US1877445A - Switch - Google Patents

Description

Sept 13, 1932- H. P.. CHANDLER SWITCH Filed Nov. 14, 1929 t lnvenlor UMEB @E ULEB A Harney Patented Sept. 13, 1932 UNITED STATES VPATENT, OFFICE l HOHER P. CHANDLER, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE OHIO BRASS COMPANY,

OF MANSFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION F NEW JERSEY SWITCH Application led November 14, 1929. Serial No. 407,114.

My invention relates to quick break type of operative switches for opening and closing electric circuits.

The object of my invention is to provide a switch which will not only make a quick break but a quick make in which a magnetic blowout is employed which is in circuit only for a short interval of time when the circuit is being broken or made although the blow-out performs no useful function at the time of closing the switch.

My invention resides in the new and novel construction, combination and relation of the parts described in this specification and shown in the drawing attached thereto.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a plan view in elevation of my invention with a portion of the corner and arc shute broken away as later described.

Fig. 2 is a View in section of Fig. 1 taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a viewin section of Fig. 1 taken on the line 3-3.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention I employ two oppositely disposed insulating panels 1 and 2 and represent the back and front respectively of the switch. The members are shown as approaching a triangular shape although other shapes may be employed if desired, but with the shape shown the space taken up by the switch is reduced to that only necessary and also there is a saving in material. The members 1 and 2 may be made of fiber, hard rubber, any resin compounds, slate, etc.

The members are held in spaced relation by means of the spacing members 3 which also form the sides of the switch-box and are secured in positionby means of the through bolts and nuts 4 and also by the corner member 5 formed of metal. The spacer member 6 and bolt and nuts 7 therefore also tend to hold the members 1 and 2 in spaced relation. The corner member has a receptacle portion 45 8 in which the ends of the members 1, 2 and 3 are inserted and held in position by the bolts and nuts 9. A projection 10 with a hole 11 therethrough provides means for holding the switch in position upon a support. The

5 lugs 12 are also for this purpose.

Secured to the side member 3 is a main contact member 13 and auxiliary contact member 14, vheld in place by the screws 15 and 16 respectively and the members 13 and 14 are spaced apart, but connected through a coil 17. The main contact 13 has a connecting lug 18 secured thereto and projecting from the casing for the attachment of a conductor.

Mounted upon the member 2 is a switch blade 19 arranged to pivot to an opened posi- 00 tion and a closed position with respect to the contacts 13 and 14 and is iXedly secured to a stud 2O which in turn is secured to an insulating bushing 2-1 by means of a threaded connection and pin 22. The bushing 21 also has 65 lixedly secured to it a stud 23 by means of threads and pin 24 and integrally united to the stud 23 is an arm 25. It will be noted that the blade 19 and the arm 25 are thus secured together in fixed relation and rotatable together and they are mounted in the member 2 through the medium Vof the flanged metal bushing 26. The blade 19 when in the partially closed position connects the contacts 13 and 14 and short circuits the coil 17 so that in effect no current Hows through the coil 17 and when the switch is in its fully closed position engagement is with contact 13 only.

Secured to the side member 3 is also a pivot contact member 27 by means of screws 28. The member 27 is provided with two spaced blades 29 between which is positioned the blade 19 thus conducting current to or away from the blade. Attached to the contact 27 by means of the screws 28 is a conductor 30 to the exposed end of which is a socket 31 to receive a conductor. The contacts 13 and 14 are provided with spaced clips 32 and 33 respectively. The clips 33 are so formed that they do not contact with the blade when the switch is. fully closed. (See Fig. 2).

Positioned on opposite sides 0f the contacts 13 and 14 and spaced therefrom are insulating members 34 which form as it were an arc shute for the purpose of conducting such arc upwardly as ma be formed when the switch is opened an maintaining the arc out of contact with the other parts of the switch. The members 34 may be made of an |00 insulating material much more resistant to burning than the members l and 2 as these latter members are preferably formed of a material which has higher insulating value than the members 34, but of a lower charring value.

I In order to cause the arc to dissipate quickly in place of being dragged out and following the movement of the switch blade, I employ a magnetic blow-out consisting of two side members 35 and 36 respectively and connecting member 37 formed preferably of soft sheet iron thus forming the core of a U shaped magnet with the free ends or poles ad' jacent the point where the blade leaves the contacts 33, but separated therefrom by the insulating members 34. Upon the leg 35 is positioned theA coil 1T having its ends connected to contacts 13 and 14 respectively.

The coil 17 will be energized only when the blade I9 is in contact with the clips 33 and as this is only for a short interval of time during the opening or closing of the switch, I am able to reduce the size of the coil 17 materially as I can use a wire of relatively small diameter as the current will not pass there' through for a suiiicient length of time to cause dangerous heating thereof. If the coil Were in series and energized by the entire current flowing through the switch for the entire time the switch was closed, it would be necessary to use a wire of such size as to carry the maximum current which the switch would carry and for the entire time it was closed which might be for many hours. Vith the arrangement I have shown it is possible to use a relatively small blow-out mechanism thus permitting me to reduce materially the size of the switch and also the cost of the same.

It will be recognized that the same results will be secured if the blade made Contact with the clips 32 and 33 while the switch is fully closed but in that case the frictional resistance to opening and closing will be greater than described above.

In order to operate the switch to its open and closed position I pivotally mount upon the exterior of the member 2 a handle. mechanism 33 by means of the bolt and nut 39. The handle mechanism is formed with a receptacle like portion 40 and an insulating handle 4l and mounted within the receptacle 40 is the end of the arm 25. The arm 25 is provided with a lug 42 and secured to lug 42 and the handle mechanism 40 is a spring 43. It will be noted that when the handle shown in Fig. l is moved clockwise that the spring will be placed under increased tension until the longitudinal axis of the spring is in alinement with the stud 42 and the axis of rotation of the arm 25 and up to this point the tendency will be for the spring to hold the arm 25 in the position shown in Fig. 1, but as soon as the handle is moved farther in a clockwise direction the tendency then will be for the spring to rotate the arm about its axis of rotation and with sufficient tension in the spring 43 and sutiicient movement in a clockwise direction of thc handle 4l, the friction holding the blade in engagement with the clips 32 will be overcome and the blade 19 will move toward its open position under strong tension in the spring 43.

Should there be a tendency for the blade to resist movement, I have provided on the in*` side of the member 40 ribs 44 which will engage with the arm 25 after the handle has moved a predetermined amount and thereby force the blade to a released position and the spring 43 will then throw it to its fully open As soon as the blade 19 disengages from the clips 32 and contact with the clips 33, current will instantly fiow through the coil 17 thus energizing the magnetic blow-out and operating to extinguish the arc formed be tween the blade 19 and the contacts 33.

It will be noted that the operating mechanism for the switch, which is very simple in itself, is located entirely without the casing proper.

Having described my invention, I claim A switch mechanism comprising a switch blade operable to either an open or a closed position, a housing therefor, an operating shaft for the switch member pivotally mounted on one of the walls of the housing and having two metallic members connected in xed insulated relation by an insulating collar and all three parts rotatable in unison, one metallic member fixed to the switch mem-ber and the other metallic member having a crank arm extension outside t-he housing, a handle having a. hand grip at one end and a receptacle at the other end pivoted to the housing, the pivotal points of the shaft and handle being spaced apart and the receptacle portion enclosing the free end of the crank arm and an overcenter spring connected to the free end of the crank arm and to the handle intermediate its end to pivot the shaft with a snap action in either direction tomove the switchl blade to either its open or closed position.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

HOMER P. CHANDLER.

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