclosed within housings that are removably mounted upon the controller casing.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a controller constructed in accordance with my invention. Figure 2 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 1.

My invention is herein illustrated as applied to a controller constituting the subject-matter of my copending application Serial No. 97,8119, tiled May 16, 1916. The controller casing comprises a stationary part 2 and a detachable part 3 for enclosing the switch mechanism. The part 3 which, in the present invention, is adapted for use in connection with high-voltage circuits, constitutes, a tank for oil and is removably secured to the stationary part 2 by-means of latching mechanisms 4t. The casing further comprises a removable cover member 5 which is loosely hinged to the member 3 by means of mutually engaging hook portions and latching mechanisms (not shown).

rlhe switch mechanism comprises two rows of stationary contact members 7 that are mounted upon, and insulated from, support-ing bars 8. A corresponding number isis. serial no. aeafo.

ofpairs of oppositely disposed movable contact members 9 are mounted upon, and insulated from, a rocking shaft 16. The respective Contact members 9 are pivotally supported by pins 11 and the members of each pair are yieldingly retained in the relative positions, illustrated in Fig. 2, by means of coil springs 12. The several groups of tto-acting movable and stationary contact members are separated by insulating barriers 16.

rllhe switching mechanism is controlled by an operating handle (not shown) that is located outside the casing and is normally retained in its neutral position by a centering device 21 which comprisesl a stationary pin 22, two oppositely disposed curved arms 23 that are pivotally supported by the shaft 10, a spring 24, which resists the separation of the arms and a pin 25 that is mounted upon arm 26. The arm 26 is secured to the shaft 10 and extends upwardly therefrom. Means are provided also for insuring that the operating handle may be moved in one direction only from its neutral position. The said means comprises a pivotally mounted latching member 27 having operating characteristics similar to those described in my abovementioned application.

The contact members 7 are secured to members that are mounted upon, and insulated from, the supporting bars 8. Conductors 53 are directly connected to thc Contact members 7 and to terminal members that are mounted in, and extend through, insulating plates 55 and 56. The plate is mounted within an opening 57 in the wall of the stationary part 2 and the plate 56 is mounted adjacent to the plate 55, and is secured to the wall of the stationary part 2 by bolts 5S. Additional insulating plate members 59, that are provided with semi-circular 'openings 60, are secured to the insulating plate members 56 by screws 61. Terminal members 63 are connected to the exterior ends of the terminal members 54; and are connected to outside conductors` 64; that entend within the semi-circular openings in the insulating plate members and similar semi-circular openings 65 in insulating plate members 66 that are similar to the plate members 59 in all respects save that, instead of being secured to the plate members 56, they are secured to an additional housing member 67 which may be *fastened to the Wall oit the part 2 by screws 68. The `plate member (3G maybe secured to the member 67 by screws 69.

The conductors are thus secured to the terminal members 54, which are insu` lated .trom the metallic casing part 2. The conductors 64 are connected. through the terminal members 63, to the terminal meinbers 54 in a manner which avoids the possibility i the operator coming accidentally into contact either with the terminal members 63 or the terminal members As the plate members 56, 59 and 66 are all of insulating material, the housing member 67 nia-y, if desired, be of metal. By unscreiving the screivs 68, the housing member 67, together with the plate member 66, may

berremoved to expose the interior parts to view.

An additional housing member 70, with members which it protects similar to those protected by the housing member 67, and

` which are similarly designated by relierence numerals, is provided so that other contact members may be connected in similar fashion to that already described. Provision is thus made for connecting the line conductors andthe motor conductors to the desired contact members, independently of each other.

M any modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and are intended to be 3f `covered by the appended claims.

'I claim ask my invention:

l. In a controller, a casing for housing the controller parts, a conductor terminal extending through a wall ot said casing, an auxiliary casing mounted upon said firstnamed casing and enclosing said terminal, said auxiliary casing having complementary semi-circular openings in adjacent portions thereoi', and a conductor extending through said semi-circular openings and connected to Said terminal.

2. In a cont-roller, a metal casing provided With an opening, an insulating plate bridging said opening, a conductor tei-ininal extending through saidplate, an auxiliary casing mounted upon said metal casing and enclosing' said terminal, said auxiliary casing comprising compleii'ientary members each having a semi-circular opening,A and a conductor extending through said semi-circular openings and Vconnected to said terminal.

8. In a controller, a casing provided with an opening, an insulating plate bridging said opening, a conductor terminal mounted in said` plate, an insulating plate having a semi-circular opening secured to said `first-named plate, a casing member removably secured to said casing and enclosing said tiret-named plate, an insulating plate having a semi-circular opening complementary to said rst named semi-circular open-Y ing, and a conductor connected to said terminal 4and extending through said semicircular` openings. Y

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 31st day of M arch 1919.

HENRY D. JAMES.

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