US1583599A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

May 4 1926.

G. w. LIEBERUM ELECTRIC swn cn Filed Feb. 6, 1924 Inventor George Lieberum',

Patented May 4, 1926.

UNITED STATES GEORGE W-LIEBERUM, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELEC- I TRIO COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed February a, 1924. Serial No. 691,040.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE \V. LIEBERUM, a citizen of the 'United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the. following is a specification. v The present invention relates to electric switches and more especially to the double action rotary type of snap switches,

This type of switch is usually designed with one off or open circuit position of its movable pole member, and a plurality of closed circuit positions thereof so that electric current may be delivered by means of the switch to any one or several of a group of translating devices, such as heater coils or electrolier lamps, or wholly disconnected therefrom by rotary movement of the switch handle, and by reason of the double action feature thereof the pole member may be moved in either direction to the nearest desired operating position.

The object of.my invention is to provide an improved double action rotary snap switch which shall be composed of few parts and of low manufacturing cost and be at the same time of sturdy construction and not liable to become inoperative through severe and extended use. I

One embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a double action snap switch with the cap and handle parts omitted; Fig.

2 is a vertical section thereof taken on line 2-2 of F 1g. 1; Flg. 3 1s a vertical section of the .movable parts taken on line 33 of Fig.

1; Fig. 4. is a perspective view of the movable parts, except theshaft, shown disassembled; Fig. 5 is a perspective. view of the actuatingshaft and the spring, and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the stop plate, holding detent and eccentric connectlons between the detent and shaft.

tached to the stop plate 9 which is anchored to its seat in a recess 10 in the upper surface of the base 1 by a nut 11 threaded on the lower end of the quill 7 and pressing against a lock washer 12 in engagement with the under surface of the base.

The stop plate 9 in the present instance has four equally spaced stop lugs 13 turned upwardly at its respective corners.

The stationary contact posts 5 are .pro-

vided as usual with binding screws 14: whereby the conductors are connected.

The operating shaft 8 has rigidly connected to intermediate jpoints thereof two" crank plates 15 with op ositely directed lugs 16. Between the cran plates the shaft is loosely surrounded by a bushing 17 and the latter is loosely'surrounded by a helical spring 18 with its ends 19 turned radially outward to bear against the opposed crank lugs 16. I

-A supporting plate 20 for the pole pieces 21 and 22 is freely mounted on the shaft 8 just beneath the lower crank plate 15 and an eccentric 23 is rigidly attached to the shaft beneath the lower crank plate 15, as indi cated'in Figs. 2 and 3.

The eccentric 23 freely enters a central aperture in theinner end of a sliding detent 24 having its operative end of a width corresponding to the space between any two adjacent stop lugs 13 and an upturned finger 25 is provided at the center of the op erative end for engagement in a radial slot 26 in the supporting plate 20 whereby the" washer 28.

The supporting plate 20 of the movable pole member is provided with two upward- 1yl extending parallel studs 29 withbearing s oulders 30. near their lower ends. The pole pieces 21 and 22 are each composed of a pair of phosphor bronze punchings 31 with three radial contact arms 32 and each pair is centrally bound between two plates of insulation 33 reinforced by metal washers 34. The pole pieces 21 and22 have intcrposed between them a disk 35 of insulation and a second disk 36 is positioned above the upper pole piece 22 to serve as arcing barriers. The pole pieces and the barrier disks 35 and 36 are punched with relatively large center apertures 37 'to provide for the ready reception therein of the operatin shaft 8 and its cranks 15 and four space 10 spacing of the studs 29 so that they may be assembled'in desired relation thereon. A clamping plate 39 having its ends apertured to receive the ends of the studs 29 is assembled on top the upper barrier disk 36 and the studs headed over, as indicated in Fig. 3, to secure the pole pieces 21 and 22 and the supporting plate together as a unit. The clamping plate 39 is provided with a folded-over arm 40 having a hole 41 formed therein to receive and bear upon the shaft 8 above the upper crank plate 15.

' The upper spring end 19 normally bears against an edge'of the arm 40 while the lower spring end 19 normally bears against one of the studs 29;;

Referring to Figs. 1 and 5, it will be evident that when the shaft 8 isyturned clockwise: the upper crank 15 will cause a corresponding movement of the upper spring end 19 whilethe'supporting plate 20 and all parts carried thereby are held against rotary movement by the detent 24 which is in engagement with a lug 13 and thus effecting a winding up or tensioning ofthe spring 18 until the eccentric 23 has moved with the shaft through a sufficient angle to have retracted' the operative end of the detent from its engagement with the instant stop lug 13 whereupon the spring reacts to throw the movable pole member with a snap action until arrested by the detent engaging the next succeeding stop lug 13.

WVhen the shaft 8 is rotated counter clockwise, the lower crank 15 causes a correspond- 4 5=ing movement of the lower spring end 19 while the upper end is held stationary by its engagement with thearm 40 until the detent 24 is retracted out of engagement with the instant stop lug 13 whereupon the 60 "movable pole member is thrown by a snap action in that direction.

In the construction shown in the drawing, the pole member is adapted to be moved into' four functioning positions and accordholes 38 corresponding diagonally to 1 the 85 ingly the stop plate 9 is provided with fourstop lugs 13, but any other number of operating positions of the pole member would be caredfor by providing the stop plate with the corresponding number of equally spaced lugs 13. By.pr0portioning the operativeend of the detent 24 substantially to fill the space between any two stop lugs. 13, the movable member of the switch is definitely positioned in .v whichever direction the switch is? operated and back lash is by Letters Patent of'the United States is:

1.x In'a double action snap switch, the combination ofan insulating base, a plate providedwith spaced stops anchored to said ibase,' an; operating shaft journalled centralj' ly'o'f saidqspaced stopsand provided wlth .not to be restricted thereto.-

tuo'crank projections, a movable pole member journalled. upon said shaft, a spring surrounding said shaft within said pole member and engaging at both ends with said crank projections and with said movf able pole member, a detent slidably engaging said pole member and having its operative end of a Width to enter the space between any two of said stops-'vw'ith limited clearance, and an eccentric fixed; to said shaft andengaging an aperture in the inner end of said detent. I

-2. In a double action combination of a base, spaced. stops fixed to said base, an operating shaft journaled snap switchp'the'.

centrally'ofsaid stops, two crank projections fixed to said shaft at spaced points longitudinally thereof, a helical spring surrounding said shaft between said crank projections and having its ends bent outwardly normally to engage the respective crank projections, a movable pole member centrally apertured to receive the said spring therein, means projecting from opposite sides of said pole member for journaling it upon said shaft above and below saidcrank projections and provided with shoulders for normally engaging the bent ends of said spring outside. said pole member, and detent means adapted to engage and disengage said spaced stops, f

In witness whereof, I. have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of February 1924.

GEO. W. LIEBERUM.

Images