US1762892A - Electric coin-operated switch - Google Patents

Description

June 10,1930. w, H, RUTHER 1,162,392

ELECTRIC COIN OPERATED SWITCH Filed Spt. 10. 1928 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1m 10, 1930. w. H. RUTHER 1.16 .892

- I ELECTRIC COIN OPERATED SWITCH Filed Sept; 10, 192B 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTO I BY mm 71/. H )Puifjzer Patented June 10, 1930* UNITE rATEs PATENT-OFFICE WALTER flpRUTHER, on ST. Louis, MISSOURI ,nLncrRIc ooiN-oPERArEnswIron Application filed' september 10, 1928. Se'rialNo. 305,051.

The invention relates to a switch for con- I trolling the supply of current to electrically operated machinery, said switch beingclosed by the deposition of a coin of determinate value into a slot, and opened by the electrically driven mechanism after the latter has made a predetermined number of revolutions.

The switch includes means for breaking the circuit quickly to prevent injurious sparking, also means whereby the'circuit is initial 1y closed through the motor when the coin is droppedinto theslot and a short time there-- after permanentlyclosed until the machine to be driven has made the given numberof revo- I 2 embodiment of the invention, it is to be under v stood that in adapting themeans to meet specific needs and requirements, the design maybe varied and changes in the minor de-" tails of construction may be resorted towith- 30. in the scope of the invention as claimed, without departing from the spirit thereof.

For a full understanding of theiinvention and the merits thereof, reference is to-be had to the following description and the drawing' hereto attached, i n which:v t

Figure leis a perspective view vention; v

Figure 2 is aside view ofafcoinicontrolledi switch mechanism embodying the invention, thecover of the enclosing c'asebeing removed. 7 Figure 3 is a'sectional, View on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 lookingto=thelftasdesigmated y the arrows, g w

' Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line'4' 4 of Figure 2, looking in cated by the arrows. 3 c a Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the circuit. 1 i

7 illustrating; an applicationof an embodiment of the inthe direction indi I on the line 6.6 of Figure a Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 77 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view ofthev igure 6 isa'fragmentary sectional View lever forming'an element of the initially operable circuit closer. y Corresponding and llke parts are'referred in the several views of the drawing by like reference characters. 1'

Inasmuch as the switch is designed chiefly for useinconnection with electrically oper ated washing machines" it is illustrated applied to a machine of this type. However,- it is to be understood that the switch may be applied to any mechanism adapted to be'electrically operated so that upon depositing a coin of predetermined value in a chute or way leading to the'switch the circuit will be closed and the mechanism will be operated 1 to in the following description and designated during a number o f predetermined revolu-l Referring to Figure'l of the drawings the numeral-1 designates an electrically operated washing machinei 2 the electric motor, and 3 the shaft of the operating mechanismshow'n in Fig. l as connected with the motor by belt and pulley gearing. The'numeral designates generally the switchwhich controls the Cir-- cuit in'which themotor 2 is included, The" numeral 5 denotes connecting means between the switchand the shaft 3 or other determinate part of the mechanism driven by means of the motor 2. It is to beunderstood that "the component parts of the switch are housed withina suitable case which may be of an'y design and structure best adapted to'meet requirements. The numeral 6' denotes asuit- Y able frame upon {which the operating parts comprising the switch mechanism are mounted. A-shaft 7 'is mounted in'the frame 6 to receive both' a longitudinal and a rotary movement. A111 eXpansible helical spring '8 mountedupon an end portion of the'shaft 7 normally'maintains said shaft in a given position; with thetrain of gearing fully in mesh and also tends to maintain the gear i on the shaft 7 in mesh withthegear that drives it so as tofcompensate for wear 'between said parts. Pressure upon the shaft 7 in opposition to the spring and sufficient to overcome the spring effects endwise movement of the sha ft and disengages intermeshingelements of the train of gearing between the shaft and the driven mechanism so that inspection of the parts may be had and repairs or readjustment of the electrical connections may be made if necessary. A gear wheel 9 is fast to the shaft 7 and moves therewith. Disks 10 and 11 are fast to the shaft 7 and move therewith, said disks being preferably of insulating material. The-disk 10has a peripheral portion cut away and a metal contact 12 applied thereto. 7

A metal strip 13 is fitted to the remaining peripheral portion of the disk 10 and is electrio-ally insulated from the contact element 12. A spider 14 is disposed at one side of the disk 10 and is electrically connected with the contact strip 13. Contacts 15 and 16 are applied to-the disk 11 at diametrically opposite points. .A lever 17 is mounted upon the contact .15 and is normally spaced from the contact 16. Thelever 17 is weighted at one end, as indicated at 18, to hold its opposite end normally spaced from the contact 16. The lever 17 curves upwardly opposite the contacts 15 and 16to form a guard which in conjunction with the disk 11 retains a coin thereon deposited in the slot of the coin way 19 extending into the housing of the switch. Lugs20 project laterally from the lever 17 towards the disk 11 and are spaced apart a distance to engage a proper coin and support the same. A coin of less diameter, or a slug of a length less than the distance betweenthe lugs 20 will drop and fail to close the switch. A coin of predetermined value, when deposited in the slot of the coin way 19 will engage the .lugs 20 and be supported upon the lever 17 and overcome the weight 18 and depress the free end of the lever and initially close the circuit through the contact 16. A

brush'21 attached at one en'd to the frame 6 has its opposite or free end in engagement with the disk 10 to coact with the contact elements 12 and 13 for closing the circuit th'roughthe motor 2. A wire 22 connects the brush 21 with one pole of the motor 2.

A shaft 23 disposed at a right angle to the shaft 7 is provided with a worm 24 which is normally in mesh with the teeth of the gear wheel 9. A shaft 25 parallel to the main shaft 7 is connected by worm gearing 26 to thejshaft 23 and in turn is connected by worm? gearing 27 with the shaft 5 or like part to constitute connecting means between the switch mechanism and theoperating mechanism of the machine 1, or other part to be driven. The described train of gearing causes the shaft? to be rotated whenever the driven mechanism is operating and steps down the speed of the operating mechanism of the driven machine, with the result that the speed of the shaft 7 is extremely slow when compared with the speed of the part which drives itand'the machine may be operated an appreciable time for each complete revolution of the shaft 7.

The numerals 28 and 29 denote lead wires from the source of the supply of electricity and may comprise the component parts of an electric cord 30 which is adapted to be plugged into an outlet included in a system of house wiring. One of the wires, as 28, makes direct connection with one pole of the motor 2 and the other wire 29 is connected with the spider 14 which in turn is electrically connected directly with the contact 13 and indirectly with the lever 17 by means of a wire 31 and the contact 15. A wire 32 connects'the contact 16 with the contact element 12. v I

When the switch is properly installed it is included in the circuit in substantially the manner indicated in Figure 5 of the drawings, and with the curved portion of the lever 17 upwardly and the lugs 20 disposed horizontally. The'circuit is open by reason of the lever 17 being spaced from the contact 16. A coin deposited in the slot of the coin way 19 is directed to the lever 17 and issupported thereby by resting on the lugs 20. The weight of the coin overcomes the weight 18 and rocks the lever 17 to make contact with the element 16, therebyinitially and momentarily closing the circuit through the motor 2. The motor, being actuated, operates the driving mechanism of the machine 1 and by 2 reason of the connection 5 between said driving mechanism and the switch the shaft 7 has a rotary movement imparted thereto in a counter clockwise direction which results in the contact element 12 clearing the brush 21 and the contact element 13 immediately making electric connection with said brush. As the disc 11 is also secured to shaft 7 and rotates therewith the coin will be discharged from the lever 17 when it and the shaft 7 reach a certain point in their rotation. The circuit closed by the coin is as follows: from the source of supply through the lead 28, motor 2, wire 22, brush 21, contact '12, wire 32, contact 16, lever 17, wire 31, spider 14, and lead 29 to source of supply. When the shaft 7 reaches the point in its rotation'to eifect discharge of the coin from the lever 17 the circuit initially closed is broken by said lever 17 moving away from the contact 16 3 It is observed that the brush 21 clears the contact element 13 by a quick movement thereby obviating any appreciable spark when the circuit is-broken.

Having thus described; the invention, 1'

claim:

1. A circuit closing switch for motors controllable by the number of revolutions of the mechanism to be driven and including two rotatable circuit closing mechanisms connected to be concurrently rotated, one of said circuit closing mechanisms being initially operated to momentarily closethe circuit, and the other circuit closing mechanism subsequently coming into play to maintain the circuit after the initial circuit closing mechanism has assumed normal open position.

2. A circuit closing switch controllable by the number of revolutions of the mechanism to be driven, the same including av rotary member, normally open circuit closing elements thereon, a second rotary member connected with the first rotatable member to rotate concurrently therewith, electrically insulated circuit closing elements on said second member electrically connected with the respective circuit closing elements mounted upon the first mentioned rotary member, and a brush bearing against the second member and normally in contact with one of the elements thereon to effect closing of the circuit 'when the elements mounted upon the first mentioned rotary member are momentarily held in. contact, the rotation of the second member causing the brush to quickly shift from one element thereon to the other element thereon to maintain the circuit in closed condition after the momentarily operated the contacts on the second disk, the deposit of a coin causing the lever to close an initial circuit through the brush and the normally engaged contact and the rotation of the disks effecting discharge of the coin and breaking the initlalcircuit and causing the brush to immediately engage the other contact on the second disk and establish a working circuit.

5. A circuit closing switch including a shaft, disks secured thereon toturn concurrently, a lever and coacting contacts on one of the disks, the lever being constructed to support a coin and being thereby caused to engageboth contacts, electrically insulated contact elements on the other disk electrically connected withthe said lever and coacting contact respectively, and a brush in coopera-' tive relation with the said contact elements on the second disk, an initial circuit being formed when the lever engages both contacts" coacting therewith and said circuit being broken and the coin discharged byrotation of the disks and a working circuit being immediately closed through the brush and a contact on the second disk.

6. A circuit closing switch comprising a train of gearing including a shaft, spaced d sks mounted upon said shaft, a coin recelving and supporting lever and coacting contacts mounted upon one of the disks,-contact elements mounted upon'the other disk and electrically connected with the lever and 'a coacting contact respectively, and a brush in cooperative relation with the contact elements on the second disk whereby impact of a coinwill close an initial circuit and rotation of the shaft will discharge the coin and break the initial circuit and immediately close and maintain a working circuit.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WALTER H. RUTHER, [L.S.]

circuit closing elements have assumed noring the portion opposite the space between the contacts curved upwardly into arch form to cooperate with the disc in. supporting a coin, the deposit of a coin causing the lever to engage the normally free contact and close an initial circuit and rotation of the disc efi'ecting the discharge of the coin and breaking said circuit. I

I 4. A circuit closing switch including a rotating disk, a lever thereon constructed to support a coin, contacts on the disk to cooperate with the lever, a second rotating disk connected to the first disk to rotate therewith, electrically insulated contacts on the second disk, electrically connected with the respective lever and coacting contact, and a brush normally in engagement with one of

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