US1773595A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 19, 1930. a. J. MEUER 1,773,595

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed April 24, 1929 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 19, 1930 UNITED STATES GEORGE J. MEUER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN,

F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A

ELECTRIC Application filed April 24, 1

This invention relates to improvements in electric switches.

An object of the invention is to improve and simplify the details of construction and operation of such switches.

Another object is to provide a quick ecting; switch the parts of Which are of strong end durable construetionand of such form as to facilitate assembly thereof.

Another object is to provide a novel form and arrangement of the stationary and bridging contacts of the switch.

Other objects end advantages of the in Vention will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention which will now be described, it being understood that the embodiment illustrated is susceptible of H1OCll iication in certain respects without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as deiincd by the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a switch constructed in accordance with my invention,--certein of the parts being shown in elevation.

Fig, 2 is a similar View at substantially right angles to the section oi ig, 1..

S is a bottom plan view of the switch. n in Figs, 1 and f2.

is a plan view oi the that punched sting dislr or base,

is a perspective view of the roller diet or bridgino" member and certain of the actuating parts therefor, said ports being n in separated relation.

1g. 8 is a perspective View of one oi. the s'gationary contacts of the switch together certain parts to be associated therewith, arts being shown in separated relation,

, "Z is a perspective View of another of c tionary contacts.

rring to the drawings, the numeral 10 ignates a relatively thin but relatively l disk or plate, of suitable insulating nos-- 7 uch as beltelite; said disk being provi with three spaced sets of openings (as best shown in Fig. 4), each set comprising a, pair of openings Ill and an intermediate rela tiveiy larger opening 12. Disk 10 is further ASSIGN OR TO CUTLER-HAMMER, INCL, CORPORATION OF DELAWARE SWITCH 1929. Serial N0. 357,820.

provided With a notches 13. skilled in the plurality of short radial As will be apparent to those art the completely notched and perforated disk 10 may be formed by a single punching operation from sheet insulation of the desired thickness.

The manner of assembling contacts and their terminal plates with respect to the insulating disk is in general similar to that described in my prior Patent No. 1,666,338, dated April '17, 1928. However, in the present instance, the relatively narrow depending lugs 14? of the two ll-shaped end contactsllare oiiset slightly with respect to the center line of the main body Of the latter, as best shown in Figs. 3; and 7 and said contacts it which are identical in form are merely reversed in position to provide a predetermined relatively narrow space between the edges l4? thereof and the opposed edges 15 of the intermediate stationary contact 15. This arrangement further permits s'ufiicient spacing of the three sets of openin s ll, 12 to provide proper specing of the respective terminal plates 16.

The three terminal plates 16 ere identical in form andeach is provided with pair of the stationary ppenings l? to register with one set of open ing's ll in dish: 1% and a tapped opening; 1'8 which is slightly smaller then but registers with one of the openings The usual bind ing screws 19 into said openings 18 and the shanlrs tliereoii are accommodated by openings 12..

The ll-shaped i terinediate stationery contest 15 is in general similar to the contacts l i, it will be noted that the height of the contact 15 above the shouldered portions 315" (formed by the depending; lugs Flo is slight ly less than the height oi the shouldered portions li oi the latter, Hence the upper surface of contact 15 will be slightly offset downwardly with it spect to the upper iiat surfaces of contacts M, as best illustrated. in. Fig. 1. Thus the lugs I l and 15 are passed through several sets of registering openings 11 and 1? in disk 10 and terminal plates 16, and said lugs are then bent outwardly to secure the contacts 1 above position.

contacts and their respective terminal plates to the insulating disk.

A. strip of conite or similar flexibleinsulating material, bent to U-shape as shown, is preferably clamped between the intermediate terminal plate and disk 10,-the projecting ends 2O of said strip providing against accidental contact of wire beards with each other or with the adjacent terminal plates upon wiring of the switch.

t will be noted that the upper surface of intermediate contact 15 is cut away throughout the entire length of said surface to provide the opposed edges 15 which are spaced apart substantially the same distance horizontally as the opposed edges 14?, 15 aforedescribed.

The movable contact as shown may comprise a roller having two cylindrical end portions 21 and 22 and a relatively smaller cylindrical connecting portion 23 preferably integral therewith. The actuating means for the roller contact includes a substantially Y- shaped insulating member 24, the arms 25 and 26 of which are adapted to straddle the connecting portion 23 of the movable contact; and the end 27 of the reduced portion 28 of said insulating member is adapted for engagement with the lower end of acoiled compression spring 29. As shown, the insulating member 27 may be punched from a sheet of insulating material having the desired characteristics of substantial rigidity and durability.

The spring 29 and the shank 28 of member 27 are inserted sequentially into the hollow or counterbored end 30 of an actuating lever 31. Lever 31 is provided with a pivot pin 32, which is freely insertable within diametrically opposed openings 33 in a hollow bushing 34,-the opposite ends of said pivot pin being thereafter preferably upset as indicated at 32 to wedge or retain said pin in The upper portion of lever 31 is tapered toward the upper end of the bush- .ing, as indicated at 31 whereby in opposite extreme positions of the'lever the respective tapered sides thereof lie substantially parallel to the vertical inner wall of the bushing. This arrangement provides a sturdy pivotal bearing for the lever 31 and at the same time tends to prevent ingress of dust particles or other foreign matter into the switch chamber.

Extending outwardly beyond the bushing 31 is a knob 35 to provide for manual operation of the switch. Said knob may be of any desired form, but as shown at 35 the sides thereof converge inwardly toward the tapered sides 31. As will be noted the lower end of bushing 3a is provided with two relatively larger bores in stepped relation to each other to accommodate the oscillating lower end 30 of lever 31 and to limit the oscillating movement of the latter, as best illustrated in Fig. 1.

The lower end of bushing 34 is provided with a shoulder 36 and a reduced portion 37 to accommodate the perforation 38 in the upper end of a substantially hemispherical metallic housing member 39,-said reduced portion 37 being spun over or upset as shown to rigidly secure said bushing and housing to each other.

The diameter of housing 39 is substantially the same as the diameter of disk 10, and said housing is preferably provided with a plurality of integral lugs or projections 10 which enter the notches 13 and are then bent inwardly to rigidly secure the disk and the parts carried thereby with respect to the housing. As will be understood, such assembly of the disk and housing and their cooperating parts will result in a slight compression of the spring 29, such as to definitely maintain the movable contact in'any selected one of its three positions.

The upper .end of bushing 3a is exteriorly threaded, as indicated at 41, for cooperation with the usual clamping nut. A second nut or threaded washer i3 is provided, to act either as a lock nut or as an adjustment to provide for flush attachment of the switch to panels or supports of different thicknesses.

The switch illustrated is of the three-position type whereby the same is movable from its intermediate off position to extreme positions to selectively control a plurality of circuits. It will be understood, however, that one of the end contacts might be omitted and the two other stationary contacts shifted slightly to providea switch for controlling the continuity of a single circuit,- in which event the degree of oscillation of the actuating lever between opposite extreme positions would likewise preferably be reduced.

As best illustrated in Fig. 1, there is a slight amount of lateral lost motion between the hollow end 30 of the actuating lever and the shank 28 of insulating member 2%. Hence the initial effect of movement of knob 35 from right to left is to increase the degree of compression of spring 29, so that after said hollow end 30 engages the shank 28 for positive movement of the latter, sufficient energy will have been stored in the spring 29 to effect quick or soap movement of member 2 1 and the contactor engaged thereby to its next or intermediate position. Also it will be apparent that if desired the movable contact may be quickly transferred from one extreme position to the other by a single continued movement of the actuating lever.

While I have shown a switch having a relatively long bushing and a correspondingly elongated actuating lever, it will be understood that the lengththereof might be reduced if desired. The use of a movable roller contact adapted to engage the horizontal edges of the stationary contacts has many.

obvious advantages, including positive bridging action of the movable contact and ease of travel of the latter between its operative and inoperative positions.

What I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric switch. he combination with a cup-shaped metallic housing, a thin insulating base plate closing one end of said housing, means integral with said housing for securing said base plate thereto, a plurality of stationary contacts secured to said base plate and having their contact surfaces spaced from each other and from the inner face of said base plate, a metallic bushing secured to the other end of said housing, an actuating lever pivoted within said bushing and having one end projecting therefrom, the other end of said lever having a counterbore to receive a compression spring and the shank of an insulating member, and a substantially from the inner face of an l base plate closing cylindrical roller contact cooperatively engaged by said insulating member, said actuating lever being adapted upon osclilation thereof to effect compression of said spring and to thereafter positively move'said insul'ating member whereby said roller contact is quickly moved from one position to another selectively.

2. In an electric switch, the combination with a metallic housing, a'thin insulating one end of said housing, deformable lugs integral with said housing for securing said base plate thereto, a plurality of stationary contacts secured to said base platevand having flat surfaces spaced said base plate, the adjacent edges of said contacts being horizontally spaced from each other, an externally threaded metallic bushing secured to the other end of said housing, a metallic actuating lever pivoted within said bushing and aving an operating knob or handle projecting therefrom, the'circumference of said actuating lever at the pivot point thereof being substantially as great as the inner circumference of said bushing whereby entrance of foreign matter into the switch chamber is prevented, the other end of said lever extending substantially to the lower end of said bushing and having a relatively long counterbore to receive a compression spring and the shank of a Y-shaped insulating member, and a cylindrical metallic member having a reduced portion to be engaged by said insulating member, whereby said cylindrical member is movable with a quick action into bridging engagement with the adjacent edges of said stationary contacts or alternatively into en-- gagement with only one of said stationary contacts according to the position of said actuating lever. N

3. In an electric switch, in combination, an insulating base, a plurality of inverted U- shaped contact members secured to said base,-

- engagement with the intermediate aforementioned ing two terial and" the arms thereof a substantially cylindrical contactor adapted to seat within said cut awayportion and engaging theedges of the latter to resist movement of the contactor 'and'the adjacent edges of the contacts being spaced to receive said contactor, tactor comprising a pivoted leverhaving a counterbore in one end thereof, a coiled compression spring within said counterbore, and a member having one end loosely fitting within said counterbore and engaging said spring, the other end of said member being adapted to straddle said contactor, said parts being assembled with said spring normally slightly compressed and the arrangement being such that upon movement of said lever the spring is additionally compressed and the contactor thereafter positively moved whereby the energy stored in said to complete such movement tion.

4. In an electric switch, in combination, a relatively thin but relatively rigid flat base plate of insulating material, three substantially U-shaped contact members secured to said base plate, the flat contact portions of said members being spaced from the inner face of said base and the adjacent edges of said contact portions being spaced horizontally from each other, a substantially cylindrical contactor movable into and out of bridging engagement with the adjacent edges of said contacts or alternatively into stationary contact only, said intermediate contact having a cut away portion'providing spaced edges to receive and retain said contactor, an actuating lever for eifecting movement of spring is utilized with a quick acactuating means for said con- I said contactor, means for effecting such movement with a quick action,'said means comprising an insulating member having a portion straddling said contactor and a portion slidable within one end of said lever, a compression spring interposed between said lever and said insulating member to bias said contactor, and means for supporting the parts'in assembled relation. .5. In an electric switch, in combination, a punched plate of relatively thin but relatively rigid insulating material,saidjp'late h ving a plurality. of, space -sets ctiper lrati n in. p r ll 1 elat on; B a h; set @6 1 ris- .end p forati n and a .re at sly larger t ed ate p rf rat n;- 'ph allty ill) ice

of terminal plates underlyingsaid insulatg P a and, h v g perf ret ens; eg stering with the respective SQtSI OIPQIffQIQZlZIQ IiS, a p ra y ofsu st ntial yll-Shap d n membersov rlyiagl i ins l ing'pl tei'sai -f pedmemhe sh s rmed tstrip mahav'irigredued end portions to penetrate certain of the registering openings in said insulating and terminal plates, the reduced end portions of said U-shaped members being bent over said terminal plates to secure all of said parts in assembled relation, the contact portions of certain of said U-shaped members being spaced different distances from said insulating plate to provide a predetermined relationship between the adjacent edges of said contacts, one perforation in each of said terminal plates being tapped to receive a binding screw, a flexible insulating strip interposed between one of said terminal plates and said insulating plate, said strip having projecting portions providing barriers between said ter minal plates, a spring biased roller contactor movable with a quick action into and out of bridging relation to the adjacent edges of said stationary contacts, an oscillatable lever for effecting such movements of said contactor, and means for supporting all of said parts in assembled relation. 7

6. In an electric switch, in combination, a punched plate of relatively thin but relatively rigid insulating material, said plate having three equally spaced sets of perforations in parallel relation, each set comprising two end perforations and a relatively larger intermediate perforation, three metallic terminal plates underlying said insulating plate and having perforations registering with the respective sets of perforations, three substantially ll-shaped contact members formed of strip material and overlying said insulating plate, the arms of said U-shaped members having reduced portions to penetrate the end openings in each set and in each terminal plate whereby the contact portions of said 'U-shaped members are spaced predetermined distances from said insulating plate, the re duced portions of said U-shaped members being bent outwardlyover said terminal plates to secure said parts 1n assembled relation, and

. termediate stationary contact a spring biased rollercontactor movable selectively to opposite extreme positions into bridging engagement with the adjacent edges of said stationary contacts or alternatively into an intermediate position wherein it engages one of said stationary contacts only.

7. In an electric switch, in combination, a thin fiat disk of insulating material, an inand a stationary end contact on each side thereof, each of said contacts comprising a strip of sheet metal bent to inverted U-shape and having flat contact surfaces, the arms of said U- shaped strips having end portions of reduced width to penetrate corresponding openings in said disk, the contact surfaces of said end contacts being located in a plane slightly above the plane of said intermediate contact, the re duced end portions of said end contacts being offset laterally with respect to the center line Of the contact portions thereof whereby all of said contacts may be attached to terminal plates of predetermined width, the adjacent edges of said center and end contactsbeing spaced apart a predetermined distance and the surface of said center contact being cut away to provide opposet edges spaced apart a corresponding distance, a roller contact movable selectively into bridging engagement with the adjacent edges of said end and center contacts or alternatively into engagement with the opposed edges of said cut away portion of the center contact, actuating means for said roller contact comprising an oscillatable lever having a counterbore, an insulating member having one end thereof in positive driving engagement with said roller contact and its other end in loose telescopic engagement with said counter-bore, and a spring interposed between said lever and said insulating member to bias said roller contact into engagement with said center contact in all positions of said roller contact.

8. In an electric switch, in combination, a flat base plate of insulating material, a plurality of inverted secured to said base, said elements having flat contact faces and one of said elements having its contact face cut away longitudinally, a substantially cylindrical contactor adapted to seat within said cut away portion and engaging the opposed edges of the latter to resist movement of the contactor, the adjacent edges of the contact elements being also spaced to receive said contactor, actuating means for said contactor comprising an oscillatable lever having a counterbore in one end thereof, a coiled compression spring within said counterbore, and an insulating member having one end telescopically fitting within said counterbore and engaging said spring, the other end of said insulating member engaging said contactor, said parts being assembled with said spring normally slightly compressed, and the adjacent spaced edges of said contact elements being arranged at different heights with respect to the base plate, whereby the normal compression of said spring is maintained substantially constant in each operative and inoperative position of said contactor.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GEORGE J. MEUER.

U-shaped contact elements lit)

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