US1809434A - Control switch circuits for automobiles - Google Patents

Description

June 9, 1931. R. K. WINNING 1,309,434

CONTROL SWITCH CIRCUITS FOR. AUTOMOBILES Original Filed Aug. 16, 1922 Q1 KW mw%7/md Patented June 9, 1931 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT WINNINQOF WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO CLUM MANUFACTUR- IN'G COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN CONTROL SWITCH CIRCUITS FOR AUTOMOBILES Original application filed August 16,

This invention relates to control switch circuits for automobiles and more especially to a switch of the dashboard type such as is commonly employed for controlling the lighting and ignition circuits of the machine. fiThe object of the invention is to provide a dashboard switch in which the movements of a single handle or lever may control all of the electrical circuits including the ignition and the bright and dim headlights, as well as the tail light.

This is a division of application Serial No. 582,210, filediAugust 16, 1922, now Patent No. 1,746,626, patented Feb. 11, 1930.

' Prior to this invention it has been the usual practice to provide separate switches for the lighting and ignition-circuits of automobiles, the latter of which is usually provided with a suitable lock for preventing the unauthorized turning of the switch and useof the vehicle. This practice necessitates the duplication of numerous parts, and where a tail lampis employed for parking purposes, frequently aseparate switch is provided therefor. It is the primary object of this invent'ion therefore to provide a switch which will combine in one structure all of the functions so far performed by the two or moreseparate switches, as was above disclosed.

'.In the accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views:

v Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a switch madein accordance with the present invention, illustrating thesame as applied the rear contact bearing plate of the switch omitted to illustrate more clearly the interior construction of the switch; and,

Figure 5 is a wiring diagram illustrating the switch constituting the present invention 1922, SerialNo. 582,210. Divided and this application filed April 24, 1928. Serial No. 272,468.

connected in the ignition and lighting circuits of an automobile.

In the said drawings, the numeral 6 designates a casing or housing of sheet metal or other suitable material which is preferably cylindrical in form, and which is provided with a flange 7 to which is secured, as by the screws or bolts 10, the flange 8 of the sheet metal or other cover member 9. A lever or handle member 11 is provided with a stud or pivot 12 which is ournalled axially in the said cover member 9, as will be clear from Figs. 1 and 2, and which carries a stamped metal cup-shaped member 18 within which is mounted an insulating plate or disc 14. The said member 13 is provided with turned cover cars 15 which engage the said insulating disc 14 to retain the same in place, as will be readily apparent.

Secured to the said insulating disc 14, as by the shouldered studs 17, is a metallic contact member 18. The said member 18 is preferably formed of resilient stamped sheet metal and is normally forced outwardly away from the surface of the disc 14 by small coiled springs 19, one end of which seat in recesses 20 in the disc 14 and the other ends of which seat in recesses formed by the protuberances, to be presently described.

The contact member 18 is preferably shaped substantially as illustrated in Figure 4, and is provided with a plurality of substantially hemi- spherical protuberances 21, 22, 23 and 24, which form movable contact points for engagement with other contact members to be presently described.

The casing 6 has secured to it the rear insulating disc or block 25 which serves not only to close the rear face of the said casing, but also to carry'a plurality of stationary contact members 26, 27, 28, 29, and 31, arcuately spaced around the said disc or plate 25, substantially as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

The arcuate distance between each of the members 26, 27, 28, and 29, as well as between the members 30 and 31, is approximately degrees, while the arcuate distance between the members 26 and 31 is approximately 80 degrees, and the distance between the members 29 and 30 is approximately 120 de 7 ed on their innersurfaces *ith depressions 32,

adapted to form seats for the protuberances of the contact member 18 whereby the latter member may be accurately positioned and 'held, as will be readily apparent. i The inner surface of the plate or disc i provided with similar depression 33, 3.4, and 35, the depression 33 being spaced midway between the contact members 26 and 31 and the depressions 34 and being equi-distantly spaced between the contact members 29 and 30, as will be clear from Figure 5. These last named depressions 33, 34 and 35 serve as seats for certain of the pro-tuberances of the contact member 18 when the latter is-in certain positions, and serve to further hold the said member 18 in its desired position.

' The contact members 26 and 27 are bridged or connected together bya metal strip 36, whilethe contact members 28 and 29 are connected together by a metal strip 37, and the contact members 30 and 31 are connected together by a resistanceunit 38. V

The insulating disc25 is further provided with the contact screw 43 which is provided with a spring clip 41 for receiving one end of a fuse 42,the other endof which is held in a spring clip '43 rigid with the contact member 26, as will be clear from Figs. Sand 5.

Thesaid' contact screw 40 is connected by nieansof a wire 44 to one side of a battery 45, the other side of which is grounded in the usual manner as by. the wire 46.. The contact member 29 is connected as by the wire 4'? to the component parts of the ignition circuitof the machine, the contact member 30 is connected as by the wire 48 to one side ofthe tail light 49, the other side of 'which is grounded as'by the wire 50, and the contact member 31 is connected bythe wire 51 to one side of the headlights 52, the other sides of which are grounded by the wire 53 in the usual manner.

The casing 6 of the switch is provided with a pair of ears 55 which may be stamped therein and which are adapted to be engaged byan arm 57 rigid with the stud 12 and movable switch member 13, as is clearly shown in Figs. 2 'and'4, for the purpose of limiting the oscillation of the switch handle 11. The face of the cap 9 is provided with suitable indications 58, while the handle 11 may likewisebe provided with a mark or other indication 59, adapted to coast with the indications 58 to show the positions occupied by the movable contact member 18. i V

- The operation oi the switch will be clear from the foregoing-but it may be briefly summariZed as follows.

Then the switch handle 11 isin the posi tion illustrated. in Figurel all circuits are 28, 34, and 31. Sinceno portion of the contact member 18 is in engagement with either of-the contact members 26 and 27, current fromthe battery 25 cannot flow past the'said contact members 26 and 27, and therefore the ignition and all lights are off.

However, should the switchliandle 11 be moved in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 1, until the indicating' mark 5.9 is opposite the indication IGN on the face of the'cap 9 such movement will cause the ' protuberances 24, 23,22, and 21 to engage respectively the contact members or-depressions' 26, 29, 35, and 25, thereby letting the current from the battery flow through the wire 46 to the fuse contact member 26, thence along the contact member 18 to the contact member 29 and wire 47 to the ignition circuit. When in this position the ignition is on and all lights are still oii.

Should the switch lever be moved still the indicating mark 59' is opposite the indication HI, then the various protuberances 24, 23, 22, and 21 will bemoved toengage respectively the contact membersor depres sions 31, 27, 29, and 30, thus completing both the ignition circuit and the circuit through the wire 51 to the headlights 52 and tail light 29. In as much'as one of the protuberances 24 is now engaging the contact member31, the resistance coil-38 is short-circuited and the headlightsv 52 will receive the flow of current, thereby'causing them to be brilliantly lighted. i

Should it be wished to'dim these lights for city driving, the handle 11 is moved still further in a counterclockwise direction until the mark 59 is opposite the indication D .I, V

35, which will cause the current to: flow through the coil 38 before reaching the wire 31, and thus interpose its resistance between i the battery 45 and the headlights 52 with a consequent dimming of the latter. It will be noted thatwhen in this position the ignition circuit is still on and the tail lightis also on. V

If desired, of course, a suitable lockmay be incorporated inthe switch to prevent, its being turned by unauthorized persons.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction as'well as the arrangement ofparts without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore it is not wished to be limited to the above disclosure except as may be required by the claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with ignition and lighting circuits in an automobile and a battery adapted to supply current for said circuits, of a support providing terminals in a common plane and in a common arcuate series, said terminals being operatively connected with said battery and with said several circuits, and a single switching element oscillatable with reference to said support and provided with electrically connected contacts adapted selectively to register with said terminals and in its several positions to establish various connections between said battery and said circuits.

2. The combination with ignition and lighting circuits in an automobile and a battery adapted to supply current to said circuits, of a switch having terminals arranged in a common arcuate series and in a common plane and respectively connected with said battery and with said circuits, there being a plurality of lighting circuits and a corresponding number of terminals, and an oscillatable contacting device complementary to said terminals and provided with electrically connected contacts adapted in the several positions of the said device selectively to establish connection between said battery and said several circuits.

3. In an automobile electrical system, the combination with a transformer and spark gap and a conductor leading thereto, a set of lights and a conductor leading thereto and a battery and a conductor leading therefrom, of a switch controlling electrical communication between said several conductors and provided with terminals operatively associated with respective conductors and substantially in a common plane, said switch including a movable contact element adapted in one of its positions selectively to connect said battery conductor alone with said conductor leading to said transformer and spark gap, in another position being adapted to connect said battery conductor with a light conductor, and in third position being adapted to connect said battery simultaneously with a light conductor and said first mentioned conductor.

4. In the electrical system of an automobile, the combination with an ignition conductor, a battery conductor and a lighting conductor, of a single set of fixed terminals arranged in arcuate series in a common plane and including terminals respectively connected with said several conductors, one terminal being directly connected with said lighting conductor and a second terminal being resistance coupled with said lighting conductor, and a single set of electrically connected movable terminals oscillatable on an axis normal to said plane and adapted selectively to connect said lighting conductor, said, ignition conductor, or both, with said battery conductor.

5. In the electrical system of an automo bile, the combination with an ignition conductor, a battery conductor and a lighting conductor, of a single set of fixed terminals arranged in arcuate series in a common plane and including terminals respectively connected with said several conductors, a first terminal being directly connected with said lighting conductor and a second terminal being resistance coupled with said lighting conductor, and a single set of electrically connected movable terminals oscillatable on an axis normal to said plane and adapted selectively to connect said lighting conductor, said ignition conductor, or both, with said battery conductor, and selectively to connect said battery conductor with the said first and second lighting terminals of said lighting conductor, the spacing of the relatively fixed and movable terminals and their respective connections being such that said battery conductor will be connected with said ignition conductor in each of a plurality of positions in which a connection is established between said battery conductor and one of said lighting terminals.

6. In the electrical system of an automobile, the combination with ignition, battery and lighting conductors; of a switch comprising nine arcuately arranged stations in a common plane; a first, second, third and fourth of said stations comprising terminals and a seventh and eighth of said stations comprising additional terminals; conductors connecting the terminals at the first and second stations and at the third and fourth stations, said conductors being in operative electricalconnection respectively with said battery and ignition conductors, a resistance connecting the terminals at the seventh and eighth stations, said lighting conductor being connected with the terminal at the eighth station; and a movable contact element oscillatable with respect to said terminals and provided with contacts adapted to register with selected terminals in the various positions of said elements, there being contacts spaced apart the distance between two consecutive stations on one side of said element and contacts spaced apart the distance between three consecutive stations on the other side of said element, all of said contacts being in electrical connection.

7 In the electrical system of an automobile, the combination with ignition, battery and lighting conductors; of a switch comprising nine arcuately arranged stations in a connecting the terminals at the first and sec- 7 0nd stations and at the third and fourth stations, said conductors being inoperative electrical Connection respectively With said batteryand ignition conductors, a resistance connecting the terminals at the seventh and eighth stations, said lighting conductoi' be- 111;; connected with the terminal atthe' eighth station; an-additionallighting conductor connected with the terminal at the seventh station; and a movable contact element oscillatable with respect to said terminals and provided with contacts adapted to register with selected terminals in the various positions of said elements there bein contacts s aced 7 D apart the distance between tWo consecutive stations on one-side of said element and contacts spaced apart the distance between three consecutive stations on the other side of said element, all of said contacts being in electrical connection.

' ROBERT K. WINNING.

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