US1912623A

US1912623A - Electric switch

Info

Publication number: US1912623A
Application number: US568668A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry A Douglas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1931-10-14
Filing date: 1931-10-14
Publication date: 1933-06-06
Anticipated expiration: 1950-06-06

Description

June 6, 1933. H. A. DouGLAs ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed 0G12. 14, 1931 ffarry zgz.:

ffy @uw Patented June 6, 1933 HARRY A. DoUGLAs, or BnoNsoN, MICHIGAN ELECTRIC SWITCH Application filed October 14, 1931'. Serial No.' 568.668.

This invention relates to switches and 3 of a bearing member in the form of the cylindrical sleeve 4, which passes through an appropriate mounting such as the dash more particularly to electric switchesadapted to control a plurality of electric circuits.

Among other objects the invention aims to provide a selective four position electric switch comprising means for actuating the switch directly from one position to any one of the three other positions.

In one aspect, the invention is inclusive of 1 an improved construction yof switch of the so-called toggle type embodying a tiltable bridge member which may be directly moved from any one of four operative positions to any one of the three other positions without first passing through any other operative position, one of saidj operative positions constituting the oi position of the switch and the other operative positions constituting circuit closing positions, the movement into 0 a given operative position desirably taking place with a snap to enhance the positive action of the switch.

The invention will be understood by reference to thel illustrative embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing, in

which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view o' one form of switch structure embodying my invention and showing, in full and dotted lines, two selective positions of the switch;

.Figure 2 is a left-hand end view of the structure of Figure 1, on a somewhat reduced scale, and indicating diagrammatical- 1y representative circuits controlled by the switc Figure 3 is a right-hand end view of the structure of Figure 1, also on a reduced scale, and showing legends indicating vario ous selective positions of the switch; and

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4 4 of Flgure 1,-0na reduced scale, showing the dotted elements of Figure 1 in full lines.

Referrin in detail to the figures of the drawing, t e illustrative structure includes a cylindrical casing 1 preferably of metal and open at both ends. At one end the casing has an angular portion disposed inwardly to form the annular flange. 2. ,The flange 2 is firmly clamped between the double flange board 5 of an automobile. exteriorly threaded to receive the knurled The sleeve 4 is ring 6 which clamps the sleeve, and with it the casing, to the mounting, a legend bearing plate 7 being also advantageously clamped between the ring and the mounting.

The mounting and plate. are desirably keyed to the sleeve by projections 8 directed inwardly of the openings in the mounting and plate through which the sleeve passes and cooperating with a slot 9 in the sleeve to insure that the sleeve (together with the casing 1) shall occupy only one rotative position with respect to the mountingand legend plate. The contacts (presently described) carried by the casing are given a similar predetermined rotative position so that the legends on the plate are coordinated with the positions of the respective contacts.

These legends, in this instance, Dash, Off and Courtesy various selective positions of the switch to be are Park, indicating presently explained.

In the present construction, the opposite end of the casing 1 is closed b a pair of

insulating blocks

10 and 11. T e casing may be enlarged at this end to form an internal shoulder 12 limiting. the inward movement of the block 10. This enlarged end of the casin the block 11. Projecting inwardly into the casing through the disc 10 are a number of has ears 13 which are clinched over current conducting abutment members constituting a central contact 14 and contacts complementary to the central contact, and grouped thereabout, such as the circumferentially disposed contacts 15,16 and 17. An

abutment member 18 is also disposed inthe circumferential arrangement, for a purpose presently pointed out, but this abutment is discontinued at 19 and is not a current conductor, constituting instead the off po- `1"? have an angular continuation 20 which is clampd between the

discs

10 and 11 and the mem rs 15, 16 and 17 have, other angular 100 portions 21 which together with the portion 19 are turned to lie in a notch in the riphery of the disc 11, thereby maintaimng the parts in assembly.

As here shown, the current conducting abutment constituting the central contact 14 includes a spring pressed plunger 22 coaxial with the casing 1, having one end closed and dome shape to provide the contact 14 and having its other end open and flanged as at 23 to slide in an enlarged portion of the spring barrel 24 which passes through the

insulating discs

10 and 11 and telescopingly receives the plunger. A coil spring 25 is also jointly housed by the spring barrel and plunger and presses upon the base of the spring barrel and the closed end of the plunger to urge the latter axially of the casing 1.

The enlarged portion of the spring barrel 24 forms a shoulder 26 which cooperates with the flange 23 on the plunger 22 to limit the outward movement of the plunger in the barrel. The exterior of this shouldered portion may be conveniently spun over the insulating disc 11 to provide a retaining lip 27 between which and a terminal flange 28 on the base of the barrel, the disc 11 is clamped. Between the flange 28 and the disc l1 is also clamped an angular continuation of a binding post 29.

The continuations 21 of the abutment members 15, 16 and 17 are further extended to form binding posts 30 and to the

binding posts

29 and 30, by means of binding screws 31 associated therewith, lead wires may be connected as presently described.

A current conducting bridge here represented by a disc 32 having a body of insulating material and having a metal surface 33 appropriately secured to the insulating body is arranged to continuously abut the central contact 14 as by having a shallow cup-shaped depression 34 formed in its face in which the dome-shaped contact 14 seats, the disc being thus adapted to swivel on the contact as by a ball and socket engagement. The insulatin body of the disc 32 is engaged by the ob-like nose 35 of an actuator 36, which is passed through sleeve 4. The actuator 36 has alspherical portion 37 which has a bearing in the sleeve 4 constitutting a universal joint, the sleeve 4 having an annular spheroidal surface 38 with which the spherical portion 37 of the actuator cooperates. The assembly of the actuator 36 and the sleeve 4 may be readily effected by inserting the actuator into the sleeve 4 through the interior ofthe casing 1 before the other switch parts are aembled therewith, and the subsequent assembly of thesaid switch parts maintains the actuator 1n its bearing in the sleeve. Theactuator terminates exteriorly of the casing 1 in the handle 39 rigidly secured tothe spherical portion 37. By means of the handle the actuator may be readily swivelled upon its universal joint so that the nose 35 of the actuator may move in a circular path on the disc 32 and thus tilt the disc, so as to cause the metal surface 33 thereof to continuously engage the central contact 14 and selectivel any one of the abutment members 15, 16, 1 or 18. When the actuator is placed in position to tilt the disc 32 against the abutment member 18, the switch is in oil osition, since no lead wire is connected to t e abutment member 18. The abutment member 18, however, serves as a stop to keep the disc from tilting too far so as to become objectionably displaced.

By means of the insulated lead wire 40 the central contact 14 may be in permanent electrical connection .with one side of the grounded battery 41 which, where the invention is employed in conjunction with an automobile, may have its other side grounded to the metal frame of the car. When the disc 32 is tilted, in the manner described, to abut the central contact and say the contact 15, a circuit is established through the grounded battery, lead wire 40, contact 14, metallic surface 33 of the disc 32, contact 15, insulated lead Wire 42 and through the grounded filament of a service light such as courtes light 43. This light may be located in t e vicinity of the running board of an automobile to guard against missteps by passengers in entering and alighting from the vehicle. Similarly, when the actuator is further swivelled, this first circuit is broken and the disc 32 ma be tilted to cause it to abut, for example, t e central contact 14 and contact 17, thus establishing a circuit through the grounded battery 41, lead wire 40, contact 14, metallic surface 33, contact 17, insulated lead wire 44 and throu h the grounded filament of a dash light 45, or example. This light may be located upon the dash board of an automobile to illuminate the instruments in the usual manner.

A ain the actuator may be swivelled to brea the last mentioned circuit and cause the disc 32 to be tilted to abut the central contact 14 and say the double contacts 16.

It will be noted that the handle 39 is here intended to occupy, in this instance, four circumferential operative positions with rect to the sleeve 4, there bein notches in ll bore of the. sleeve to locate t e handle in these positions. When the` handle is in notch 46, for example, the handle points to the word Dash and the disc 32 is obviously tilted in the opposite direction to cause it to abut the central contact 14 and the contact 17 to illuminate the dash light 45. (It should be borne in mind that Figures 2 and 3 are looking at the switch in opposite directions). When the actuator is swivelled to place the handle in the notch 47, the handle points in thedirection of the word. Courtesy and the disc 32 is tilted in the opposite direction to abut the central contact 14 and the contact 15 to illuminate the courtes light 43. f

As shown in .the drawing, the contacts 15 and 17 are diametrically aligned with the notches 46 and 47, but it will be noted that there are two contacts 16 spaced equally short distances on each side of a diameter passing through a notch 48. Consequently, when the handle is located in notch 48 it will point to the legend Park, the disc 32 will be tilted in the opposite direction and the metal surface 33 of the disc 32 will abut both of the contacts 16 and thus, as shown in the present exemplification, circuits will be established through the grounded battery 41, lead 40, central contact 14, one of the contacts 16, 4insulated lead wire 49 and `through each of the grounded filaments of parking lights 50, which may be located on the cowl of the automobile; At the same time another circuit will be established through the other contact 16, the insulated lead wire 51 and through the grounded filament (not shown) of a tail lamp 52. Thus, as is usually desirable, the tail lamp will be lighted at all times when the parkingl lights are lighted. The tail lamp may have another connection (Which is not here shown) for maintaining it lighted when the parking lights are off, and, say, when the driving lights of the car are on.

It will be observed that I have provided resilient means between the central contact and the nose of the actuating member (in this instance the spring 25), whereby the disc 32 is yieldingly maintained in engagement with a ulcrum, in this instance, the nose 35 of the actuator 36, to tilt the disc to the various positions indicated, depending upon the position of the fulcrum on the disc circumferentially with respect to the abutment which includes the central contact 14. Since the disc is therefore yieldingly pressed upon its ulcrum, the nose 35 of the actuator may describe not only a circular path upon the'disc 32, but also may be moved radially thereon to permit the handle 39 to be moved radially out of one of the notches in the sleeve 4 and into another notch. In other words, the nose 35 has a wiping engagement with the body 32 of the bridge member. Furthermore, the resilient me'ans described permits the handle 39 to be moved diametrically across the sleeve 4', so as to be moved directly, for example, from notch 46 to notch47 without first being moved to any other notch in the sleeve. So constructed and arranged, the switch is entirely selective since it may be actuated directly from one position to any one of the three other positions shown, as, for example, 1t may be actuated from tlie"off position illustrated 1n Figure 3 directly to anyone of the three on positions Dash, Park or Courtesy, to immediately light any one of these lights as described withoutirst lighting one of the others. The resilient means described also causes the handle tosnap into the selected notch, not only facilitating ease of selection and actuation of the switch, but also positively actuating the switch to its various operative positions. l

Obviously, the invention is not limited to the control of the circuits hereindescribed or to the specific details of construction here shown for purposes of illustration.

Having described the embodiment of my invention, I claim: Y

1. An electric switch comprising a central contact in the form of a current conducting abutment, complementary contacts in the form of current conducting abutments disposed about the central Contact, a bridge member having a metallic face continuously abutting said central contact and tiltable thereon to selectively abut one of the coniplementary contacts, and means for tilting said member, said means engaging the member at a plurality of points on said memberspaced circumferentially about the central control.

2. An electric switch comprising a central contact in the form of a current conducting abutment, complementary contacts in the form of current conducting abutments circumferentially disposed to the central contact, a bridge member having a metallic face continuously abutting said central' contact and tiltable to selectively abut one of the complementary contacts, an actuator movable on a circular pat-h on the bridge member for tilting said member; Aand means for determining the selective positions of the actuator.,

3. An electric switch comprising a central contact in the form of a current conducting abutment, complementary contacts in the form of current conducting abutments circumferentially disposed tothe central contact, a bridge member having a metallic face continuously abutting said central contact and tiltable to selectively abut one of the complementary contacts, an actuator for tilting sa-id member, a bearing for the actuator, and interengaging means between the bearing and the actuatorfor determining the selective positions of the bridge member. K

4. An electric switch comprising a central contact in the form ofk a current conducting abutment, complementary contacts in the form of current conducting abutments disposed about the central contact and circumferentially spaced apart, an insulating disc having a metal face centrally abutting said central Contact and tiltable to selectively abut one of the complementary contacts, and an ,actuator having a nose movable in a circular path on the insulating disc to tilt the disc, whereby the metal face abuts the central contact and one of the complementary contacts.

5' 5. An electric switch comprising a central contact in the form of a current conducting abutment, complementary contacts in the form of current conducting abutments circumferentially disposed to the central contact, a bridge member having a metallic face continuously abutting said central contact and tiltable thereon to selectively abut one of the complementary contacts, an actuating member for-tilting the bridge member, said actuating member having a nose movablev in a circular path on the bridge member, and resilient means between the central contact and 'the nose of the actuating member for causing a snap action of the actuator.

6. An electric switch comprising a'central Contact in the form of a current conducting abutment, complementary contacts in the form of current conducting abutments circumferentially disposed to the central coni tact, a bridge member having a metallic face continuously abutting said central contact ,and tiltablethereon to selectively abut one of the complementary contacts, an actuating member pivoted in a universal joint for tilt- 80 ing the bridge member, said actuating member having a nose movable in a circular path on the bridge member, and resilient means between the central contact and the nose of the actuating member for causing a snap 85 action of the actuator.

7. An electric switch comprising a central contact in the form of a spring pressed current conducting abutment, complementary contacts in the form of current conducting D' abutments circumferentially disposed to the central contact, a bridge member having a metallic face continuously abutting the central contact and tiltable thereon to selectively abut one of the. complementary contacts,

and an actuating member for tilting the bridge member, said actuating, member being pivoted in a bearing to form a universal joint therewith and having a nose movable in a circular path on the bridge member and 50 also movable diametrically.

8. An electric switch comprising a central contact in the form of a spring pressed current conducting abutment, complementary contacts in the form of current conducting 55 abutments circumferentially disposed to the central contact, a bridge member having a metallic face continuously abutting the central contact and tiltable thereon to selectively abut one of the complementary contacts,

an actuating member for tilting the bridge member, said actuating member bein pivoted in a bearin to form a universa joint therewith and avin a nose movable 1n a circular path on the bridge member, and

'.65 interengaging means between the bearing and the actuator determining the selective positions of the actuator.

9. An electric toggle switch comprising a central contact in the form of a spring pressed current conducting abutment, contacts in the form of current conducting abutments disposed circumferentially around the central contact, some of said circumferential abutments constituting complementary contacts for the central contact and one of said abutments constituting the olf position of the switch, an insulating disc having a metallic face continuously abutting the central contact and tiltable to selectively abut one of the circumferential abutments, an actuating member having a nose engaging the insulating disc and movable thereon in a circular path, said nose providing a fulcrum upon which the disc is tilted by the action of the springpof the central contact to engage one of the complementary contacts, a s eeve bearing for the actuating member, said sleeve bearing and said actuating member having interengaging means providing a universal joint for the movement of the actuating member, a handle on the actuating member projecting from the sleeve bearing on the side opposite from the nose of the actuator, and circumferential notches in the sleeve bearing to receive the handle and determine the selective positions of the actuator.

l0. An electric switch comprising a contact in the form of a current conducting abutment; abutments including a complementary current conducting abutment disposed about the first abutment; a disc-like bridge member having a metallic face continuously abutting the first abutment by a ball and socket engagement and tiltable thereon to selectively abut one of the other abutments; means for tilting said bridge member; and resilient yieldable means for retaining the bridge member in said tilted position.

11. An electric, switch comprising a metallic casing; an insulated contact in the form of a current conducting abutment carried by the casing; abutments carried by but insulated from the casing including a complementary current conductingabutment disposed about the first abutment; a bridge member havin a metallic face continuously abutting the rst abutmentby a ball and socket engagement and tiltable thereon to selectively abut one of the other abutments; an actuator carried by the casing for tilting the bridge member, said actuator having a. wiping engagement with the bridge member; a.' coil spring pressing said first abutment transversely of the bridge member; and means for insulating the metallic face of the bridge member from the casing.

12. An electric switch comprising a contact in the form of a central current conducting abutment; at least three other abutments including a plurality of'complementary current conducting abutments disposed about lthe I central abutment; a metallic bridge member having continuous abutting engagement with the central abutment and swmgable thereabout to selectively -abut each of the other abutments; 'an insulated actuator in continuous abutting frictional engagement withthe bridge member and movable to at least three pointson an arc of a circle to swing the bridge member to its selective positions; a bearing for the actuator; a bearing, portion on the actuator providing 15 a universal joint with the bearing, both said engagements being maintained by said abutments in cooperation with said bearing; a handle on the actuator extending through the bearing oppositely from said abutments;

at least three circumferential notches in the bearing receiving the handle to determine the selective posltions of the actuator; and resilient yieldable means for maintaining the bridge member and actuator in said selective positions.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS.