US1540097A

US1540097A - Electric switch

Info

Publication number: US1540097A
Application number: US699740A
Authority: US
Inventors: Balint Frank
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1924-03-17
Filing date: 1924-03-17
Publication date: 1925-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 1942-06-02

Description

June 2,

F. BALINT ELECTRIC SWITCH Z7 "az 26 Filed March 17, 1924 ATTORNEYS Patented June 2, 1925.

UNITED STATES FRANK BALINT, F BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed March 17, 1924. Serial No. 699,740.

To all whom it may cof/wem: o Be it known that FRANK BALTNT, a subject of Hungary, and resident ofk Bridgeport, in the county of Fairiield and State of Connecticut. has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is ya speciication.

This invention relates to anv improved switch for use particularly with automobile stop and direction signalling devices, and has for an object to provide a switch of this character which will be simple and reliable in construction and operation, and by means r of which a series of signalling elements may be koperated in succession.

A further obJect 1s to provlde a switch in which a switch lever will make contact ink one direction of movement, and will move out of contact in the other direction, so that `no, reversal of signals will occur, and further to provide improved means for lmaking and breaking the battery. circuit, when desired. f

With the above and other objects in view, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, and thisembodiment will be hereinafter more :fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out inV the claims. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is afront elevation of a switch device, according to the present embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation kof the same;

3 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line3`3 ofl Fig. 2; n

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; ,o

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, and showing the yhandle portion of the switch lever in inoperative position;

Fig. 6 is a frontelevation of a modified switchk adapted to be kconnected to the foot brake to be operated thereby; and p Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the two switches and the signalling elements, and the wiring arrangement. y

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several iiguresy of the drawings. y

Referringl to the drawings, the embodiment of the invention shown therein comu prises a casing 10 of substantially semicircular form adapted vto be secured to a dash by lugs 11 and' 12, and provided in its periphery. with a slot 13 in which the switch lever is adapted to move. The casing is provided at one side with a series of spaced contacts 1X1, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 arranged in an arc and insulated from said side of the casing by insulating .

plates

21 and 22 secured at each side thereof by the threaded Shanks of the contacts and terminal wire retaining nuts 23 screwed thereon. An arcuate battery contact 24 is also provided in inwardly spaced relation to said series of spaced contacts, and is secured by a nut 25 engaged upon its threaded shank.

The switchlever is loosely pivoted upon a transverse shaft 26 mounted in the casing, and comprises an insulating block 27 carrying a contact piece 28 at one side adapted to span and ycontact with the spaced contacts and thecontact 24;, and a metal back 29 secured at the other side and having a portion 30 kextended through the slot 13. A spacer collar 31 is disposed between the lever and insulating plate 21 and the lever is yieldably pressed into engagement with the contacts by a spring 32 coiled about the shaft 26, while a bowed leaf spring 33, mounted upon the shaft and held against the lever bythe spring 32, presses against the upper portion of the lever between retaining lugs 34 to yieldably maintain the lever in right-angular position with respect to the shaft.

At the upper end of the leverthere is hingedly mounted a handle 35 yieldably held in its'upright operative position (Fig. 2), or in its forwardly moved inoperative position (Fig. 5), by a fiat spring 36 rsecured to the lever and engaging the fiat rear side of the handle in said upright position, and the flat lower end in said forwardly moved inoperative position.

In said forwardly moved position the handle engages in the opening of a bifurcated plate 37 secured upon the casing 10 to hold the lever against swinging movement in either direction, and at the same time camming lugs 38 disposed at each side of the handle above the pivot engage the inner face of the plate 37 and force the lever rearwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, thereby disengaging the switch lever` contactsv 28 from the battery and spaced contacts and rendering the switch inoperative, the cir cuit to the battery being broken.

The contact 14 is connected to a brake Uli operated* stop signal switch, hereinafter more `fully ret'erred to, so that in the upright position ot the switch lever (Figs. 1 and 2) the circuit from the battery tothe brake switch is closed by engagement or' the contact 2S with the

contacts

24 and 14, while in the inoperative position, (Fig. this circuit is broken and the'brake switch rendered inoperative. in the signal operating.

position of the switch lever, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. S, the circuit to the brake switch is opened, so that this switch will be inoperative during operation ot the other signal means.

Upon the inner peripheral surface ot the casing, and at each side ot the central position ot the switch lever. arcnately disposed inclined leaf springs 39 are secured at their upper ends by means of brackets 40, and upon the portion 30 of the switch lever there is provided a lug 41 having. a right angnlarly bent end adapted as the switch lever is swung downwardly at either side. to engage upon the surface ot the spring 39 adjacent the contacts, the spring being sprung rearwardly by this engage-y ment until released in the extreme moved position otthe lever, as indicated in dotted lines in F10: 3, the end ot the sii-1nnr then being forwardly ot the lug 41. Upon return movement ot the switch lever the lug' will therefore engage the rear side of the spring, thereby camining the switch lever ont ot' engagement with the contacts to prevent a reverse operation ot the, signals.

In Fig. G there is illustrated a term ot stop signal operating` brake actuated switch, according to the invention, comprising a casing 42 of substantially semi-circular form, having' a slot 43 in its periphery in which the switch lever 44, pivoted upon a shaft 45, is adapted to move, being normally held in its inoperative position by a spring 4t and adapted to be swung to operative position, np'onmovement ot the `toot brake, by means oi a wire a? connected to the toot brake rod. A' pair oit spaced arcuately disposed contacts 4S and 49 are provided on one side of the casing, the contact 48 adapt ed-1 to connect with an audible signal, and the contact 49 to a visible signal, and in inwardly spaced relation thereto, there is provided an elongated battery Contact 50, the switch le'vercarrying an elongated,insulated contact piece 51 adapted to span4 the battery contact and the

contacts

48 and 49, to first close the circuit ot the audible signal and then close the circuit of the visible' signal. In' order to disengage' the switch from the contacts during return movement to thereby prevent reverse operation otthe signals, a lea't spring camming member 52, similar to the' camming springs 39, is provided upon the inner peripheral surface of the casing and' is engaged by a: lng 53v on the lever'to engage the contacts in one direction oi n'iovement and to disengage them' in the other direction of movement.

Asshown diagraminatically in Fig. i', the switches are adapted to be connected to an andib. signal, as a horn 54, a visible signal,`

lamp 55, and lett and right signal. den 56 and 5'?, the lighting' olE the lamp adapted to indicate Stop, and the lamp also adapted to he lighted during actuation of the Lett and Right signals to illnniinatc them.

The wiring arrangement is as follows:

A lead from the battery is connected to the contact 24, and a lead 5S) extends troni the Contact 4 of the dash switch to the contact of the brakel switch, so that the brake s itch may be disconnected from the batteryv .by swinging the handle 35 to the inoperative position, (Fig. 5) and also during movement of the same to either the right or lett signal operating positions, so that only one signal will be operative at' a time. The horn 54 is connected by leads 60 to the

horn contacts

15, 1S and 48 of the dash and brake switches, and the lamp 55 by leads 61 to the

light contacts

16, 19 and 49 of the two switches, while the left and right signal devices are connected'by leads G2 and 63 to the left and right contacts 20` and 1? of the dash switch.

Upon operating the brake, the brake switch is actuated to first sound the horn and thereupon light the lamp 55. By moving the dash switch to the lett or right the horn is first sounded, the lamp then lighted, and the lett or right signal devices, as the case may be, are operated, the lamp' continuing to be lighted during the operating of said signal devices, the Contact piece 28 engaging both the light and signa-l contacts in the moved position, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

l. have illustrated and described aJ preferred and satisfactory embodiment ot the invention, but it will be obvious that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A switch of the character described, comprising a casing, a series ofvspaced' contacts in said casing, a pivoted switch lever normally in engagement with one of said contacts and adapted to be movedl into engagement with, the others, locking means adapted to he actuated to prevent swinging movement of said lever, and means adapted to move said lever out of engagement with said contact, normally engaged thereby, in saidv locked position of the lever.

2. A switch of the' character described, con'iprising" a' casing, a series of spaced conloo taets in said casing, a pivoted switch lever y'normally in engagement With one of said (,ontacts and adapted to be moved into engagement with the others, a pivoted eXtension on said lever, looking means on said easing, said extension adapted to be engaged therewith to lock the switch lever against swinging movement, and cam means adapted to move said lever ont of engagement with said Contact, normally engaged thereby, in said locked position of the lever.

3. A switch of the character described, comprising a casing, a series of spaced eontaets in said easing, a transverse shaft mounted in said easing, a switch lever loosely and pivotally mounted on said shaft, Spring means on said shaft adapted to normally maintain said lever in a right angular relation to said shaft and in yielding engagen'lent With said contacts, said switch. lever being normally in engagement with one of said contacts and adapted to be moved into engagement with the others,

`locking means adapted to be actuated to prevent swinging movement of said lever, and means adapted to move said lever against the force of said spring means out oi engagement with said Contact, normally engaged thereby, in said locked position of the lever.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, this 14th day of March A. D., 19251..

FRANK BALINT.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK SZUR, C. M. NEWMAN.