US1721757A - Circuit connecter - Google Patents

Description

July 23, E929. w. R. WALKER CIRCUIT CONNEGTER Filed Aug. 21, 1924 WWW lNVENTOR Patented July'zs, 1929.

UNITED,

W ARRENR. WALKER, OF NEW DOBP, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO COOPER HEWITT ELEC- TRIO COMPANY, OF HOIBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.-

CIBCUIT CONNECTER.

Application filed August 21, 1924. serial No. 733,397.

My present invention relates to electric switches of the liquid flow type and particularly to such a switch in which two or more of theelectrodes thereof'are sealed through a vitreous wall of the envelope of the switch at comparatively short distances apart whereby manufacturing is simplified and the cost thereof minimizcdand whereby such device is adaptable for production in large quantities by hand or by means of comparatively simple machinery. My invention also relates to methods for the production of such switches.

Heretofore switches have been made of such design as to require expensive operations in the manufacture thereof whether such manufacturing was done by hand or by machinery.

I have discovered that manufacturing 2o switches of this kind'can be materially simplified and a great saving thereby procured by scaling in the electrodes or leads of such a device through the wall thereof at points compartively close to each other such as to adapt both seals to be made at one operation or by concurrent operations or by operations closely following each other. For example,-I pro vide a switch having two or more electrodes sealed through the glass wall of the envelope thereof at a unitary seal, the electrodes being spaced apart at a distance commensurate the current and voltage on which the switch is designed to operate. Sleeves of insulating material are mounted about the leads and electrodes, when desired, to enable the switch to be used with the higher voltages and amperages and with the leads comparatively close together and near to the seal-in.

It is an object of this invention'to provide 40 a switch of this type which is simple of construction and which can be made rapidly and cheaply either by hand or by simple glass working and other machinery.

Other objects of my invention will appear from the specification and drawing.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation View in part section of a switch embodying my invention shown in a closed circuit position v Fig. 2 is a similar view of the switch of Fig. 1, shown in an open circuit position, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawings the longitudinal envelope 1 of vitreous material such as glass has sealed therethrough. at the common seal 2 the spaced apart leads 3 and 4;; Atthe bottom of the envelope and at a point near said seal 2 is formed the cup 5 in the wall of the envelope and connecting with the main body thereof through a restricted opening. Within the envelope is provided a quantity of conducting material such as mercury 6. To said lead 3 is mounted the electrode 7 which is substantially U shaped with one leg longer than the other,

the longer leg being connected to said lead 3 electrodes 7 and 8 as shown in Fig. 1. Forv breaking circuit therethrough the switch is tilted so that the main body of mercury 6 flows away from the said electrode 8 and separates from body of mercury 6', which latter is held in cup 5 by the restricted orifice of said cup in a number of open positions of the switch as for instance the position shown in Fig. 2. In this osition the electrode 7 is in contact with mam body of mercury 6 and the electrode 8 is in contact with the body of mercury 6 and in moving from the position of Fig. 1 to the position of Fig. 2 current path is broken between the two bodies of mercury 6 and, 6 without subjecting the electrodes 7 and 8 to any arcing which might occur on such breaking. In reestablishment of current path as by moving the switch from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1 any arcing which might occur likewise takes place between the two bodies of mercury 6 and 6.

For dissipating heat and for quenching any sparking that might occur in the switch I provide the envelope 1, when desired, with an atmosphere of gas suitable for this purpose such as hydrogen, nitrogen, etc.

I claim:

1. In a mercury switch comprising a sealed longitudinal envelope, mercury in said envelope of glass like material, and two electhe vicinity of the level of the first. electrode.

2. A mercury switch comprising a longitudinal sealed envelope of glass like vitreous material, mercury in said envelope, a well formed in the wall of said envelope and connecting with the interior of the envelope, two electrodes sealed through the wall of said envelope at or near one end thereof, one having a portion extending into said Well, and the other of said electrodes extending into the main body of said mercury in an open circuit position and in a closed circuit position of the switch.

3. A mercury switch comprising a longitudinal sealed envelope of glass like vitreous material, mercury in said envelope, a well formed in the wall of said envelope and connecting with the interior of the envelope, two electrodes sealed through the wall of said envelope at or near one end thereof, one having a portion extending into said well, and the other of said electrodes extending longitudinally into the main body of said mercury in an open circuit position and in a closed circuit position of the switch.

4. In a mercury switch, a longitudinal sealed envelope of glass like material, mercury therein, a cup formed in the wall of said envelope, two electrodes sealed through one end of said envelope through a common seal, one of said electrodes termlnating within said cup, mercury in said envelope extending into said cup and connecting said electrodes in a closed position of the switch and in an open position of the switch forming two pools, one pool in said cup about first said electrode and the other pool in the main body of the switch and contacting with the other of said electrodes.

5. A' mercury switch comprising a longitudinal sealed envelope of glass like vitreous material, mercury in said envelope, two'electrodes sealed through the wall of said imvelope at or near one end thereof, one of said electrodes having a portion extending into a pool of said mercury in an open circuit position and in a closed circuit position of said switch, and the other having a portion extending longitudinally away from said pool and then bending hack on itself, the return portion extending into the main body of said mercury in said open circuit position and in said closed circuit position of the switch.

6 A mercury switch comprising a longitudinal sealed envelope of glass like vitreous material, mercury in said envelope, a well formed in the wall of said envelope and connecting with the interior of the envelope, two electrodes sealed through the wall of said envelope at or nearone end thereof, one having a portion extending into said well, and the other of said electrodes extending away from the first said electrode and returning on itself, the return portion extending into the main body of said mercury in an open circuit position and in a closed circuit position of the switch.

7. A mercury switch comprising a sealed 1 envelope of glass like vitreous material, mercury in said envelope, a well formed in the wall of said envelope and connecting with the interior of the envelope, two electrodes sealed through the wall of said envelope at or near one end thereof, one having a portion extending into said well, and the other of said electrodes extending above the surface of said mercury and returning toward said well, the return portion extending longitudinally into the main body of said mercury in an open circuit position and in a closed circuit position of the switch.

Signed at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, this 21st day of August, A. D. 1924.

' WARREN R. WALKER.

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