US1910030A - Electric snap switch of the push button type - Google Patents

Description

May 23, 1933. R. A. MILLERMASTER 1,910,030

ELECTRIC SNAP SWITCH OF THE PUSH BUTTON TYPE Filed Jan. 9, 1931 Patented May 23, 1933 "UNITED STATES PATENT:

mrirn a. mLLmmAsrER, or MILWAUKEE, isconsin, ASSIGNOR T curren- HAMMER; me, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A conrroanrron or DELAWARE 1 momma snnr' SWITCH or THE rusn BUTTON TYrE Application filed. January 9,1931. Serial No. 507,571

This invention relates to improvements in electric snap switches of the push button type. An object of the invention is to provide a rubber mounted snap switch of the push button type.

Another object is to utilize a switch frame and certain other switch parts which may be standardwith'respect to a snap switch of the v y toggle lwpe, but wherein the base of the switch frameis modified in a simple manner for cooperation with the push button elements of the switch [Another obj'ectis to provide a novel form s of rubber mounting blocks for snap switches of the push button type.

1 'Another object is to provide novel means ibr pivotally mounting the rock lever with respect to. the switch frame.

. Otherobjects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear. The accompanying drawing illustrates cer tain embodiments of the invention which will now be described, it being understood that the embodiments illustrated are susceptible o-f modification in certain detailsv of con struction thereof without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a top plan vlew of an open-type single pole push button snap switch constructed in accordance with my 1nvention, the supporting crossbar and the thin insulating cover plate or sheet being omitted for clarity of illustration.

.1 Pg. 2 is an enlarged vertical section on the broken line 2-2 of Fig. I, with the cross bar and cover plate in position.

Fig. 3 is a similar section on the line 33 o f Fig. '1. p p p Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an arrangement of contact and terminal members to be used in a snap switch of the three-point type.

Fig; 5 is a top plan View of a cup-shaped molded insulating base to which the stationmay be secured. v

(i is a top planviewpf the supporting cross bar and the thin insulating cover plate'for a single pole switch of the character illustrated in Figs. 1, 2' and 3.

'Fig. F is a fragmentary bottom plan View any contact and terminal members of Fig. 4

of the switch frame illustrating themanner of attaching the reducing plates. thereto. i, Fig. 8 is 'afragmentary View showing in vertical section the manner of'formingv the on push button of a single pole or double pole switch, and

Fig. 9 is a perspective View of the. bus bar or connection for av switch of the three-point I type. r v m Referring to-the drawing, the numerallfi n designates the cup-shaped base for a. single pole push button snap. switch adapted tor flush mo tinting, said base molded. in one piece from insulating material of suitable character. Base ifiisrecessed from-itsupper surface as shown atl6 and '17 to aceommo date the switch frame 18v and the. parts sup ported thereby, including the resilient orflexible bridging cont-actor elements l9. The switch frame 18 may be termed from a sheet 7 metal blank identical with that disclosed inv my Patent No.. 1,796,854, dated March 17, 1931. The fiat punched; sheet metal carrier 20 of bail formmay likewise be identical with the single pole carrier illustrated in my 'patent aforementioned,and the contacimr elements 19 may be, attached thereto "but insu-. lated therefrom. in the 'manner disclosed insaid patent.

The bottomof the base 15 is provided with shoulders. forming dovetail recesses 21 and; 22 within which thecorrespondingly shaped. rubber blocks or cushions: 223i and .2 are-'- adapted' to seat, the flat upper-ends of said blocks extending above said shoulders topros" 55 vide rests for the opposite endportions 118 and 18 of the flat base of frame 18.v y While it is. desirable from. the production viewpoint to employ. .a switch frame 18 which is standard with respect to a toggle type snap switch of the character disclosed in my aforementioned. patent, it is preferred to employ somemeans for reducingthe. size of the openings adjacent to the oppositeends of the frame base. Such means, asshown; P may comprise a pair of plates 25and 26 of. relatively thin sheet metal, the upwardly ofi'set portions 25 and 26 of which fit snug- 1y within the standard size-openings inthei' having openings 25 and 26 the walls of shanks 27 and .284, the bottom wallof base, 15"being provided with relatively shallow de; A pressions or'recesse's 15 and 15 for a like purpose.

ed intermediate projection 30 of which .engages the'indented upperfend ofa notched cylindrical spring'enclo'sing member. 31, the springwhich engages an abutment on carrie 20:;being shown at 32 in Fig. 3.

-The'opposite end porti ns of plates 25 and 26 are adapted to underlie the respective end portions l'8 'and 18 of the frame base,and said plates are rigidly and permanently secured to the frame base by upsetting the opposite end walls of the openingsinthe lattertopro'vide integral lugs-l8? and 18 which respectively underlie" thev upwardly offset portions 25 and 26 of said plates.

'The oppositely extending arms 33 and 3e of lever 29 ha've interlocking or cooperative engagement with the push button members 27 and 28 by extending through suitable openings 27 and 28 'providedin the latter (see Figs. 3an'd 8).

-' Lever29 IS pIOVIClBd at its upper end with a projection 35whicliis adapted to penetrate a corre's'pondingly shaped opening in a flat punched sheet metalpivot member 36, said projection 35 being upset or riveted over member'36 to rigidly secure 'said parts to each other. Member 36 is provided atop posite ends'thereof with pivot'projections 36 and 36 and member '36 with lever 29 attached thereto is preferably assembled with respect toframe 18 by forcibly inserting said member 36 between and spreading the upstanding ,parallel arms of the frame so that the'pivot projections 36 and 36 will enter the alined pivot openings provided in said frame -arms.

with respect to base 15.

*The' opposite ends of the frame base are provided withlugs 18 and 18 which cooperate with suitable' vertical notches or recesses 15?; and 15 to'assist in positioning the frame thebase, as by means of screws38 and 39.

Said bar'is provided with lugs 40 and to provide foratt'achment thereof to an outlet box or similar support, and said bar may be provided with plaster engaging portions, 42

and l3 known'form. I i

p ing fi d- 7 t ecei e he r d ed and shouldered upper ends of the parallel arms of the switch frame. By this arrangement 11" x 4. .1; 5.. i the switch frame is held atthe desired degree The lever or rock-bar 29 of the switch consists of a flat sheet metal punching the round-- of pressure against the soft rubber blocks 23 and 24,and'proper cooperation of the movable and stationary switch parts :is vinsured."

While. the switch .aforedescribed .is of the open type I prefer to provide means for substantially closing the upper surface: thereof and 45 and to partially. surround the reduced upper end portions of the frame arm sf a'l hus when bar 37is secured 'in position platefiS is clamped between. the Iatte r and base 15 at opposite endsvo'f the sheet and.betw een said bar'and the ishoulderslformed on the 1 frame arms at the intermediate portion of saidsheet. Clamping-of the intermediate portions of sheet 48-between bar. 37 and the shoulders formed on swarms-10f the switch frame is a particularlyadvantageous feature 1n a rubber mounted. swltch mechan smof the character herein disclosed, since thereby metal to metal contact between the cross bar and the switch frame isminimized with consequent reduction in the degreeof sound ornoise incident to operation of the switch; As shown'in Fig. 8 the insulatingportion; 28 of push button elementf28 is preferablyv provided with means toindicate that depression'of such member will result in closing of the circuit controlled by the switch. Said means may comprise a pearl disk 28 .or-a disk of other light colored material which is molded in oradherent to a recess formed in said insulating portion. Push button "ele-n ments 27 and, 28 'arepreferablyfproviderh with 'shoulder's-127 and 28 to limit downward movement frame base. A

The one-piece eoinbind statidfi i-yebntaet and terminal members 52 and 53 are-prefera thereof ,with respect to the.

bly identical with the correspondingelements disclosed in m I patent, afo'ren ientioned,the

terminal portions. of said membershaving; ai h e alrj 't ea eastern which. fi

snugly against suitable vertical shoulders 15 j and 15 formed on base 15 whereby said members may each be fixed in position upon base 15 by means of a single securing screw 52*, 53.

The stationary contact and terminal members 54 and 55 illustrated in Fig. 4 may be formed from a blank identical with that employed for formation of the member 53 in Fig. 1, the contact portions of members 54 and 55, however, being bent in a reverse direction, as compared with the contact portion of member 53. Members 56 and 57 in Fig. 4 are identical in form. Thus by employing a carrier having bridging contactors angularly alined at the respective ends thereof (the same as in a double-pole switch of the character described in my patent aforementioned) it follows that in one position of the switch parts the contacts of members 55 and 56 will be bridged, and in the other position thereof the contacts of members 54 and 57 will be bridged.

To provide a common terminal connection for members 54 and 56 I employ a bus or conductor consisting of a substantially U- shaped punching the arms 58 and 59 of which are adapted to underlie the terminal portions of members 54 and 56 to be clamped in position by the securing screws (not shown) of the latter. The connecting portion 60 of said punching is bent downwardly at right angles to the arms 58 and 59 whereby the former is positioned closely adjacent to one of the end walls 61 of the recess 62 in base 63, suitable ledges 64 and 65 being provided to prevent any possibility of the switch frame coming in contact with portion 60 when the bus member is attached to either end of base 63.

Base 63 is otherwise generally similar to the base 15 of Fig. 1, except that the former is recessed, as at 66 and 67, on opposite sides of recess 62 to accommodate the double contactors of the switch and the opposite pairs of stationary contact and terminal members shown in Fig. 4. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the base 63 is adapted to be used for formation of a switch of the double pole type, by merely selecting the proper stationary contact and terminal members. For instance, by substituting for member 55 a member similar to member 57 but having the contact portion thereof bent in the reverse direction, and by substituting for member 56 a member similar to member 54 but having the contact portion thereof bent in the reverse direction, the contact arrangement for a double pole switch will be provided, it being necessary of course to omit the bus connection 58, 59, 60 and to provide a binding screw or other type of wiring element for member 54. The recesses 63*, 63 correspond in function to the recesses 15 15 of Fig. 3.

A punched sheet of insulation (not shown) Will likewise be employed in 'conj unction with a switch of the characterillustrated in Figs. ,4and 5, such insulation sheet being similar to the sheet -48 (F ig. 6) but having a relatively gwidewing on each, sidethereof to correspond with the relatively-greater width of base 63.

What I claim as new and ,desire to secure by Letters l atent is:

1. In an electric snap switch, in combination, a punched sheet metalframe of substantially u -shape in cross section, the upstanding armsof; said frame having alined pivot openings, a Zflat punched sheet metal member interposed'between said arms and having projecting end portions pivotally engaging the walls of saidopenings, said sheet metal. member having an opening, a second flat punched-sheet metal member having a projection penetrating said opening,v said projection being. upset to rigidly secure said members toeach other, said second mentioned ,member having integral oppositely extending arms, and push button elements each comprising a fiat punched sheet metal member having an opening whereby the same is adapted for interlocking --engagement with. one of said last mentioned arms, said push buttonelements having shank portions and saidframe having openings to receive and guide said shank portions.

2. In an electric snapswitch, in combina-. tion, a punched sheetmetal frame of substantially U- shape in cross section, the upstandingarms of said frame having alined pivot openings, a flat punchedsheet metal member interposed between said arms and having projecting end portions pivotally engaging the walls of said openings, said sheet metal member having an opening, a second flat punched sheet metal member having a projection penetrating said opening, said projection being upset to rigidly secure said members to each other, said second mentioned member having integral oppositely extending arms, push button elements each comprising a flat punched sheet metalmember having an opening whereby the same is adapted for interlocking engagement with one of said last mentioned arms,

said frame having openings to receive and guide said shank portions, and a pair of soft rubber blocks upon which said frame is adapted to rest, each of said rubber blocks having an opening to provide clearance for said shank portions of the respective push button elements.

3. In a push button snap switch, in combination, a punched sheet metal frame comprising a base portion having parallel upstandlng arms formed integrally therewith, said arms having pivot openings formed therein, a flat punched sheetmetal member having pivot projections formed on opposite ends thereof, said arms being sufficiently resaid push button elements having shank portions and silientto permit forcible insertion of said projections within said pivot openings whereby said parts are retained in assembled relation, and a switch actuating-lever rigidly secured to said pivot member and depending from the same for oscillation in a plane substantially parallel-to the arms of said frame, said lever having oppositely ex- I I tending arms located within said plane.

19 4. In an electric snap switch, in combination, a cup-shaped molded insulating base, a pair of soft rubber blocks seated upon the bottom wall of said base, a sheet metal switch frame having a fiat base portion seatedupon said rubber blocks and having parallel arms the shouldered end portions I of which extend upwardly beyond said base, a sheet metal supporting bar extending I II across the open face of said base and rigidly secured to the latter, said bar having openings to accommodate the end portions of said arms, a flat punched sheet of fibrous insulating material adapted to overlie the open face of said base, said sheet'having end portions thereof clamped between said bar and the upper surface of said base, and said sheet also having intermediate portions thereof clamped between said bar and the shouldered end portions of said frame arms, whereby the metal to metal contact of said bar with said switch frame is minimized, for the purpose set forth. I I In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

RALPH A. MILLERMASTERJ

Images