US1898495A - Switch and mounting therefor - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 21, 1933. I H. E. NoRvlEL 1,898,495

SWITCH AND MOUNTING THEREFOR Filed March 2l, 1930 Patented Feb. 21. 19,33

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE HARRY E. NoRvIEL, or ANDERSON, INDIANA, AssIGNoD. 'ro Danco trauml conronA- 'rIoN, or ANDERSON, INDIANA, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE l SWITCH AND MOUNTING THEREFOR- Appiication aied- ,Ima 21,

This invention relates to electric circuit closers, and is particularly directed to the oscillatable type wherein a quick movement is desired for making and breaking the circult through the -electroconductive elements.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel and .simple mechanism making for an eliicient actuator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a circuit closer of the oscillatable type in which a rapid make-and-break movementv can be obtained.

A further object of the invention is to provide an actuating'structure that requires little movement of acontrolled device in orderto complete the function for which it 1s designed.

A further object of the invention is to provi de for a complete movement of the circuit closing device 'though buta small or partial movement of the controlled member is made.

A further object of the invention is to provide a circuit controlling means that will be quickly responsive to slight movements of the controlled device.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to 3o the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one type of circuit closer illustrating its circuitvopen position, and its relative juxtaposition with a portion of the controlled member` with which it is to be associated.

Fig. 2 is an end f the same, substantially as indicated by the arrow 2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a View of the circuit closer illustrated in Fig. 1, but with the circuit closing unit and controlled member moved to the circuit closed position.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the circuit closing device substantially as indicated by the arrows .4 in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section.. through the circuit closing device substantially as indicated by the line and arrows 5-5 of Fig. 3,

1930. Serial No. 437,747.

and as would'be seen with the partsmoved to a medial position.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section showing details of construction substantially as indicated by the line and arrows 6--6 of Fig. 1. 55 With particular reference to the drawing, 20 indicates a mountin or attaching bracket which maybe mounte on a convenient portion of an automotive vehicle or other supporting structure, so as to be in juxtaposed 60 relation with respect to amovable part as a l brake rod 21, illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The bracket 20 provides offset attachin lugs 22 apertured at 23, by which it may be attached to a convenient portion of the struc- .65 ture. At an intermediate point substantially midway of the offset'lugs a depending lug 24 is provided with an angular extension 25. The lug 25 is in spaced relation with respect to an aperture 26 that receives a shouldered 70 rivet 27, by means of, which an oscillatable circuit closer 30 is pivotally secured to the bracket 20. In the present instance the oscillatable cirvcuit closing unit 30 is embodied in a iiuid- 75 conductive unit 50 that is mounted for oscillation. The immediate embodiment comprises a lever 31 apertured at 32 to receive the rivet 27 and terminates in an actuating lever 33 on one side of its ivot as that repre- 80 sented on the lower ortion of'Fig. 1, and with a flange 34 over ying the intermediate portion of the bracket 20. The flange is reduced into a lug 35 in substantial parallel extension with the lug 25 hereinbefere referred 65 to. The lug 35, by reason of the pivot at 27 is oscillatable into a position on either side of the medial position, and thereby limited 4as will later appear. At a point to one side of the aperture 32 the lever 31 is vpro- 90 vided with a squirt or llug 36 in opposite extension relative to the flange 34, and may be struck out from the edge substantially as illustrated in Fig. 6.

A support 40 preferably of dielectric ma- 95 terial, and which may consist of an elongated strip of fiber, or be molded in formation, is carried by the lever 31, being secured thereto by means of the hereinbefore described rivet 27 passing through a central aperture 100 41. The support 40 is held in substantially fixed relation with the lever 31 by means of arecess 42 at one side ofthe rivet opening 41, within which is received the squirt or lug 36 of the lever 31. It is obvious from the struct-ure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6 that when the members 31 and 40 are so disposed that the lug 36 rests within the aperture 42, and with the rivet 27 passed throu h the aligned openings 41 and 32 and 26, an riveted a ainst the bracket 20 as illustrated at 43 in ig. 5, that the members 40 and 31 will be held in non-relative rotation, yet those' members will be held in oscillatable relation as a unit relative to the bracket 20.

The support 40 has provision for supporting the fluid conductive contact closer 50 hereinbefore mentioned, through a spring cli and terminal structure supported at eit er end of the member 40. In the illustrated embodiment the spring clip member. comprises a U-shaped resilient clip 44, with deformations 45 in either leg thereof providing socket-like members for the reception of the fluid conductive unit 50. The clip members 44 are in electrical communication with terminal members 46 through the agency of rivets or other fastening devices 47 that operate to clamp the clip 44 and terminal 46 to the dielectric member 40 substantially as illustrated in Fig. 6, the rivet bein turned over or spread against the mem er 40 as illustrated, and the terminal 46 is held in non-rotative relation by a lug 48 seating within an aperture or depression 49 of the support 40. Since the clip and terminal structure on each end of the support 40 is identical, further description is deemed unnecessary. Of course it is understood the terminal members 46 are to be provided with the appropriate terminal screws and washers as illustrated.

As earlier stated, the circuit closing unit carried by the clip members 44, comprises a fluid conductive unit and is designed to be a mercury switch of the fuse type. This unit comprises a glass tube 51 each end of which is sealed by a cap member 52 imbedded in a quantity of cement or sealing compound 53. In electrical communication with each of the caps is an electrode 54 or 55 as the case may be, in each instance one end thereof, that is the end secured to the cap 52, being additionally supported by the cement 53. The unit 50 thus sealed provides a chamber within which are disposed the electrodes 54 and 55, and also a quantity of electro-conductive fluid 56, as mercury, that is immersed in a bath of oil 57. It will be noted that the electrodes 54 and 55 are arranged at one end of the capsule, as illustrated particularly in Figs. 1 and 4, and that the uantity of electro-conductive fluid within t e tube is small as com ared with the space in said' tube. These eatures lend themselves particularly to the result to be desired, in that a l uick make-and-break action can be made Wit respect to the electrodes 54 and 55, since the fluid conductive material 56 can move about within the tube 51 in its bath of oil 57 With very little resistance. This marks for a quick or rapid transmission of the'mass of fluid conductive material from one position to an0ther,when the lever 33 and consequently the unit 50 is oscillated from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 3.

Contributing to the quick movement or rather the rapid oscillation of the circuit closer assembly, from a medial position to either extreme of the oscillated positions, a spring 60 is hooked to the lugs 25 and 35 of the bracket 20 and lever 31 respectivel as illustrated in the drawing, each end o the spring having an axial extending loop 61 or 62 that are dis osed over the lugs 25 and 35 respectively. he lug 25 may be provided with notches 63, while the lug 35 is provided with notches 64 which operate to retain-the respective spring loops in position. It will be noted from reference to the prior description, that the flan e 34 overlies a portion of the bracket 20, andv this fact makes provision for stops or limits as to the extremes of oscillation of the member 31 relative to the member 20, and is particularly indicated at 65 and 66 respectively, in Figs. 1 and 3. That is to say, the flange 34 overlying the upper edge of the bracket 20 operates as a stop to prevent further oscillation ofthe lever 31 relative to the bracket 20 when the parts are in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, as for instance the flange 34 then engages the member 2'0 as at 65. The opposite extreme of oscillatable movement is determined by the flange 34 engaging the top edge of the bracket 20 as indicated by 66 in Fig. 3.

It will be observed that the parts thus assembled will assume either one or the other of the relative positions as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. This is due to the fact that the spring 60 attached to the lug 35 of the lever 31, and to the lug 25 of the bracket 20, tends to rotate the lever and associated mechanism toward either extreme of the oscillatable movement on one side of the medial position. By the medial position is defined that position in which the oscillatable assembly would be midway between the positions illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, and in which the longer axis of the member 31 would be substantially coincident with a straight line passing through the central ortion of the lugs 25 and 35, and the pivot 27.

As before stated the circuit closing unit just described is mounted upon some convenient portion of the vehicle so that the actuating lever 33 is closely adjacent a movable part asthe brake rod 21 of the vehicle. The brake rod is provided with a pair of clamps or clips 70 and 71 in relative spaced relation,

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one being dis osed on either side of the lever 33. These c ips are spaced on the rod and are so positioned thereon relative to the lever 33 that in the normal position the clip 7 0 is just about to engage the lever 33 as is illustrated in Fig. 1, and so that the clip 71 is on the opposite side thereof and spaced a short distance therefrom. It is now to be observed that when the rod 21 is actuated in the direction of the arrow A that the clip will engage the lever 33, and thence continued move- -ment of the rod 21 will tend to oscillate the lever 33 about the pivot27 until the medial position has been passed, whereupon the spring 60 will come into Voperation and'cause the oscillatable unit to continue its movement and tilt the circuit closer to the position illustrated in Fig. 3. Fig. 3l illustrates the necessary movement to accomplish this, and it is seen that by spacing the clips 70 and 71, that when the clips 70 or 71 have moved the lever 33 to the position just beyond the medial .position, that the lever with its associated structure may continue its oscillation by means of the spring 60, tothe opposite extreme position, or to that illustrated in Fig. 3 as compared to that position illustrated in Fig. 1, Without the said lever 33 meeting with any obstruction. Thereby, provision is'xnade for continued movement of the rod 2L in the direction of the arrow A without any interference from the associated parts of the switch mechanism. At the same time the oscillat able structure is in condition for movement to the initial position responsive to any reverse movement of the rod 21, since the clip 71 is positioned to be ready to engage the lever 33 upon said reverse movement.

This structure provides an eiicient mechanism for use in signal'circuits as on automotive vehicles, and is particularly `adaptable `.for cooperation with the stop lightsignal as a slight movement of the brake rod 21 will operate to close and open the'signal circuit as is desired. B means of the spaced clip 70 and 71 upon t e rod 21 provision is made for a quick closing of the circuit through the contacts 54 and 55 and conducting fluid 56 by reason of the fact that little movement of the rod 21 is required to oscillate the lever 33 and contact closing assembly'to a position where the spring 60 can urge the assembly to continue its oscillation, whether the eX- treme position be the circuit closed position illustated in Fig. 3 or the circuit position of Whilthe form pf embodiment of the prescnt invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow'.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A signal circuit switch comprising in combination; a supporting bracket having an angular lug depending therefrom, a circuit closing assembly unit oscillatably mounted on said bracket and having an angular ear adapted to engage the bracket-limiting the oscillation of the unit on either side of a pivotal point and means connecting the lug and the ear and urging the assembly unit to either of said oscillated posit-ions when the assembly unit is moved by the pivotal point. l

2. A signal circuit switch comprising in combination; a supporting bracket having a lug depending therefrom; a circuit'closlng assembly unit mounted upon a lever carried by the bracket, said lever having an ear overlying and adapted to engage the bracket to limit the oscillation on either side of a pivotal point; and a spring connecting the lug and ear to urge said ear against the bracket when the assembly unit is past the pivotal point.

3. A signal circuit switch comprising in combination; a mounting bracket having an oil'set portion provided with an angular lpg depending therefrom; an oscillating lever plvoted to the bracket, a circuit closing assembly unit mounted upon the lever, said lever hav-` ing an angular ear overlying the offset portion lof the bracket and substantially paralleled to the angular lug, said ear adapted to engage the offset of the bracket to limit the oscillation of the .lever on either side of the pivotal point; and a spring connected between the ear and the lug to move the ear of the oscillating member against the bracket when it has been moved past the pivotal point.

4. In a stop-lightswitch of the fluid conductive type having a removable circuit closing unitand means for supporting same-at each end thereof, the combination comprising; a base; a mounting bracket having a lugv depending therefrom; a lever carrying said base pivoted to said bracket, said lever having a lug overlying said bracket; spring means engaging said lugs and tending to urge the lug on said lever into an angular position relative to 'said pivot; and means operable to move said lever into a position slightly beyond the medial position and cause said lever lug to engage said bracket to limit the movement of said lever, said spring means supplementing the moving means to complete the actuation of said lever and associated structure from one side of the medial position to open or close a circuit through said circuit closing unit.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.

HARRY E. NORVIEL.

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