US1609324A - Electric relay - Google Patents

Description

s. s. sToLP y v ELECTRIC RELAY Filed JanQls, 192s @Houma Patented 7, 1926.

sentier s. aromi, or ivran'srrnnn, entro, AssrGNoR To THR onto BRass COMPANY, `or .niansninnn oirro, e connor-terroir or nnw JERsRY.

ELECTRIC RELAY.

Application filed January 1S, .1923. Serial No. 613,511.

My invention relates to electrically operated relays.

The object of my invention is to pro-vide a relay in which the opening of therelay or t-he equivalent element has a time factor in its operation.

It is very often desirable where relays are used to provide some means whereby the operation of the relay in opening or closing a circuit may be retarded as relates to the opening or closing oi' some other circuit, and such lapse of time maybe quite accurate and dependable with respect to predetermined requirements. Therefore, l have devised a means for securing a time element in relay operation and also means for varying and adjusting the time element in operation.

My invention resides in the new and novel construction7 combination and arrangement oi the various parts hereinafter fully described and disclosed in the drawing.

In ,the drawing accompanying this speciiication:

Fig. 1 is a side view in elevation of my device showing the circuit closing elements in an open position, and showing means for varying the time element operation described later which may or may not form a part ott the construction as desired.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. el. on the line 2-2 and shows the contacting` elements in a closed position without the adjustingJr mechanism a, Z), c.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of Fig. 2 showing the device mounted upon a board or other support.

Fig. el: is an end view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a modification of the two contact operating members showing means for varying the time element 'feature of my device.

Fig. 6 shows a modiiication later described here'm. Y l u ln the preferred construction embodying my invention l employ a frame member 1 preferably constructed oi magnetic Amaterial provided with threaded sockets 2 by rmeans of which the frame may be secured toa support. Secured to the frame 1 meansfof a threaded `engagement 3 is a magnetic corle l which is surrounded `with the coil @provided with leads 6 and 7 by means o while the coil 5 may be 'connected'tovanapparatus to. receirean electric `current :for the operation of 4`the relay. -Pi-vntallysecured to .the frame 'be readily seen i'rom Figs. 1 and 2. To the other end of the arm 9 is secured a Contact element 13 adapted to engage with a cooperating contact element 14 by means ot which an electric circuit may be closed when he elements 13 and 14 are iny contact. The Contact 13 is secured in a socket 15 by `means of a screw or pin 16 and the contact 14 is secured in a socket '17 by means of a pin or screw 18. The socket 17 forms a part of the arm 19 which is secured to a member 29 by means of 'the hinge kpin 21. The member 2O may be secured to the member 22 of the frame 1 by means of screws 23, but in insulated relation yto the frame 2 2. The member is providedv with an adjusting screw 211 which engages the hinged arm 19 for the purpose ot adjust-ing the distance between the contacts 13 and 14 and a spring 25 maintains the arm 19 in contact with the screw 24. rhis arrangement of the contact 11i in connection with the pivotally mounted and spring heldarm 19 permits of a better and more reliable contact between the,V members 13 and 111 when in their closed position. Any well known means may be used for connecting' a conductor to the arm 9 and the arm 19 in order to electrically connect the meinbers 13 and 14C to proper devices. Such leads may be connected to the screws 16 and 18 in the construction as shown, providing such.

leads are suiiicientlyvflexible as not to effect the movements and operation of the arms 9 and '19.

The operating arm 9 is provided with a boss 26 `which is permitted to engage with the .co-re 4c when the relay is in the closed position in which case there is a closed magnetic circuit through the trame' 1, the arm 9, the bossl2'6 and the' core 11, assall ofthese parts vare preferably made of magnetic `nia- .ere1, y,

lhe'control armklO is .provided with an aperture 27 through which theboss 26 may operate reelyand the upper tace'oi the.. arm 10 immediately surrounding the' apertiire has secured to it a disc 28 of non-magnetic material. This non-magnetic material is interposed between the operating arm 10 and the core 4, and therefore, prevents the arm 10 from sticking to the core 4 due to residual magnetism, all of which is well known in the art. There is formed practically a closed circuit through the frame 1, ^the arm 10 and the core 4, and the thickness of the disc 28 determines the magnetic gap in this circuit, and also controls or eiiqects the time that the control arm l0 is held in an upward position after the current in the coil 5 has been cut oil". rllhe thinner the disc 28 the longer the control arm 10 will be held in an upward position after the current has been cut oil ot the coil 5 for the reason that the residual magnetism in the core 4 will have a greater attractive eitect upon the control arm 10. The use of a `dise 28, however, does not permit of varying the time element in which the operating` arm 1() is held in an upward position and, therefore, I have shown a modification in Fig. 5 by means of which the control arm 1G may have its operation varied as desired. This modiiication comprises an adjusting screw 29 threadedly engaging` the control arm 10 and arranged to contact with the core 4. The screw 29 is preferably made ot a non-magnetic material and therefore in itself cannot adhere to the core 4, and the air gap 30 between the members 4 and 10 can be easily adjusted thereby effecting the time element operation of the operating member 10. rlhe member 10 is provided with means 31 to engage the arm 9 as shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a. modilication for varying the time element operation of the arm 10 in that I provide in connection with the arm 10 an arm fr so arranged as not to interfere with the operation of tho arm 9 and having a threaded arm 7) upon which is threadably mounted a weight c. By moving the weight c forward or back, the center of gravity about the Din 8 is varied, and the weight to be held in an upward position by the residual magnetism in the core 4 can therefore be varied, which in turn will vary the time that the control arm 10 is held in an upward position by the residual magnetism after the current has been cut olii" from the coil 5.

in the operation of my device the parts will presume to originally rest in the position showny in ig 1 and gno current is low ing through the coil 5t lf eur-rent is now sent through the coil 5 the core 4 will be magnetized, as is well known, and the magnetie flux set up will attract both the arms 9 and 10. The arm 9 will be in contact with the core 4 through the boss 2G and the arm 10 will be held close to, but out of actual contact with the core 4 by the non-magnetic disc 2S. The contacts i3 and 14 will now be held in engagement and the spring 25 will assure a positive engagement and at the same time remove the shock between the contacts 13 and 14, and the other parts upon their engagement, which would not be the case under the blow of the contact 13 it the contact 14 were rigidly held.

It the current is now cut oli ot coil 5 as by opening the circuit thereto or short-circuiting the same, there will be left a certain amount of residual magnetism depending upon certain well known factors, and this residual magnetism will continue to attract and hol-d the arm 9 in an upward position and in engagement with the core 4. In time, however, this residual magnetism will weaken and the arm 9 will drop to the open position, but it is well known that this time element or lag in the operation of the arm 9 is not dependable as to its unito mity of action. Also the residual magnetism` will be so strong as to retain the arm 9 in a closed position much longer than is desired.

Therefore, l employ the control arm l0 so arranged as to mechanically engage with the arm 9 through the end portion 31 of the arm 10.

It is well known that the non-magnetic disc 28 rmaintaining the magnetic arm l() from the magnetic core 4 thereby providing the equivalent of an air space between these members, that the residual magnetism in the core 4 will have very little or practically no perceptible effect in retaining the arm i0 in its upward or closed position and therefore its operation is more reliable, in that the time lag between its dropping or opening and the cutting oil' ot the current in the coil 5 is practically nil, but is practically constant during diilierent operations. Il I were to apply a non-magnetic element to the engaging tace of the boss 236 then the arm 9 would act in the saine manner as just described with respect to the arm 10, but 'this construction would, like in the case of arm 10, give practically no time lag bctween the opening ot the contacts 13 and 14 and the cutting oli oit the current in the coil 5. 'llherefore, l utilize the prolonged holding` effect yof the residual magnetism upon. the arm 9 due to their direct Contact, and the elimination oi' the holding eilect of the residual magnetism upon the arm 10 after the current has been cut ott" from the coil 5.

It will be readily understood that arm 9 is in engagement with the core the arm 19 held in an upward or closed posit-ion, and that if the current is cut of the coil 5 that the arm 9 will still be hel-d in an upward or closed position after the current has been cut oit', and it the arm 10 drops practically immediately due to the residual magnetism having no holding effect upon the arm 10, that the arm `l0 will llo dropped by the force of ,gravity and strike the'arm 9 lthereby.causing the arm 9 v,to drop by the torce 'of gravity and the time that the arm y9 is held in a closed kpositio'i'i Iatt-er the current is cut off trom the coil 5 will be the time in which the part 3l ot the arm l() is traveling downward until it strikes the arm 9.

It will be quite apparent that with the modilication shown in Fig. 5 that with a given construction the time lag in the operation of the arm l() and hence the arm 9 can be varied. lt will also be apparent that with the modification shown by the dot-ted lines in F l that the same is true. lt will also be evident that with a given construction as shown in F ig. 2, that iii' the distance between the points on the arms 9 and 10, which engage, is varied that the time lag in the opening of the contacts 13 and 1awill. also be varied.

In Fig. 6 is shown a means of adjusting the. contact distance between the arms 9 and l0 by means ot which the lag in operation of the arm 9 may be adjusted. This modilication consists of inserting an adjusting screw 32, preferably of non-magnetic metal, in the arm 9, one end of which will engage with the arm 10, and that by adjusting the screw 32, the contact distance will be varied between 31 and 9 and between 10 and 4t.

It will be seen that I have made the operation of the arms 9 and 10 independent of dash pots, springs, etc. which are variable as to their reliability and prefer to depend only upon such means as are practically unchangeable for the time lag operation o1" the arm 9. In tact, the only variable element is possibly the residual magnetism in the core 4e and this variation would be due almost eX- clusively to a variation in the current flowing in the coil 5 from time to time. It, however, the arms 9 and 10 are so positioned. that they are not movable away from the core t by gravity then it may be necessary to use springs to move the arms 9 and l0 to the open position.

As my invention may be applied to'apparatus intended for various uses there are naturally various constructions, combinations and arrangements ot parts necessary and such modifications will be apparent to one skilled in the art and therefore I do not wish to be limited other than by my claims.

l claim:

l. An electrically operated relay comprising in combination, a frame, current controlled magnetic means secured toV the frame, an armature pivotally mounted on the frame and moved upon its pivotal point by the magnetic means to make or break engagement with a circuit closing contact and held in said position by the residual magnetism in the magnetic means and gravity controlled means adapted to impinge upon the 'armatu after the 'current is cut o'lf from the magneticme'ans a predetermined time to 'reease the armature,"byimpact, from the influence of the residual magnetism and m'ove'it from its retained position.

2. An electrically operated relay comprising in combination, a trame, current controlled magnetic means secured to the trame, a pair of armatures pivotally mounted on the trame and moved in one direction only about a common pivotal point by the magnetic means when energized, one armature provided with means to make or break engagement with a circuit controlling Contact and to engage the magnetic means and be held in engagement with the contact by the residual magnetism in the magnetic means after current is cut otl3 from the magnetic means, the other armature arranged to engage the magnetic means when moved to one position and to engage the other armature b v impact when moved to the opposite position, means interposed between the second armature and the magnetic means to prevent its being retained in engagement with the l" magnetic means by the residual magnetism and means to cause the second armature to impinge upon the first armature to release it from the holding influence of the residual magnetism in the magnetic means.

3. An electrically operated relay comprising a current controlled magnetic means, an armature of magnetic material pivotally mounted to move into engagement with the magnetic means when the magnetic means is energized and be held in engagement therewith by the residual magnetism in the magnetic means after the controlling current is cut off the magnetic means, and means normally engaging the armature and movable by the magnetic means out ot engagement with the armature when the magnetic means is energized and movable by gravity into engagement with the armature ai'tcr a predetermined lapse of time after the controlling current is cut olf the magnetic means to move the armature out of engagement with the magnetic means.

4. An electrically operated relay comprising in combination, a current controlled magnetic means, a pair of elements operable by gravity in one direction and movable simultaneously in the other direction under the influence of the magnetic means and movable in the opposite direction at different times after the controlling current in the magnetic means is cut oli", the element first operating impinging upon the other element after a lapse ot predetermined time to move it in said direction.

An electrically operated relay comprising in combination, a current controlled magnetic means, a pair oit armatures each movable to two positions. both movable simultaneously to one position only by the lll) with the armature acting first and cooperating with the magnetic means to vary the difference in the time of operation of the two 10 armatures.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

SAMUEL S. STOLP.

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