US1929170A - Vertical type mercury switch - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 3, 1933. c. v. IREDELL VERTICAL TYPE MERCURY SWITCH Filed Aug. l. 1930 Patented Oct. 3, 1933 PATENT OFFICE 1,929,110 VERTICAL TYPE MERCURY swITCn Charles v. rreaeli, East orange, N. J., assigner to Westinghouse Lamp Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 1, 1930. Serial No. 472,222

8 Claims.

'This invention relates to mercury switch devices of the tilting type and relates more particularly to such devices which are operated in a substantially vertical position.

In mercury switches of the class to which the present invention relates a sealed glass envelope is employed having a pair of electrodes extending into the interior thereof.

Within the envelope is a pool of mercury so that vwhen the envelope is tipped in one direction during operation the mercury moves in contact with the electrodes and when tipped in another direction the mercury moves to disconnect the electrodes. Such switches are usually provided with a relatively tubular sealed envelope or bulb and are operated in a horizontal position. In switches of this type the movement of the mercury is relatively long and the desired quick action is not attainable. l It is an object of the present invention to provide a quick acting mercury switch device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mercury switch device which may operate in a relatively small space.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mercury switch of the vertical tilting type of simplified construction and which may be manufactured at relatively low cost.

In accordance with the present invention a sealed envelope is provided of substantially tubular form havingelectrodes extending through one end thereof, the ends of said electrodes being disposed in spaced relation at the opposite end of the said envelope. The device is normally held vertical that is, with its longitudinal or longest axis in a vertical position. The switch is operated by tilting the envelope about a suitable point in its vertical axis so as to move a mercury pool to bridge and make connection between the .electrodes or to be so moved as to break the electrical connection between the electrodes. In accomplishing the above-the envelope is provided with a refractory element so constructed as to provide cavities to receive the ends 4 of the electrodes and a platform is also provided over which a mercury pool flows between the cavities.

Intermediate the electrodes is a dividing wall or partition which normally partially divides the mercury disposed between the electrodes and is so arranged that upon a tilting of the device the said wall serves to separate the mercury pool into two separate bodies and thus break the electrical connection between the electrodes, the arc breaking over the edge of the refractory element.

'Ihe partition or wall being of refractory ma- (Cl. 20D-152) terial, is resistant to the effect of the arc which breaks thereover and is comparatively remote from the wall of the envelope so as to prevent thev arc from having any detrimental effects upon the said glass wall.

By reason of the present construction a mercury switch device is provided which may be operated in a rapid and effective manner. The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view partly broken away and showing a device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view taken on lines lI--lI in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view taken on lines III-III in Fig. 2; 70

Fig'. 4 is a perspective view of the refractory element employed in the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a modified form of the device Ishowing a refractory element having a pair of cavities connected by an inclined surface;

Fig. 6 is a view taken on lines VI-VI in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the refractory element shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is another modified form of the device 80 and shows a refractory element having a wall provided with a notch to permit a flow of. mercury from one side to the other.

Fig. 9 is a view taken on lines lX--D in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view oi the refractory 35 element shown in Fig. 8.

A switch device constructed in accordance with the present invention may comprise a glass envelope 10 having electrodes 11 and 12 sealed through a wall 13 at one end thereof. The said 90 wall 13 may be in the form of a press 14 and the electrodes 11 and 12 may be provided with conductors or leads 15 and 16 respectively embedded in the press.

For the purpose of exhausting the envelope an exhaust tube 17 is provided and a pool of mercury 18 may be admitted to the envelope through the exhaust tube after which the device is exhausted and the tube 1'7 is then tipped of! in the usual manner. The present deviceis, however, provided with a specially formed rei'ractory member 19 which previous to the formation of the press 14 and while the envelope y is open, is inserted at opposite or closed end 21 of the envelope. The electrodes are then held so that ltheir ends 22 and 23 are disposed in sockets in the element 19 after which the said electrodes are secured in the press and thus serve to retain the refractory element in place.

The refractory element may be of any suitable material and it has been found practical to use lavite or a commercial product comprised of finely pulverized refractory material compacted under pressure and the present refractory element is so formed as to be conveniently molded by automatic machinery such as is used for pressing tablets.

The refractory element as Ishown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 4 consists of a vbody 24 having a platform 25 and a wall or partition 26 disposed on the platform and extendingupwardly therefrom. At each side of the wall is a cavity 2'1 and 28 in the bottom of which are the pockets 24' and 25' respectively to receive the ends 22 and 23 of/'the electrodes. Although the pockets 24 and 25' are provided it is to be understood that the diameter of the cylindrical portion 29 of the refractory element may be so proportioned as to tightly fit the envelope v10 and be retained thereby or the said element may be retained in place by other means, in whichcase the ends 22 and 23 of the electrodes need only extend into the cavities 27 and 28 sufllciently to make contact with the mercury therein.

When the device is in a vertical or normal position the mercury pool will extend from cavity to cavity. on the platform 25 and the wall 26 may as shown be provided with concave sur- c faces 31 and 32 to provide a guide passage in commotion with the wall of the envelope.

For the purpose of narrowing this guide passage the refractory element is provided with extensions 34 and 35 having surfaces 36 and 37 to conform with and fit the curvature of the wall of the envelope and providing a protective' medium to keep any arcing that may take place from having any detrimental effects on the glass wall of the envelope.

At the normal or vertical positions the mercury pool is partly divided by the partition which acts as a knife to divide the pool when the device is tilted. The tilting of the device may be about a suitable point in the normal vertical axis thus breaking the electrical connection when tilted between the electrodes and renewing the connection when moved back to vertical position since the two bodies of mercury are free to move over the platform to and from each other.

Figs. yl5 and 6 show a modified form of the refractory element and as shown such element may comprise a body portion of cylindrical form to nt the envelope 10. The body 36' is provided with a sloping platformA 37' extending between two pockets 38 and 39 and a partition 41 extending between the cavities and into a mercury pool 42.

When the device is held` vertical the mercury pool spans electrodes 43 ando 44 the ends of which extend into the cavities 38 and 39 respectively. When the device is tilted the body of mercury breaks over the edge 45 of the wall 41.

Figs. 8 to 10 show a refractory element 46 comprising a body 47 of cylindrical form to fit the interior surface of the envelope A10. The member 46 is provided with a platform 48 and a partially surrounding wall 49 which in -conjunction with a portion of the wall of the envelope provides an enclosure which is divided,A

58 so that when the device is tilted the two bodies of mercury will flow together over the notch land electrically connect the electrodes.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that the present invention provides a device which by reason of its vertical operation may be used in apparatus where the space is limited and where horizontal or other types of devices are impractical.

Furthermore a device constructed in accordance with the present invention requires a relatively small amount bf mercury as comparedwith other devices. Another advantage resides in the fact that the refractory element may more easily be made as for example by automatic machinery by an extruding or molding operation. The de vice lends itself to both small and large angle tilt to make contact. In cases where a large angle tilt is required the present device may be tilted through an angle of 180 without short circuiting.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein it is to be understood that modifications may ne made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mercury switch device comprising an enclosing envelope of substantially cylindrical form, a pair of conductor members extending through and sealed in one end of said envelope, an arc resistant element of substantially cylindrical form disposed at the opposite end of lsaid envelope, said element having pockets disposed in" spaced relation to receive the ends of said conductors, a wall integral with said element extending between said conductors, a body of mercury for electrically connecting said conductors,

said wall serving to divide said mercury body andy disconnect said conductors when said envelope is tilted.

2. A mercury switch device comprising a cylindrical container, a pair of conductor members sealed into and extending through one end of said container, a refractory element at the opposite end of said container, said element having a a substantially cylindrical surface to fit the interior surface of said container, and formed with a base portion having pockets disposed in spaced relation to receive ends of said conductors, a body of mercury movable over said base, a wall integral with said element perpendicular to said base and disposed between said pockets, to divide said mercury body when said device is tilted.

3. A mercury switch device comprising a container of substantially cylindrical form,'a pair of conductor members extending through and sealed in one end of said container, a body of refractory material having a platform disposed in the* other end of said container, a mercury body extending across said platform, a wall perpendicular to and extending partially across said platform, the ends of said conductor members being disposed at opposite sides of said wall and in contact with said mercury, said wall serving to divide said mercury body to electrically disconnect said conductors.

4. A mercury switch device comprising a container of substantially cylindrical form, a pair of conductor members extending through and sealed in one end of said container, a body of refractory material in the form of a cylindrical block proportioned to t and be retained against lateral movement by the wall of said container,

the ends of said conductors engaging said body to hold it against endwise movement, a mercury body for electrically connecting said conductors, a wall integral with said refractory body for dividing said mercury body to electrically disconnect said conductors.

5. A mercury switch device comprising a container of substantially cylindrical form, a pair of conductor members extending through and sealed in one end of said container, a body of refractory material in the form of a cylindrical block proportioned to t and be retained against lateral movement by the wall oi' said container, said refractory body having-pockets disposed in spaced relation, said conductors having their ends in said pockets, a mercurybody extending between said pockets to electrically connect said conductors, and a wall integral with said refractory body disposed between said pockets to divide said mercury body and electricallydisconnect said Vconductors when said device is tilted.

6. A mercury switch device comprising a substantially cylindrical container, a pair of conductor members sealed into and extending through one end of said container, an arc resistant element disposed at the other end of said container said element being formed to fit the interior wall of said container, said element having two pockets disposed in spaced relation and an inclined surface extending between said pockets, said conductor members having their ends disposed in said pockets, a body of mercury connecting said members, a wall integral with said element extending between said pockets to divide said body of mercury and disconnect^ said members when said device is tilted.

7. A mercury switch device comprising a cylindrical container, a pair of conductor members sealed into and extending through one end of said container, a, refractory element at the opposite end of said container, said element having a substantially cylindrical surface to t the interior surface of said container, and formed with a base portion having pockets disposed in spaced relation to receive. ends of said conductors, a body of mercury movable over said base, a Wall integral with said element perpendicular to said base and disposed between said pockets to divide said mercury body when said device is tilted, and extensions integral with said base interposed between said mercury and the wall of said container.

8. A mercury switch device comprising a cylindrical container, a pair of conductor members sealed into and extending through one end of said container, a refractory element at the opposite end of said container, said element having a substantially cylindrical surface to t the interior surface of said container, and formed with a base portion having pockets disposed in spaced relation to receive ends o'f said conductors, a body of mercury movable over said base, a wall integral with and extending upwardly from said base and inwardly from the wall of said container said wall being of diminishing thickness toward its inner end whereby said inner end serves to divide said mercury body when said device is tilted, the other end of said wall serving to protect the wall of the container.

CHARLES V. IREDELL.

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