US1532855A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

April 7, 1925. 1,532,855

I C. E. ANDERSON Q ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 22 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I :Tl 7 k T 29 F 2. k 8 78 INVENTOR Cam. Ema fil/vzusms 01/ ATTORNEYS April 7, 1925.

C. E. AN DERSON ELECTRIC swncn 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 22

I ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 7, 1925..

vUNITED STATES CARL ERIC ANDERSON, OF STRATFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRYANT PATENT orrice. j

ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF BRIDGE-PORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed December 22, 1921. Serial No. 524,215.

To all whom it may concern:

7 Be it known that I, CARL ERIC ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Stratford, in'the county of Fair field and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric switch, and particularly to snap switches of the type commonly used in control lighting circuits. Among the objects of my invention may be noted, first, the provision of a narrow and shallow structure,.of high current-breaking capacity, well adapted for workmanlike installation in locations where a deep bodied switch cannot be well used, for example in thin partition walls, in moldings, etc; second, a reduction in manufacturing costs by the use of few parts, readily struck and formed up from sheet metal, the assembly of the switch mechanism being readily performed byhand and being selfsustained in assembled condition; third,t-he

' provision of not only an effective snap action for the moving parts of the switch, but also positive initiation of the throw of the switch blades to open-circuit position; fourth, various features of novelty and improvement in details of construction, asse1nbly and operation hereinafter described or shown in the accompanying illustrative drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a broken plan view of a switch in which my invention is embodied in one 2 is a section on the line 2-2,

yoke.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have embodied it in a flush wall switch, but it will be understood that many of the features are applicable to switches of other types, and that the invention is not limited to an installation of the particular type shown. The cup-shaped insulating body 10 of the flush switch is supported in a receptacle (not shown) by a bridge piece 11 extending beyond the opposite ends of the switch body and secured to the latter by screws 12 taking into tapped holes 13 in the bridge. Adjacent the latter are holes 14: tapped to receive the screws 15 by which the face plate 16 is mounted in the usual fashion.

At the four corners of the switch body are binding screw terminals 17, 18, 19 and 20 arranged on depressed ledges and having wings extending into the switch chamber to form switch contacts. 'The arrangement of these contacts may be as desired to effect any preferred current distribution. As shown, there are two high and two low contacts 21"and 22, respectively. The contact wings 21 and 22 ofthe terminals are offset substantially at right angles to the terminal plates, and from the margins of the latter adjacent the side walls of the switch chamber. The wings lie in planes parallel to said'side walls, and the free ends which form the contacts proper, which are engaged by the cooperating switch blades, are inwardly offset in pairs into alignment longitudinally of the switch. The

wings of the high contacts 21 rise from the terminal plates and assist in boxing-in stray beards from the wires secured beneath the binding screws. The wings of the low contacts pass downward in channels 23 formed by shoulders 24 spaced slightly'from the side walls of the switch chamber. The free ends of the low contacts are angled over the shoulders 24 and supported thereon. minals 18 and 19 at one end of the switch are'united by a. cross strap 25 let into the base of the receptacle and electrically connected, as well as mechanically secured in position by the screw'bolts 26 and 27 which secure the terminals upon the base. The switch is thus a double-bladed singlepole switch having three branch connections. The'switch may be wired, however,

and used as a double-pole switch, in which case the strap 25 wouldbe omitted. It,

In the construction shown the termay also'be used as a single-pole, singlebladed switch by omitting certain of the switch contacts.

lVithin the body chamber 28, the switch 29, preferably integral with the supporting bridge 11. In order to locate the plate 29 substantially in the longitudinal mid plane of the switch chamber, and also in the mid plane of th b idge itself. the latter is notched at 30. The switch-operating lever comprises legs 31 which straddle the frame plate and embrace it sufliciently closely to prevent any objectionable cross play of the lever thereon. At its outer end the lever carries a thumb piece 32 having wings 33 which serve to obturate the hole in the cover plate through which it passes, and thus to prevent the entry of ,dust and dirt theretllrough into the switch chamber. Notches '34 in the upper edge of the plate 29 accommodate the wings 33 of the thumb piece in the extreme angular positions of the lever.

The lever pivots on a pin 35 which passes freely through registering holes 36, pierced respectively in the frame plate and legs 31 ofth lever.- At the inner ends of the latter are formed notches 37 to receive the head 8 of gu de pin 3:9 for the switch operat ing coil spring 40, Lugs all on the head of the 1 3 1 straddle the lever legs to hold the pin gainst lateral escape, while the outward ottet'ting of "the lower ends of the legs at 42 spaces the latter s-uflicient-ly far apart to clear the adjacent end of the coil spring In assembled position the head 38 ofthc guide pin underlies the lower edge of the frame plate 29, and the pin 39 works sub.-

5 stantia lly in the plane of the plate.

intermediate the bearing holes 36 and the notched ends of the lever legs are laterally extending bays 43 having arcuatc central apertures 4: to accommodate the bearing pin 45 on which the witch yoke 46 rocks. This bearing pin has a reduced central portion 47 of a length substantially corresponding to the thickness of the plate 29,. To permit the pain to be positioned in. the frame plate :29, the latter "has a bayonet opening -18 formed therein, the larger portion thereof having a diameter slightly exceeding the greatest diameter of the bearing pin. In the reduced portion of the opening 48 is a bearing notch 49 to receive the central reduced area 47 of the bearing pin. The latter is introduced into position by passing it through the larger portion of the opening 4+3 and Shifting it' laterally ir ntil the reduced area L7 drops into tlre'bearing notch 49. At its outer ends the bearing pin is shouldered to form trunnions 50 upon'which the switch yoke rocks and by which it is centered.

The switcl yol e is preferably struck from sheet metal angled to shape. Bayonet slot bearing notches 51 formed in the legs of the yoke may be readily mounted on the bearing pin by passing the yoke upward from beeat he r me plate, with he yoke leg straddling the latter, and then manipulating the yoke to hook the bearings on the trunnion ends 50 of the pin. The web of the yoke is apertured at 52 to receive the guide pin 39 and the constant pressure of the spring 40 against the web of the yoke not only maintains the latter in engagement with the trunnions 56, but also holds the reduced portion $7 of the pin seated in the notch 49 in the switch frame.

The switch blades 53 are riveted to the legs of the switch yoke, but insulated therefrom by suitable bushings 54. It will be noted that in assembled position, the trunnions ot' the bearing pin lie substantially in the longitudinal plane passing through the opposite ends of the switch bar. It will also be noted that the axes of oscillation of the switch lever and switch yoke are spaced only a slight distance apart, and that they are arranged close to the plane of the supporting bridge. As a. consequence the switch blades are held high on the frame, and it is thus possible to use a shallow switch body to house the contacts and switch mechanism, without sacrificing current break ing capacit The spacing of the yoke arms is such that in assembled position the inner ends of the upper rivets, which play across the axis of the pin 35, prevent the escape of the latter from the holes 36 in the lever and frame.

At opposite sides of the pierced web of the yoke are ottset flanges 55 which impinge against the downwardly extending stop legs 56 and 57 of the frame plate, and thus limit the throw of the switch yoke.

In order to insure a positive initiation of the openng and closing movements of the switch blades, I pivot cam levers 58 and 59 at 60 and 61 on the legs 56 and 57 of the switch frame. The upper ends 62 of the lovers lie in the path ot the. bays 43 of the legs of the operating lever. The lower ends ot' the levers 5.8 and 59 are so positioned that when their upper ends 62 are engaged by one or the other of the bays .ot the switch lever 31, they are forced into the area be twecn the stop legs 56 and 57 of the frame. Consequently, when the switch lever is swung on its arc, one or the other of the bays l3 engages one or the other of the cam levers 58 or 59 and forces its lower end against one of the stop wings on the web of the yoke 46, thus positively forcing the latter out of its stop position and initiating the throw of the switch yoke which is completed by the biasing action of the "toggle spring 4:0 The latter may be made lighter than would be otherwise necessary in order to overcome the frictional drag between the switch blades and the switch contacts in the closed position of the switch.

Stop pins 63 lying in the path of the upper ends of the cam levers, limit the throw of posed between the pairs of contacts at oppo site ends ofthe switch chamber. Tongues 67 formed at the opposite ends of the cover 64 may be passed under the bridge 11, the

tongues preferably being so located as toengage beneath the bridge at the notches at opposite ends of the frame web 29. A

central aperture 68 in the cover accommo-. dates the thumb p1ece32, which passes there- I through to operating position above the face plate 16.

The ope 'ation of the switch is readily understood. Assuming it to be in the circuit closing position shown in Fig. 2, the upward movement of the thumb piece 39, swings the operating lever on its axis 35, and thus moves the head 38 of the spring guide pin across the axis of oscillation of the switch bar yoke. As the head of the pinSS is moving toward the axis of oscillation, the bay 43 on the switch lever enthe upper end 62 of the cam lever 58 and swings the lower end into engagement with the flange 55 of the switchyoke, thus forcing the latter away from its'sto-p position against the leg 56 of the frame. This positively frees the switchblades from the stationary switch contacts and the spring 40 immediately thereafter biases the switch bar yoke with a snap action to opencircuit position. The switchyoke is now halted by its impingement against the leg 57, while the operating lever is halted by the impingement of the upper end 62 of the cam lever 58 against its stop pin 63. The switch-closing movement involves the same movements, but in the opposite direction.

Various modifications in detail of 0011- struction which do not depart from whatv i claim as my invention, will readily to those skilled in the art.

I claim l. [in electric switch comprising a chambered insulating body, a sheet metal supporting bridge therefor, a single frame plate integral with said bridge and offset at sub stantially right angles thereto, and extending into the chamber of said insulating body, and a switch mechanism mounted on said frame plate and comprising an oscillating member straddling the upper margin of the plate, and a second oscillating member straddling the lower margin of the plate.

2. An electric switch comprising a chambered insulating body, a sheet metal supporting bridge therefor, aframe plate integral with said bridge and offset at substantially right angles thereto, and extending, into the chamber of said insulating body, and a switch mechanism mounted on said frame plate, said mechanism comprising a switch operating lever having lugs straddling said frame plate. 3. An electric switch comprising a chambered insulating body, a sheet metal sup porting bridge therefor, a frame plate integral with said bridge and offset at substantially right angles thereto, and extending into the chamber of said insulating body, and a switch mechanism mounted on said frame plate, said mechanism comprising a switch operating lever having lugs straddling said frame plate, together with a switch bar yoke straddling the frame plate. at. In an electric switch, an insulating body, a bridge mounted thereon and comprising at its opposite ends supporting lugs and an intermediate frame plate integral therewith but lying in aplane substantially at right angles to said lugs and forming the sole connecting bond therebetween, an insulating cover-arranged above said bridge, and tongues integral with said cover engaged beneath the supporting lugs of the bridge adjacent said offset frame plate.

5. An electric switch comprising a cup-- shaped insulating body, asupporting bridge spanning the open face of said body, and an insulating cover resting on said body and having tongues freely engaged beneath said bridge, said bridge being notched to receive said tongues.

6. In an electric switch, an apertured frame plate, a shouldered pin freely entering said aperture and having a reduced area between its shoulders substantially co-extensive with the thickness of said plate and lying in the plane of the latter in assembled position, a switch element pivoted on said pin, and a spring engaging said member and serving to hold the pin in said aperture with its shoulders arranged on opposite sides of the plate. Y

7. In an electric switch, a frame plate, a switch member pivoted on said frame plate on an axis'substantially at right angles to the latter, said axis comprising a pin extend.- ing. on opposite sides of the plate and having shoulders forming abutments engaging opposite faces of the plate, said plate being pierced to accommodate said pin at its point of greatest diameter.

8. In an electric switch, a frame plate having an aperture, and a bearing notch of less diameter communicating with said aperture, in combination with a bearing pin having a portion of reduced diameter intermediate its ends, said pin being adapted to pass through said aperture in the frame plate, and having its portion of reduced diameter resting in said bearing notch in the assembled position of the parts.

9. In an electric switch, a frai'ne' plate,

a pivot pin piercing said plate at substantially right angles, and shouldered: at its opposite ends, in combination with a switch member pivoted on the reduced ends of said pin beyond said shoulders.

10. In an electric switch, a frame plate, a pivot pin freely seated in said plate andv extending on opposite sides of the latter, asw'itch member straddling the plate and journalled on said pivot pin, and spring means engaging said switch member and stressing the latter in a direction to maintain said pivot pinseated in the plate.

ll. In an electric switch, a frame plate, a switch ope *ating lever straddling said plate and journalled thereon, an oscillating switch yoke also straddling the plate and supported thereon, in combination with a switch operating spring lying in the plane of the plate and operatively interposed between said lever and switch yoke.

12. In an electric switch, a frame plate, a cam lever pivoted thereon, a switch operating bar straddling the plate and pivoted thereon, a toggle spring operatively interposed between said lever and yoke, said cam lever being engaged by said switch operating lever during its oscillation, and moved by the latter into engagement with the switch yoke to initiate the oscillation of the letter.

13. In an electric switch, an insulating body, a bridge mounted thereon and comprising at its opposite ends supporting lugs and an intermediate frame plate integral therewith but lying in a plane substantially at right angles to said lugs and forming the sole connecting bond therebetween.

14. In an electric switch, a cup-shaped sulating body, a bridge piece spanning the open face thereof, and having a frame plate integral therewith and offset into the switch chamber, said bridge having a reduced area between its opposite ends and the frame portion, together with an insulating cover overlying said bridge and having tongues engaging beneath the reduced area thereof to hold the cover in position.

15. In an electric switch, a frame plate having stop members at one margin, a member pivoted on said plate and oscillat ing between said stop members, a cam lever mounted on said plate and movable at one end into thearea between said. stop members, in combination with a rock. lever piwoted on said plate and engaging said cam lever to forcesaid end thereof into the area specified and against the oscillating member, for the purpose set forth.

16:. In an electric switch, an insulating body recessed to aflord a switch chamber having an end wall provided with a relatively narrow channel adjacent the sidewall of the chamber, an integral sheet metal wire terminal and switch contact supported on said base and comprising a wire terminal plate mounted outside the switch chamber, a leg offset from one of the side marginsof said plate substantially at right angles to the latter and having a portion thereof arranged in said channel in the end wall of the switch chamber, and a contact wing oif set from the lower portion of said leg and extending into the switch chamber, the leg and contact wing being arranged in substantially parallel planes.

17. In an electric switch, a cup-shaped in sulating body, a depressed corner ledge thereon, the end wall of the chamber of said insulating body having a narrow channel extending in the direction of the depth of the cup and leading to one side of the ledge, incombination with a wire terminal plate mounted on said ledge and having a leg offset from the side thereof and entering said channel, together with a contact wing extending from the end of said leg and onset therefrom into the switch chamber.

18. In an electric switch, a cup-shaped insulating body having in its end wall a narrow channel extending in the direction of the depth of the cup and adapted to re ceive and confine at least a portion of a wire terminal leg, the portion of the end wall adjacent said channel forming a shout der adapted to supporta contact wing, in combination with a combined wire terminal and switch contact element formed from sheet metal and comprising a down leg guided in said channel and a contact wing offset from said down leg and bearing against said shoulder for support.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CARL Enio ANDERSON.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,532,855, granted April 7, 1925, upon the application of Carl Eric Anderson, of Stratford, Connecticut, for an improvement in Electric Switches, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 104-, for the misspelled Word openng read opening; page 3, line 2, for the Word limits read limit; page at. line 26, claim 12, after the Word thereon insert the Words and comma a switch yoke straddling the plate and pivoted Mei-e041,; and that the said Letters Patent should be read With these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oiiice.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of May, ALI). 1925.

[SEAL] KARL FENNING,

Acting Commissioner of Patents,

Images