US1967890A - Contact-holder for electric switches - Google Patents

Description

July 24, 1934. Q w KUHN 1,967,890

CONTACT HOLDER FOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES Filed May 8, 1933 Patented July 24, 1934 1.967390 ooNTAo'rnoLnE on atenate Y swrrcH-Es- Clarence W. Kuhn, 1VIilwaukce,'-Wis.,-a ssig nr' td V Cutler-Hammer, Inc; Milwaukee, Wi's.,.a corporation of Delaware Application May-'8, 1933, Serial No;669,889

4 claims." (01. 260-166) I This-invention relates to'improvements in con tact"holders'for electric switches.

A switch embodying certain features of the present invention is disclosed in my copending ape of the former applicationas to all commonsub ject-matteri More specifically, the'present' invention relates llltocontact holders ofthe type having a spring pressed contact associated therewith; and has among its objects to provide a simple, rugged and'ineXpe'nsi-ve contact holder of this type;

\ 7 Another object is; to provide a contact holder of the aforesaid type, the parts of whichrnay be readily assembled andlikewisereadily 'dis'assem I bled-for rep'airor renewal of the contact.

Another objectis to provide-a contact holder 4 of the aforesaidtyp'c having an'improved' spring pressure device associated therewith for biasing itsassociated contact. I

Various other objects andadva'ntages of the invention will-hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawing illustrates two em zs bodinients of the invention which will'now be described. it being understood that the embodiments illustrated are susceptible of modifica-' tion without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

36* In the drawing, f

Figure 1 illustrates a switch provided with one type of-contact holder embodying the invention; a portion of the holder being broken away and shown in section;

Fig; 2 is a'perspective view of one of the'parts shown in: Fig. 1; v

Fig. 3 illustrates a modification of the contact holder shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspectivevi'ew of one of the parts shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5' is afragmentary front elevational view of the upper end of the contact holder shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially on the line 68 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 7 is a view partly in section illustrating the upper end of the contact holder shown in Fig. 3 with the parts thereof positioned to permit removal of the contact.

The switch illustrated in Fig. 1 includes cooperating stationary and movable contact elements 1 and 2, the former element being fixed to an insulating panel 3 and being of the type disclosed and claimed in my aforementioned copending application. The stationary contact ele- 5 plication Serial NdAB'Lssa-nnd March-2011930," and thepresent-app1ication -is a continuation ment' 1 is provided with a cor'itact' 4;and movatie contact element '2 includes a eeoperanhg' contact 5 mbuntedupon th'uppenendpfan operating lever'6." Lever 6'"has a hub'portion '7 on"the' lower end thereofshaped'tdreceivea square insulated sectarian" a shaft 8 and a cap member 9 secured to saidhubportiori'by bolt's'lofserves tohold' said leven'iri posi'tioii"uporr said shaft. Shaft" 8 is rotatably'" mounted upon a suitable" being illustrated" at '11 Fig. 1, and as will be unde'rstoo'dr'rianual or 'power'operateafmeans may" be'provided for operating" said shaft.

Theuppe'r end oflev'er 6 is provided with an opening for receiving'fco'ntact 5 'andsai'd contaotisbiased'inw ardlywith respect to said lever; by a spring pressure'dvibeincluding'a plate 12 and'a helical spring 13; As 'shownsaid'contact is provided with anelo'ng'a'ted" cylindrical shank 1 1 whicli'is 'slidablewithin the'openingin'leveifflfi 6 and the same is also provided with an enlarged head 15 on its inner 'endfor engaging'coh'tac't 4. As will be notediro'm'Fi'g'. 1, thepp'ening for" contact 2 in lever'6 'is 'counterbo'r'e'das'shown at" 16 to'permit the contact 5 to'rock'with'respect'w to said lever and therebyrerider" the same selfaligning with the face of contact 4." The upper end ofplate 12' engages the shoulder formed'by the enlarged head 15 on' co'ntact5 while the'low'er end of saidplate is fulcrumed' within afrecess 17 in the hub portion 7 of lever 6. Recess is pr] suffi'cientdepth tofexp'ose the upper securing bolt 10 and as shown in Fig; 2 the lower end 'of plate 12 is provided with a recess 18 for receiving said bolt while the upper end of said plate is provided with a recess 19 for receiving'the shank 14 of Contact 5; Also as shown in Fig. 2 plate 12 is providedwith a struck out portion 20 intermediate the ends thereof for engaging the interior of spring 13. Spring 13 is'hel'd'undercompression between pl'ate"l2 andlever Gfsaidlever having" a reess"21 on'the inn'r'face thereof for receiving said spring. As is apparent, plate 12 is biased by spring 13 to move contact 5 inwardly with respect to lever 6.

Inward movement of contact 5 with respect to lever 6 is limited by a washer 22 which cooperates with the front face of said lever and is fixed to the outer end of the shank 14 of said contact by a screw 23. Screw 23 also serves to secure one end of a flexible terminal 24 to the contact 5, the opposite end of said terminal being secured to a binding post 25 fixed to the panel 3. Contact 5 is held against rotation with respect to lever 6 by a pin 27 which is fixed to said contact and is slidable within a slot 28 provided on the upper end of said lever.

With the parts of the contact holder arranged as above described it is necessary in order to remove contact 5 from lever 6 to remove terminal 24 and washer 22. However, in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3 provision is made for removing the contact from its supporting lever without removal of the contact terminal.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3 contact 5 is carried by a lever 30 having a vertical slot 31 in its upper end for receiving the shank 14 of said contact. The front face of lever 30 is counterbored as shown at 32 to receive the washer 22 on contact 5 and the upper end ofsaid 1ever is provided with forwardly extending projections 33-33 which are arranged to overhang said washer as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

Contact 5 is removably secured within the slot 31 of lever 30 by a spring pressure device including a spring pressed plate 34 having its lower end mounted upon lever 30 and having its upper end bearing against the shoulder formed by the enlarged head 15 on contact 5. As shown in Fig. 4 the upper end of plate 34: is recessed at 35 to receive the shank 14 of contact 5 and is provided with inturned portions 36-36 on opposite sides of said recess for engaging oppositely disposed recesses 37 in the head 15 of said contact. The lower end of plate 35 is provided with an opening 38 for receiving a loosely fitting bushing 39 carried by a bolt 40. Bolt 40 is arranged within an opening in lever 30 and has a nut 41 on the inner end thereof which serves as an abutment for the lower end of plate 34. and also serves to clamp the bushing 39 against the rear face of said lever. Plate 34 is provided with a struckout portion 42 intermediate the ends thereof for engaging the interior of a helical compression spring 43 which is interposed between said plate and the lever 30.

In connection with the foregoing it will be noted that spring as acts upon plate 34 to normally hold contact 5 in the position shown in Fig. 3. With the parts in this position the washer 22 on the front end of contact 5 is located within the counterbore 32 in the front face of lever 30 andthe inner end of said contact is held against upward movement by the inturned por- .tions 3636 on plate 34;. Contact 5 is thus locked against removal from the slot 31 in lever 30. Upon closure of the switch there is a slight inward movement of lever 30 with respect to contact 5 against the action of spring 43, but the projections 3333 on said lever then cooperate with washer 22 to prevent upward movement of the front end of said contact. As is apparent from Fig. 7, by moving contact 5 outwardly with respect to lever 30 into a position wherein the washer 22 thereon clears the projections 3333 and by disengaging the inturned portions 36-36 on plate 34 from the recesses 3'7 in the head 15 of said contact, said contact can be moved upwardly to release the same from said lever without disconnecting the terminal 24.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric switch, the combination with a support, of a contact slidably mounted within an opening in said support and a spring pressure device for yieldingly holding said contact in a given position with respect to said support, said device including a rigid lever having one end fulcrumed upon said support and having its free end engaging said contact, and a spring held under compression between said lever and said support, said spring being located intermediate said contact and the fulcrum of said lever.

2. In an electric switch, the combination with a support, of a contact slidably mounted within an opening in said support, said contact having an enlarged head on one end thereof and having a terminal device associated with the opposite end thereof, and a spring pressure device for yieldingly holding said contact in a given position with respect to said support, said spring pressure device including a rigid lever having one end fulcrumed upon said support and having its free end engaging the enlarged head of said contact, and a spring held under compression between said lever and said support, said spring being located intermediate said contact and the fulcrum of said lever.

3. In an electric switch, the combination with a support, of a contact slidably mounted within an opening in said support, and means for yieldingly holding said contact in a given position with respect to said support, said means including a rigid lever having one end fulcrumed upon said support, and having its free end engaging said contact, and a coil spring held under compression between said support and said lever, said spring being arranged intermediate said contact and the fulcrum of said lever and said support being recessed to receive said spring.

4. In an electric switch, the combination with a support, of a cylindrical contact slidably mounted within an opening extending through said support, said contact having an enlarged contact head on its inner end and having a projecting part associated with its outer end for engaging said support to limit inward movement of said contact with respect to said support, and a spring pressure device for biasing said contact inwardly with respect to said support, said device including a rigid lever having one end fulcrumed on said support and its opposite end bearing against the enlarged head of said contact, and a coil spring held under compression between said lever and said support, said spring being arranged intermediate said contact and the fulcrum of said lever.

CLARENCE W. KUHN.

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