US1846620A - Circuit control system - Google Patents

Description

Feb.. 23, 1932. R. sT. JOHN CIRCUIT CONTROL SYSTEM Filed April 8, 1929 1 l l I l I I l I l l l Il MT1 INTI L u 9||fl @.IIII- MHQIIITIGoIlD-III l I l l l I I l lun? Liunell-.

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ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 23, 41932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT L. ST. JOHN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA CIRCUIT CONTROL SYSTEM Application led April 8,

My invention relates to switching systems for the control of electrical circuits and parvide a system which may be controlled from any of a plurality of points or control stations, and in whichvarious control stations are non-interfering so that control of the system may be assumed at any instant from any of the stations.

Another object of my invention is to provide a system in which the circuit connection for a plurality of scenes may be pre-set and in which the connection corresponding to these sets may be made or broken in any combination or in any order by the operation of a single master switch.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a system in which individual circuits may be made or broken independently of the scene setting.

A further object of my invention is to provide means of actuating all of the circuits of a group simultaneously without regard to pre-setting, so that all of the house lights may be lighted in case of emergency or all of the stage lights extinguished for a black-out at anytime and without regard to the previous condition of the system.

My invention possesses other objects and valuable/features, some of which will be set forth inthe following description of my invention which is' illustrated in the drawing forming part of the specification. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said description and drawing, as I may adopt varying forms of my invention within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawing, the figure is a schematic diagram of the circuit controlsystem of my invention. A

Modern theatre switchboards are of the pre-set type. Each of the load circuits is controlled by a magnetic contacter whose actuating coil is brought to a multi-scene panel.

Serial No. 353,366.

vThis panel has switches by which the actuating coil may be connected to any of a plurality of scene contactors, and when the scene contactors are actuated, either electrically or manually, all of the circuits corresponding to l that scene are energized. This arrangement is utilized in my invention which has to do with the actuation of the scene and load contactors to attain the objects above set forth.

Broadly considered, my invention comprises the use of scene contactors having opening and closing coils. One or more master circuits are provided with which are associated selective means whereby either coil of any of the scene contactors may be connected to the master circuit. Control means in this circ itenergizes it momentarily, thereby actuat g the scene contactors in any pre-selected combination. Means are also provided for actuating the load circuits independently of the lscene contactors. Each of the load y circuit actuating coils is provided with means whereby it may be connected with a cue circuit and a contactor in this circuit may be actuated from the master circuit in exactly the same manner asthe scene contactor. Separate contactors are also preferablyprovided for operating simultaneously all ofthe opening or closing coils of each group of contactors, so that all of the stage circuits may be opened for a black-out independently of the scene and master contactor settin s, and, in case of emergency or disaster, all o the house lights may be' lighted by actuating a single switch. The power `sup ly for each of the master circuits is preferably led through the main switchboard, where disconnect switches Aare provided whereby the operator at that board has final control, and may kill any of the master circuits which he does not wish l used, without interfering with the operation of any of the others.

In the following description of a preferred form of my invention, only a few of the cir- 'cuits which would be used in an actual installationwill be described'. These sample circuits may be re-duplicated almost indefinitely, the additional circuits operating in precisely the same manner as those which are shown. In order to facilitate reading of the diagram, portions of the circuit which are ground potential are shown in dotted lines, the full lines indicating the hot legs of the circuits'. Where two leads of a circuit are indicated by a single reference character, the grounded lead will be distinguished by an accent.

Three main supply circuits are shown. The reference character indicates the principal sup 1y circuit from which the load circuits are Iderived. This is indicated as being a single phase, grounded neutral, circuit, but it may also be three-phase star-connected i with grounded neutral or, in small installarived Afrom one leg of the main supply circuit 6.-

The various stage load circuits '11, 12, 13 and 14 are connected through the dimmers 16 tothe supply circuit 6 by means of the contactors 17. .Circuits 11 and 12 are assumed to supply colored lights, and circuits 13 and 14 white lights. The contactors 17 are magnetically held and have actuating coils 18. One sideof each of these actuating coils connects to a hot leg of the supply circuit. The other side of the coil connects to a multiscene panel or scene selector 19.

Each of-the scene selectors comprises a plurality of single pole manually o erated switches, one switch being provided or each scene which it is desired to pre-set. A common arrangementprovides for ten pre-set scenes, and hence ten of these single pole switches would be provided for each panel. In the present instance, for the sake of simplicity, but five, of these switches are shown'.M

One side of each switch is connected to the coil 18. The other pole of each switch connects through a lead 21 to one pole of a multipole scene contactor 22, 23.

Although but two of the scene contactors are shown, one is provided for each switch on the selector panels 19. Each scene contactor is designed to close as many circuits as there are load circuits, connecting them to the neutral or grounded lead 6 througlnthes lead 24. l

lt' will thus be seen that if it be desired to lightcircuits 11 and 13 for scene 1, and 11 and the selector lcorresponding to circuit 13 would' be closed. The operation of scene contactor 22 would then light all the circuits desired for the first scene, and the opening of scene contactor 22 and the closing of scene contactor 23 would then change the lighting to correspond with the second scene set-up. This arrangement would be carried out for as many load circuits and as many scenes as are provided for by the particular board in use.

The system as thus far described corresponds to general usage. My invention comprises the control circuits next to be described. The contactors and switches used throughout the system are of well known types, and may l be obtained on the open market.

` Each of the scene contactors 22 and 23 is magnetically operated and mechanically held,

having opening coils 26 and 27 and closing coils 28 and 29. The common point of each pair of opening and closing coils is separately connected to the grounded side of the supply circuit 8 through the cable 30. The other side of each coil of the pair is brought to one pole of a double throw switch 31. This/is preferably a manually operated switch, having an open position and two closed positions. As shown in the diagram, throwing this switch up connects the opening coil 26 with the lead 32, while throwing it down connects the closing coil with Athis lead. The lead 32 connects to one contact of a master contactor 33, whose operation connects the lead 32 with the lead 34, which connects through the cable 35 to the hot side of the control-supply circuit 8. In operation, if the switch 31 is thrown down and the master contactor operated, the scene contactor 22 will be closed; if the switch 31 is'thrown up and the master contactor ope-rated, the scene contactor 22 will he opened; while if the switch 31 be left in the open position its scene contactor will not be affected by the operation of the master contactor. Each of the scene contactors has .a selector switch 31 and a corresponding contact on the master contactor 33 so .that by a single operation of the mastercontactor, any of the scene contactors can be operated, in either sense and in any combination.

The master contactor is also preferably of a mechanically held type and is actuated by coils 41 and 42 for opening and closing respectively. The common point of these coils connects through the lead 43 and the cable 30 to the grounded leg 8. The other end:d of the coils are brought to the two poles of a two circuit control switch 44 and thence to- Ymanually operated and of the momentary conta-ct type, one circuit being normally held closed whilel the other circuit is normally open. The opening coil 41 connects with the normally closed circuit, the closing coil 42 with the normally open circuit. When the switch 44 is actuated, the master contactor 33 closes to actuate its connected scene contactors, opening again almost immediately upon the release of the switch The mechanicallv held typel of master contactor is used to provide a slight lag in its operation, thus compensating for the inductive lag in the operation of the scenecontactors which it actuates.

It is frequently necessary to add or take out a group of lights during the course of a scene, and means are accordingly provided for doing this. Associated with each of the scene selectors 19 and connecting with the actuating coil 18 of each of the load contactors is a cue switch 46. This switch is conveniently of the 4same type as the switches 31, having two closed positions and one open position. By throwing this switch to the upper position,-the coil 18 may be connected with a cable 47; by throwing it down, the coil is connected to another cable. The two switches associated with circuits 11 and 12 connect with cable 48 Yin the lower position. Those associated with circuits 13 and 14 con- .nect with cable 49. It is here assumed that circuits 11 and 12 carry amber lights, while 13 and 14 carry white lights. Each lead in the cables 47, 48 and 49 connects with a contact on a multi-pole contactor of the same general type as the scene contactors. The leads in cable 47 may be'connected with the ground lead 24 by the operation of contactor 51. The leads in cables 48 and( 49 are connected with this lead by the operation of contactors 52 and 53 respectively. Separate cables and contactors are provided for each color used in the lighting, the cable 47 connecting to the circuits of all colors so that by operation of the appropriate cue contactors the lights may be simultaneously controlled as a unit or in colored groups. l

Contactors 51, 52 and 5 3 are operated by selector switches 54 from the master contactor 33, in the same manner as are the scene contactors 22 and 23. By pre-setting switches 46 and54, it is therefore possible to bring in or take out the load circuit in response to cues by the operation of the same master switch which operates the scene contactors, or, if many cues are necessary in a single scene, to bring them in individually by manual operation of the switches 46. In operating the cue contactors the scene contactors may either be left in neutral position or in the on position for the scene. If load circuits are to be taken out in response to cues, then those circuits eifected are set up on the cue contactors instead of thescene contactor at' the beginning of the scene, and the cue contactor opened at the cue.

For satisfactory operation arc circuits must be supplied with direct current. Moreover, each arc must be yunder the direct control of an attendant, for, not only do the arcs themselves require attention, but, in the case of.k

' spots, they-must be moved to follow a performer, changed in color,blacked out momentarily, and in general bemuch more flexibly controlled than the incandescent lighting.

The arcs 61 and other D. C. equipment are accordingly supplied from the D. C. mains 7 through the mechanically held contactors 62,

but one of which is shown. The opening coils is controlled by the momentary contact switch in the same manner. By this means group control of the are circuits from the main switchboard is attained. Individual control of the arc circuits is had by means of the momentary contact switches 71 which are connected to the leads 66 in parallel with the contactor 69.

It is especially desirable in the case of the D. C. circuits to have pilot lights at eachof the control positions, to indicate which circuits are hot. The contactors 62 are therefore each provided with an auxiliary leg 72, which closes a pilot circuit 73 when the contactor closes, lighting the pilot lights 74.

Means are provided for extinguishing all of the stage lights simultaneously independently of the setting ofthe various contactors which control the stage lighting circuits. A separate contacter 75 is provided for this purpose. This contactor' is similar in general character to the master contactor Leads 76 connect with the opening coils of each of the scene, cue and D. C. contactors, and are carried in the cable 77 to corresponding contacts on the black-out contactor 75. The black-out contactor is-actuated in the same manner as the master contactor 33` by means of a momentary contact switch 78. Operation of this switch will extinguish all of the stage lighting circuits, which may be reestablished in the same or different setting by the operation of the master switch 44.

Provision is made for operating the sysytem from any of aplurality of control stathese stations, similar to the master contactor 33, and its control circuit-s are connected in parallel therewith and are actuated by the switch 80, which corresponds with the switch 44 actuating the master contactor 33. The individual circuits controlled by this contactor comprise selector switches 81 similar to the selector switches 31 and 574, and connect with the opening andclosing coils of the scene and cue contactors in parallel with the circuits controlled by contactor 33. In order to avoid confusion in the drawing, but one-.of these circuits is shown.

The black-out contactor,/7 may be actuated from each 'of the/controlv stations by means of a black-out switch 82. The normally closed contacts of switches 78 and 82 are connected/in series with the opening coil. The normally closed contacts of these switches-are connected in parallel to the closing coil of the contactor. Thus, when either switch is operated, the opening coil is positively cle-energized, allowing the closingcoil to function. This arrangement maintains the independence of the control stations.

When thc stage switchboard is in use, the

.house lighting circuits 83 are controlled from itin exactly the same manner as the stage circuits. The house circuits are derived from the supply circuit 6 and are controlled by the contactors 84. Actuating coils 85 for the contactors are controlled by selector switches 48 6 and a house master contactor 87, which in ,for emergency use. By the operation of this switch all of the house lights are immediately and simultaneously lighted.

Altho the ability to transfer control of the lighting system to various pointsis exceedingly valuable, it is essential that the ultimate control be vested in a single person, o`r

at least at a single station.. vThis station is logically the main switchboard, and the'system of my invention provides ultimate control from this point. pointed out, all of the control contactors are actuated from the supply circuit 8, only the load eontactors 17 and 84 being actuated from the circuit 6. The actuating circuits for each group of contactors are fed through disconnecting switches 96, for which al panel of the main switchboard is provided. Unless its disgonnecting switch is closed, none of the 'control stations can lassume command of the here described has many advantages.

system. This not only prevents unauthorized interference with the lighting, but also enables a given control station to be killed in case a fault develops, without interference with other stations.

In the operation the circuit control system It is applicable to large or small switchboards.

,It permits instantaneous change of scene and lthe blacking out of any scene without reset'- y ting. The stage and house lighting may be 'controlled from the stage switchboard, and from asmany other control stations as may be desirable, vthe control being transferable As has already been at any instant. The regular stage circuits may be used as work lights and yet the main stage switchboard may be locked and the work circuits operated from a separate board, and provision is made for the instantaneous lighting of all house lights in case of disaster.

In a large installation there may be hundreds of load circuits, necessitatingy an eX- treinely large switchboard. The usual' method of control requires the operation of all of the circuits from this board. As has been 1 pointed out above, my control system provides for the ultimate control of the entire board by a relatively few selector switches, and the stage master switch 44, the blackout switch 78, and house master switch 88. These may be grouped in so small a panel, and duplicates of this panel may be so read- Lily supplied for the various control stations,

as to simplify stage direction greatly and to rend'er possible lighting effects which could not be obtained by the usual methods.

Obviously the usefulness of this system is not limited to theatre lighting, as the principles involved may also be employed in the control of complicated motor drives or in any other system requiring flexibility and sneed of operation.

I claim:

1. An electric circuit control system comprising a supply circuit, a plurality of load circuits, contactors` for connecting each of said loadv circuits to said supply circuit, an

actuating circuit for each of said contactors,

a plurality of multi-contact actuating ycontactors, selective means for connecting any of saidv actuating circuits to a contact of'any of said actuating contactors, amaster circuit for controlling said actuating contactors,

selective means vfor connecting any of said actuating contactors 1n said master circuit, and a master switch for energizing said 4master circuit.

2. An electric circuit control system comprising a supply circuit, a plurality of load circuits, contactors for connecting each of said load circuits to said supply circuit, an actuating circuit for each of said contactors, a multi-contact-actuating contactor having opening and closing coils, selective means ,for connecting any of said actuating circuits with a contact of said actuating contactor, a master circuit for controlling said actuating contactor, selective means for including either of said opening or closing coilsin said master circuit, and means for energizing said master circuit.

3. An electric circuit control system comprising a supply circuit, a plurality of load circuits, contactors for connecting each of said load circuits to said supply circuit, an actuating circuit for each of said contactors, a plurality of multi-contact actuating contactors each having an opening and a closin coil, selective means for connecting any ,0%

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said actuating circuits with contacts of any of said actuating contactors, a master circuit for controlling 4said actuating contactors, selective means for connecting/either the opening or closing coils of any of said actuating contactors in said master circuit, and a master switch for controlling said master circuit. l

4. In a circuit control system comprising a supply circuit and a plurality of load circuits each of which is controllable by any of a plurality of contactors, opening and closing coils for each of said contactors, a master circuit or controlling said contactors, selective means for pre-connecting either opening or closing coils of any of said contactors in said master circuit, and a switch for controlling said master circuit.

5. In a circuit control system comprising a supply circuit and a plurality of load circuits each of which is controllable by any of a plurality of contactors, opening and closing coils for each of said contactors, a master circuit for controlling said contactors, selective means for connecting either opening or closing coils of any of said contactors in said master circuit, a switch for controlling said master circuit, an auxiliary circuit connecting with each of said opening coils, and controlling means in said circuit for simultaneously disconnecting all of the load circuits independently of said master circuit.

6. In a circuit control system comprising a supply circuit and a plurality of load circuits each of which is controllable by any of a plurality of mechanically held contactors, a set of actuating coils for closing each of said l contactors, a set of actuating coils for opening each of said contactors, a master circuit,

selective means for connecting any of said actuating coils in said master circuit, a switch for controlling said master circuit, an auxiliary circuit connecting to each of one set of said actuating coils for simultaneously operating all of said contactors independently of said master circuit and selective means, and a switch for controlling said auxiliary circuit.

7. In a circuit control system comprising a supply circuit and a plurality .of load circuits each of which is controllable by any of a plurality of contactors, an actuating coil for each of said contactors, an auxiliary circuit connecting to each of said actuating coils, an auxiliary contactor having opening and closing actuating coils for controlling said auxiliary circuit, a plurality of double throw v'operating switches for controlling said auX- iliary contactor, a circuit connectinga pair of contacts-of each of said operating switches in series with one of said actuating coils, and a circuit connecting the other pair of contacts of each of said operating switchesI inl parlallel and with the other of said actuating coi s.

8. Ina theatre switchboard system, a supply circuit, a plurality of load circuits, conv tactors associated with each of said load circuits for connecting said circuits with the supply circuit, actuating circuits for each of said contactors,' a plurality of scene contactors, selective means for connecting lany of said actuating circuits to any of said scene contactors, means for actuating any of said scene contactors to control simultaneously its rof said actuating circuits to any of said scene contactors, means for actuating any of said scene contactors to control simultaneously its connected circuits, a cue circuit independent of said scene contactors, and selective vmeans for connecting each of said actuating circuits first mentioned above to said cue circuit.

10. In a theatre switchboard system, a supply circuit, a plurality of load circuits, contactors associated with each of said load circuits for connecting said circuits with the supply circuit, actuating circuits for each of said contactors, a plurality of scene .contactors, selective means for connectin any of said actuating circuits to any o said scene contactors, means for actuating any of said scene contactors to control simultaneously its connected circuits, a cue circuit independent of said scene contactors, selective means for connecting each of said actuating circuits irst mentioned above to said cue circuit, a cue contactor for controlling said -cue circuit, a master circuit for actuating said cue and scene contactors, selective means for connecting any of said cue and scene contactors to said master circuit, and a switch for controlling said master circuit.

l1. In a theatre switching system having means for pre-setting the electrical connections for a plurality of scenes, a contactor for effecting the connections for each scene, a master circuit for actuating any of said contactors, selective means for associating any of said contactors with the master circuit, a switch for controlling said master circuit, a black-out circuit permanently connected to open all of said scene contactors, and a switch for controlling said black-out circuit. .f

12. In a theatre switching system having means for pre-setting the electrical connections for a plurality of scenes, a contacter for effecting the connections for each scene, a plurality of control stations, and means at each control station for selectively operating any of said contactors independently of the other control stations.

13. In a theatre switching system having means for pre-setting the electrical connections for a plurality of scenes, a contactor for eiiecting the connections for each scene, al plurality ofcontrol stations, a master circuit for each control station, selective means at each control station for associating any of said scene contactors with the master circuit, and means at each control station for controlling its master circuit to act-uate the asy sociated scene contactors.

14. In a circuitA control system, a supply circuit, a plurality of load circuits, contactors for connecting each of said load circuits to said supply circuit, a main control station, a secondary.. control station, contactors associated with each ofsaid control stations for actuating said load contactors, supply circuits for each of said actuating contactors, and means at said main control station for controlling said actuating supply circuits.

15. In acircuit control system, a supply circuit, a plurality of load circuits, contactors for connecting each of said load circuits to said supply circuit,a plurality of control stations, means at each of said control; stations for selectively operating any of said contactors independently of the other control stations, and means at one of said control stationsfor rendering any of the other of said control ,stations inoperative.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. A

v ROBERT L. ST. JOHN.

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