US1482032A - Thermostatic circuit closer - Google Patents

Description

- F. PAWLIK ET AL n THERMOSTATIC CIRCUIT CLOSER Fiied March 15. 1921v Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANZ PAWLIK, F RORSCHACH, AND KARL ALTHEER, OF HORN, SWITZERLAND, AS-

SIGNORS TO JACOB SCHMIDHEINY, OF HIERBRUGG,

ST. GALLEN, SWITZERLANI THERMOSTATIC CIRCUIT CLOSER.

applicati@ med Maren 15,1921.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that we, FRANZ PAWLIK, a citizen of the Republic of Czechoslovakia, and a resident of Rorschach, Switzerland,

and KARL ALTHEER, a citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, and a resident of orn a. Bodensee, Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thermostatic Circuit Closers; and we do hereby declare the following to be a clear,

fnll, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic temperature alarm devices and consists essentially in an electric contact device, comprising a contact cartridge which can be repeatedly used after giving an alarm by simply turning it upside down. Automatic temperature alarm devices are already known in which mercury or a fusible metal alloy is enclosed in a'metallic cartridge or casing and is normall supported above a contact pin by a solidified insulating mass,

which mass fuses upon an increase in temperature, whereby the mercury or alloy after the latter fuses is deprived of support and drops on the contact pin, thus closing the alarm device. Such devices have the disadvantage that a thin layer of the fusible insulating mass will remain on the metallic inner walls of the cartridge and will thus prevent makinlg a reliable contact.

A construction according to this invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is an elevation of an apparatus enclosing the device;

Fig. 2 a view of the interior of apparatus, the protective casing being in section;

Fig. 3 a longitudinal section of the contact cartridge,

Fig. 4 a cross-section on line A-B of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a cross-section on line C-D of Fig. 6 illustrates a longitudinal section through a modified construction of a cartridge,

Fig. 7 is a cross-section along line E-F of Fig. 6 and Serial No. 452,624.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of the construction illustrated in Fig. 5, the contact making parts being shown in a different operating position. n

According to F ig. 3, the contact cartridge comprises a thin met-al tube 5 closed in an air-tight manner at both ends by means of insulating plugs 3 and insulating cement masses 2. A contact pin l provided with a contact button and held in a central position, projects outwardly from the interior of the cartridge through each of the double plugs. The remaining .inner space of the cartridge contains a solidified fusible mass 7 and a solid metal conductor, as the lead cylinder 4 resting on the latter; the said cylinder being centrally guided by means of three Contact springs 6 secured to its circumference and sliding on the inner wall of the metal tube.

The mass 7 is so selected that it will fuse on a given upper temperature limit being reached in the medium surrounding the cartridge. In this way the lead cylinder is deprived of its solid support and owing to its weight drops on the contact button of 'the pin 1, the liquid being at the same time forced upwards.

As soon as the lead cylinder comes into contact with the contact button, the alarm circuit connected on the one hand to the metal tube and on the other hand to the but ton contact pin, will be closed, and an audible or visible indication may be given at any desired point. After melting, the mass will be situated above the lead cylinder. The cartridge can therefore be used again immediately after the solidification of the melting` mass, by turning it u side down. For this reason it is easily. possible to test the apparatus at any moment, and it remains ready for use for an unlimited time. In place of the lead cylinder 4 and of the insulating mass 7 there may be used only a fusible mass constituted by a metal alloy which, on meltin'g, drops from a raised position and establishes contact.

The modified cartridge illustrated in Figs. 6-8 shows only one contact pin l provided with a contact button 9 and held in a central position by means of a plug 3 of an insulatin cement mass by which the thin metal tue 5 is closed in an air-tight manner at one end, the other end of the tube 5 being closed by an integral ca A circular groove 8 is pressed into the circumference of the tube 5 in order to retain the plug 3 in position. Metallic contact balls l0 are provided between the cylinder l and the button 9 or pin 1.

ln Fig. 6 the solidified fusible mass 7 supports the cylinder el and the balls l0. W hen the mass 7 fuses the cylinder and the balls drop, the latter rest on the button 9 and the cylinder l rests on the balls (Fig. 8). The balls are pressed towards the Wall ot the tube 5 by the action of the conical ends of the cylinder Ll and ol the buttonV 9, whereby the alarm circuit, one ot the conductors of which is connected to the metal tube land the other to the Contact pin, is closed. ln korder to use the cartridge again, the latter is heated in the reversed position in Which the pin l points upwards, whereupon the mass 7 tuses and the cylinder' 4 and the balls 10 drop tothe closed end olf tube v5. filter the solidilication of the mass 7 the tube is turned upside down into the position shown in Fig. 6 in which it may be used again.

Figs. 1,2 and 5 illustrate by VWay of eK- ample a construction eta' portable contact apparatus which may be connected to a Wall plug. To the Yinsulating base c is secured in a depending position by means of a Contact bracket CZ and clip o the above described Contact cartridge a. The metal tube ol the cartridge is in its turn electrically connected to the binding screiv 1, Whilst the contact pin is connectcd'by means of a contact spring l and Wire m to the binding screw rll`he screws l and 'forni a connection for the tufo conductors of `the cable c provided with a plug at the end, Which can be inserted into the alarm circuit. lhe inner para ot the apparatus is protected by a casing or sleeve constituted by two parts g and j' screwed together at it.

By using a contact cartridge, the apparatus may be secured to a ceiling or to a Wall, or any other'holding device.

l`he apparatus is speciallyv adapted for use as a lire alarm in combination With an electric alarm'deviee for notifying danger of lire, or ire after it has already broken out. Moreover the apparatus in a suitable form neaaoea may be used to give Warning when the higi est admissible temperature reached in Warehouses of all kinds, and Where there is danger ot the temperature exceeding the limit in machine parts owing to heat genen ated by friction or on electric machine and apparatus etc.

is thedevice is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture it is possible to equip the rooms 0r the materials to be protected. with a large number oit' alarms in order to ensure the desired degree ol automatic supervision.

llVe claim:

l. in electric contact device tor automatic temperature alarm devices, 4in combination, a cartridge consisting of a metallic tube closed at one end, a iusibe mass beingan electric insulator melting at a predetermined temperature and enclosed in said tube, a metal body and metal balls arranged inside said tube and supported by said fusible mass and deprived ot their support on the mass becoming fused. and an insulated Contact pin projecting through an air-tight closure provided at the other end of said tube into the interior oi the latter and eo-operating with said metal balls and body.

2. An electric Contact device lor automatic temperature alarm devices, in combination, a cartridge consisting or a metallic tube closed at its upper end, a fusible mass being an electric insulator melting' at apredetermined temperature and enclosed in said tube, a metal body provided With a conically shaped lower end and metal balls belovvfsaid metal body, arranged inside said tube'and supported by said fusible mass and deprived of their' support on the mass becoming fused, andan insulated contact pin provided With a'conically'shaped button projecting through an air-tight closure provided at the lower end ot'said tube into the interior of the latter and coo@L erating with said metal balls and body.

ln testimony that We' claim the foregoing as our invention, We have signed our names.

FRANZ Perl/VLH@ KARL ALTHEER.

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