US1584306A - Switch for electric circuits - Google Patents

Description

May 11 1926-. 1,584,306

J. E. KENNEDY ET m.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS Filed August 20 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 46 7 39 TliuL v "I 35 27 6,8 3 6 5 noawboz JOI-IIV E. KENNFDY & a AREA/KIFEMwWMo;

J'. E. KENNEDY ET AL SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS May 11 1926. 1,584,306

Filed August 20, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 awuewbow JOHN E. KENNEDY 8t CLARENCE E. MOPFOPD.

H 23 QW Patented May 11, 1925.

UNITED STATE5 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. KENNEDY AND CLARENCE E. MGR/FORD, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

Application filed. August 20, 1923.

This invention relates to a switch for electric circuits and is designed more particularly for use in controlling the lights of an automobile or the like.

One object of the invention is to provide a switch by means of which the various lighting circuits may be conveniently controlled to cause such of said lamps as may be desired to be illuminated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which may be set to close the circuit to the headlights and then shifted to close the circuit to the dimmers without altering the position of the setting means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a switch of this kind which will be simple in its construction and operation and which will be of such a character that the parts thereof will not be easily disarranged or rendered inoperative.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the device is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of a switch embodying our invention; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 ot'Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the switch; Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the same; Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 2.

In these drawings we have illustrated one embodiment of our invention but it will be understood that this embodiment has been chosen for the purposes of illustration only and that the device may take various torn'is without departing from the spirit'oi the in.- vention.

As here shown the switch comprises a main frame consisting of a base 1, a front wall 2, a rear wall 3 and an intermediate wall or partition 4, the walls 2, 3, and l being preferably arranged parallel and being spaced one from the other Preferably this main "frame is formed from a single piece of metal the lateral portions of which are bentupwardly to form the front and rear walls, and the base of which is cut a 'ay between the back wall and the intermediate wall 4 to form an opening 5 in the base and the material thus cut away is bent upwardly to term the intermediate wall 1. Rigidly cured the base l b'eneath the opening 5 ti. rethrough is a late of insulatinginata rial (i r. which are iii-minted a the-stay m? Serial No. 658,312.

fixed contact members. In the present instance, there are four of thesecontact members each of which constitutes a binding post extending through the insulating plate and having its upper end shaped to constitute a contact member. If desired, an ordinary brass screw may be passed through the 1nsulating plate with its head above the same and provided with nuts by means of which the conductor may be attached thereto. In the present construction these four contact members are shown at 7, 8, 9 and 10. The contact member 7 is connected with the head light circuit, the contact member 8 is connected with the dimmer circuit, the contact member 9 is connected with the tail light circuit and the cont-act member 10 is con-- nected with the circuit for a parking light or such auxiliary light as may be employed on the machine. Mounted on the insulated base plate 6 and arranged above the respecthrough the block 12 and the insulating plate 6. The bolt projects some distance below the insulating plate and is provided with nuts 14 for attaching the conductor thereto, thus constituting the bolt a binding post. The plate 11 is bifurcated on each side of its point of connection with the plate 6 so as to provide the same with tour contact members, as shown at 15, 16, 17 and 18. These contact members being formed of resilient metal they will be normally supported in positions above but out of contact with the respective fixed contact members but maybe readily pressed downward into engagement with the respective contact members to establish an electrical connection between the same and the plate 11, which will be connected with a battery or other source of electrical current. It will be apparent, therefore, that when the several movable contact members are unrestrained they willoccupy inoperative positions with'relation to the fixed contact members and all the circuits will be broken. I A v I Suitable operating devices are provided depressing ted moval'sle contact members to' close the circuit through selected lamps and these actuating devices are of such a character that the circuits may be closed individually or in certain groups. The actuating devices may take various forms but, in the present instance, we have provided two levers, 19 and 20, which are pivotally mounted between their ends on a shaft, or bolt, 21 mounted in the back wall 3 and intermediate wall 1 of the main frame and arranged a short distance above the contact plate 11. Each lever extends parallel with one pair of contact arms, and 16 and 17 and 18, and is provided at its ends with means, preferably in the form of blocks of insulating n'iaterial', as shown at 22, to engage and actuate the corresponding movable contact members. The two actuating levers are mounted for movement about the same axis, are similar in construction and are independently operable, but the means for controlling the positions of these levers is such that they may be operated either independently or simultaneously according to the grouping of circuits desired. Preferably the levers are acted upon by springs which tend to move the same in one direction and means are provided for controlling the movement of these levers by the springs and for moving the same against the tension of the springs. In the present construction each lever is provided with an arm extending upwardly therefrom, the lever 20 having an arm 23 extending a short distance above the same and connected by a spring 2% with a fixed part of the frame, such as a lug 25, carried by the intermediate wall at. The arm 26 which extends upwardly from the lever 19 is of greater length than the arm 23 and is connected by a link 27 with a rock arm 28 mounted on a shaft 29 journal-ed in the front and rear walls of the main frame. The rock arm 28 is provided with a bracket 30 which is connected by means of a spring 31 with a fixed part of the main frame, such as a lug 32 carried by the base 1, the action of this spring being such as to move the rock arm 28 and consequently the arm 26 of the lever 19 toward the left in the drawings. The means for controlling the movement of the levers by the springs may take various forms but for convenience of operation we prefer to utilize a rotating devic having cam surfaces arranged in line with the arms 23 and 26 and the positions of which, with relation to said arms, will control the positions of the actuating levers 19 and 20. In the present construction, a shaft is rotatably mounted in the walls 2, 3 and 4, of the frame and is provided on that portion adjacent to the edges of the arms 23 and 26 with cam shaped portions, which portions are adapted to engage the respective arms and to limit their movement under the influence of the springs or to move them against the tension of the springs. The shaft 33 extends through the front wall 2 and is provided with an actuating knob or handle 34 and also has connected therewith a pointer 35 which is adapted to travel over an indicator or dial formed on the outer surface of the front wall 2, which constitutes the face plate of the switch. This dial is provided with a plurality of letters or markings to indicate the connections which will be established when the pointer is in a given position and preferably the face plate is provided adjacent to each indication with a recess 36 adapted to receive the inturned end of the pointer and secure the same against accidental displacement. Stops or pins 3. project from the face plate to limit the rotation of the shaft 33. In order that the inturned end of the pointer 35 may be moved into and out of a recess 36 a spring 38 is coiled about the rear end of tie shaft 33, which projects beyond the back plate 3 and is confined between said back plate and a stop or washer 39 mounted on the rear end of the shaft. Thus a forward pull on the knob 3d will disengage the pointer from the recess in which it is seated and when the knob is released the pointer will be pressed against the face plate and if it is in line with a recess will be moved into that recess. In the present construction, the shaft 33 is not provided with separate cam members but has those portions thereof adjacent to the edges of the arms and 26 cut away to impart to the shaft its-elf shapes which will properly control the two arms. The particular shapes of these portions of the shaft will be determined by the positions in which the levers are to be retained by the shaft. in the present arrangement of the mechanism the cam surfaces are of such a character that when the pointer 35 is in its neutral or zero position, as shown in Fig. 4, the arms 23 and 26 will be held in such positions that the levers 19 and 20 will be substantially hori zontal, consequently none of the movable contact members will be depressed. If the pointer is moved to position B on the dial both arms 23 and 23 will be permitted to move under the influence of the springs 2 1 and 31 to the left, thereby depressing the contact members 15 and 17 and closing the circuits through the head lights and through the tail light. If the pointer is moved to the position T on the dial the arm 26 will be forced back to its neutral positon but the arm 23 will remain in a position to hold the circuit closed through the tail light. If the pointer is advanced to position P, the arm 23 will be restored to its neutral position and moved past that position to depress the contact member 13 to close the circuit to the parking light. In the present construction, this is the last position to which the pointer can be moved in this direction. if the pointer is moved from zero to position D the arm 26 will be moved to the right to depress the contact member 16 and close the circuit to the dimmers and at the same time the arm 23 will be permitted to move to the left to depress the contact member 17 and close the circuit through the tail light.

in driving an automobile with powerful head lights it is frequently necessary to dim the head lights to avoid interfering with L driver of an approaching vehicle and in the application for patent tiled April 25, 1923, by John Kennedy, Serial No. titll gfi,

there is shown an apparatus designed to be operated by the knee of the driver tor quickly and easily dimmii'ig the head lights and then restoring them to their full illumination. lhe present switch is particularly adapted for use in connection with this de vice and to this end we have rigidly secured the rock arm 28 to the shaft 29 and have ex tended this shaft through the front wall 2 of" the frame and have provided the same with an actuating member 410 which is do signed for operative connection with the controlling mechanism of the above mentioned application. That controlling mechanism preferably compris a rock shaft ll mounted in suitable brackets arranged at the side or" the car and provided with a depending arm 42 arranged adjacent to the drivers knee so that a slight lateral movement of the knee will rock the shaft ll. Rigidly secured to the shaft l1 is a second rock arm 43 the upper end of which is connected with, or in engagement with, the actuating member or arm 40 in such a manner as to cause that arm to rock the shaft 29 in direction to move the arm 26 of the lever 19 to the right in the drawings and thus release the contact member 15 which closes the circuit through the head lights and actuate he contact member 16 to close the circuit to the dimmers. This is accomplished without shifting the position of the cam sha'tt by simply forcing the arm away from the cam surface and against the tension of the spring 31. As soon as the pressure on the controlling device is relieved the spring 31 will restore the lever 19 to its original position, thereby cutting out the dimmers and again brightly illuminating the head lights. This shifting of the circuit can be accomplished very quickly and very easily and the head lights are entirely dark but tor a very brief instant. To protect the switch against injury due to the violent operation of the controlling device we have established a yielding connection between the rock arm 28 and the link 27 which connects the same with the arm 26. As here shown the upper end of the rock arm 28 is slidably mounted on the link 27 and a spring 45 is coiled about the link and con fined between the arm 28 and a stop to secured to the link. This spring of sufiicient stillness to cause the link and arm 26 to be actuated by the rock arm but will yield in case excessive pressure is applied to the rock arm, before the switch is injured.

While we have shown and described one en'ibodiment of our invention we wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the details thereof as various modifications may appear to a person skilled in the art.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character described, a. plurality ot contact men'ibers, a corresponding plnrality 0t movable contact mem bers held normally out of engagement with the respective first mentioned contact mem bers, a pivoted actuating device having parts to engage and actuate the respective movable contact members, a spring acting on said. device to move the same .in one direction, and means to control the movement of said device by said spring, said controlling means being so arranged that when moved to one position it will retainv said ac tuating device in an intermediate position, when moved to another position it will permit said actuating device to be moved by said spring, and when moved to a third position it will cause said actuating device to be moved against the action of said spring and beyond said intermediate position.

2. In a device ot the character described, a plurality of contact members, a corre sponding plurality of movable contact members held normally out of engagement with the respective first mentioned contact members, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on an axis arranged between two of said movable Contact members and having parts to engage and actuate the respective movable contact members, a spring acting on said lever to move the same in one direction, and a cam acting a stop to limit the movement of said lever by said spring and to move said lever in the opposite direction against the tension of the said s n'ing.

In a device of the character described, a plurality of contact members, a correspending plurality of movable contact members held normally out of engagement with the respective mentioned contact members, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on an axis arranged between two of said movable contact members and having iarts to engage and actuate the respective movable contact members, an arm extending upwardly from said lever adjacent to the axis thereof, a spring acting on said arm to move said lever about its axis, and a rotatable member arranged adjacentto said arm and havi cam surfaces to engage said arm and limit the movement o't saidlever by said spring and to more said lever against the action, of said spring.

t in a device of the character described, a plurality of co; ct -iembers, a corresponding plurality ojt movable contact members held norm y out of engagement with the respective first n'ientioned contact members, a lever piv tally mounted between its ends on an axis arranged between two of said movable contact members and having parts to engage and actuate the respective movable contact members, an arm extending upwardly from said lever adjacent to the axis thereof, a spring acting on said arm to move said lever about is axis, and a shaft extending transversely to said arm and having portions thereof cut away to provide cam surfaces to control the position of said arm.

5. In a device of the character described, a plurality of contact members, a corresponding plurality or" movable contact members held normally out of or gei'i'ient with the t'r t mentioned ntz ct mcnibers, two independent levers pivotally mounted adjacent to said movable COiiLUCt members and each having parts to engage the respective movable contact members and actuate the same, and means to cause said lovers to move either in unison or relatively one to the other.

(5. ln a device of the character described, a plurality of contact members, a corresponding plurality of movable contact members held normally out of engagement with the first me tionea contact members, two independent levers pivotally mounted adjacent to said movable contact members and each having parts to engage the respective movable contact meml ers and actuate the same, a spring acting on each lever to move the san'ie in one direc ion, a manually actuated device to control the movement of said levers by said springs and to move said levers against the action of said springs either in unison or with relation one to the other.

7, In a device of the character described, a plurality of contact nembers, a corresponding plurality of movable contact members held normally out of engagement with the first n'ientioncd contact members, two independent levers pivotally mounted adjacent to said movable *ontact members and each having parts to engage the respective movable contact men'ibers and actuate the same, a spring acting on each of said levers to move tlr same in one direction, and a rotatable 1TlO1l1l')Cz" having cam shaped portions acting on said levers to cause the same to be moved either in unison or with relation one to the other.

8, In a device of the character described, a plurality of contact members, a corresponding plurality of movable contact memhers held normally out of engagement with the first mentioned contact members, two independent levers pivotally n'iounted be tween their ends and each having at its respective ends parts to engage the corre sponding movable contact members and actuate the same, springs acting on said sa ll arrr respective first mentioned contact mem- Jers, an actuating device comprising parts arranged to engage and actuate the respective movable contact members, means comprising :1 am. to control the position of said actuatirdevice, and means for in'iparting movement said actuating device with to relation to said controlling means.

10. In device oi he character described, a plurality of contact members, a corresponding plurality o1" movable contact memllPQTS held normally-out of engagement with the respective first mentioned contact members, a pivoted actuating device having parts to engage and actuate the movable contact members, means to control the position. of said actuating device, and other n' eans move said actuating device relatively to said controlling means.

11. In a device of the character described, a plurality of contact members, a corresponding plurality of? movable contact members held normally out of engagement with the respective first mentioned contact members, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on an axis arranged between two of said movable contact members and havir-g parts to engage and actuate the respective mo able contact mei'nbers, an arm extending above said lever near the axis thereof, a spring acting on said arm to move the same in one direction, a rotatable member having cam surfaces to control the movement of said arm by said spring and to move the same against the tension ot said spring, and other means for actuating said arm against the tension ot said spring to move said arm away from the first mentioneo controlling device.

12. ln a device of the character descr bed, a plurality of contact members, a corresponding plurality 0t movable contact members held normally out of engagement with the respective first mentioned contact members, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on an axis arranged between two of said movable contact members and having parts to enga e and actuate the respective movable cont: members, an arm extending above slever near the axis thereof, a spring on said arm to move the same in one run, a rotatable member having cam iacesto control the movement of said arm by said spring, and to move the same against the tension of said spring, a rock arm operatively connected with the arm of said lever, and an actuating member for imparting movement to said rock arm.

13. In a device of the character described, a plurality of contact members, a corresponding plurality of movable contact members held normally out of engagement with the respective first mentioned contact members, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on an axis arranged between two of said movable contact members and having parts to engage and actuate the respective movable contact members, an arm extending above said lever near the axis thereof, a spring acting on said arm to move the same in one direction, a rotatable member having cam surfaces to control the movement of said arm by said spring and to move the same against the tension of said spring, a rocl: shaft, an arm secured to said rock shaft, a link connecting the last mentioned arm with the arm of said lever, and an actuating member connected with said rock shaft.

14. In a device of the character described, a plurality of contact members, a corresponding plurality of movable contact members ield normally out of engagement with the respective first mentioned contact members, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on an axis arranged between two of said movable contact members and having parts to engage and actuate the respective movable contact members, an arm extending above said lever near the axis thereof, a spring acting on said arm to move the same in one direction, a rotatable member having cam surfaces to control the movement of said arm by said spring and to move the same against the tension of said spring, a rock shaft, an arm secured to said rock shaft, a link connecting the last mentioned arm with the arm of said lever, an actuating member connected with said rock shaft, and a yieldable connection between the last mentioned arm and said link.

15. In a device of the character described, a plurality of pairs of contact members, a corresponding plurality of pairs of movable contact members, separate actuating devices for the respective pairs of movable contactmemhers, means for controlling the positions of said actuating devices, and other means for moving one of said actuating devices with relation to said controlling means.

16. In a device of the character described,

17. In a device of the character described,

a plurality of contact members, a corresponding plurality of movable contact members held normally out of engagement with the first mentioned contact members, two independent levers mounted adjacent to said movable contact members and each having parts to engage the corresponding movable contact members and actuate the same, means for controlling the positions of said levers, and other means for moving one of said levers relatively to said controlling means.

18. In a device of the character described, a plurality of contact members, a corresponding plurality of movable contact members held normally out of engagement with the first mentioned contact members, two independent levers mounted adjacent to said movable contact members and each having parts to engage the corresponding movable contact members and actuate the same, a spring acting on each of said levers to move the same in one direction, a manually actuated device to control the movement of said levers by said springs and to move said levers against the action of said springs either in unison or with relation one to the other, and means for moving one of said levers independently of said manually actuated device.

19. In a device of the character described, a plurality of contact members, a corresponding plurality of movable contact members held normally out of engagement with the first mentioned contact members, two independent levers mounted adjacent to said movable contact members and each having parts to engage the corresponding movable contact members and actuate the same, a spring acting on each of said levers to move the same in one direction, a. rotatable member having cam shaped portions acting on said levers to cause the same to be moved either in unison or with relation one to the other, and means for moving one of said levers against the action of its spring and beyond the position determined by said rotatable member.

20. In a device of the character described, a main frame, an insulating plate carried by said main frame, a plurality of contact members mounted on said insulating plate, a plurality of resilient contact arms mounted on said insulating plate and arranged normally out 01 contact with the respective first mentioned contact members, independent levers pivotally mounted between their ends on said main frame and each having at its ends parts to engage the respective resilient contact members, and means to move said levers either in the same direction or in diflerent directions.

21. In a device of the character described, a main frame an insulating plate carried by said main frame, a plurality of contact members mounted on said insulating plate, a plurality of resilient contact members mounted on said insulating plate and arranged normally out of contact with the respective first mentioned contact members, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on said main frame and having at its ends parts to engage the respective resilient contact members, a spring to move said lever in one direction, and a cam shaped device to limit the movement of said lever by said spring and to move the same against the tension 01 said spring.

In testimony whereof, we afiiX our signatures hereto.

JOHN E. KENNEDY. CLARENCE E. MORFORD.

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