US1731065A - Electrical switch - Google Patents

Description

1929- A. G. STEINMAYER ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Oct. 12, 1925 Patented Oct. 8, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALWIN G. STEINMAYER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, .ASSIGNOR, BY IVIESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO LINE MATERIAL COMPANY, OF SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE ELECTRICAL SWITCH Application filed October 12, 1925.

v This invention relates to certain new and useful lmprovements 1n electrical switches of that type illustrated in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,404,609, issued Hiram M. Hearn, J anu- M 24, 1922.

It is a general object of this invention to generally improve and simplify the construction of switches of the character described.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of improved movable switch contact members to insure good electrical connection between the switch members when closed and which will produce a quick break upon opening movement to reduce destructive arcing forces to a minimum.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of an improved switch of the character described in which all possible di; electric loss between the conductors and the contacts per se is reduced to a minimum and at the same time freedom of movement bethe opening of the switch, especially under sleet and ice conditions, and which is so de signed as to insure their positive contacting at the time the switch is opened so that the arc is sure to be broken at the horns.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description pro ceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view, with parts Serial No. 62,022.

broken away and in section to illustrate a switch unit embodying my invention, and

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of my improved switch, parts thereof being broken away and in section.

The improved switch unlt illustrated 1n the accompanying drawing is especially adapted to be employed 111 a seri s of three for use in a "l ll '1 t '1 b l'l r not ,3 use Cllolllt, are iou 1 1 W1 A e rear 1 y appreciated that any number of the units may be employed. In the accompanying drawbut a single unit has been illustrated which is mounted upon a transverse beam or supporting member 5, which may or may not be part of a supporting tower or platform,

not shown.

The unit proper consists of two movable switch member arms 6 and 7, of special construction to be later described, which are mounted on insulators 8 and 9, respectively. 7

The insulators 8 and 9 are preferably of the pettieoat type and are fixed on bases 10 and 11 carried by shafts 12 and 13, respectively, readily rotatably mounted in bearings 14 and 15, respectively, fixed, as at 16, to the beam 5,

the shaft 12 having its lower end 17 extended below the beam 5 to receive an operating means now about to be described.

The operating means for the unit, in the present embodiment, consists of a tubular 30 serrated for engagement with the serrated face of flange 28 formed on a collar 24. The collar 24-. is normally free on the shaft 18 and is adjustably connectible with the collar 21, and consequently the shaft 18, by binding bolts 25 passed through extended lugs 26 formed on the collar 21 and having washers 27 which bind against the adjacent peripheral edge portion of the flange 23 and upwardly extended projections 28 on the upper ends of the lugs 26. The collar 24: has an operating bearing 20 fixed to the tower or 85 lever 29 pivotally connected therewith, as at 30, so that the same may drop to a vertical position when not in use or to a horizontal position to rotate the shaft 18 and consequently the switch unit or units. The manner of connecting the collar carrying the lever 29 with the shaft 18 permits its convenient setting in any desired position, as the adjustment thereof may be readily accomplished from the ground without necessitating climbing up onto the support 5.

Each insulator has a metal cap or top member 31 mounted thereon and the outer end of the adjacent movable switch member or arm is fixed thereto by bolts or other means 32. The arms 7 are of channel or U-shape in cross section and their outer ends are preferably enlarged to fit the caps 31 and the bottom flanges thereof are provided with enlargements 33 in axial alignment with the axes of the insulators and carry anchors for the bolts or rods 34 which pass upwardly through the top flanges of the arms to provide an adjustable mount for the arc horns 35.

The are horns 35 are of hair pin shape as illustrated in the drawing and are designed to be placed under tension upon closing of the switch and to remain in en a ement until the t L) switch has been fully opened to thus carry any are which may be formed to the ends of the horns where it is readily broken. The inner end of each horn is formed with a loop or eye portion 36 which is secured between clamping plates 37 secured over the adjacent bolt 34 and there clamped by a nut 38.

Swiveled on the portion of the shank of lock bolt 34 positioned within the channel of the adjacent arm is a terminal anchor or block member 39 which extends laterally from the switch member and has anchored thereto, by a clamp member 40 and a socket terminal 41, the line or conductor 42. The socket terminal is bolted to the anchor arm 39 at a medial point, as at 43, and has one end of a lead 44 electrically connected therewith, the lead 44 being preferably of woven copper and having its inner end electrically connected, as at 45, with a contact member 46, now about to be described.

The contact members 46 are substantially identical in construction and, therefore, the description of one will suffice for both. The inner end of each movable switch member arm has its vertical wall bulged outwardly to form a recess 47 and the contact member 46 of that arm is medially pivoted therein by a pin 48, the inwardly extended end 49 of the contact member located in the recess having an ex pansile spring 50 confined between it and the recess wall 51 so that the contact portion or face 52 of the contact member is normally urged to have a good electrical connection with the contact member carried by the other switch arm when the switch is closed.

Extended laterally from the base 11 of the insulator 9 is a crank arni 53 which is pivotally connected. with the arm 54 of a bell crank 55 fixed to the base 10 of the insulator 8 by a link 56 connected with the crank arms 53 and 55 by pivots 57 and 58, respectively. The other arm 59 of the bell crank lever 55 is pivotally connected, as at 60, with an adjusting member 61 mounted on a longitudinally shiftable rod 62 which provides means for operating other units, not shown, from the unit illustrated. Should but a single unit be used, the arm 59 and the rod 62 are eliminated. The other units of the series differ from the one illustrated only in that an operating rod 18 is not connected with the extended ends of the shafts thereof and instead the ends of their shafts 12 are rotatably locked in position by bolts and washers 63, as illustrated in connection with the shaft 13.

Assuming the parts to be in the position illustrated in'l igure 1, rotation of the lever 29 in a clockwise direction with respect to Figure 1, simultaneously rotates shafts 12 and 13 and the contact portions 52 of the members 46 separate. The horns 35 remain in contact until after the members 46 have separated, thereby protecting the same against destructive arcing.

hat I claim as my invention is 1. In a switch construction, a support insulator, a movable switch arm having its in ner end mounted on the insulator whereby the outer end of the arm moves through an arc to circuit making and breaking positions, a contact member carried by the outer end of the switch arm, an anchor member having its inner end swingingly mounted adjacent the inner end of the switch arm, means for clamping line conductor to said anchor member whereby the stress of the line is carried thereby, a flexible conductor having one endelectrically connected with the contact member,

a socket terminal in which the end of the line conductor is electrically connected and means for securing said socket terminal to the anchor member with the free end of the flexible conductor impinged therebetween.

2. In a switch construction, a pair of rotatable supports, switch members carried by the supports, means for rotating-the switch .members to electrically engage and disengage the same, and inverted hair-pin shaped arcing horns carried by the supports and adapted to have good electrical contact at the time the switch is initially opened whereby the arc raises up on the horns and is broken therebetween.

3. In a switch construction, a pair of r0- tatable supports, switch members carried by the supports, means for rotating the switch members to electrically engage and disengage the same, and inverted substantially hair-pin shaped arcing horns carried by the supports and adapted to have good electrical contact at the time the switch is initially opened whereby the are raises up on the horns and is broken therebetween, said horns engaging prior to the engagement of the switch mem bers in the closing of the switch and remaining under tension While the switch is closed to thus assist in the initial opening movement of the switch.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature ALWIN G. STEINMAYER.

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