US1821026A - Switch operating mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 1, 1931. R. H. OLLEY 1,821,026

SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 7, 1927 FIG. 2

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAYMOND H. OLLEY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CROUSE-HINDS COMPANY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM Application filed November 7, 1927. Serial No. 231,585.

This invention relates to switch and fuse boxes and has for its object a particularly simple, efficient and economical construction for preventing access to the fuses when the switch is on and preventing the throwing of the switch to on position when the fuses are accessible.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations .and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of this switch box.

Figure 2 is an inverted plan view of the cover.

Figure 3 is a sectional View, parts being omitted, of the switch box and contents, the cover being shown in elevation.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 4-4, Figure 1.

This switch and fuse box comprises generally, a box having switch and fuse portions, a cover for the box, the cover having an opening leading to the fuse portion, a door normally closing said opening, switch operating mechanism carried by the cover and including motion transmitting parts located on the inner side of the cover and detachably connected to the switch mechanism in the switch portion of the box so that they detach from the switch mechanism when the cover is removed and actuating parts mounted on the outer face of the cover, means for locking the door in closed position, this means being located on the outer side of the cover and preferably on the door.

The switch mechanism and the door mechanism have parts on the outside of the cover which project into each others paths in such a manner that the actuation of the switch mechanism ap lies a force to the door locking mechanism to move the door locking mechanism to its locked position, if it is out of locked position, and the o eration of the door locking mechanism to unlocked position applies a force to the switch mechanism to open the switch, 1f the switch is closed, and also the door and switch mechanism are so ar ranged that operation of the switch is prevented when the door is open and the door held closed when the switch is on.

1 designates the box which may be of any suitable form, size and construction, it being open at 2 at its top.

3 designates a rocking switch member pivoted at 4 and having arms 5 and 6 which move into and out of engagement with contacts 7 and 8, the switch having an arm 9 by means of which the arms 5, 6 are rocked about their pivot 4, into and out of position to engage the arms 5, 6 with the contacts 7 and 8. The switch has a snap action. However, the construction of the switch forms no part of this invention and for an understand ing of this invention, it is merely necessary to bear in mind that the switch has an opening and closing movement.

10 designates fuses engaged with suitable contacts 11 and 12. The switch and the fuse contacts are mounted on a suitable base 13 and also suitable binding devices 14 are mounted on the base for connection to wires and enclosed in conduits coupled to the box in box in any suitable manner as by screws 17.1

18 is a door for closing an opening in the cover giving access to the fuse compartment, the door being preferably hinged at 19 on the upper side of the cover with the free edge of the door toward one end of the cover so that the hinges are located between the ends of the cover.

The motion transmitting parts of the operating mechanism for the switch as here shown comprises a rock arm 20 mounted on the inner end of a shaft 21 ournalled in the cover to rock therein and a lever 22 pivoted at 23 on the inner side of the cover and having a sl0t2 loropposingshoulders25 between which the lever arm 9 of the switch mechanism extends, this lever 22 being suitably connected to the rock arm to be actuated thereby, it being here shown as formed with a slot 27 for receiving a pin 28 on the rock arm20. The actuating part of the switch operating mechanism located on the outer side of the cover is here shown as a lever 29 mounted on the outer end of the shaft 21 and having a handle 30 at its free end.

The door lockin mechanism which is prei? erabl carried by the door 18 comprises a lever "31 pivoted at 32 on the-outer side of the door and extending from beyond the free e e of the door .to the hinged edge thereof.

The lever 29 and the lever '31 have projcctions 33 and projecting into each others paths at the hinged edge of the door, and arranged so that throwing of the switch to on position when the lever is unlocked is obstructed by the lever and if sul'iicient force is applied to the switch, the lever 31 will be thrown to its locked position, and it the lever 31 is moved to its unlocked position, such movement will {be obstructed by the switch lever 29 and if suiiicient force is applied to the lever 31, the switch lever will be moved to 0'5 position. Also, the projection 33 extends into the path of the hinged edge of the door to'pre-vent the throwing of the lever 29 to on position if the lever 31 is thrown to its locked position before the door is closed, or in-other words, when the door 18 is in open position, the :edge thereof between the hinge leaves is in the path of the shoulder 33 on the lever 2 9 and prevents the operation oi such lever 29 to on position.

The h nge pins 19 are carried at the ends of hinged leaves projecting beyond the edge of the door and the lever 29 extends between these hinge leaves. This arrangement facilitates the'coac'tion of the lever 29 and the-door and also the coaetion of the lever 29 with the lever 31. As seen in the drawings, the axis "of the hinge pins 19 'is located above the plane *of the door 18 and the hinge leaves on the door 18 normally incline downwardly. Hence, when the door 'is swung open, the hinged edge of the door moves in an are slightly outward'lyor to the right, Figure 2 until the inclined hinge leaves pass upward above horizontal position and during this slight forward movement, the hinged "edge of the door 18 clears the shoulder 33 on the lever 29. j

The love-r31 coaet-s at the free edge of the door with a suitable keeper or-overhanging shoulder 35 under which it moves when in locked position. The cover is also provided with perforated lugs 36 and 37 for receiving the "hasps of padlocks when the switch is in "011? position and the lever 31 is in locked position so that these parts can not be opera'tedexcept by an authorized person, these lugs 36, 37 and the padlock constituting means for locking theswitch and the switch "box.

The lever is detachably connected to the shaft '21 by a key controlled lock in order that the switch handle may be thrown to on position and then disconnected from the shaft 21 by unlocking the same and again thrown to or? position leaving the switch on so that the doorof the fuse compartment can be opened by an authorized person while the switch is on.

' As here illustrated, the lever 29 is keyed to the shaft 21'by a lock screw 38 threading into the lever at one side of the shaft and entering a hole in a lug or segment 39 on the shaft 21 and located in a recess 10 in the hub of the lever 29. The recess is wide enough to permit movement of the handle relatively to the lock when the lock screw is removed or loosened. The lever 29 is held from endwise displacement by a key 41 extending transversely of the hub of the lever 29 and tangentially through an annular groove 42 in the shaft 21. The head of the lock screw is shaped to receive a key and as here shown, the head is cylindrical and when inoperative position, located to fit a circular countersink in the handle, and the head is to receive a particular key or socket wrench. When the screw is in operative position with its head in the countersink, it can not be turned by means as a pair of plyers and can only be turned by a wrench or key capable of fitting the socket L3 and having an eccentric pin for entering the hole 44.

In operation, when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1, the switch can be operated in the usual manner. If however, the switch lever 29 is in on position and it is attempted to open the door 18, the moving of the lever 31 to unlocked position will be obstructed -by the projections 33, 34 or the movement of the lever 31 would cause the switch lever 29 to be 'moved to its off position by reason of the projection 34 pushing against the projection 33. After the switch lever 29 has been moved to off position and also the lever 31 moved out from under the shoulder or keeper 35, the door 18 giving access to the fuse portion, can then be opened, and while open, the operation of the switch lever 29 is prevented by the projection engaging the hinged edge of the door, and while the door is open, even though the lever 31 maybe shifted to its position occupied when the door is locked but with its end overlying the shoulder or keeper 35 instead of interlocking under the same, then the switch handle 29 can not be operated by reason of the projection 33 engaging the hinged edge of the door 18.

Owing to the arrangement of the mechanism on the cover, it is self-contained with the cover and removable as a unit therewith.

What I claim is:

1. The combination of a box havim switch and fuse portions, a cover for the box, the cover having an opening leading to the fuse portion, and a door closing said opening, switch operated mechanism carried by the cover including motion transmitting portion located on the inner side of the cover and connected to the switch mechanism located in the switch portion, and an actuating portion mounted on the face of the cover, means for locking the door in closed position located on the outer side of the cover, the actuating portion of the switch mechanism and a portion of the door locking means projecting into each others paths whereby operation of the door locking mechanism to unlock the door when the switch is on actuates the switch mechanism to throw the switch to off position, and actuation of the switch mechanism from off position to on position actuates the door locking mechanism to locked position.

2. The combination of a box havm switch and fuse portions, a cover for the ox, the cover having an opening leading to the fuse portion and the door closing said opening, switch operated mechanism carried by the cover including motion transmitting parts located on the inner side of the cover and connected to the switch mechanism located in the switch portion of the box, and an actuation part mounted on the face of the cover, means for locking the door in closed position, located on the outer side of the cover, the actuating part of the switch mechanism and a portion of the door locking mechanism projecting into each others paths whereby operation of the door locking mechanism to unlock the door when the switch is on actuates the switch mechanism to throw the switch to off position, and actuation of the switch mechanism from off position to on position actuates the door locking mechanism to locked position, the door, when in open position projecting into the path of the switchactuating part.

3. The combination of a box having a switch and fuse portions, a cover for the box having an opening leading into the fuse portion and a door closing said opening, a switch and fuses located respectively in said portions, switch operating mechanism carried by the cover and includin motion transmitting parts on the inner side of the cover and connected to the switch mechanism and an operating lever mounted on the outer face of the cover, means for locking the door in closed position comprising a lever pivoted 011 the outer face of the door, the levers projecting into each others paths to prevent acll luation of the switch for the purpose speci- 4. The combination of a box having switch and fuse portions, a cover for the box having an opening leadin into the fuse portion, a door for closing sai opening, the door being hinged to the cover, a switch and fuses located respectively in said portions, switch operating mechanism carried by the cover and including motion transmitting parts located on the inner side of the cover and operating lever mounted on the outer face of the cover and having a portion located in the path of the hinged edge of the door, a lever for locking the door closed, the lever being pivoted to the outer side of the door and having an arm extending to the hinged edge of the door, said levers extending into each others paths for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of a box having switch and fuse portions, an opening leading to the fuse portion, a door closing said opening, a switch and fuses located respectively in said portions, switch operating mechanism including a shaft extending outside of the box and a handle mounted on the outer end of the shaft, means for locking the door in closed position and operable from the outer side of the box, the handle and a portion of the door locking means and the door being arranged to extend into each others paths and to coact to cause the actuation of the switch handle to on position to throw the door locking means to its locked position, and the unlocking operation of the door locking mechanism to throw the switch handle to off position and key operated mechanism for operatively connecting the handle to the shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, and in the State of New York, this 29th day of October, 1927.

RAYMOND H. OLLEY.

GERTIFIGATE 0F (IQRREQTEDN.

Patent No. 1,821,026, Granted September 1, 193i, to

RAYMOND H. ()LLEY.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numhered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 87, after "is" inset't formed; and that the sai-ti Letters Patent shout-ti be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of ()ctoher, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE 9F CORREIITEON.

Patent'No. 1,821,026. Granted September 1, 193i, to

RAYMOND H. OLLEY.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correctien as ioiiows: Page 2, line 87, after "is" insert formed; and that the said Letters Patent sheuiii be read with this eorrectien therein that the same may cenfnrm is the record of the case in the Patent ()ffice.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of October, A. I). 1931.

M. J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissiener of Patents.

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