US1541857A - Control apparatus - Google Patents

Description

O. P. SCHUSTER CONTROL APPARATUS June 16, 1925. 1,541,857

Filed Aug. 12. l922 INVENTOR 0/70RSd7us7er mTdRm Y Patented June 16, 1925.

UNITED STATES ENT orrics;

ortro nsonusrnn, or woman Inwin, rnnnsirnvania. assisnon To WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, a CORPORATION or rnmv'sYLvAnIA.

coarser APPARATUS.

Application area August 12, r922. Serial No. 551,321

ani'sms and it has particular relation to switches of the contactor type, commonly employed in the controi "of electric motors and the like.

Anobj'ect of my invention is to provide 15 means :toradjus'ting the relative positions of the switch COiiiitCtIIieiflbGIS so as to insure proper alinement.

Another object of m invention is to provide means for compensating for a reduction in contact pressure resulting from contact wear.

I am aware of the fact that is common practice to provide some means foradjus'ti-ng switch contact members. However, the

majority of such devices are not con-iiple'tely etlective.

My invention provides For three inclependent adjustments whereby the contact members, when in normal eng; gement, are

* always in perfect alinement.

My invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a view. partially in elevation and partially in section, of a switch mechanism embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a view of a portion of the movable contact switch member shown in Fig.

1, and

F 3 is a view of a portion of the stationary contact member illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, a stationary contact member 1 is secured to aholding member 22 having a serrated surface, by means of a bolt 2*. A. supporting member or bracket 3 also provided with a corresponding serrated surface, the two serrated surfaces cooperatin c for purposes of adjustment, as subsequently explained. A movable contact member a is mounted upon an adjustable member 5 and a rocker member 6, both of the latter being provided with cooperating serrated surfaces and being held in engagement by means of bolt 7.

The rocker member 6 is provided with a shaft 8, which is carried by alever arm 9 that is pivotally mounted upon a bracket 11. The bracket 11 sup-ports a contact spring 12 oi a familiar character and is mounted upon, and suitably insulated from, a stationary supporting bar or shaft 13.

For convenience, I have illustrated a switch of the cam-operated type, although it is evident that the switch may be operated ele'ctromagnetioally or otherwise. I have shown the outline of a cam suitable for engaging with a roller 14: that is mounted upon the lever 9, for actuating the movable contact member 4.

The switch contact members are illustrated in closed position. position of the contact member 4 indicates the inoperative or open position oi the switch. The stationary holding member 2 is slotted as shown in 3, for the purpose of receiving; the bolt 2, and it is evident that any desirable adjustment o-t', the contact member 1 may be made along the direction of the slotted portion of the holding member 2.

The rocker member '6, il lustrated in Fig. 2,

is similarly slotted, for the purpose or receiving the bolt 7, whereby the movable 'contact member 1 may be moved toward or away from the contact member 1, without altering the position of the lever By shifting the position oi the member 5 along the serrated surface of the member 6, the ultimate compression or length of the spring 12 may correspondingly vary, the member 6, of course, rotatingabout the shaft 8. Lateral alinement or movement of con tact member 4t is effected, in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, by shifting the bracket 11 along the insulated shaft 13, a clamping member 15 with bolts 16 and 17 being provided for this purpose. The switch is illustrated in perfect aline ment, but it will be evident, to those skilled in the art, that variations in manufacture ordinarily prevent such exact alinement. It is for this purpose that the adjustments described above have been provided. In the operation of a switch of this character, the tip of the moving contact member 4, during the closing movement of the switch, first engages the tip of the stationary contact member 1, by reason of the biasing action of the spring 12. These tips are represented at the extreme right hand portions The dotted line of the contact members, as illustrated. As the switch is actuated to its fully closed position, the contact member 4 rolls along the surface of the stationary member 1 until the heels or lower left hand portions of the contact members are in alinement, as represented by the line 18.

In service, the natural wear of the contact members results in a loss of contact pressure and a corresponding decrease in the current-carrying capacity of the switch. As the switch members wear, the rocker member 6, in the closing movement of the switch, has less of an angular movement about the shaft 8 in a counter-clockwise direction, and consequently there is less compression upon the contact spring 12. Normal contact pressure is restored by moving the adjustable member 5 downward to the extent of one or more teeth of the serrated surface, so that in the closed position of the switch, a straight line, as 18, is maintained along the heels of the contact memhers.

I have illustrated my invention in a particular form, viz, as applied to a switch of the well-known contactor type. I believe, however, that my invention will readily lend itself to other applications, and I, therefore, do not Wish to be restricted to devices solely of the character described.

I claim as my invention:

1. A switch comprising stationary and movable contact members, said members being independently adjustable to effect relative alinement, a spring for rotating the movable member, and means compensating for decrease in contact pressure resulting from wear.

2. A switch comprising stationary and movable contact members, said members being adjustably mounted on serrated surfaces to effect relativecontact alinement, a spring for rotating the movable member, and means for maintaining normal contact pressure.

3. A switch comprising a stationary member adjustable along a given line, a co-opcrating movable member, means for adjusting its movement in the direction of its norcontact member, for engaging with said sta-.

tionary member, means for rotating said movable member, an insulated shaft for supporting the movable member and means for adjusting the relative positions of said contact members in planes perpendicular to one another.

5. A switch comprising a movable contact member having a serrated surface and a similarly surfaced rotatable supporting member, of an operating lever for mounting the supporting member, a bearing bracket for said lever, an insulated shaft for supporting the bearing bracket, a stationary contact member and a supporting bracket therefor, each having co-operating serrated surfaces in mutual engagement, means for adjusting said members from tooth to tooth along said serrated surfaces and means for maintaining said bearing bracket in alinement with said contact members.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 8th day of August, 1922.

OTTO P. SCI-IUSTEH.

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