US1903180A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

March 28, 1933. H. J. HAMMERLY .1,903,180

y ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 6. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig'. .l

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March 28, 1933. H. J. HAMMERLY 1,903,180

' ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug. 6. V'1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iNVENTOR HERMAN J. HAMMERLY? Patented Mar. 28, 1.933

UNITED STATES PATENT OFI-lcs HERMAN 'J'. HAMMERLY, 0F NEW BRITAN, CNNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRUM- BULL ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT, A

CORPRATION 0F CONNECTICUT ELECTRIC SWITCH Applicationled August 6, 1932. S'erial No. 627,692.

My invention relates to electric switches and particularly to the type commonly known as safety or enclosed switches.

` The main object of my invention is to provide an unusually compact, durable and reliable construction.

Another object is to prbvide such 'a construction which can be made and assembled at a minimum of cost.

Another object is to provide a construction of this character in which the switch parts are fully protected against accidental contact when the box is open( Another object is to provide a construction which can be readily operated with aa snap action without danger of sticking or arcing.

Another object is to provide a construction of this character which may be built up of units so as to operatev one, two, three or more poles of a circuit in a single box.

Another object isto provide a switch unit which can be readily inserted in a box or removed therefrom independently of the other switch units and without disturbing the operating crank.

Another object is to" provide a construction in which the quick-make and break or snap action mechanism may be assembled in the box and tested after which the remaining contact Carrying or fuse supporting blocks may be inserted without disturbing the operating mechanism.

Another object lis to provide a construction of this character in which the protecting fuses are readily-accessible for insertion or removal..

In carrying out the invention the circuit terminals are supported by a number of insulating blocks mounted in a suitable box or receptacle. These blocks are arranged 1n pairs which also usually carry fuse clips or terminals. One of the blocks carries concealed switch contacts and a switch operat` pairs of. blocks .and is detachably connected to the swltch slide. The fuses are supported in the fuse terminals infront of or above cessible for insertion and removal. 1

Fig. 1 is a front view of a switchemhodythe crank shaft where they are readily ac- 'ing my invention, Iparts of onemnit being shown in section and the cover of the box being open andpartly broken away. Y

Fig. 2 is a partial horizontal section and end view of the construction shown in'Fig; 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of one of the switch blocks. y

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View of one of the switch units showing it connected to a fragment ofthe supporting box.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the insulating switch supporting block,r the insulating slide and 'some of the metal parts of one of the switch units.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the meth- `od of supporting one of the switch contacts.

of thel switch are., supported respectively by the 'insulating' blocks 9 and 10, which are mounted in a suitable box or receptacle 11. The fuses 12'are mounted in front of or above the switch blocks anda crankshaft 13 is mounted between the respective pairs of insulating blocks. Any suitable form of actuating mechanism may be employed, such, for instance, as the external handle 14 and snap action or quick-make andbreak mechanism 15 which is described in detail in my Patent No. 1,838,020, Serial N o. 335,250 which issued December 22, 1931.

p' Theswitch block 9 is detachably mounted in the box, being secured to the back of the box by anchorage screws 16 and 17 which pass through slotted lugs 18 and 19, thus permitting a considerable amount of adjustment of the supporting block with respect to the box, the crank shaft 13 and the adjacent switch blocks.

Each switch unit has 'the spring Contact arms 20 and 21 and the contact roller 22. The latter is loosely mounted in an aperture preferably y:lng fibre strip 40 whichfis secured by one or in the insulating plate or slide 23. The stationary contacts are preferably in the form of brackets or elbows andare mounted inA recesses24 and 25 in the block 9. The contact 20 isY secured in place by a screw 26 wh1ch electrically connects it to one arm of an angle plate 27. The other arm of this plate 27 extends through the insulating block from the recess 24 to a. point beneath the terminal 7 which is secured to the arm by the anchorage screw 28. The nut 28,,coacts wlth the screw 28 to hold the terminal 7 and the plate 27 in place.` The `contacteL 21 is secured by a screw 29 which also clam s it tothe angle plate 30. The arm 30 o this Vangle plate extends over the upper surface of the block 9 and forms a support for the fuse terminal .31 to which it is secured by the screw 32. The baseis rovided at each end with projectingv vlugs aving open ended slots such as 33 for the screws 28 and 32. v The-block 9 is provided with' a passageway 34 which extends entirely through the block for supporting and guiding the insulating slide 23. The central. part of this passage 34 is widened'or enlarged to form grooves 35 to permit the travel of the switch contact roller .22. The roller 22 loosely iits in the erforationy 36 in the sliding plateland is con ned .in the groove 35 where it is pery mittedto travel between the contacts 20 and i 21 from theonv positionv shown inFig. 1 to the oli position shown in Fig. 4. The slide 23 is also provided with a slot v37 which is opened toward therearso as to facilitate its' readily detachable connection with the crankshaftl.v

The fuse clip or terminal 31 is described vin detail in m Patent No.^1,851,249, Serial 40Noh501 779 w ich issued March 29, l1932.

use terminal 38 is arranged topair with a similar terminal 31 and is secured in anglsuitable manner to the terminal 8 so that, a se may be mounted in any suitable man' ner tocomplete the circuit from the terminal .7 through the angle plate 27, switch contact 20 and switch contact roller- 22, contact 21, p angle plate 30, fuse ,terminal 31, fuse'12 and fuse terminal 38 to'terminal 8. v 5o The terminals along the upper end of the base and which are the line terminals are arded by means of an insulatmore c'screws' 41, which screw into the nuts m5v 28. l This guard strip reventsmccidental contactwith the termina s and at the same time, bein removable, permits access to the Vterminals or wiring purposes. 1,

l I also preferably provide a guard plate 42 30 of insulating material which is provided with passages for the insulating slides 23 and is mounted beneath the pairs of switch contacts so as to substantially close the recesses 24 and 25 beneath the switch contacts when the switch is being operated to break the cirf cuit. This plate 42 thus serves to guard the switch contacts on the lower side, and thus prevent any are from jumping from the contacts to the operating crank.

The operating crank 13 -preferably has its ends 43 and 44 pivotally mounted 1n opposite sides of the box and may be provided with stops 45 and 46 to limit its operating movement.

' It will be seen from the foregoing that each switch unit is complete in itself and that it may be inserted in or removed from the box independently of otherswitch units andwith- 6 out disturbing the crank shaft 13. The shape of the cont-acts '20 and 21 is'such as to provide an effective engagement with the roller 22 and the roller being loosely carried by the slide 23 readily adapts itself to a position 'of perfectv electrical contact with both of the members'20 :passage '34and groove 35 which allows lfor some circulation of air which is occasioned by the movement o f the slide or plunger 23.

The` insulating support block 10 for the load terminals may be mounted on a bracket 47 secured by screws 48. The blocks 50 may .be in one piece or mightbe made of a number ol' sections to correspond with the number p of switch blocks `9.l The bracket 47 may be secured to the welding.

In Fig. 7 'is illustrated a form in which the lower terminal block is made of sections such as 50, each having, for instance, offset joints casing by screws 48 or by spot 51, 52 and fastened to the bridge strip 47 by l the usual screws (not shown) passing through the holes 53.

l One Aof these sections '50 is provided to cor#l respond with each switch block and will support the usual fuse terminal and load terminal as shown in Fig. 1.

Block 9 isprovided at each of its opposite ends with a projecting lug like 19, each lugV having an` open-ended slot like 33; the perforation or passage 34 for the insulatingy slide extends entirely through the block and .particular attention is calledto the fact that the lugs 19, the slot 33, the passage 34 and all of the remaining passages, holes, recesses, slots,`

ed thaty the completemolded by a single,-

contacts and the movable switching members are located underneath the fuses and their terminals and that the line and load side .wire terminals are offset at one side of the fuse terminals and thus it is possible to construct a fused switch which is no greater in length or width dimensions than would be required for a no-switch fuse block having the same capacity or number of poles.

i By reason of being supported between the switch blocks 9 and the fuse terminal supporting boclr l() (or blocks 50) substantially the entire bodies of' the fuses are supported in air, relatively far away from metal parts and are thereforel much less likely-to cause any damage should they blow out on short circuit.

ll claim:

l. An electric switch including a box, an actuating crank shaft pivoted in opposite sides of the box, an insulating block mounted in the box at one side of the crank shaft and a second block mounted in the box at the opposite side of the crank shaft, one of said blocks having a passage extending through it at right angles to the crank shaft anda contact chamber at one end of said passage, a stationary contact mounted within said chamber at each side of said passage, an insulating plate slidable in said passage and-carrying a switch member adapted to connect said contacts, said p'ate having a slot open at one edge in which said crank shaft loosely fits, means for actuating said crank shaft and the associated switch member, each block having a fuse clip mounted thereon and a fuse mounted in said clips and extending over the crank shaft between the blocks.

2. An electric switch including a box, an actuating crank shaft pivoted in the box, an insulating block mounted in the box at one side of the crank shaft and a second block mounted in the box at the opposite side of the crank shaft, one of said blocks having a pas-v sage extending through it at right angles to the crank shaft, a contact mounted on said block ateach side of said passage, an insulating plate slidable in said passage and loosely carrying a switch member adapted to connect said contacts, said plate being connected to said crank shaft, means for actuating said crank shaft and the associated switch member, each block having a fuse clip mounted thereon for supporting a fuse over the crank shaft said blocks being independently removable from the box with their respective attached parts.. 4

3. an electric switch device including a one-piece insulating body having a passage extending therethrough with a recess on each side at one end thereof, a stationary contact at each side of the passage in one of the recesses and having an anchorage foot extending substantially at right angles to the length l of said passage, an angle member having one end secured to the foot of one contact and its other end connected to a circuit terminal, a second angle member having one end secured to the foot of the other contact and having one of its ends in a plane above the plane of said terminal each end of each angle member being secured to said body and a fuse clip connected to the. raised end and a switch member slidable in said passage to make and break the circuit in the passage between said stationary contacts.

' 4C. An electric switch device including a one-piece insulating body having a passage extending therethrough with a recess on each side at one end thereof, a stationarycontact at each side of the passage in one of the recesses and having an anchorage foot extending substantially at right angles to the length of said passage, an angle member having one end secured to the foot of one contact and its other end connected to a circuit terminal, a second angle member having one endI secured to the foot of the other contact, a switch member slidable in said passage to make and break the circuit in the passage between said contacts and an insulating guard for closing the recesses adjacent the contacts and through vwhich a part of the switch member is movable.

5. An electric switch device including a one-piece insulating body having a passage extending therethrough with a recess 'at each side of one end thereof, a stationary Contact at each side of the passage in one of the recesses and having an anchorage foot extending at an angle to the length of said passage, an angle member having one end secured to the foot of one contact and its other end connected to a. circuit terminal., a second angle member having one end secured to the foot of the other contact, a fuse clip connected to the other end and a switch member slidable in said passage between said contacts and an insulating guard plate secured to they end of the body for 'protecting the circuit terminal said body forming the sole means for supporting and guiding said switch member.J

6. A switch unit including a one-piece nsulating block having a supporting lug at each end with a slot opening toward the end, a terminal recess and a fuse clip anchorage ioo recess opening at one end, contact-receiving extending entirely through the block and communicating with the contact-receiving recesses and for housing and guiding the movable switch member and passages extending 5 through the block parallel to the guide passage for receiving the Contact anchorage screws and a passage extending through the block from the terminal recess to one of the contact-receiving recesses.

8. A switch unit including an insulating block having open recesses in its opposite ends and having a guide passage extending through the block, a circuit terminal secured in the recess in one end of the block, stationary contacts housed inthe recesses in the other end of the block -on opposite sides of the guide passage, `an insulating slide .having its edges guided in said passage and a freely rotatable switch Contact looselylsuppoyrted by said slide and movable between said spring contacts.

9. An electricl switch .construction including an insulating body having a guide. passage extending entirely therethrough with a recess on each side of oney end thereof, a contact at each side of the passage in one of ythe recesses and having an anchorage foot extending transversely to the length of said passage, an angle member having one end secured to the foot of one 'contact and vits other end extending to one end of the body, a circuit terminal secured to said extending end, .a second angle member having one end secured to the'foot of the other contact and a fuse clip connected' to its other end, a 35. switch member slidable in said passage between saidcontacts, a second fuse clip spaced away from arid in line with said first mentioned fuse clip and a crank shaft extending across the interior of the box between the fuse lclips and connected to said switch member.

l0. An ,electric switch including a box, an actuating crank shaft pivoted in the box, an

` insul-ating block mounted in the box at one side of the crank shaft anda second insulat- 4 ing block mounted inthe box at the opposite ed in said passage and having a loosely mount ed and freely rotatable switch member for interposition between said contacts, an insulating guard plate for the circuit terminal on the upper end of the body and an insulating guard plate beneath the contacts.

12. An electric switch including a box, an actuating crank shaft pivoted in opposite sides of he box, an insulating block mounted in the box above the crank shaft and a second block mounted in the box below the crank shaft, one of said blocks having a passage extending through it at right angles to the crank shaft, a spring contact mounted in said block on each side of said passage, an insulating plate slidable `in said passage and carrying a switch member adapted to connect said contacts, said plate vhaving a slot open n at one end in which said crank shaft loosely' fits, means for actuating said crank shaft and the' associated switchhmember with a snap action, each block having a fuse clip and a fuse mounted in said clips and extending over the crank shaft between the blocks.

HERMAN J. HAMMERLY.

side of the crank shaft, one of said `blocks having a guide passage extending entirely ,l

through it, a contact mounted in one end of being loosely connected to said crank shaft said blockat each side of said passage, an f insulating plate slidable in said passage and carrying a freely rotatable switch member l and quick-break means for actuating said crank shaft and the associated switch mem-l ber.

11. A switch unit including an insulating body having a vertical passage extending therethrough, a contact housed in the lower 9 end of the body at'each side of said passage,

\a circuit terminal housed inthe upper edge of the body and connected to one Contact inside of the body, a ,fuse support mounted on the outerface of the body and connected to the other contact, an insulating slide guid-

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