US1496744A - Electrical time switch - Google Patents

Description

June 3 1924. 1,496,744

J. J. RUDDICK ELECTRICAL TIME SWITCH Filed Aug. 2. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z5 43 Zr a INVENTOR.

BY ATTORNEYS.

June 3 1924.

J. J. RUDDICK ELECTRICAL TIME SWITCH 2 5heeLsShe-et 2 Filed Aug. 2 1920 By. 5 Z5 Z7 I l 39 NVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 3, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN .1. aunmcx, or wrsr nsw'ron,

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL STREET SIGNAL CORPORATION, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL Application filed August To all whom it my cmwem;

Be it known that I, JOHN J. RUnnIoK, a citizen of the United States, and resident of West Newton, in the county of Middlesex 6 and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Time Switches, of which the following is a specification,

The present invention relates to electrical 10 time switches and an object thereof is to provide a time switch which is simple in operation and durable in use and will effectively secure the results desired.

To this and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side view of the switch in open position;

Fig. 2 shows the switch in closed position; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the vswitch; Fig.4 is an end view of the switch; Fig. 5 is a section on th'e line 5-5, Fig. 1; and v Fig. 6 is afragmentary view of the connection between the movable contact and the armature of the electromagnet.

The switch embodies, in this instance, one or more contacts 1 each preferably yieldingly mounted, and to this end pivoted at 2 to a plate 3 to which the conductor is secured at 4, a spring 5 being interposed be- 35 tween the contact and the plate, normally to hold the contact in abutment with an insulatin prefera 1y secured rigidly to a frame 7 which is supported on a base 8. Other con- 40 tacts, preferably two and indicated at 9, are

secured to an insulating piece 10 on aswinging frame 11 which is ivoted at 12 to the frame 7 below the bloc 6 and has a normal tendency to move under its own weight to 0 en the switch.

ovement of the contacts 9 to the contacts 1 is preferably secured by an electromagnetwhich, in this instance, comprises two coils 13'connected in series to binding posts 14 and 15, an adjustable resistance 16 being inter'posed between the binding one ofthe coils. Cooperating with the poles block 6. This insulating block is- .14 and rum swrrcn.

2, 1920. Seria1 N0.4O0,624.

17 of the two coils 13 is an armature 18 which is secured to a frame 19 preferably.

made of brass and pivoted at 20 to the frame 7. This frame forms a connection between the armature 18 and the pivoted frame 11 which supports the contacts 9. In this instance, the frame 19 extends upwardly above the armature and is provided with a bifurcated portion which forms two stops 21 and 22. Arranged in this bifurcated portion between the stops is a detent 23 which is also bifurcated at its lower end to straddle the frame 19, said lower end being'pivoted at 24 to the frame 19. Theupper end of this detent is provided with an elongated way 25 which cooperates with a roller 26 journalled on the under side of the frame 11. The pivot 24 is so situated with reference to the center of gravity of the detent 23 that, when the detent is out of engagement with the roller 26, the detent will drop by gravity toward the stop 21. This posi tion will be held when the armature is shifted by the electromagnets, but upon the return movement of the armature or its move-- ment away from the electromagnet, the detent will, by reason of its engagement with the roller 26, swing on the pivot 24 until the stop 22 is reached and thereafter the detent 23 will move as one piece with the frame 21 until such a time that the detent passes out of engagement with the roller 26. When this takes place, the detent will move under the action of gravity quickly away from the roller 26 so that the opening action of the switch will be quick, the weight of the frame 11 producing this opening action.

In, order to effect the movement of the armature 18 away from the electromagnet to open the switch, a motor mechanism is employed preferably in the form of a helical spring 27 which is anchored at 28 to an adjusting screw 29 on the frame 7 and has its other end connected to a T-shaped lever 30 which is pivoted at 31 to the frame 7. This T-shaped lever is in turn resilientl connected by a spring 32 to an arm 33 whic extends from the frame 19 between the coils 13. The adjusting screw permits the time of action of the switch to be varied, a greater tension securing quicker action than a. small tension.

In order to retard the openin action, a retarding mechanism, preferab y in the form of an escapement mechanism, is employed. This embodies, in this instance, a pallet 34 mounted on a rock shaft 35 and counterbalanced by a double arm weight 36. This detent cooperates with an escapement wheel37 which, by a pinion 38, is geared to a large gear 39. This lar e gear connects by a pawl and ratchet clutc 40 with a pinion 41 meshing with a gear segment 42 formed on the arm 33.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

The energization of the magnet draws the armature 18 toward the pole pieces 17, thus causing engagement between the detent 23 and the roller 26 which effects the engagement of the contacts 9 with the contacts 1, the latter moving slightly away from the insulator 6. This at the same time stores energy in the spring 27 so that with the deenergization of the electromagnet, the armature with its frame 19 and detent 23 will move to the initial or normal position. In this movement the extended way 25 moves on the roller 26 while at the same time holding the contacts I and 9 in en'- gagement. This movement is retarded by the escapement mechanism, which when the armature is attracted to the electromagnet is not operated due to the fact that a clutch is interposed'between the armature and the escapement mechanism. During the movement of the armature under the action of the motor mechanism, the detent 23 swings on its pivot 24 toward the stop 22 and upon the reaching of the stop the detent 23 and the frame 21 operate as one 'piece. When the end of the way 25 is reached, the detent will, under its own weight, swing on the pivot 24 and move quickly away from the roller 26, thus permitting a quick opening action of the switch.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided a time switch of durable and simple construction. The opening of this switch is controlled by a motor mechanism with few parts, the retarding of the motor bein eifected by an escapement mechanism which has a clutch connection with the armature so that such escapement does not operate during the moving of the armature toward the electromagnet. The armature connects with the switch through a detent which is so formed that it maintains connection between the switch contacts during the movement of the armature away from the electromagnet under'the action of the motor mechanism, and yet. this detent permits the quick opening action of the switch.

WhatI claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A time switch comprising a pivotally mounted switch part having a roller thereon. an electromagnet having a pivotally mounted armature, a pivoted detent for moving the switch part mounted below such part,

- provided with-a wide bearing surface for engagement with the roller on the switch part, having a movement relative to the armature and moved by the armature to .,move the switch part, and a motor for movcontact, a spring opposing the movement of the armature toward the magnet, and a retarding device for retarding the movement of the armature away from the magnet.

3. A time switch comprising switch contacts, one of which is movably mounted, a. magnet having two ,coils arranged parallel with each other, an armature, a pivotally mounted armature lever having two arms, one of which extends between the coils and the, other of which carries the armature and two stops,a retarding device having clutch connection with one of the arms of the armature lever, a pivotally mounted member arranged to operate between the two stops and cooperating with the movable contact, and a spring connected with the arm of the armature lever lying between the two coils.

4. time switch comprising switch contactsfia detent, one of said parts having an extended way and the other of said parts having a portion cooperating with said way, an electromagnet, an armature connected to the detent and moved by the electromagnet to cause the detent to close the switch, and a motor for moving said armature to cause the detent to efiect the opening of the switch, the connection betweenthe armature and the detent being such that the detent moves independently of the armature as the detent disengages with the portion which is connected w1th the switch contact.

5. A time switch comprising a pair of contacts, one of which has a tendency to move away from the other, a detent having an extended way cooperating with the portion connected with said movable contact, an electromagnet, an armature for the magnet havin aconnection with the detent for causing the detent to close the switch as the armature is attracted by the electromagnet, said detent having a movement relatively to the armature to permit the detent' to move quickly away from the portion on the movable contact at the fo mulation of III the engagement between said portion and the extended way, and a motor for moving said armature away from the electromagnet.

6. A time switch comprising a pair of contacts, one of which has a tendency to move away from the other, a roller connected to said movable contact, a detent having an extended way thereon for cooperating with said roller, an armature having a connection with the detent to move the latter to close and to open the switch, said connection permitting the detent to move relativelyto the armature upon the disengagement of the roller with the ex- .tended way, an electromagnet ,for moving said armature in one direction, and a motor for moving said armature in the other direction.

7. A time switch comprising a pair of contacts, one of which has a tendency to move away from the other, a roller connected with said movable contact, a pivotaily mounted frame having two stops thereon, a detent pivotally mounted on said frame to cooperate with the stops and having an extended way for cooperation with said roller, an armature mounted on said frame, an electromagnet-for moving said armature in one direction, and a motor for moving said armature in the other direction.

8. A time switch comprising a pair of switch contacts, one of which has a tendency to move toward and from the other, a roller connected with said contact, a pivoted member having two stops thereon, a detent pivoted on the pivoted member to operate between the stops, said detent having an extended surface for cooperating with the roller, an armature mounted on the pivoted member, an electromagnet for moving the armature and the pivoted member with the detent carried thereby to efiect the closing of the switch, a spring connected to the pivoted member and having energy stored therein when the pivoted member is moved by the electromagnet, and a retarding mechanism having a clutch connection with the pivoted member to permit the pivoted member to move under the action of the electromagnet without operating the retarding mechanism, said retarding mechanism retarding the movement of the pivoted member under the action of the s rin JOHN J. fiUl DlCK.

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