US1963750A - Electrical relay - Google Patents

Description

June 19, 1934. z H r AL 1,963,750

ELECTRICAL RELAY Filed Feb. 19. 1931 l f rm 4 r2 I k") D i 9: C (I WM A TTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,963,750 ELECTRICAL RELAY Branko Lazich, Edgewood, and Harry E. Ashworth, Swissvale, Pa., assignors to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 19, 1931, Serial No. 516,934

15 Claims. (Cl. 175320) Our invention relates to electrical relays. ing 5, but since contact l111 is closed, winding We will describe one form of electrical relay 6 is short-circuited, and winding 6 therefore reembodying our invention, and will then point out mains deenergized. The energization of winding the novel features thereof in claims. sets up a flux in core 1 which causes armature 5 The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic 8 to swing toward pole piece 1 During this mo- 60 view illustrating one form of relay embodying tion of the armature, contacts IO-40 and 11 our invention. 11 become opened, and contacts l0-l0' and Referring to the drawing, the reference char- 11-11 become closed. The closing of contact acter A designates an electromagnet which, in 11l1 short-circuits winding 5, and the field the form here shown, comprises three magnetset up by this winding commences to decay. Due, 65 izable cores 1, 2 and 3 connected together at their however, to the short-circuited winding and to upper ends by a backstrap 4, and provided at the sleeve '7 on core 3, this decay is comparatively their lower ends with enlarged pole pieces 1 slow. The Opening of contact 1111 meantime 2 and 3%, respectively. The cores 1 and 2 are has allowed winding 6 to become energized. The

provided with energizing windings 5 and 6, regrowth of the flux set up in core 2 by this latter 70 spectively, while the core 3 is provided with a Winding s likewise comparatively W ue to closed conducting member, here shown as a, sleeve '7 on core 3, but after an interval of time, sleeve '7 of suitable material, such as copper. the to q eXeTted 0n armature 8 byithis flux The pole piece 3 i bifurcated, and pivotal ly overbalances the torque exerted on armature 8 supported between the bifurcations of this pole by the decayi g flux in Core d a ture 8 75 piece for swinging motion toward one or the then swings back towa d D piece This other of the pole pieces 1 or 2 is a magnetmotion first opens contacts 1010 and l1--11"= izable armature 8. Attached to the underside of and then s s on acts 1010 and 1l11 armature 8 by means of suitable insulating sup- The l 0f Winding 5 then slowly b d p a d ports 9 are t t t fingers 10 d 11 wh the field of winding 6 slowly decays, the building 80 armature 8 is swung toward pole piece 2', as p Of the d 0f Winding 5 being a by shown in th drawing, t t finger 10 engages sleeve '7, and the decay of the field of winding 6 a fixed front contact member 10 to close a conbeing retarded both y sleeve 7. a d by t e self t 10 10a and t t finger 11 engages a inductance of the short-circuited winding 6.

fixed t t member b to close t t Eventually, the torque exerted by the decaying.85 11 11b when armature 7 is swung toward pole flux in winding 6 will not be sufficient to hold piece 1, however, contact finger 10 then engages the armature. and e armature Will n a ain a fixed contact member 10 to close a contact Swing toward D piece It Will be pp 10 10b while Contact finger 11 engages a fixed therefore, that armature 8 is swung to and fro.

Contact member 11a to Close a Contact a as long as switch'13 is closed, and it will also be The windings 5 and 6 are Connected in Series, apparent that a considerable interval of time and are supplied with Current from Suitable elapses between successive armature movements. Soot-Co of energy shown as a battery In a relay of the type described, it is sometimes It will be seen from an inspection of the drawdesirable to Very the interval of time Which 40 mg however, that when Cohtaot 11 11b is Closed, elapses between successive armature movements. as illustrated in the drawing, winding 6 is shorte have found that this may be done by Supply- ChCuited, and that When Cohta'ot 11 11a is ing core 3 with an additional flux; the time inclosed, winding 5 is shortwhouited' The wind terval which elapses between armature moveihgs 5 and 6 are so arranged that the fl x ments being increased as the strength of this ad- 5 which are Set up in Core 3 by Currents in those ditional flux is increased when the additional windings, thread co 3 i th Same direction. flux threads core 3 in the same direction as the The Supply of Current to the windings 5 and 6 resultant flux in the core due to the current supmay be controlled in any suitable manner, as by plied to windings 5 and 6, and being decreased as a manually operable Switch the strength of the additional flux is increased 50 The portion of t relay t far described is when the additional flux threads core 3 in the well known, and its operation is as follows: As Opposite direction from the s a t ux in core shown in the drawing, switch 13 is open and 3 due to the Current pp d to w ndings 5 and armature 7 is swung toward pole piece 2, so that e Way in which the additional flux y contacts 10-10 and 11--11 are closed. If, now, e up d t core 3 is to pp y a a netomotive 55 switch 13 is closed, current'flows through windforce to the core, and the means here shown for 10 n O u doing this comprises a winding 14 which surrounds the core and which is at times supplied with current from battery 12. The supply of current to winding 14 may be controlled in any suitable manner such as by a manually operable switch 15, and a variable resistor 16 or other suitable means may be connected in series with the winding to regulate the magnitude of the current which is supplied to the winding when switch 15 is closed. It is usually desirable to decrease the time interval which elapses between armature movements, that is to say, increase the speed of oscillation of the armature, and winding 14 is therefore preferably connected with battery 12 in such manner that the flux which is set up in core 3 when switch 15 is closed, threads the core in the opposite direction from the resultant flux in the core due to the current supplied to windings 5 and 6.

With the relay constructed in this manner it will readily be seen that if contact 15 is open when contact 13 is closed, the armature will oscillate at one speed, but that if contact 15 is closed when contact 13 is closed, the armature will then oscillate at a faster speed, the speed at which the armature oscillates in the latter case being determined for a given proportioning of the parts, by the adjustment of the variable resistor 16.

It should be pointed out that the sleeve 7 is not essential to the operation of the relay, except when it is desired that the armature should oscillate at comparatively slow speeds, and it follows that if faster oscillation of the armature is desired, this sleeve may be omitted.

It should be noted that when winding 14 is supplied with current in such manner that the flux set up in core 3 by this winding opposes the flux in core 3 due to the current supplied to windings 5 and 6, as shown in the drawing, then in the event that winding 14 becomes short-circuited or open-circuited for any reason, the speed of oscillation of the armature will be decreased. This is particularly desirable where the oscillation of the armature 8 is employed to actuate timing mechanism for use in railway signaling systems because damage to the winding 14 will not cause premature operation of the timing mechanism which might result in a dangerous condition.

One advantage of a relay embodying our invention is that the relay may be made to operate at two different speeds without altering the arrangement or proportioning of the parts, the change in speed being effected merely by the closing of contact 15.

Another advantage of a relay embodying our invention is that it is simple in construction and reliable in operation.

Still another advantage of a relay embodying our invention is that the range of speed adjustment extends between wide limits.

Although we have herein shown and described only one form of electrical relay embodying our invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

l. A relay comprising three magnetizable cores connected together at one end by a backstrap, a first winding on a first one of said cores and a second winding on a second one of said cores, an armature pivotally attached to the third one of said cores and arranged to swing toward said first or said second core according as said first or said second winding is energized, means for alternately energizing said windings in such manner iat said armature is oscillated, said windings being so arranged that the fiux set up in said third core when either of said windings is energized always threads said third core in the same direction, and means for applying to said third core a magnetomotive force for controlling the resultant fiux which threads said third core due to said windings.

2. A relay comprising three magnetizable cores connected together at one end by a backstrap, a first winding on a first one of said cores and a second winding on a second one of said cores, an armature pivotally attached to the third one of said cores and arranged to swing toward said first or said second core according as said first or said second winding energized, means for alternately energizing said windings in such manner that said armature is oscillated, said windings being so arranged that the flux set up in said third core when either of said windings is energized always threads said third core in the same direction, a third winding on said third core, and means for supplying said third winding with current to modify the resultant flux which threads said third core due to said first and second indings.

3. A relay comprising three magnetizable cores connected together at one end by a baclcstrap, a first winding on a first one of said cores and a econd winding on a second one of said cores, an armature pivotally attached to the third one of said cores and arranged to swing toward said first said second core according as said first or said second winding is energized, means for alternately energizing said windings in such manner that said armature is oscillated, said windings being so arranged that the flux set up in said third core when either of said windings is energized always threads said third core in the same direction, a third winding on said third core, means for supplying said third winding with current to create in said third core an additional flux which modifies the resultant flux through said third core due to said first and second windings, and means for varying the magnitude of the current supplied to said third winding.

4. A relay comprising three magnetizable cores connected together at one end by a backstrap, a first winding on a first one of said cores and a second winding on second one of said cores, an armature pivotally attached to the third one of said cores and arranged to swing toward said first or said second core according as said first or said second winding is energized, means for alternately energizing said windings in such manner that said armature is oscillated, said windings being so arranged that the flux set up in said third core when either of said windings is energized always threads said third core in the same direction, and means for supplying said third core with an additional flux which opposes the resultant flux which threads said core due to said windings.

5. A relay comprising three magnetizable cores connected together at one end by a backstrap, a first winding on a first one of said cores and a second winding on a second one of said cores, an armature pivotally attached to the third one of said cores and arranged to swing toward said first or said second core according as said first or said second winding is energized, means for alternately energizing said windings in such manner alternately energizing that said armature is oscillated, windings. being so arranged-that the fiux'set'up-in said third core when either of said windings is energized always threads said third core in the same direction, a third winding on said third core, means for supplying said third winding with current to create in said third core an additional flux which opposes the resultant flux which threads said third core due to the energization of saidfirst and second windings, and means for varying the strength of'the current supplied. to said third winding to vary the magnitude of said additional flux. I

6. A relay comprising threemagnetizable cores connected together at one. end by abackstrap, a first winding on a first one of said cores and: a second winding on a second one of said cores, an armature pivotally attached to the third one of said cores and arranged to swing toward said first or said second core according as said first or said second winding is energized, means for alternately energizing said windings in such manner that said armature is oscillated, said windings being so arranged that the flux set up in said third core when either of said windings is energized always threads said third core in the same direction, a conducting sleeve on said third core, and means for applying to said third core a magnetomotive force for controlling the resultant flux which threads said third core due to said windings.

'7. A relay comprising three magnetizable cores connected together at one end by a backstrap, a first winding on a first one of said cores and a second winding on a second one of said cores, an

armature pivotally attached to the third one of said cores and arranged to swing toward said first or said second core according as said first or said second winding is energized, means for said windings in such manner that said armature is oscillated, said windings being so arranged that the fiux set up in said third core when either of said windings is energized always threads said third core in the same direction, means associated with said third core for delaying the growth and decay of the fiux set up by said windings, and means for applying to said third core a magnetomotive force for controlling the resultant flux which threads said third core due to said windings.

'1 mature pivotally attached to the third one of said cores and arranged to swing toward said first or said second core, means for supplying said first winding with current and for short-circuiting said second winding when said armature is swung tov ward said second core and for supplying said second winding with current and for short-circuiting said first winding when said armature is swung toward said first core whereby said armature is made to oscillate, said windings being so arranged that the fiux set up by current in either of said windings always threads said third core in the same direction, and means for applying to said third core a magnetomotive force for controlling the resultant fiux which threads said third core due to said windings.

9. A relay comprising three magnetizable cores connected together at one end by a backstrap, a first winding on a first one of said cores and a second winding on a second one of said cores,

511 an armature pivotally attached to the third one of saidcores and arrangedto; swing toward said first or said second core, means 01 supplyin sa d first winding with current and for short circuit-m ing said second winding when said armature is swung toward said. second. core and for supplying said second winding with current and for short-1 circuiting said first winding whenv said armature is swung towardv said first core whereby said armature is made. tov oscillate, said windings being: so arranged that the fiux set up by current in ei-v ther of. said windings always, threads. said, third,

core inthe same direction, a conducting sleeve,

on. said third core for retarding the growth, and, decay ofv the flux set, up, by current in either of said windings, and means for applying to said; third corea magnetomotive force for controlling. the resultant flux/which threads said. third core due to said A 10. A relay comprising three, magnetizable cores; connected together at one end by a backstrap, a first winding on a first one of said cores and a second winding onv a second one of said cores, an armature pivotally attached to the third one of said cores and arranged to swing toward said first or said second core, means for supplying said first winding with current and for short-circuiting said second winding when said armature is swung toward said second core and for supplying said second winding with current and for short-circuiting said first winding when said armature is swung toward said first core whereby said armature is made to oscillate, said windings being so arranged that the fiux set up by current in either of said windings always threads said third core in the same direction, a conducting sleeve on said third core for retarding the growth and decay of the flux set up by current in either of said first and second windings, a third winding on said third core, means for supplying said third winding with current to modify the resultant fiux which threads said third core due to current in said first and second windings, and means for varying the strength of the current supplied to said third winding.

11. In combination, three magnetizable cores connected together at one end by a backstrap, a first winding on a first one of said cores and a second winding on a second one of said cores, an armature pivotally attached to the third one of said cores and arranged to swing toward said first core or said second core, means for energizing said windings in such manner that said armature is oscillated, a third winding on said third core, and means for supplying said third winding with current to vary the speed at which said armature is oscillated when said first and second windings are energized.

12. In combination, three magnetizable cores connected together at one end by a backstrap, a first winding on a first one of said cores and a second winding on a second one of said cores, an armature pivotally attached to said third core and arranged to swing toward said first core or said second core according as said first or said second winding is energized, means for alternately energizing said windings in such manner that said armature is oscillated, said windings being so arranged that the fiux which is set up in said third core when either of said windings is energized always threads said third core in the same direction, and means for at times increasing the speed at which said armature is oscillated when said first and second windings are energized, said means comprising a third winding on said third core which is at times supplied with current in such manner that the flux which is set up in said third core due to current in said third winding opposes the resultant flux in said third core due to said first and second winding.

13. A relay comprising three magnetizable cores connected together at one end by a backstrap, a first winding on a first one of said cores and a second winding on a second one of said cores, an armature pivotally attached to the third one of said cores and arranged to swing toward said first or said second core according as said first or said second winding is energized, means controlled by said armature for alternately energizing said windings in such manner that said armature is oscillated, said windings being so arranged that the flux set up in said third core when either of said windings is energized always threads said third core in the same direction, and means for applying to said third core a magnetomotive force for controlling the resultant flux w'l iich threads said third core due: to said windings.

14. The combination with a relay having a magnetizable core, an armature, and means for supplying said core with flux to oscillate said armature, of separate and distinct means for at times applying a source of magnetomotive force to a portion of said core to vary the speed of oscillation of said armature.

15. The combination with a relay having a magnetizable core, an armature, and means for supplying said core with flux to oscillate said armature, of separate and distinct means for at times applying an additional flux to a portion of said core to vary the speed of oscillation of said armature.

BRANKO LAZICH. HARRY E. ASI-IWORTH.

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