US1720896A - Slow-acting circuit controller - Google Patents

Description

J y 1929. F. w. HADERMAN 2 5 v SLOW ACTING CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Filed Sept. 12, 192'? rq z q ea INVENTOR.

v a ATTORNEYS.

- I Z Haoerman;

Patented July 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES FRANK W. HADERMAN, 01 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SLOW-ACTING- CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

Application filed September 12, 1927. Serial No. 219,143.

My invention relates to and has for a purpose the provision of a circuit controller by which an electrical circuit can be opened or closed after a predetermined time interval following a manual operation of the controller, so that in the use of the controller in a lighting circuit, for example, the controller can be manually operated to open the circuit,

but the actual disruption will be delayed a sufficient time to enable the operator to move to a remote point before the lamps of the circuit are eXtin uished.

I will escribe only one form of slow acting circuit controller embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view showing in side elevation one form of circuit controller embodying my invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged vertical sectional views showing different positions occupied by the mechanism of the controller and Fig. 4: is a fragmentary detail sectlonal I view of a regulating valve embodied in the controller.

Referring specifically to the drawing in which similar reference characters designate similar parts in each of the several views, my invention in its present embodiment comprises a box B of rectangular form which is adapted to be supported in a wall and is provided with a vertical partition 10 to divide the box into a pair of compartments 11 and 12, within the former of which is a snap switch S of conventional form.

' The switch comprises a movable contact arm 13 pivoted on a stud 14 mounted in a bracket 15 secured to and insulated from the rear wall 16 of the box, and a stationary contact 17 adapted to be engaged or disengaged by the contact arm, and secured to and insu-- lated from a side wall 18 of the box. Conductors 19 extend from the contact arm and stationa contact and constitute a art of an electrical circuit (not shown to e controlled by the switch. The switc is adapted to be actuated to suddenly open or close the circuit in response to movement ofa member M in the form of an arm secured in the compartment 11 to a shaft 20 journaled in the side walls of the box. Secured to the stud 14 and shaft 20 are a pair of relatively short arms 21 and 22 having their free ends reduced and receivin the ends of a coiled expansible spring 23, w ich is placed under tension during movement of the member M from one to the other of the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3, which tension is suddenly released when the member M passes dead center so as to suddenly rock the contact arm 13 from one to the other of its positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and thus suddenly open or close the circuit as is conventional.

The member M projects through a slot 24 5 in the partition 10 into the compartment 12 for operative connection to a device D by means of which movementof the member to actuate the switch is controlled. In the present instance the device D is in the form of a dash pot comprising a cylinder 25 having its upper end open and secured to the top wall 26 of the box B so as to rigidly support the cylinder in a vertical position within the compartment 12. The lower end of the cylinder is closed and provided with an opemng through which the stem 27 of a piston 28 reciprocable in the cylinder, extends, the stem being formed in two sections 29 and 30 having their confronting ends bifurcated and overlapping so as to interfit within each other. The sections are pivotally connected to each other and to the member M by means of a pin 31 extending through registering openings in the bifurcated ends of the sections and through a slot 32 formed in the member M as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, sothat the member will be directly moved in response to movement of the piston. The'closed end of the cylinder 25 is provided with an internally threaded tubular extension 33 into which is threaded a yalve in the form of a screw 34, for controlling a bleed port 35 formed in the extension so that the port opening can be varied at will to control the rate of influx and efilux of air to and from the cylinder below the piston.

A manually operable operating member 0 in the form'of a bifurcated lever is pivot- 10o 5 port 35 by the ally mounted on the box B at 36 for movement from one to the other of the extreme positions shown, in Figs. 1 and 3, and is provided with a slot 37 through which the section 30 projects, while a coiled expansible spring 38 surrounds the stem section 30 and bears at its lower end against a transverse pin 39 fixed to the section, and at its upper end against a washer 40 which is adapted to be engaged by the underside of the operating member.

A latching member L in the form of an arm is pivoted at 41 on a bracket 42 secured to the partition 10, and is normally urged by a spring 43 to a latching position in which the latching lip 44 of the arm is adapted to engage the operating member 0 and latch the latter in the position shown in Fig. 2. An arcuate cam surface 45 is formed on the latching member L and is adapted to be engaged by a pin 46 secured to the member M, when the latter occupies the position shown in Fig. 3, so as to move the latching member to a non-latching position with respect to the operating member and thus release the latter for manual movement to its other extreme position. 1

-The operation of the circuit controller is.

as follows:

Assuming that the operating member 0 I piston 28 will be disposed in the upper end of its cylinder 25.

When it is desired to open the switch, the operator grasps the handle 47 formed on the forward end of the operating member 0 and which projects through a slot 48 formed in a cover plate 49 for the front of the compartment 12, and moves the operating member to the position shown in Fig. 2 which constitutes its switch opening position. During this movement of the operating member it'compresses the spring 88 and is then latched by the latchingmember M against upward movement to its switch opening position under the expanding action of the spring 38. As the operating member is thus held against movement, the expanding action of the spring 38 is exerted downwardly against the stem 27 to urge the piston 28 downwardly in its cylinder 25. However, as the rate of movement of the piston is controlled by the rapidit with which the air in the cylinder below t e piston is forced through the bl'eed awn, the gim'ovemem of T the latter will be retarded-f'so th ii i 613 time will elapse following the operation bf the operating member 0 beforethe member M will have been -'rocke'd to the -position shown in atatp'en theswiteh sfi The' rate of movement of the piston under the expandin action of the spring 38 can be regulated by the valve 34 so that the time interval can be varied at will.

During movement of the member M to the position shown in Fig. 3, and after the switch S has been snapped to open position, the pin 46 engages the cam surface 45 of the latching member L so as to move the latter and disengage its latching lip 44 from the operating member, thus releasing the latter so as to permit it to be moved to its switch closing position at will. During movement of the member O to its switch closing position it engages the projection 50 formed on the section 30 at its upper end, and thus directly actuates the stem 27 to move the switch to closed position and restore the piston to the position shown in Fig. 2;

It will be clear that although the retarding action of the dash pot has been described as controlling the opening of the switch, it could as readily delay the closing of the switch by simply changing the position of the stationary contact 17 sothat it will be engaged by the movable contact arm 13 when occupying the position shown in Fig. 2.

It will be manifest that my invention is capable of many uses such as for instancedelaying the extinguishing of a lamp in the cellar of a building to allow one sufficient time to ascend a stairway to the floor above while the cellar is still illuminated, or allowing one to retire to bed before a lamp illuminating the bedroom is extinguished.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of slow acting circuit controller embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit, and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: i

1. A circuit controller comprising a switch including a stationary contact and a contact arm movable to engage or disengage the stationary contact to accordingly close or open the switch, a member operatively connected to the contact arm and mounted for movement from one position toanother to accordingly cause the contact arm to move into or out of engagement with the stationary contact, an operating member for the switch mounted for movement from one position to another, and means operable in response to movement of the operating member to one position, to move the first member to one of its positions after a predetermined time interval has elapsed followir'fg' movement of the operating member, whe ebya be 'e'fleeted, 'd'las meanscom nisin a dash poteincludin a cyl nd r'hav'ing a fluid-con i'ston therein operativelyassoc'iated is member for actuating the' liatsociated with the piston and operating memdel ayed:aetuati noflhe switch-will and yiel dable means "operativel ii; as

ber in a manner to be placed under tension tions so as to urge the piston to move in its ,cylinder against the retarding action set up in the cylinder, means for latching the opcrating member in its last mentioned position against tension of said yielding means,

and means operable in response to the movement of said first member to its last mentioned position to actuate the latching means and release the operating member.

2. A circuit controller comprising a switch including a stationary contact and a contact arm movable to engage or disengage the stationary contact to accordingly close or open the switch, a member operatively connected to the contact arm and mounted for movement from one position to another to according- 'ly cause the contact arm to move into or out of engagement with the stationary contact, an operating member 'for the switch mounted for movement from one position to another, and means operable in response to movement of the operating member to one position, to move the first member to one of its positions after a predetermined time interval has elapsed following movement of the operating member, whereby a delayed actuation of the switch will be efi'ected, said last means comprising a dash pot including a cylinder having a fluid controlled piston therein operatively associated with the first member for actuating the latter and yieldable means-operatively associated with the piston and operating member in amanner to be placed under tension by the latter when moved to one of its positions so as to urge the piston to move in its cylinder against the retarding action set up in the cylinder, means for latching the operating member in its last mentioned position against tension of said yielding means, and means operable in response to the movement of said first member to its last mentioned position to actuate the latching means and release the operating member, said latching means comprising a pivoted arm normally urged to a latching position with respect to the operating member and having a cam surface, and said last means comprising a pin on said first mentioned member adapted to engage said cam surface.

3. A circuit controller comprising a switch, a pivoted arm operatively connected to the switch and movable from one extreme position to another to accordingly open or close the switch, a pivoted operating lever for the switch manually movable from one extreme position to another, a dash pot comprising a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder having a stem extending through said lever means for retarding movement of the piston in the cylinder in one direction, a pin and slot connection between said arm and stem, an expansible spring surrounding and operatively associated with said stem and engaged by said lever so as to be compressed by the latter when moved to said one of its extreme positions, whereby said spring will act against said stem to urge the piston to move in its cylinder against the action of said retarding means to thereby slowly move said arm from one to the other of its positions and actuate the switch, a pivoted latching arm normally urged to a latching position for latching engagement with said lever when the latter occupies said one of its positions so as to releasably secure the lover a ainst movement under the urging tendency 0 said spring, said latching arm having a camsurface, and a pin on said first arm adapted to engage said cam surface during'movement of the first arm, and to thereby move the latching arm out of engagement with said lever so as to render the latter free for manual movement to its other extreme position, said stem having a projection thereon adapted to be engaged by said lever during its movement towards its other extreme position to thereby restore the piston and switch to their original positions.

4. A circuit controller comprising a switch, a member operatively connected to the switch and mounted for movement from one position to another to accordingly close or open the switch, an operating member for the switch mounted for movement from one position to another, means operable in response to move ment ofthe operating member to one position, to move the first member to one of its positions after a predeterminedinterval of time has elapsed following movement of the operating member comprising a dash pot operatively associated with the first member and yieldable means operatively associated with the dash pot and o crating member in a manner to be placed un er tension by the latter when moved to one of its positions to render the dash pot operative to delay movement of the first member to one of its posi- 11o sponse to movement of the operating member to one position, to move the first member to one of its positions after a' predetermined time interval has elapsed following movement of the operating member, whereby a delayed actuation of the switch will be eflected, said last means comprisin a dash pot including a cylinder having a uid controlled piston therein operatively associated with the first I member for actuating the latter and yieldable means 'operatively associated with the piston and operating member in a, manner to be placed under tension by the latter when moved to one of its positions so as to urge the piston to move in its cylinder against the retarding action set up in the cylinder, means for latching the operating member in its last mentioned position against tension of said yieldin means, and means operable in 10 response to t e movement of said first memher to its last mentioned position to actuate the latching means and release the operating member.

FRANK W. HADERMAN.

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