US1656383A

US1656383A - Safety switch

Info

Publication number: US1656383A
Application number: US378825A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter E Mccoy
Original assignee: Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: CBS Corp
Priority date: 1920-05-04
Filing date: 1920-05-04
Publication date: 1928-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 1945-01-17

Description

W. E. M COY SAFETY SWITCH Jan. 17, 1923.

Filed M314, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Wa/[er E. 440. (7

ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

Jan. 17, 1928.

' W. E. M COY SAFETY SWITCH Filed May 4, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WJ/zer EM:

AT'TORNEY W! NESSES:

Patented J an. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES H 1,656,383 PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER E. MCCOY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,' ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

' SAFETY SWITCH.

Application filed May 4,

My invention relates to switches and particularly to safety switches wherein the protective devices are entirely disconnected from the circuit.

a One object of my invention is to provide a reversible safety switch that shall have fuses and switching means for entirely disconnecting the fuses from the circuits when the switch is opened.

Another object of my invention is to provide a switch, of the above-indicated character, that shall have an oil-receptive means for enclosing the switching means.

Another object of my invention ,is to provide a switch, of the above-indicated character, that shall be simple in construction and reliable in operation. I y,

In practicing my invention, provide a supporting. base of insulating material that has a plurality of fuse receptacles mounted thereon. A plurality of barriers are mounted on one side of the supporting base to form compartments for the fuse receptacles and their fuses or for other protective devices. On the other side of the base, I provide a plurality of supporting brackets each of which 'has a switch-jaw member mounted thereon that is electrically con nected to a corresponding fuse receptacle. A plurality of terminal members, that are disposed within bushing members, are electrically connected to a second set of switchjaw members which are disposed adjacent the aforementioned switch-jaw members. Switching means are disposed on a movable shaft and. are adapted to so connect the corresponding switch-jaw members that the fuses are connected in the circuit when the shaft is turned by a handle provided for that purpose. Since the fuses are entirely disconnected from the circuit when the switching means are actuated, it is immaterial to which terminals the load and the line conductors are respectively connected.

enclosing hood for normally covering,the fuses. An interlock is mounted inside the hood which precludes the opening of the fuse compartment while the fuses are connected in the circuit and also precludes the fuses from being connected into the circuit while the fuse compartment is open. An oil tank is rovided to enclose the switching means. wo brackets that are mounted on so the supports for the insulatingbase serve to The fuse compartment is provided with an- 1920. Serial No. 378,825.

support the switch on a wall or other such. desirable place.

Figure l is a side view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of the switch embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an end view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of the switch shown in Fig. 1 and F1 3 is a diagram of the wiring connections.

3 switch 1 is provided with a fuse compartment 2 that has a base 3 of insulating material disposed therein. A plurality of fuse receptacles 4 are mounted on the base 3 for supporting a plurality of fuse members 5. A plurality of barrier members 6 of insulating material are mounted on either side of the fuses 5. An enclosing hood 7 is hinged at one end 8 and is adapted to entirely enclose the fuse compartment 2. A switch compartment 9 is disposed on the opposite side of the insulating base 3 and has aplurality of switch-jaw members 10 and 11 disposed therein. A shaft 12 is disposed adacent the switch-jaw members and a plurality of switch-blade members 13 are mounted thereon for electrically connecting corresponding switch-jaw members 10 and 11. The shaft 12 is supported, at its ends, by two

trunnions

14 and 15 that are supported from a bracket 16. A fluid-receptacle or tank 17 completely encloses the shaft 12 and the switching means comprising the switch-'aw members 10 and 11 and the switchlade members 13. A plurality of terminal members 18 are dis osed in bushmgs 19 and are mounted ad iacent to, and outside of, the tank 17. The terminal members 18 are electrically connected to the switch-jaw members 11, and the switch jaw members 10 are electrically connected to the fuse receptaces 4.

A handle 20 is provided with a lever arm 21 provided with a pin 31 that is adapted to so engage a slot 32 in a cam member 22 that is mounted on the shaft 12, as to turn the shaft 12 to effect engagement and disengagement between the switch-blade members 13 that are mounted thereon and the switch-jaw members 10 and 11. An interlocking member 23 is secured to the hood 7, and a laterally projecting pin 24 is so mounted on the lever arm 21 as to engage the periphery of an are on the interlocking member 23 and, thereby, to preclude actuation of the hood while the switch-blade members 13 and the switch-jaw members 10 and 11 are in engagement with each other.v The interlocking member 23 is provided with an offset portion 25 that is adapted to so engage the pin 24 as to prevent actuation of the shaft 12 while the hood 7 is in an open position. Two supporting brackets 26 and 27 are provided for readily mounting the switch wherever 'lesired.

When the switch is to be connected into a circuit, the handle 20 isactuated to turn the shaft 12 to effect engagement between the switch-jaw members 10 vand 11 and the switch-blade members 13 that are mounted on the shaft 12. Since the switch-jaw members 10 are connected to the respective ends of the fuses 5 and theswitch-jaw members 11 are connected to the terminal members 18 that are connected to the conductors in the circuit, the connecting of the switch-jaw members 10 and 11 introduces the fuses 5 into the circuit 28. Similarly, actuation of the shaft to eflfect disengagement between the switch-blade members 13 and the switchjaw members 10 and 11 entirely disconnects the fuses 5 from the circuit.

\Vhile the switch is in its closed position, the handle 20 is so disposed that the arm 21 that is actuated thereby precludes any movement of the interlocking member 23 and thus precludes any movement of the hood 7 to which the interlocking member 23 is secured. When the switch is in its open position, the arm 21 is so disposed as to permit the free movement of the hood 7 about its hinge 8. The hook 29 on the end of the portion 25 of the interlock member 23 so engages the pin '24 of the arm 21 as to support the hood 7 in its open position and also revent the actuation of the switching means y the handle 20. The switch cannot be actuated, therefore, until the hood 7 has been replaced to cover the fuse compartment.

While I have shown a preferred form of switching device embodying my invention, I do not limit it to the structure shown, as various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 7

T claim asmy invention:

1. 'A switch box comprising a door, a fuse compartment adjacent the door, a base in the compartment, a fuse receptacle-mounted on the base, a pair of switch-jaw members mounted on the opposite *side of the base and electrically connected to the fuse receptacle, a pair of terminal members mounted upon the base, a second pair of switch-jaw members mounted adjacent the aforementioned switch-jaw members and connected to the terminal members, switching means movable with respect to the switch-jaw members for electrically connecting the first switchjaw members with the second switch-jaw members and a fluid-containing receptacle therefor, a set of contact jaw members, one

for each pole of the circuit, secured to the closure member and extending into the 011 within the receptacle, feed and load terminals connected to the switch-jaw members mounted on the closure member and extending exteriorly of the receptacle, fuse members mounted on the closure member exteriorly thereof, a second set of contact jaw members, one for each pole of the circuit, connected to the fuse members and a switch member, movable to open 1 and closed positions for so connecting the contact members of. different sets that the fuse members are energized only when the switch is in closed position.

3. An oil switch for an electric circuit comprising a receptacle for oil, a closure member therefor, a set of contact jaw members, one for each pole of the circuit, secured to the. closure member and extending into the oil within the receptacle, feed and load terminals connected to the contact jaw members mounted on the closure member and extending exteriorly of the receptacle, fuse members mounted on the closure member exteriorly thereof, a second set of contact jaw members,

.one for each pole of the circuit, connected to the fuse members, a switch member movable with respect to all contact jaw members to open and to closed positions for so connecting the contact jaw members of different sets that the fusemembers are energized only when the switch is in closed position, a cover for the fuse members and means for so interlocking the cover with the switch that the switch cannot be actuated when the cover is open and the cover cannot be moved to open position when the switch is closed.

4. A oil switch for an electric circuit comprising .a receptacle for oil, a closure member therefor, having overhanging end portions a pair of contact jaw members secured to the closure member and extending into the oil within the receptacle, a feed terminal and a load terminal mounted on the overhanging portions of the closure inember and, each connected to a different contact jaw member of the said pairfa fuse member mounted on the closure member esteriorly thereof, a second pair of contact jaw members connected to the said fuse member and extending into the oil within the receptacle and a movable conductive switch element emersed in the oil for conductively connect ing the contact jaw members of one pair with corresponding contact members of the other pair.

5. An oil switch for an electric circuit comprising an oil receptacle, an insulating closure member therefor having overhang- IOU ing portions, terminal members for exterior conductors disposed adjacent the exterior of the receptacle and partially embedded in the overhanging portions, a pair of contact jaw members partially embedded in the closure member and extending intothe receptacle, conductors embedded in the closure member for connecting the terminal members to the said contact jaw member s, fuse terminals mounted on the. closure member exteriorly thereof, a second-pair of contact jawniembers partially embedded within the closure member and extending into the receptacle, connectors embedded in the closure member for connecting the fuse terminals to the second paif'ofTontact' jaw members and a switch member within the receptacle for conductively connecting the contact j'awmembers of one pair to thecontact jawmembers of the other pair.

6. An oil switch for an electric circuit comprising an oil receptacle, an insulating closure member therefor having overhanging portions, terminal members for exterior conductors disposed adjacent the exterior of the receptacle and partially embedded in the overhanging portions, a pair of contact jaw members partially embedded in the closure member and extending into the receptacles, conductors embedded in the closure member for connecting the terminal members to the said contact jaw members, fuse terminals mounted on the closure member exterior-1y thereof, asecond pair of contact jaw members partially embedded within the closure member and extending into the receptacle, connectors embedded in the closure member for connecting the fuse terminals to the sec ond pair of contact jaw members, a switch member within the receptacle for conductively connecting the contact jaw members of one pair to the contact jaw members of the other pair'and a cover hinged to the closure member for enclosing the said fuse memher.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this first day of April,

WALTERY E. MCCOY. 1-