US1488112A - Lever mechanism - Google Patents

Description

ASSJHIZ March 25 1924.,

v R. A. GOELLER LEVER MECHANI SM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 12, 1921 March 25 1924. L488,M2 R. A. GOELLER LEVER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 12 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented' Mar. 25, 1924.

nonnen: n. GoELLEa, or NEW Yoan, N. Y., AssrGNon or oNELHALr ro Baumann ences, or NEW YORK, N. v.

LEVER MECEANISM.

Application led December 12, 1921. 'Serial No. 521,650.

' To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT A; GOELLER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of New York, county of Bronx, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements `in Lever Meehan-ism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lever operating mechanism and more particularly to the type of lever mechanism used for operating knife switches and devices of like character.

It is realized that the lever mechanism which forms the subject matter of this invention is adapted for many uses and is capable of general application, but in order to make clear one adaptation of the structurev the mechanism will be described as switch operatin mechanism and in connection with the problem involved in such an adaptation.

Electric switches of the knife-blade type require a very strong initial leverage because of the heavy initial friction to be overome in opening. Furthermore when the knife blades are about to break contact with the terminals a rapid or quick action is necessary to prevent arcing and burning of the contacts. Sometimes a spring actuated toggle mechanism is used in such switches .but in such cases although the spring gives the desired quick break it must be very stiff or strong to overcome the initial friction and this makes the movement of the actuating lever which compresses the spring very stiff and difficult of accomplishment.

One of the objects of this invention, therefore, is to provide lever operating mechanism that will be positive in action and easy to operate.

Another object of the invention is to `ro- M vide mechanism of the character described so constructed and arranged as to cause the actuated members such as knife blades to have in opening, a comparatively slow initial movement but a rapidly accelerated subsequent movement.

` Another object of the invention is to rovide lever mechanism so constructed an arranged as to produce a comparatively great initlal leverage when-moved in one direction' and to decrease the .leverage gradually as the requirements are lessened.

Another object of the invention is to rovide lever mechanism so constructed an arranged as to ei'ect upon movement in one W direction a great initial leverage and to gradually decrease the leverage as the rea part of this application and in which- Fig. 1 'is a top plan view of the invention as applied to a multipole switch.

F1 2 is a sectional elevation taken substantlally on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of-the construction shown in Fi s. 1 and 2, portions of the switch being bro en away to more clearly show the remaining parts.

Fi 4 is a diagrammatic view of the switc shown in Figs. 1-3 with the parts shown in switch open position and Fig. 5 is an elevation, more or less diagrammatic, showingA a simpler form of switch having my invention embodied therein.

The invention may be brieHy described as comprising a frame having an actuating so member pivoted thereon, an actuated member pivoted thereon on a ivot s aced from the pivot of the rst mem er an means such as a. link pivoted to and connecting said members, the pivots being so located that the initial movement of the actuating member will cause a comparatively slow and comparativel small initial movement of the actuated mem er'from one extreme position but the further and subsequent movement of the actuating member will cause a comparatively large and a comparatively rapid movement of the actuated member.

In the articular embodiment ofthe iuvention il ustrated, as above stated, the lever mechanism has been shown in connection with multi-pole knife switch actuating' mechanism and in Figs. 1-4 inclusive, a toggle' switch is illustrated and in Fig. 5 a simple, manually operated switch vis illus- X00 trated. f

Referring first to Figs. 1 4, the frame of the switch is shown at 10 and 'haslegs 11 adapted to be secured to a support and laterally extending lugs 12 adapted to re- 105 ceive securing means for the cover or casing (not shown).

The actuating lever 13 is pivoted at 14 to the frame and has a handle 15 by means of which it may be operated. The lever also MQ has a pair of laterally extending lugs 16 which project into slots 17 formed in the frame and limit the throw of the operating ever.

The lower end of the o erating lever is slotted as shown at 18 and as a bridge por tion 19 between the slotand an opening 20 in the lever. This bri e portion receives a forked or bifurcated en 21 of a rod 22,' theopposite -end of which extends through an opening or slot 23 formed in the bottom or cross portion 24 of a saddle member v25, the latter bein' pivoted at 26 to the frame 10. A spring 2% surrounds the rod 22 and is ositioned between the'part 24 and a was er 27 at the forked end 21 of the rod.

The 'portion 24 of the saddle member has formed thereon an extension 28 to which is pivoted at 29 alink 30. The opposite end of this link is pivoted at 31 to a member 32 which may be termed a knife blade carrier and to which are secured on insulated posts, as showngat 33, the knife blades 34. The carrier 32 is pivoted at 35 to the frame 1 0. The portions 24 and 28 of the saddle member 25 engage stops 24 and 28 formed by the frame 10 thereby limiting the throw of the saddle member.

The operation of the construction shown in Figs. 1-4 inclusive, will now be .brieiy outlined. As illustrated particularly in Fig. 2, it will be noted that the pivots 26, 29 and 31 in the closed position of the switch are substantiall alined and that the link 30 is disposed su antiallyat right angles to the blade carrier and knife blades. As will, of course, be understoodthe initial movement. of the to gle lever 13 compresses the s prin 27 and t 1s compression 1s continued unti the spring rod 22 is thrown over dead center whereuponA the spring will actuate the saddle 25 and. will cause the blades to disengage from the contact terminals. Because .of the peculiar arrangement and relative locations of the pivots 26, 29 and 35, the initial movement of the saddle will cause a -very slow movement of the knife blades, with but slight acceleration, until they are released from their coengaging contact terminals. This relative location of the pivots also res'ults in a comparatively great leverage to overcome the frlction between the blades and the contact members. When, however, the blades are freed from .the contacts orare about to be freed, the further movement of thesaddie will cause a rapid acceleration of the blades thereb preventing arcing or burnin of the bla es and termlnal contacts. From t e showing in Fig. 4 the inal positionsof the respective pivots and actuating and actuated arts may be understood. It will be noted t at the pivot 29 has moved to a position much closer to the pivot 35 than its initial position and because of this fact the leverage has been decreased. The operathe rate of movement of the'blades is increased.

' Without explaining in detail the reverse movement of the lever mechanism, it will be understood that the initial return movement will be rapid and that the leverage will-increase and the rate of movement of the parts will be decreased as the switch is closed. Thus a high leverage will be obtained as the friction increases due to the engagement of a greater area of the contacts by the knife blades'.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated a simpler embodiment of the invention and in this embodiment the spring toggle mechanism is not utilized. A lever 250 corresponds to the saddle 25 in Fig. 2 but this lever is provided with an extension 251 beyond its pivot 260 at which point it is pivoted on the frame 10. A link 300 is pivoted at 290 to the lever 250 and is pivoted at 310 to the knife blade carrier or the knife blade 320. The part 320 is pivoted at 350 to the frame 10.

The operation of the device shown in Fig. 5 is slightly less involved than that in the construction shown in Figs.` 1-3 but the similarity between the two. constructions will be obvious when it is borne in mind that instead. of actuating the saddle 25 as shown in Fig. 3 by means of spring toggle mechanism, the corresponding member 250 in Fig. 5 is extended beyond its pivot and is directly operated. When the extension 251 of the lever 250 is swung on its pivot 260 the initial movement of this lever will cause the link to swing from the substantially vertical position about its pivot 310. This will cause aA slow movement of the knife carrier 320 and a comparatively large leverage will be obtained. When the blades or blade 4carrier 320 has moved through a suliicient angle to clear the co-engaging contact members the link 300 which has been swinging from the vertical toward the horizontal position will exert a more direct pull on the carrier 320 and will cause this carrier to move at a rapid rate. As was the case with the construction shown in Figs. 1-4, the

pivot 290 in the position assumed when the' Meana ing movement as the blades break contact, may be briefly outlined as follows.

With the ordinary quick break switch the period of breaking of the circuit is very short due to the fact that the blades attain their maximum rate of speed substantially at the start of their opening movement, causing a violent line fluctuation due to the extremely rapid chan e in resistance between the circuit brea -'ng members.

However with the construction described mechanism and the mechanical movementby means of which the results are accomplished are capable of general application and are not limited to the particular form of the invention shown. Moreover, where horizontal or vertical positions are mentioned they are so shown and described merely as matter ofconvenience.

Furthermore, although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described,.it will be understood that the invention is capable of further modification and that further changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperatin parts may be made without departing rom the spirit or scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

What YI' claim is:

1. In combination, a frame, a member ivoted thereon, toggle means for swing ing said member on its pivot, .a second member pivoted on saidl frame on a pivot spaced from the ivot of the first mentioned memlier and agink pivoted to both of said members, the link pivots and pivot of the first member being substantially alined in their initial positions.

2. A switch comprising a frame, a member pivoted thereon, toggle means including a spring-for swinging said member on its pivot, a blade pivoted on said frame on a pivot spaced from the pivot of the first mentioned member, and a link pivoted to said member and said blade.

3. A switch comprising a frame, a lever ivoted thereon, a saddle pivoted on said rame, a toggle connection including a spring between the lever and the saddle, blade carrying means pivoted on said frame and a link pivoted to said saddle and to said blade carrying means.4

4. A switch comprising a frame, a lever ivoted thereon, 'a saddle pivoted on said rame, a toggle connection including aspring between the lever and the saddle, blade carrying means pivoted on said frame and a link pivoted to said saddle and to said blade carrying means, said saddle pivot and link pivots being disposed in substantial alinement when the parts are inlswitch closing position. v

5. A switch comprising a frame, a lever pivoted thereon, a saddle pivoted onsaid frame, a toggle connection including a s ring between the lever and the saddle, b ade carrying means pivoted on said frame and a link pivoted to said saddle and to said blade carrying means, said link being disposed at an angle to a line intersecting the pivots of the blade carrying means and saddle when the parts are in switch closing position.

6. A knife switch comprising a frame, an actuating lever pivoted thereon, an actuated member pivoted on the frame, knife blades carried thereby, and a link connecting said actuating member and actuated member, the pivots of said actauted and actuating members on the frame and the link pivotal connections to said members bein so constructed and arranged that the lntial closing movement of the actuating member will effect a relatively faster movement of the actuated member and blades and further closing movement of the actuating member, as the blades engage their contacts, will effect a movement of the actuated member and blades under an increasing leverage at a decreased rate with respect to the rate of movement of the actuating member, and the initial openin movement of the blades will be relatively s ow and under relatively great leverage and the further opening movement will be accelerated with a decreasing leverage. Y

7. A knife switch comprising a frame, a

ber pivoted on the frame, a link connecting said lever and saidv member and spring toggle mechanism pivoted on the frame and connected to actuate the lever, the parts being so constructed. and arranged that initial movement of the toggle mechanism in either direction will compress the spring.

8. A switch comprising a frame, a hand lever pivoted thereon, a saddle lever pivoted on the frame on a pivot disposed below `lever pivoted theron, a knife carrying memthe lever pivot, a compressible, resilient connection between the'lower portion of said hand lever and the saddle lever, a knife carrier pivoted on the frame on a pivot laterally spaced from the saddle lever pivot and a link pivoted to the carrier and to the saddle lever.

9. A switch comprising a frame, a hand lever pivoted thereon, a saddle lever pivoted on the frame on a pivot disposed below the lever pivot, a compressible, resilient connection between the lower portion of said hand lever' and the saddle lever, a knife carrier pivoted on theframe on a pivot laterally s aced from the saddle lever pivot anda link pivoted to the carrier and to the saddle lever, the link pivots and saddle lever pivot being disposed in alinement when the switch is in closed' position. i

10. A switch comprising a frame, a hand lever pivoted thereon, a saddle-lever pivoted on the frame on a pivot. disposed below Ithe hand lever pivot, a compressible, resilient connection between the lower portion of said hand lever and the saddle lever, a knife carrier` pivoted on theframe on a pivot laterally spad from the saddle lever pivot- 11. A knife switch comprising a frame, spring toggle'mechanism thereon, a manually operable lever for setting said spring toggle mechanism in operation, knife blades and means connecting said spring toggle mechanism, andA blades, operable upon the actuation of and by the spring toggle mechanism, to open or close the switch, said connecting means being constructed and arranged to give a heavy initial opening leverage and a Iheavy final closing leverage.

12. A knife switch comprising a frame, spring toggle mechanism thereon, a mannally operable lever for setting said spring toggle mechanism in operation, knife blades and link means connecting said spring toggle mechanism and blades, operable upon the actuation of and by the spring toggle mechanism, to open or close the switch said connecting means being constructed and arranged to ive a heavy initial opening leverage and a ieavy final closing leverage,-

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day1 of December, 1921 ROBERT A. GOELLER.

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