US1791279A - Locking mechanism for switches - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 3, 1931. w. s. MAYER LOCKING MECHANISM FOR SWITCHES Filed Sept. 8, 1926 INVENTOR. MQZier S. We

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 3, 1931 v PATENT OFFICE WALTER S. OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA LOCKING MECHANISM FOR SWITCHES Application mm September a, 1926. Serial No. 134,171.

My invention is designed to provide improved means for preventing the accidental or undesired movement or disengagement of-a movable member, such as the pivoted blade of an electric switch, from a fixed member, such as the base or brushes of such switch, but permitting ready movement or disengagement of such movable member by a pull or thrust on the latching mechanism in the direction of desired movement 0 the switch blade.

It is well known that the magnetic effect of heavy current passing through a switch blade, and the weight of the blade itself when hung in inverted position, tends to disengage the blade from its brushes or wipes, and various latching mechanisms have been devised to overcome this defect. In such mechanisms, the latching is usually 30 effected by springing a movable tooth or jaw over a fixed tooth or jaw, and consequently the planes of the engaging surfaces must be so disposed that a sufficiently strong pull on the'blade will separate them or the blade must be moved inward toward its seat before it can be moved outward from its seat, with resulting complexity of construction and difliculty of operation.

In accordance with my invention, latching mechanism is provided comprising complementary fasteners fulcrumed or pivoted on the respective fixed and movable members of the switch, and the fulcrumed or pivoted member carried by the switch blade is rocked not only to move the latching tooth thereon out of latching position but to also move the latching tooth on the fixed member of the switch out of latching position, so that unlatching is quickly effected with but slight movement of either latching member. My improvements also permit the use of contacting surfaces on the latching members so inclined relatively to one another that a pull on the switch blade tends to tighten the hold of the latching members.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, a pull ring is pivotally connected with the end of the switch blade and pro vided with a plurality of teeth spaced by a projecting nose and cooperating with trig-- gers mounted on the switch base and elastically supported so that they give to permit the engagement of the teeth on the pull rin spring into latching position when the teet on the pull ring have assed the teeth on the triggers, and are roc ed by engagementof the nose on the pull ring when force is applied thereto to disengage the switch.

The characteristic features and advantages of my improved mechanism will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a disconnecting switch havin my improved latching mechanism app ied there to; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the switch shown in Fig. 1 mounted on a base; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4: is a detached top plan view of the saddle for the base trigger; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the saddle shown in Fig. 4:; Fig. 6 is a'detached top plan view of the base triggers; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the triggers shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a detached view of the pull ring and its connected triggers; Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the pull ring shown in Fig. 8; and Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a slightly modified form of pull ring.

As illustrated in the drawing, my improved latching mechanism is applied to a disconnecting switch comprising terminal blocks 1 and 2 provided with the terminal posts 3 and 4 for the attachment of electric conductors, the terminal blocks being preferably mounted upon a non-conducting base 5, or upon pillar insulators or the like.

The block 1 has formed thereon the clevis 6 in which the switch blade 7 is journalled by a bolt 8 havin thereon spring washers 9 and nuts 10. S rlng webs 11 are mounted on the block 2 an form wipes or jaws .between which the blade 7 may be entered to electrically connect the conductors engaged with the binding posts 3 and 4. In accordance with my invention, the block 2 has mounted thereon a saddle 12 in which is journalled a pintle 13 having fixed thereto the spaced triggers 14 recessed to form the teeth 15 and I sheet having inclined to s 16. The teeth of the triggers are norma 1y moved away from the wipes 11 by the action of a coiled spring 17 wound on the pintle 13, the movement of the trigger being limited by the engagement of cam surface or tail 18 of the trigger with the saddle plate.

A pull ring 19 is preferably formed from metal sides containing the aperture 20, the sides being spaced by a filler 21 of slightly greater thickness than the switch blade and leaving a space between the ends of the side members for the insertion of the end of the switch blade.

The pull ring is pivotally connected with the end of'the switch blade by a pintle 22, and the end of the filler 21 is so shaped as to provide stops limiting the rocking of the pull ring on the blade. The forward edges of the side membersof the pull ring are shaped to form teeth 23, 23 which are spaced by projecting nose members 24: having inclined edges.

As illustrated in Fig. 10, the filler may be omitted from the pull ring and the metallic side pieces bent to form shoulders 19 providing a space for the insertion of the end of the switch blade.

The switch blade is thrown from the open to the closed position by engaging a rod or hook in the aperture 20. The rocking of the ring 19 is limited by the engagement of an abutment of the filler with the end of the switch blade and the thrust or pull on the pull ring moves the blade toward the wipes 11. When the switch blade has partly entered between the wipes 11, the teeth 23 enga e the inclined tops 16 of the triggers 14 and orce them back against the action of the spring 17 so as to permit the teeth 23 to clear the teeth 15. The spring then restores the teeth 15 to their normal position in engagement with the teeth 23, thereby preventing the disengagement of the inclined engaging surfaces or the outward movement of the switch blade.

When it is desired to open the switch, a hook is inserted in the aperture 20 and a pull or thrust exerted on the member 19, which results in the rotation thereof upon its pivot, with consequent engagement of the nose members 24 with the inclined tops of the triggers 14, the retraction of the teeth 15 from the teeth 23 and the movement of the teeth 23 outwardly from the teeth 15, thereby disengaging the latching surfaces and permitting the opening of the switch. By making the surfaces of the teeth 15 and 23 inclined relatively to one another, the separation thereof by a pull or thrust directly upon the switch blade may be rendered impossible.

It will be understood that my invention is applicable not only to a single throw switch as illustrated but also to a double throw switch by merely placing a terminal block 2,

with its associated parts, on the opposite side of the terminal block 1 in reverse position to that shown.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. The combination with relatively fixed and movable members, of latching mechanism therefor comprising complementary fulcrumed fasteners on the respective members, said fasteners being rockable in opposite directions and said fasteners having inclined members adapted to coact to release and lock said movable member.

2. The combination with relatively fixed and movable members, of latching mechanism therefor comprising a fulcrumed latch on each of said members, and means for rocking said latches in opposite directions including a pull member having an inclined nose.

3. The combination with relatively fixed and movable members, of pivotally connected interlatching mechanism therefor comprising a fulcrumed device on each of said members and each movable from the other, one of said devices being rocked by the rocking of the other of said devices to release and lock said movable member.

4. The combination with relatively fixed and movable members, of latching mechanism therefor comprising a pull member pivotally mounted on said movable member and provided with an engaging tooth and inclined nose a trigger elastically connected with said fixed member and having a tooth and inclined top cooperating respectively with said tooth and nose first named said teeth and inclined top being offset from their respective pivots, and means limiting the rotation of said pull ring.

5. The combination with relatively fixed and movable members, of latching mechanism therefor comprising a pull member pivotally connected with said movable member and having spaced teeth with a nose between them and toothed members connected with said fixed members and cooperating with said teeth and nose.

6. A pair of complementai bers each mounted upon a evice. one of said devices being movable relatively to the other, said members having aligned fulcrums, one of said members having a projection retracted in one direction from the line connecting said fulcrums and a projection engaging and moving the other of said members upon the rocking thereof upon its fulcrum, and the other of said members having a projection retracted by said engagement from said line in a direction opposite the direction of said first named retraction.

7. The combination with a device having thereon a fulcrumed latching member forming a hook, of a second device having thereon a pivoted latching member having a tooth complementary to said hook and retracted from latching position by movement of said latch memmember on its pivot, and a nose movable by said movement of said member against said hook and retracting it from latching position, one of said devices being movable relatively to the other.

, 8. The combination with a device having thereon a latching member having a tooth, of a second device having thereon a complementary member having a tooth and a nose between whichsaid tooth first named is positioned in engaging position, one of said devices being movable relatively to the other.

9. The combination with a device having thereon a fulcrumed member having a pair of inclined edges, of a second device having thereon a complementary fulcrumed member containing a recess bounded on one side by a tooth engaging one of said inclined edges and on the opposite side by a nose engaging the other of said inclined edges, one of said devices being movable relatively to the other.

10. The combination With a device having thereon a fulcrnmed member forming a hook, of a second device havin thereon a pivoted member having a pair 0 projections on one side of said pivot, said hook being engaged by and between said projections, one of said devices being movable relatively to the other.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name this 30th dav of Aug, 1926.

WALTER S. MAYER.

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