US1544978A - Switch - Google Patents

Description

July 7, 1 925.

R. J. HALL s'virrca Filed Oct. 29, 1923 "10mins Patented Juiy 7, 1!)...5.

UNITED STATES RAY J. HALL, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

SWITCH.

Application filed October 29, 1923.

To all 20177, it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAY J. IIALL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Switches, of which the following is a full clear, and eXact description.

My invention relates to improvements in I switches, and it consists in the combinations,

constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described in which a switch for closing an electric cir cuit by placing a coin thereupon is provided by the use of metal cloth in which the metal threads are insulated from one another. This cloth is well known in the art of weaving.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described which may be operated on the ordinary household lighting circuit with either alternating or direct current.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described that is simple in construction, durable, and which is thoroughly practical commercially.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings Forming part of this ap plication, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuit, employed in the invention, and

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form of the electrical circuit used in this modification of my invention.

In carrying out my invention I employ a coin operated switch of the direct contact type. This switch consists in a piece of metal cloth 10 comprising a plurality of parallel metal threads interwoven with nonmetallic threads. A pair of spaced apart contact metal plates 11 and 12 are disposed at one end of the strip of metal cloth 10. The plates 11 and 12 are provided with slaggered teeth 13 and 14 respectively so that the teeth 13 and 1 1- alternatcly touch adjacent ends of the metal threads in the cloth 1(), thereby dividing the cloth into a plurality of metal strips of conductors alternately Serial No. 671.628.

connected with the metal plates 11 and 12. A retaining ring 15 is provided for securing the cloth 10 in an aperture provided in the bottom wall of a receptacle. In this manner a coin dropped into the receptacle will slide upon the metal cloth 10 within the ring 15 and short circuit the plates 11 and 12.

Referring now to Figure 1 I provide a transformer having a primary winding 16 and a secondary winding 17. The winding 16 is connected by means of conductors 18 directly to a source of alternating current. The secondary winding 17 is connected with one terminal to the contact plate 11 by means of a conductor 19. The opposite terminal of the secondary winding is connected by means of a conductor 20 to one of a pair of magnet coils 21 which are connected in series with one another. The opposite terminal of the magnet coils 21 is connected by means of a conductor 22 to the plate 12.

A soft iron armature 29 pivotally mounted at adjacent the magnet coils 21 so that when the coils 21 are energized, the armature 29 is drawn downwardly toward the coils 21. The armature 29 may be connected to any switch or mechanical mechanism that it is desired to operate when a coin is placed in the receptacle.

A switch having terminals 24 and 25 is connected in series with a circuit 26 27 and 28, including a lamp 7 which circuit is connected to the current supply 18. A hammer 31 is supported upon the armature 29. so that when the armature 29 is drawn downwardly it will close the switch 21 23, and actuate the lamp 7.

From the 'loregoing description of the various parts oi the device, the operation there of may be readily understood.

\Vhen a coin is permitted to slide into the receptacle and upon the cloth 10 within the ring 15, current may pass from the winding 17 ot the transformer, across the short circuit of the plate 11 and 12 and through the coils 21. This will cause the armature 29 to be drawn downward, and thereby actuate a switch or any mechanism connected thereto.

hen the coin is removed from the receptacle the magnet coils 21 will become deenergized and permit the armature 25) to assume its normal position.

In Figure 2 I have shown a modified form of my invention in which a dry cell 40 is used to replace the transformer, Obvious- 1y a transformer could not be used With a direct current circuit since it is necessary to have alternating current to cause proper functioning of the transformer. I therefore connect the magnet coils 21 and the plates 11 and 12 in the independent circuit deriving its source of current from the dry cell l0. This is done by the use of Wires 41, 42, and 43 which replace the Wires 22, l!) and 20.

The operation of this form of the invention is precisely the same as the preferred form with the exception that the magnet coils 1 operate from current supplied by the dry cell 40 instead of a transformer such as a transformer having a secondary Winding 17.

I do not there fore consider myself confined to the particular embodiment of my invention herein described.

I claim:

A switch of the character described comprising a fabric of insulating material having a plurality of metal threads parallel With one another interwoven in said fabric a pair of connecting meml'icrs each of said members having spaced apart teeth staggered With resp ct to one another when said members are spaced one above the other, said members being disposed so that the teeth thereof may engage With alternate portions of said fabric whereby alternate strips of said metal threads are connected With each of the conducting members, and an electrical circuit including said members whereby a metal coin or the like placed upon said fah ric may short circuit said alternate strips of threads to close said circuit.

RAY J. HALL.

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