US1844493A - Range control switch - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 9, 1932. c, AALBVQRGQ 1,844,493

' RANGE CONTROL SWITCH Filed Oct. 22, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l i WITNESSES: 2/ 26 INVENTOR 5. J Chr/s/van fia/bo g. W

ATTdRNEY Feb. 9, 1932. c AALBORG 1,844,493

RANGE CONTROL SWITCH Filed Oct. 22, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I BY 9 Patented Feb. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES'PATENT OFFICE CHRISTIAN AALLBORG, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMI'ANY, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA RANGE common swrrcn Application filed October 22, 1926. Serial No. 143,411.

My invention relates to circuit-controlling devices and more particularly to small switches used in connection with household appliances.

One object of my invention is toprovide a switch that shall be set in one position preparatory to being moved through a series of positions.

Another object of my invention is to provide a switch that shall be set in one position and biased to another position by automatically controlled operating means.

Another object of my invention is to pro- I vide a switch that shall be set in one position and subsequently moved through a series of positions upon the actuation of a single electromagnet.

Another object of my invention is to provide a switch, the electrical position of which shall be readily distinguishable by observation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a switch that shall be particularly useful in connection with electrical appliances wherein it is desired to employ a switch to automatically perform a plurality of operations.

In the operation of an electrical appliance, particularly an electric range, it is often found-desirable to set the main control switch in such position that a circuit through the appliance may be closed at a desired hour and remain closed for a predetermined time. In connection with an electrical range this advantage is particularly pronounced when a clock is set to heat the oven at a given hour and the current through 'the oven is interrupted when the oven has reached a given temperature, all of these operations being automatically erformed after the setting of the clock and t e control switch.

Heretofore, it has been the general practice to employ snap switches in connection with electrical ranges that necessitated the operator walking to the switch to determine whether it is in its on or off position.

In the present invention, I provide a switch with an operating handle, the position of which readily indicates the on or off position of the switch. The position of the opcomplishing the foregoing objects and to the details of construction illustrated in the ac companying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a switch embodying my invention in its off position.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the switch shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the switch in its set position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the switch in its on position.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail side elevational and ed e views, respectively, of the switch arm.

igs. 7 and 8 are similar views, of the switch arm trigger.

Figs. 9 and 10 are similar views of the operating handle trigger, and

Figs. 11 and 12 are similar views of the operating handle.

My invention comprises, in general, a base member 1 for supporting stationary contact members 2 and 3, a housing 4 having an electromagnet 5 mounted therein, a switch arm 6 that is controlled by an operating handle 7, and a latching and tensioning mechanism 8 for moving them through a. predetermined cycle of operations.

An armature 12 for -the electromagnet 5 is carried by a supporting member 13 that is, in turn, pivotally mounted on a shaft 14 that is supported by outwardly-projecting, spaced flanges 15 formed on the housing 4:. The shaft 14 supports also a pair of triggers 16 and 17, the details of which are shown in Figs. 7 and 8, 9 and 10, respectively. The triggers 16 and 17 are given a counter-clockwise bias about the shaft 14 by coil springs-18 and 19, respectively.

Referring to Figs. 3, 7 and 8, the trigger 16 comprises a downwardly extending tail-piece 21, that projectsthru an opening 22 in the supporting member 13, and a main body portion 23 that terminates in a slot 24 having a notch 25 in one side.

Referring to Figs. 3, 9 and 10, the trigger 17 comprises a downwardly extending tailpiece 26, that also projects thru the opening 22 in the'supporting member 13, and a body portion 27 having "a In 28 formed on the upper edge thereof. he tail-piece 26 is considerably narrower than the tail-piece 21 in order to permit movement of the former yvithin the opening 22 independently of the atter.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the switch arm 6 comprises a main body portion 29 having an upwardly extending perforated off-set arm 31, a portion 32 bent at right angles to the body portion, a forwardly projecting stop portion 33 and a lug 35 that is adapted to co-operate with the notch 25 in the trigger 16. The switch arm 6 is supported on a shaft 36 that is secured between the flanges 15 above the shaft 14 in such position that its stop portion 33 may engage the housing 4, when it is in its forward position. A bridging member 37 is riveted to the portion 32 and is provided with contact blades that co-operate with the stationary contact member 2 and 3 to complete the electrical connection therebetween. The operating handle 7 is also mounted on the shaft 36.

Referring to Fi s. 11 and 12, the handle 7 comprises a handold 38, at one end, upper and lower oppositely pro ecting1 lugs 39 and 41, respectively, that are located approxlmately midway of its ends, and an upwardly projecting perforated off-set lug 42 located at the end opposite the hand-hold. A 0011 spring 43 connects the lug 42 of the handle 7 the switch arm 6 to and the perforated arm 31 of the switch arm 6, thereby biasing the handle and the switch arm toward a predetermined angular relation about the shaft 36 upon which they are mounted. The lug 39 on the handle 7 IS, in turn, connected, by a coil spring 44, to a lug 45 on one of the flanges 15 of the housing 4. The spring 44 serves to bias the handle 7 and, in turn, the switch arm 6 in a clockwise direction toward the open position of the switch. Assuming the switch to be in the open position shown in Fi 1, and the lug 35 on %e in engagement with the notch 25 of the trig er 16, the handle 7 is turned about the sha 36 until its lower lug 41 slides over the lug 28 on the-trigger 17. v

(not shown) to further actuate the switchto close its contacts and thereby energize an electrical range at a predetermined hour. When the electromagnet 5 is energized, as by a clock, its-armature 12 is drawn upwardly, thereby causing the supporting member 13 to bear against the tail-piece 21 and turn the trigger 16 until the lug 35 is disengaged from the notch 25, whereupon the spring 43 contracts and turns the switch arm 6 with a snap action-to cause the blades of the bridging member 37 to engage the stationary contact members 2 and 3, as shown in Fig. 4. During the foregoing movement, no movement of the tail-piece 26 is effected because avoided by reason of the difference in the widths of the tail- pieces 21 and 26.

After the switch has remained in its closed position for a predetermined interval of time, corresponding to that required for cooking any desired food, the electromagnet 5 is again energized to turn the supporting member 13 to engage and actuate the tailpieces 21 and 26. The actuation of the tailpiece 26 moves the lug 28 on the trigger 17 from beneath the lug 41 on the handle 7, whereupon the latter is snapped to its open position by the spring 44. In moving to its open position, the handle 7 engages the lower edge of the portion 32 of the switch arm 6 and'thereby disengages the bridging member 37 from the stationary contact members 2 and 3. The switch is again in the position shown in Fig. 1, preparatory to a repetition of the foregoing cycle of operations.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a simple and effective switch for the operaparting from the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a switch mechanism, a base member,-

a stationary contact member and a housing mounted thereon, an electromagnet in said housing, a movable contact member supported on said housing and having an open and a closed position, an armature-supporting member mounted on the housing and having an opening therein, a plurality of triggers projecting through the opening in said armature-supporting member, an operating handle mounted on the housing and having a set and an open position, a spring for biasing the movable contact member toward its closed position, and a spring for biasing the operating handle toward its open position, whereby, upon moving the operating handle to its set position, the movable contact member is biased by its spring toward its closed position and is prevented from moiing by one of said triggers, and the operating hunthe electromagnet, the other trigger releases the operating handle to permit it to move to its open position and to actuate the movable contact member to its open position.

2. Ina switch mechanism, a base member, a stationary contact member and a housing mounted thereon, an electromagnet mounted in said housing, a movable contact member gization of the electromagnet, the latching and an operating handle mounted on the housing, and a plurality of tensioning and latching means whereby, upon movement of the operating handle to a predetermined. position, the movable contact member is biased toward the stationary contact member and prevented from moving by the latching means, and the operating handle is biased toward an open positionand. prevented from opening by the latching means, so that, upon energization of the electromagnet, the latching'means releases the movable contact mem ber to permit it to engage the stationary contact member and, upon a subsequent enermeans releases the operating handle to perm2t it to move to its open position, thereby moving the movable contact member out of engagement with the stationary contact member.

3. In a switch structure, a base member, a stationary contact member and a housing mounted thereon, an electromagnet mounted in the housing, a contact member pivotally mounted on the housing and having an open and a closed position, an operating handle mounted on the housing and having a set and an open position, a plurality of triggers and tensioning means constituting a lost-motion connection between the operating handle and the pivotally mounted contact member, whereby, upon moving the operating handle to its set position, the switch is biased toward its closed position and locked in its open position, and the operating handle is biased toward its open position and locked in its set position, so that, upon energization of the electromagnet, the pivotally mounted contact member isreleased to move to its closed position and, upon a subsequent energization of the electromagnet, the operating handle and the movable contact members are released to move to their open positions.

,4. In a switch structure, a base member, a stationary contact member and a housing mounted thereon, a contact member pivotally mounted on'the housing and having an open and a closed position, an operating handle having an open and a set position, an electromagnet mounted within the housing, an ar mature supported by a bracket mounted on the housing and having an opening, a plurality of triggers having ends projecting through said opening, a plurality of springs adapted to bias the triggers in one direction, a spring for biasing the operating handle toward its open position, and a spring for biasing the pivotall mounted contact member towardits close position, with the operating handle in its set position, whereby, upon moving the operating handle toward its set' position, the pivotally mounted contact member is biased toward a closed position and is prevented from closing by one of the triggers, and the operating handle is biased toward an open position and is prevented from closing by another of the triggers, so that, upon energization of the electromagnet, the pivoted contact member is released to move to its closed position and, upon a subsequent energization of the electromagnet, the operating handle is released to move to its open position and to actuate the pivoted contact member to its open position.

5. A switch mechanism comprising a base member, a stationary contact member, a movable contact member having an open and a closed position, an electromagnet, an operating handle having a set and an open position, a plurality of springs adapted to bias the movable contact member and the operating handle, a plurality of triggers adapted to control the operating handle and the movable contact member, whereby, upon energization of the electromagnet, the movable contact member is released to move to its closed position and, upon the subsequent energization of the electromagnet, the operating handle and the movable contact member are released to move to their open positions.

6. In a snap switch, a stationary contact member, a movable contact member having an open and a closed position, an operating handle having a set and an open position and a lost-motion connection to the movable contact member, an electromagnet and the operating handle comprising a plurality of tensioning means, and a latching means for causing the operating handle to bias the movable contact member toward its closed position While it is locked in its open position, whereby, upon energization of the electromagnet the movable contact member is released to move to its closed position and, upon the subsequent energization of the electroadapted to close and open 8. The combination in a switch having separable contact members, of two biasing means one of which is adapted to close and the other to open the contact members, operat ing means for stressing both of the biasing means and tripping means adapted to release one of the biasing means to close the contact members and to thereafter release the other biasing means to open the contact members.

9. The combination in a switch having separable contact members, of biasing means the contact members, operating means for stressing the biasing means for a complete opening and closing operation and tripping means adapted to release the biasing means to close and to open the contact members in a predetermined se quencc.

' contact members to closed 10. The combination in a circuit interrupter having a stationary and a movable contact member, of an operating member associated therewith, a biasing member connecting theoperating member to the movable contact member, a biasing member connecting the'operating member to the frame and a pair of latches associated with the movable contact member.

11. The combination in a circuit interrupter having separable contact members, of biasing means for moving the contact members to closed position, a biasing means for moving them to open position, operating means for stressing the biasing means simultaneously and means adapted to retain them in stressed position.

12. The combination in a. circuit interrupter having separable contact members, of two biasing means one of which is employed to move the contact members to closed and the other to open position and operating means for stressing both of the biasing means.

13. The combination in a circuit interrupter having separable contact members, of a pair of biasing members for operating, the contact members to closed and to open position, operating means for tensioning both of the biasing members, a latch associated with each of the biasing members adapted to retain them in tensioned position and an electro-magnet adapted to release the latches in sequence.

14. The combination in a circuit interru ter having separable contact members, 0 a

pair of biasing members for operating the and to open position, operating means for tensioning both of the biasing members, a latch associated with each of the biasing members adapted to retain them in tensioned position and an eleca movable contact member, biasing means adapted to actuate the movable contact member to closed and to open position, operating means for tensionin the biasing means, a latch for retaining 5m operating means in tensioned position, a second latch for retaining the movable contact in open biased position and a solenoid for actuating the said latches.

16. In a switch of the above described type, in combination, a stationary contact member, a movable contact member, biasing means adapted to actuate the movable contact member to closed and to open position, operating means for tensioning the biasing means, a latch for retaining the operating means in' tensioned position, a second latch for retaining the movable contact in open biased position and a single solenoid for actuating the said latches. I

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this llth day of October,

CHRISTIAN AALB ORG.

tromagnet actuating the latches in sequence adapted to close the contact members upon its first energization and to release the contact members on a subsequent 'energization.

15. In a switch of the above described type, in combination, a stationary contact member,

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