US1498347A - Automatic control switch - Google Patents

Description

June 17 1924. 1,498,347

w. w. BUCHER AUTOMATIC CONTROL- swn'cn Filed March 20, 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 30%Iz5vllfayrzei 6018451114, W, M qeahr 1/ 77.5. dam/ June 17 1924 W. W. BUCHER AUTOMATI C CONTROL SWITCH Filed March 20. 1919 4 Shegts-Sheet 2 June 17 1924. 1,498,347

' w. w. BUCHER I AUTOMATIC CONTROL SWITCH Fil ed March 20, 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 (war 1 Fax/Han:

Patented June 17, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. BUCHER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO KOHLER COMPANY, OF KOHLER, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL SWITCH.

Application filed March 20, 1919. Serial No. 283,913.

T 0 all whom it may concern;

Be it known that WILLIAM BUCHER,

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Control Switches, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to improvements in automatic control switches and it more especially consists of the features pointed out in the annexed claims.

Among the purposes of this invention the following are mentioned: (1) to provide a self contained switch unit adapted to control the starting, running and stopping of isolated electric generating plants which are driven by internal combustion engines; (2) to provide a switch having all the interrelated parts assembled and operative on a single base; to provide a sensitive starting and stopping control, a running control, a starting magnet and a running. magnet all cooperating with each other automatically through the initial turning on of a single lamp and the final turning off of the last lamp; (4) to make special provision for con trolling the use of a low voltage current temporarily on normal or high voltage service mains so as to employ a high voltage generator as a. motor to start the engine, by using a low voltage current in the generator armature and shunt windings; to recurrently, with great uniformity, after the generator has been operated at low voltage as a start- 7 ing motor, insure that it will deliver a high voltage current to the service mains after the engine has come to speed. instead of the current at the low voltage of the battery; (6) to provide a combined switch that shall direct the operation of a generating plant regardless of the polarity of the starting current, thus simplifying the installation and the running of plants of this type without the employment of expert electricians: (7) and also to concentrate 'all the control functions in a single unit, usually supported on the generator. without the use of separate switches and a switch board.

Attention is directed to a copending application on a system in which this invention is employed. Serial No. 283,910. filed March 20th, 1919.

With these and other ends in view I illustrate in the accompanying drawings such instances of adaptation as will disclose the broad underlying principles without limiting myself to the specific details shown.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a complete switch unit. (This would be a side eleva tion if shown on the generator to conform with the feet of the under base.)

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of' Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detached elevation of a control plate serving to make contact with various circuits.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of-the related circuits in connection with the component parts of a complete plant, showing the coils or magnets and contacts in elevation.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of'Figs. 1 and with the related working parts connected.

Fig. 6 is a plan of a core aligning plate. Isolated generating plants of the low voltage starting and high voltage generating type, employing the same machine for generating and starting are in an entirely different practical class from those known to the prior art.

In the use of a separate starting unit attached to a dynamo similar practical difliculties are not encountered as when the same machine is used at two radically different voltages, at periods immediately following each otherone voltage dependent on the machine itself and the other on an external source. The use of the terms high, standard or normal voltage for the purpose of this description approximates 110115 volts, and the term low voltage approximates 24 volts or less within a practical working range.

In practically carrying out my invention I may use the specific details instanced in the accompanying drawings or any alterations thereof that the exigencies of actual practice may ,demand without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The switch parts are mounted on a base 3. These comprise an insulating plate 1, a magnet support 8, having feet 10, for the starting magnet 47 and the running magnet 43; also another support 2 for the starting control magnet 63 and the running control magnet 28. These are wound over each other so as to be handleable as a unit. Along the edges of the base 3' insulating strips 3, 4, and 5 are placed. Strip v3 has termlnals for the generator 2 and the magneto 21; strip 4 accommodates the service main terminals 59 and 60, also the ends of wires 66 and 73 of the charging resistance 25. The other strip 5 has plug terminals 7 for the storage battery 26. The fourth edge has terminals 98 in insulating bushings for the wires 75 and 76 of the governor control 27, actuated by the governor 20, not shown but indicated by name. The terminals on strips 3 and 4 are held by nuts 97 only shown on Fig. 1.

Before referring to the component parts of the switch, each of the devices, etc., that are served by the switch will be described, commencing with the battery 26. This is a self-contained battery of approximately 12 cells, or less, known as a low voltage starting battery. It is connected to plu s 7 by the usual well known socket pull-o terminals (not shown). It is immaterial so far as the starting features, etc, are concerned,

whether theterminals .are placed in a definite relation to the plugs, as to polarity, because in practice it 1s found that the generator will accommodate itself to either start- 1 ing polarity automatically without destroying the proper current direction for charging the battery 26' through resistance 25. This resistance may be substituted by any well known form of automatic charging control as desired.

The generator 2 is of the compound Wound type, having a shunt field 55 and a series field 53. If desired, for any reason, to additionally compensate the dynamo a winding 54 may be used. It is to be understood, however that the main features ofthe switch unit are not limited to the specific embodiment of the dynamo construction.

' The terminal 52 is connected to starting magnet contact 46, over wire 68, and the terminal 56 is connected to the negative battery pole 7. At 57 it is also connected to running magnet 43, and separately to the starting magnet 47 over wire 74. Beyond the junction 57 it. continues as a service mam 60.

The series field 53 is connected by wire 67 from terminal 52' to the running magnet 43. The wire 67 continues past the junction 58 to the contact 40. In starting, all the w1res, 60, 68, and 67 are active, but under running conditions the wire 68 is not used.

The magneto 21 has a primary coil 77 an a secondary coil 78 serving the spark plugs of the driving engine, not shown. A circuit over wire 71, grounded at 81, connects with the two sides of the primary coil 77 and the under contact 36 of the magnet 2863. This circuit is also grounded beyond the contact 37, at 82.

The engine governor 20, in any well known manner, not shown, actuates the arm 14 fulcrumed at 15. The arm 14 has a short extension 17 which is controlled by a dash pot 16 to prevent hunting. Another extension 18 carries a counter weight 19 to balance the governor lever system. 14 has two links pivoted thereto. The link 12 isattached to the engine throttle and the link 13 to the carbureter choker, so as to maintain a uniform voltage by the dynamo, under varying loads. As these features are made the subject of a separate application they are not specifically shown or further described. When the arm 14 is at rest contacts 27 remain closed. Its wires and 76 lead to the following switch parts, 75 to contact 34 of the control magnet 28-63. The wire 76 leads to contact 33 of the running magnet 43.

Service mains 59 and 60 supply lamps, 50, controlled by switches 49, or any other current consuming accessories operable at ordinary 110-115 volts, supplied by the generator 2, though this same generator with its high voltage windings, the service mains and accessory 50 are temporarily subjected to a low voltage battery current on starting.

The resistance 25 through which the battery is constantly being recharged, is connected by wire 73 to contact 42, Figs. 1 and 2.- (Since the contacts 45, 42, 41, and 31 occurdirectly above each other, to avoid confusion in the plan view, Fig. 5, they arethe battery 26, and also to contacts 31 and 45.

The arm the resistance 25 to the positive pole 7 of p The iron support 8, as stated, holds magnets 47 and 43, the former on cross bar 9' and the latter on cross bar 99 fastened to the sides 8at100. Each of the magnets has an iron yoke, respectively 22 and 23 secured to the cross bars 9 and 99. The magnet spools are placed within the yokes on short cores 48 and 24. A sliding core 51 with its slot 72 moves in magnet 47 and a similar core 64 having slot 65 slides 'in magnet 43. The cores 24 and 48 may be made of any desired length according to the density of flux required in the air gap. This construction practically makes a solenoid of each magnet, cores 51 and 64 constituting the plungers or armatures. v

The province of movable cores 51 and 64 is to respectively control the position of the flexible contact bars 44, 88 and 39 so as to connect the proper circuits as may he demanded. These bars are formed of laminated copper so as to be elastic. The bar 44 has a single leaf extension 79 projecting beyond each end of the bar, to which arcing pieces 80 of helmet bronze are attached. Thesesave the contactsproper from deterioratlon. .The bar 39 has a single arc pre venting member 83 which coacts with contacts 31 and 42. The bar 44 serves contacts 45 and 46, and bar 39 serves contacts 40 and 42, while bar 88 serves underneath con tacts 31 and 33. The bar 44 is insulated from the core 51 by bushings 86 and is held by nut 87. The combined bars 39 and 88 are similarly insulated from the core 64 by bushings 84 and are held in place by nut 85. Slots 72 and 65 of cores 51 and 64 coact with projections 91 of plates 90 (Fig. 6) to prevent the cores turning on their axis to destroy the working relation of the bars to their respective contacts.

All the contacts 45, 46; 40, 42, 41; and 31, 33 are substantial duplicates of each other. They have an enlarged rectangular head with beveled faces 89, shoulders 101 and threaded stems on which nuts to hold them and their wire connections are placed. Contacts and 46 are insulated from cross bar 9 by bushings 92, contacts 41 and 42 from' bar 99 by bushings 94, and contact 40 from the same bar by bushings 93. A pig tail connection 32 is made at 96 to the bar 39. This is connected by wire 62 to the fine wire starting control coil 63. Contacts 41 and 42 are narrower than the others because they are placed side by side on the cross bar 99.

-Wire 73 connects contact 42 to the resistance 25; wire 69 connects contact 41 to the coarse wire coil 28; wire 61 connects contact 31 to the battery 26; wire 68 connects contact 46 to terminal 52' of the dynamo 2; wire 67 connects contact 40 to the series field 53 of the dynamo; wire 76 connects contact 33 with the governor control 27. The magnet 47 is connected by wire 7 O to contact35 and wire 74 connects with service main 60 at 57.

The starting and running control magnets 28 and 63 are also made the subject of a separate application, but their cooperative relation, in construction, etc., to form a i switch unit is substantially as follows. A

core 6 is placed inside the coils. It has a central hole 37' in which armature stem 14 slides. This stem carries a diaphragm armature 11 of extremely light weight to make the responsiveness of the magnet very sensitive. The stem also carries a contact disk 38 insulated by bushings 95. Above the disk 38 are two contacts 34 and 35, Figs. 2

' and 5, the former connecting governor control 27 by wire 75 and the latter connecting starting magnet 47 by wire 70. Beneath the late 38 contacts 36 and 37 are placed. The 'ormer leads over wire 71 to the magneto 21 and the latter is grounded at 82 under the support 2. The magnet 24-63 has an iron casing 30 which holds the parts assembled on support 2.

The operation of the switch is as follows, all the parts being at rest as shown in Figs. 1,, 2, and 4, with the magneto grounded. A

of its windings being only rating,

52, and along wire 65 to the battery. This current is of very small amperage and must be utilized to the utmost to continuously and effectively control the starting function whenever required. It attracts diaphragm 11, and the first part of this movement disconnects contacts 36 and 37, to make the magneto 21 operative. The final movement brings the plate 38 against contacts 34 and 35, completing the first stage of the starting operation.

The last movement of plate 38 is the initial step of the second starting stage. It connects contacts 34 and 35, closing the circuit of the starting magnet 47, over line 70 and line 75. This circuit, starting from the battery, leads past points 29 and 30, line 61 to under contact 31, bar 3988, under contact 33, line 76, closed governor control 27, line 75, contacts 34 and 35 and plate 38, line 70, magnet 47 line 74 to junction 57, line to 52 and line to the negative side of the battery 26. This current energizes magnet 47 which through the attraction of bar 44- engages contacts 45 and 46.

The operation of magnet 47 forms the third stage of a starting operation. It admits a heavy low voltage current from the.

battery,- past points 29 and 30 to contact 45, bar 44, contact 46, line 68 to terminal 52' of the high voltage generator 2, flowing only through its armature and the shunt field 55 to terminal 56, to junction 52 on line 60, and then over line 65 back to the battery. This circuit utilizes the generator 2 as a motor to start the engine.

The fourth stage of the starting operation immediately follows the preceding one. It might also be called the first stage of actual running. It consists of a positive disconnection of the battery current from magnet 47 by the engine governor 20, at 27, as the engine comes up to a predetermined speed. Instead of this disconnection the circuit might also be broken at 33, but the low battery voltage on which such an alternative breaking depends would not be sufiicient to energize the running magnet 43 On account 7 adapted to the high .voltage current from the generator. In view of this, if the circuit was not broken by the governor at contact 27 the generator could not build up its voltage to its normal but its voltage would remain approximately at that of the battery. This would defeat the basic purpose of the system, which consists in supplying standard current consuming devices, etc., at their normal battery to furnish current at 110-l15 volts in contrast to but 12 cells with my system.

The last stage of the full running phase of operation-is reached when the governor 20 has opened the starting magnet circuit at 27 and the oncoming high voltage of the generator 2 has energized the running magnet 43 to hold bar 39 away from contacts 31 and 33 but against contacts 41, 40, and 42. The magnets 43 and 2863 remain in circuit so long as a demand exists on the service mains 59 and for current, thus retaining the bar 39 and plate 38 in a raised position, but the pig tail 32 always remains connected to bar 3988.

The current delivered by the dynamo at the high voltage would possibly injure the coil 63, wound for a low voltage current, so, in order to guard against this the coil 63 may be cut out altogether by bar 39 or be placed in parallel with the heavy current coil 28, in order to protect the fine wire coil 63 from injury. It is necessary that the coil 28 be kept energized at all times, throughout the full running operation of the plant, so as to not ground the magneto by bar 38 dropping into engagement with contacts 36 and 37. j V

The running relation of the circuits supplied by the dynamo is as follows :Starting from 52 at the generator 2 the line is traced through series field 53 onto line 67 passing junction 58, to contact 40, bar 39 to contact 42, over line 73, resistance 25, line 66 to junction 29, to the positive side of the battery 26, then over line to point 52 and line 60 back to the generator terminal 56. The shunt coil 55 may be a short shunt as shown or a lon shunt including the series soil 53, ELSdQSlI'Bd.

The primary purpose of the generator 3 a is to serve the mains 59 and 60. The course coil 28, line 59, lamps50, etc., switch 49 and line 60, passing points 57 and 52, back to the generator terminal 56 of dynamo 2..

This main current keeps themagneto operfative through the activity of magnet 28 which prevents the grounding circuit 71 beingput into acti'ori'by reason of bar 38 remaining in its raised-position.

- 'The stopping procedure 'slmply consists I of one operation, that is, tdrning off the last lamp 50, or other accessory, which breaks the service lines and stops theflow of current. through magnet 28 63.7 In-the abcoil of the control switch.

sence of current the magnet is demagnetized, causing the bar 38 to drop onto the contacts 36 and 37, grounding the'magneto 21 between it and the primary coil 77. All the parts of the switch return to their idle position ready to be used for a subsequent start when needed.

It will be seen from the description how interdependent the several parts are and how essential it is for the successful opera- 75 tion of plants of this type that all of these vital elements arernade automatic i-n operation and in addition form the component parts of a single unit.

What Iclaim is 1. In combination with a gas-engine driven generator, its service mains and a storage battery, a control switch having a magnet coil in series with the battery and the service mains when the generator is idle, engine-disabling means controlled by the control switch, a motor-starting switch having a magnet coil in a circuit also controlled by the control switch, a circuit including the battery and generator controlled by the motor-starting switch, a main switch operseed from the generator for connecting the generator to the service mains when the generator attains suflicient speed, and a second magnet coil for the control switch in series with the service mains when the generator is in operation.

'2. In combination with a gas-engine driven generator, its service mains and a storagebattery, a control switch having a 109 magnetcoil in series with the battery and the service mains, engine-disabling. means controlled by-the control switch, amotorstarting switch having a magnet coil in a circuit also controlled by the control switch, a circuit including the battery and generator controlled by the motor-starting switch, and a main switch operated from the generator forconnecting the generator to the service mains when the generator at- 110 tains sufiicient speed.

3. In combination with a gas-engme driven generator, its service mains and a storage battery; a control switch having a magnet coil in'series with the battery andllfi the service mains when the generator is idle, engine-disabling means controlled by the ontrol switch, a motor-starting switch havi g a magnet coil in a circuit also controlled bythecontrol switch, a circuit including the battery and generator controlled by the motor-starting switch, a main switch operated from the generator for connecting the generator to the service mains when the generator attains sufiicient speed, a second mag- 1 net coil for the control switch in series with the service mains, and means operating with Y the main switch for substituting the second magnet coil for the first mentioned magnet.

by the main switch.

4. In combination with a gas-engine driven generator, its service mains and a storage attery, a control switch having a magnet coil in series with the battery and the service mains, engine-disabling means controlled by the control switch, a motor starting switch having a. magnet coil in a circuit also controlled by the control switch, a circuit including the battery and generator controlled by the motor-starting switch, a main switch operated from the generator for connecting the generator to the service mains when the generator attains suflicient. speed, a second magnet coil for the control switch, and means operating with the main switch for connecting the second magnet coil in parallel with the first mentioned magnet coil of the control switch.

5. In combination with a gas-engine operated generator, a storage battery and service mains, a control switch having a fine winding in circuit with the battery and the mains in order to be energized by a service demand, an engine ignition means in a circuit controlled by the control switch, a starting switch having a winding ina circuit also controlled by the control switch, a motor circuit including the battery and the generator as a motor and controlled by the mo tor-starting switch, and a main switch having a windin connected in circuit with the generator an energized when the generator is driven by the engine, said control switch having a coarse wire winding in circuit with the mains and the generator and controlled 6. In combination with a gas-engine operated compound wound generator and storage battery and service mains, a control switch having a fine winding in circuit with the battery and the mains in order to be energized by a service demand, an engine ignition means in a circuit controlled by the control switch, a starting switch having a winding in a circuit also controlled by the control switch, a starting circuit including the battery and the armature and shunt field winding of the generator for operating the generator as a motor and controlled by the motorstarting switch, and a main switch having a windinglconnected in circuit with the armature of t e generator and energized when the generator is driven by the engine, said control switch having a coarse wire winding in circuit with the mains and the armature and series field winding of the generator and controlledby the main switch.

7. In automatic control switches for'gasengine operated generator plants, a control switch serving both as a starting and running control, a battery supplying initial current to the control switch magnet, a starting switch having a magnet coil in a circuit controlled by the control switch, an electric-motor-starting-circuit controlled by the starting switch, an engine ignition circuit made operative and inoperative by the control switch,a main switch, a generator connected to the magnet thereof, service mains supplied by the generator, and means controlled by the main switch to maintain the control switch in operated position so long as a demand continues on the service mains.

8. In combination with a gas-engine operated generator and its mains, a control switch serving both as a starting and running control, a battery supplying initial current to the control switch magnet through the mains, a starting switch having a magnet coil in a circuit controlled by the control switch, an electric motor starting circuit controlled by the starting switch, an engine ignition circuit made operative and inoperative by the control switch, a main switch, the generator being connected to the magnet of the main switch and connected to the service mains by means of the main switch, and means controlled by the main switch to maintain the control switch in operated position so long as current is delivered to the service mains by the generator.

9. In combination with a gas-engine operated generator and its mains, a control switch serving both as a starting and running control, a battery supplying initial current to the control switch magnet through the mains, a starting switch having a magnet coil in a circuit controlled by the control switch, an electric motor -starting circuit controlled by the starting switch, an englne ignition circuit made operative and ino erative by the control switch, a main switc the generator being connected to the magnet thereof and connected to the service mains through the main switch, means controlled by the main switch to maintain the control switch in its bperated position so long as current is delivered to:t e service mains by the generator, and means operated by the main switch to cause the battery to be charged from the generator.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signatures WILLIAM W. BUCHER.

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