US1671845A

US1671845A - Electrical switching mechanism

Info

Publication number: US1671845A
Application number: US182366A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold E Stork
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1927-04-09
Filing date: 1927-04-09
Publication date: 1928-05-29
Anticipated expiration: 1945-05-29

Description

May 29, 1928.

H. E. STORK ELEGTRICAL swITcHING MEcHANIsu Filed April 9, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nnlllmil lllllly ...mim u V INVENTOR.

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ATToRNEY.

Patented May 29, 1928.

. 1,671,845 PATENTy OFFICE.

HAROLD E. STORE, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

ELECTRICAL SWITCHING MECHANISM;

n Application led Apri19, 1927. Serial No. 182,366.

This invention relates to an 'electrical switching mechanism for controlling the circuits of electrically operated direction signals carried by motor driven vehicles, and has for its object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forthy a mechanism of such class capable of being conveniently operated by the driver of the vehicle to selectively close. the circuits of an electrically operated direction signal to indicate right or left turn or a change in direction of travel.

Further vobjects of the invention are to' provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth an electrical switching mechanism for the purpose referred to which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, compact, thoroughly efficient in its use, capable of being installed in the vehicle within convenient reach of the driver thereof, and inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter moie specifically described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an oiiibodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote v.corresponding parts throughout theseveral views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of amotoi driven vehicle,'showing the adaptation therewith ofk an electrically operated direction signal of the typecapable of being seen in signalling position from the front or rear of the vehicle' and further illustrating in- Figure 7 is a perspective view of the conduct-or member.

Referring to the drawings in detail v1 indicates the body of a motor driven vehicle, 2 the steering column, 3 the steering wheel, 4 a signal which is suspended laterally from one side of the body of the vehicle by al bracket or support 5, 6 a source of electrical energy. 8 an electrical switching mechanism in accordance with this invention and which is clamped to the

steering column

2, and 7, 9, 10 and 11 circuit connections between the source 6, signal 4 and switching mechanism 8. The signalling system is of that type to permit of the signal 4 to be viewed from the front and rear of the vehicle or in other words whereby the signal can be indicated to a driver approaching from the front and a driver aproaching from the rear with respect to that vehicle carrying the signal 4.

The signal 4 forms the subject mater of my application Serial No. 182,365, filed April 9, 1927, and will only be briefly referred to herein and it includes a casing 12 provided at its front and at its rear with a .pair of

signal plates

13, 1,4, one having an indication thereon, such as Rightand the other having an indication thereon suoli as Left. The signal plates at the rear of the casing, correspond to the signal plates at the front thereof. The signal plates 13 are, green and the signalplates 14 are red. The casing is divided by a partition 15, forming a pair of lamp chambers 16, 17 and in each of which extends a lamp 18 which are in afnormally open circuit. The bracket 5k is secured to the bottom of the casing 12, and is ixedly secured, as at 18, to the body portion 1 of the vehicle whereby the casing 12 will be disposed laterally with respect to said body portion as shown in Figure 1, so the signal will be perceptible from both the front and indicated at 21, 22 and each is formed with i a boss 23. vEach fla-nge is provided with an opening 24 extending'through the boss and body of the ange and the wall of the opening is threaded. The flanges 2l, 22 are arranged in Aspaced relation and seated uponV and the outer' end of said plate has extend ing upwardly therethrough a pair of bind ing posts 26, 27. The binding posts extend a substantial distance above the upper face ofthe plate 19 and each is provided with a plurality of super-posed washers 23. The post 26 at its upper end is formed with a head 29, and the post 27 with a head 30. Interposed' between the head 29: and the washers 28` mounted on the post 26 is a contact terminal 31, and interposed between the head 30 ofthe post 27' vand the washers 23 mounted on such post, is a contact terminal 32. `The Contact terminals 3.1, 32 are oppositely disposed with respect to each other, as well as arranged in spacedrelfation, andeach consists of a length of resilient, conducting material, bent upon itself' and shapedin a manner whereby the ends thereof: will extend away from each other in opposite directions forming what may be termed' a V-shapecl entrance lorv each termi.- nal at its inner end. The :foldsl of the strips other than the freeterminali portions thereof arerarranged in .abutting relation. Each contact termi-nal is mounted? on a binding post at a point nearer the outer end' off the terminal than the inner end thereof. y The washersA 28: provide supports: for the terminals 31, The circuit conductor 'Z isattached to the bindiing post` 26.` andi the cifrcuit conductor 9 is attached. tothe binding yMounted: on the upper face off the plate 19 and positioned between. the' flanges 21,. 22 and: the correr member'- `20, is ai conductor memberV retorted: toygenerally by the reterence character' 33: andi best sho-wn: in Figure 7. The conductor memberI is. formed from-a plate ort conductingV material, indi- Gated' at 34 and slittedi lengthwise and with thematerial freed by the slit upturned to providea resilient` contact finger 35; The plate 34. hasits rear part extended upwardly kat an inclination, indicatedf at 36. The li-ngen 35 overhangs the slot 37 formed' by the material freed from the slit when uptfurned; to provide the linger 35. The linger 35eX1tends from fa; point between the transverse: median and. rearI` end ofI the plate 34 tof a. pointvbetweenjthe transverse median ward portion o the plate 34 to secure the latter in position.

. Coacting with the.

terminal contacts

30 and 32 for the purpose of selectively closing the circuits of the signal 4, is a circuit opening and closing element consisting of `an arm 40 formed of" insulation materialend which has secured to its lower tace, ay circuit closing member 41 which projects from the forward end of the arm 40.

Holdfast devices

43, 43 are employed for securing the circuit. closing member 41 to the arm 40. The holdast device 43 is in permanent electrical contact with the resilient contact finger The circuit opening and closing element is shifted to electrically contact with tliecontact terminal 321 or the conta-ct terminal 32 by a shitting rod 46, which carriesa polygonal'shaped nut 45, mounted in a correspondingly shaped opening 44 formed in the arm 40 at they rear end thereof. The rod 46 is provided: at its upper end? with a right angularly disposed handle 47. A spacing collar is interposed between the nut 4 5 and the plate 19 and is mounted on the rod 46; A securing nut, for the nut 45, is carried by the rod' 46. The rod 46 extends down through the plate 19 and carries on `its lower end ay retaining cap '5L The lower end of the rod' 46 is peripherallyI threaded as at 50. That part oi' the rod14f6 which is surrounded by the plate-1911s plane asl indicated at 51. The rod 46 isdisposedl in parallelism with respect to the column 2 and i it is connected with said column by a cla-mping band 52 formed with a barrel 53 for theV passage of the rod 46. The securing means Vfor the clamping band '52 is indicated at 52".

The cover member 20' is connected with 'the steering column 2 by a strap 54, which is 'secured intermediate its ends, las at155tothe column 2. Holdast devicesv 56, 57V are pro'-l vid'ed. for connecting the end terminalf'portions of the strap. 54 to. the' cover' member 20 The strap 54, in connection with the clampingv band: 52' maintains the rod 47' in parallelL ism: with respect tothe steering col'umn 2. The handle portion 47 of the rod4'6 is ar'- ranged in close proxin'lity toI theA steering wheel' 3; and projects: laterally therefrom.A The handleportion 47' is in convenient'reach of the driver of the car. y n

lf the circuit opening'and closing kelement is shifted in a direction so that the member 4'1f engagesra. contactv terminal 3'1, the1 circuit tothe signal 4 will' be closed:y for' the purpose of indicating Right andif the' circuitopen'- ing andf'closing element'is shifted in`Vr a'directioni so that the member 41 will'engage the contact terminal 32 the circuit to the signal will be closed for the purpose of indicating Left. When the circuit opening and closing element is shifted inpeither direction for circuit closingpurposes, it enters between the opened ends of the contact terminals andy as these latter are resilient they will friction ally engage the member 41.

It is thought the many advantages ofl an electrical switching mechanism in accordance with this invention, can be readily understood, particularly in view of the Jfact that it is in convenient reach of' the driver of .the vehicle so that it can be actuated to selectively close anyone of the circuits of an electrically operated direction signal to indicate the direction of travel of a vehicle, and als though the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, yet it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction can be had which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

That I claim is:

l. An electrical switching mechanism for Ithe purpose set forth comprising a pair of spaced contact terminals each formed of a resilient element having the ends thereof arranged in spaced relation, an oscillatory arm of insulation material, 'a circuit closing member carried by and projecting from one end of said arm and selectively engaging with said contact terminals at the opposed ends thereof for closing a circuit, a conductor member provided with an offset resilient contact finger in permanent electrical engagement with said circuit closing member and adapted to be permanently connected to a source of electrical energy, and a shifting rod for said arm connected to the other end thereof. i

2. An electrical switching mechanism comprising a plate, a pair of spaced binding posts extending therethrough, oppositely disposed contact terminals carried y said posts and each having the inner end thereof flaring, a shiftable circuit opening and closing element including a circuit closing member cooperating with the flared ends of said terminals and selectively engaging wit-h said terminals for closing a circuit, another binding post extending through said plate, and a conductor member in permanent electrical contact with the last mentioned binding post and formed with an offset .resilient contact finger in kpermanent electrical engagement with said circuit closing member, and shifting means connected to said element.

3. An electrical switching mechanism comprising a plate, a pair of spaced binding posts extending therethrough, op ositely disposed contact terminals carried by said posts and each having lthe inner end thereof fia-ring, a shiftable circuit opening and closing element including a circuit closing member cooperating with the flared ends of said terminals and selectively engaging with said terminals for closing a circuit, another bind ing post extending through said circuit closing member plate, a conductor member in permanent electrical contact with the last mentioned binding post and formed with an offset resilient contact finger in permanent electrical engagement with said circuit closing member, shifting means connected to said element, and a cover member secured to the upper face of said plate and enclosing said conductor member, contact terminals and element, said shifting means extending upwardly through said cover member and further extending through said plate.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature hereto.

HAROLD E. STORK.