US1702715A

US1702715A - Time-switch-actuating means

Info

Publication number: US1702715A
Application number: US99861A
Authority: US
Inventors: Zbinden Emil
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1925-04-16
Filing date: 1926-04-05
Publication date: 1929-02-19
Anticipated expiration: 1946-02-19

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet l E. ZBINDEN TIME SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS /lvsl/LnrE/J/ed April 5. 1926 Feb. 19, 1929.

Feb. 19, 1929. 1,702,715

E. zBlNDEN TIME SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS Filed April 5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eulen-[ar Em l' l Zz'nden Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

EMIL ZBINDEN, OF SOLOTII'URN, SWITZERLAND.

TIME-SWITCH-ACTUATING MEANS.

Application filed April 5, 1926, Serial No. 99,861, and in Switzerland April 16, 1925.

This invention relates to device for automatically shitting accor ing to time curves, those adjustable contct-niemlfiers ot time switches which deter-m e periods of time of making and breaking the circuit.

According to my invention a time switch actuating mechanism embodying my invention is provided, which comprises at least one set ot worm gearing connected with a clockworl mechanism, 'the driving wheel ot which worm gearing matics one revolution per annum and whose individual teeth are so formed that when in juxtaposition they follow a. desired time curve, and the other driven wheel et the worm gearing transmits the forward and liacltward movements imparted to it by the driving wheel to an adjustable Contact member oit the time switch which effects the making and breaking ot a circuit, such as a lighting circuit, in the course of a year according to its position and corresponding to the time change arrangements of the circuit-closing and circuitbrealiing points occasioned by the course ot the time curve.

Preferably, the device comprises a plurality ot' Worm gears, one having teeth corresponding to a li gilt-ing curve, namely, aplot oi time periods for matting or breaking, or both malring and breaking an electric light circuit, and the other teeth corresponding to other time curves.

Conveniently, the device is driven by the main spri' et the clockwork mechanism of the time switch,

The invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination oit parts described hereinatter and pointed out in the claims.

One embodiment ot the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accom panying drawings wherein :-M

Figure l a vertical section through one torinot device according' to the invention,

Figure c .l a plan view thereof", and

Figure 3 is a development ot the periphery ol the driving worm `gea r.

'Figure 4 atace view of a type oit' switch device which may actuated by the switch actuating` mechanism.

Fio'ure 5 is a sectional View of the same.

The device comprises shitting means tor use in connection with means for actuating a contact device of a time switch oi' known sample in the wie i On the annular 1 ase l, of insulation, of this Contact device is mounted a cylindrical casing` .'23 in which is arranged the spring barrel 3 t the clocliivorl; meclmnism oi' the time switch. The spindle at which serves for windin up the main sprin is driven by the shaft 5. Fast on the nl per end of the spindle l is an eccentric l2 which actuates a pawl 6 engaging with a crown wheel 7. This wheel is tast on one end of the vertical shaft 8 located outside Jdie casing, the other end oit which shaft carries a pinion 9 meshing with the teeth l() of drum ll rotatable` on the casing i. The pawl 6 vturns the wheel 7 one tooth per diem and the gear ratio of the pinion 9 and teething` l0 is so selected that the drum ll rotates atthe rate of one revolution in one year.

ln the illustrative embodiment the drum ll has on its periphery four rings 13 arranged in parallel relation, each ol which is intended to operate as a worm gear and has at its periphery teeth arranged according to a predetermined time curve. The tee th of the lirst ring ot the series which are arranged accordingto a lighting curve, are shown developed in Figure Z3. This development may be produced by forming and arranging the teeth in such a manner 'that in the orbit of rotation olv the gear they Yfollow a time curve of periods for circuit making and breaking act-ions. As Figure shows, the teeth not only differ in pitch, but sonic of them are directed in the opposite direction to others.

The other rings indicated only in broken lines in l are provided with teeth arranged according to other time curves, for instance light extinguishing and light taritl curves.

lVith each worm gear meshes a pin wheel ll, journaled on a convenient part oit the casing Each pin wheel has two rings ot pinsl or teeth and lf3 in planes at righ t angles to one anotherr the one ri ng l5 meshing1 with the allotted worm wh-el, while the ring 16 serves tor transmit-tin the movements ot the worni wheel to a vertical shaft ll. These shafts 1.7 carry each at th ir opposite ends pinions la and 17" oi insulating material, the pinion 17a meshing with the toothed rim ot a contact ring 18 adjustably mounted on the insulated annulus l, and the pinion i271 meshing with the ring` it?, each worm wheel 13 is thus opera'tively connected in this manner within-ne ot the co c s and in thf ourse year curve represented by the teeth of the allotted worm wheel.

As stated, the switch actuating` device is employed for automatically shifting according to time curves those adjustable contact members of time switches which determine the periods of time of making and breaking a circuit. The term time curve includes lighting and extinguishing curves, and tariff curves, These curves are based upon the variation of the length of days during the year according to geographical latitudes. The lighting circuits, in which lamps are cut in or out in accord ance with such time curves,

f the times for lighting the lamps or extinguish ing them are plottable in curves, and these are known as lighting or extinguishing curves, respectively. If the time controller switch is'to cut in or out a boiler', for instance, in addition to controlling the lights, and the boiler is to be cut in only during the day time, when the current is sold at the lowest tariff, then the cutting inand cutting out curves for the boiler must correspond to vthe determined time curves. In such case the boiler cutting in curve will' correspond with the light eX- tinguishing curve and the boiler cutting out curve will correspond to the light switching in curve. This is what is known as a tariff curve. The worm gears of the actuating` device are designed to operate or control the contact elements of a time switch in accordance with such curves, and the teeth of each worm gear are accordingly set according to the plo-t of the curve for shifting the pin wheel actuated thereby either in a forward or a backwarddirection, as required in accordance with the curve, to shift the working parts of the time switch accordingly.

In Figures 4 and 5 I have shown suflicient of a time switch having contacts for controlling a circuit for enabling the operation of the switch actuating .mechanism to be readily understood. In these views, in the insulating annulus l, which serves at the same time as the clock face, there are rotatably journaled, one behind the other, the two

metal rings

18 and 19, well insulated from one another, and whose inner edge extends in a spiral line. On each ring thus there is formed an oiiisct 2O and 2l respectively. As long as these offsets cover each other, the contact arm 23, iixed to the hand 22 and extending across all contact rings (there may be more than only the two shown by way of eX- ample), will remain in contact `with the ring i9, since the latter is of smaller diameter than the ring 18. If, however, by means to be described further down, the rings are relatively displaced so that their offsets 20 and 2l coincide with different sections of the clock face, the contact arm 23, upon slipping off the offset 2l of ring 19, will contact with the ring 18 and remain in this condition until it slips olf its offset 20, whereupon it will contact with another ring (not shown). On cach ring slides a contact member 24 fixed on the annulus l (only one such contact member 24 is shown). AThe direction of the current is indicated by the arrows and 2G.

If, yas shown in Figures 4 and 5, the rings have different inner diameters, it is possible, by properly adjusting two .or more of these rings so that their respective offsets register exactly, to eliminate one or more completely for correspondingly varying the number of the switching operations.

If, for instance, each ring is connected to a group of lamps, it is possible, by adjusting the several rings in the manner described, to cut out one or more such lamp groups yfor required periods. A change in the succession of the switching operations in the case of rings presenting inner diameters of different eX- tent is not possible, for the reason that within 24 hours the contact member 23 can always only slip from rings of smaller diameter to those of larger diameter.

However, all rings may also have the same diameter, as shown in Figure l, in which case it is not possible to bring two or more rings into perfect registry, since in that case t-he member 23 will simultaneously contact with two or more rings, when the device, obviously, would become inoperative. In ,the case of rings of equal diameters,rthen, the number of the switching operations is not variable, Ybut their sequence is.

l. In a time switch actuatingy device, the combin ation with a movable member for controlling a circuit, a driving worm gear whereof the teeth are so formed that when in juxtaposition they follow a time curve, a driven worm gear that meshes with the said driving worm gear and is operatively connected with said movable member, and .mechanism for rotating said driving worm gear at the rate of one revolution per annum, substantially as described.

2. In a time switch actuating device, thel combination of a plurality 0f circuit-controlling members, a plurality of pairs of worm gears, one pair allotted to each controlling member, and comprising each a driving worm gear and a driven worm gear meshing therewith, mechanism for rotating the driving worm gears each at the rate of one revolution per annum and means operatively connecting the driven worm gears each with the controlling members, said worm gears having teeth arranged for motion transmitting actions at diiferent predetermined time periods.

3. In a time switchactuating device, the combination of clockwork comprising a main spring, a circuit-controlling member, worm gearing comprising a driving worm that is arranged to be driven by said main spring'at the rate of one revolution per annum and having its teeth arranged in a path for transmitting clockwise or counterclockwise motion to a part to be driven thereby at predetermined periods in a single direction of movement of said driving worm, and a driven worm gear that meshes with said driving Worm gear and is operatively connected with said controlling member, substantially as described.

4. A device for automatically operating adjustable contacts controlling the cutting in and cutting out time periods of time switches according to time. curves, comprising at least one worm wheel unit driven by clock work mechanism whose driving pinion makes one revolution per year7 and a driven Wheel operatedv by the worm wheel unit for transmitting motion to said adjustable Contact, the teeth of the worm wheel unit being arranged to extend on a course corresponding to a desired time curve and adapted to transmit forward or backward movements to the driven whe-el for correspondingly actuating the adjustable contact members of the time switch, whereby according to positions of the contact members and of the teeth of the worm wheel unit the members will be operated for cutting in and cutting out actions at predetermined periods in the course of a year.

Signed at Bern, this 24th day of March 1926.

EMIL ZBINDEN.