US1979196A - Electric switch with position indicating means - Google Patents

Description

Ogt. 30, 1934. M GUETT 1,979,196

ELECTRIC SWITCH WITH POSITION INDICATING MEANS Fi] .ed Aug. 4, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 z VIISUAHT/OA/ 1 52 29 5F 19 G F I I a Czrcuzi Brakerz manually MONROE GUETT BY HIS ATTORNEYS c l dvllifm Oct. 30, 1934 7 U T 1,979,196

ELECTRIC SWITCH WITH POSITION INDICATING MEANS Filed Aug. 4, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q Q I I7 l Czra'ufz- 7 /za 7?; 2222a A I m Z 39 F O W Gusumnml 33 7 .lM$ULflT/0N- [WEI/I I h l am :2 If 64 (iz'ra-uz'? Opened fiufamafgcalgy INSULFITION/ INVENTOR MON ROE G U ETT BY HIS ATTORNEYS X? DC; 30, 1934. TT 1,979,196

ELECTRIC SWITCH WITH POSITION INDICATING MEANS Filed Aug. 4, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 BY HIS ATTORNEYS MONROE GUETT Patented Oct. 30, 1934 PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC SWITCH WITH POSITION INDICATING MEANS Monroe Guett, Hartford, Conn, assignor to The Arrow-Hart & Hegeman Electric Company, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application August 4, 1932, Serial No. 627,509

16 Claims.

This invention relates to manually operable electric switches of the type having means to automatically move the switch parts to circuit breaking position upon the occurrence of an overload in the switch circuit. This invention is an improvement upon the switch shown inmy copending application Serial No. 500,352, filed December 5th, 1930, patented May 30th, 1933, No. 1,911,893.

It is an object of my invention to provide asimplified switch mechanism of the above type. Another object is to provide a switch of the above type which will be more accurate in op-' eration than in similar switches as heretofore known.

Another object is to provide a switch of the above type with means to indicate what position the switch is occupying.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the invention is described in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a casing provided with a window through which are visible indicating means operating according to the principle of my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation view with'the cover of the switch casing removed showing the'switch mechanism constructed according to the principle of my invention. In this view the switch parts are shown occupying the position they take when the switch has been manually moved to circuit breaking position.

. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but

showing the parts of the switch in the position they take when the switch has been moved to circuit closing position. In this view some of the parts are broken away for clarity.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the parts of the switch in the position they occupy when an overload has caused the switch to be tripped to open the circuit.

Figure 5 is a section view taken on line 5-5 ,of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detailed view of a thermally responsive member which is used in my invention to break the circuit upon occurrence of an overload.

Figure 7 is an elevation section view of another form of the invention with the section taken on line 7-7 of Figure 8.

Figure 8 is a plan view partly broken away, of the form of the invention shown in Figure 7. Referring to Figures 1-6 of the drawings 'the switch mechanism is housed within a two part casing comprising a cover 18 and a base 22 which preferably are made of insulating material. In the upper central portion of the cover 18 there is provided an arcuate window 19 through which are visible legends indicating which of three posgo sible positions, the switch is occupying at a given time. The top of the casing base 22 is provided with a slot 23 through which projects a lever 52 having on the end thereof a handle 56 by which the switch mechanism may be operated as 5 will hereinafter more fully appear.

Located in the upper right hand corner of the base 22 as viewed in Figures 2, 3 and 4, are a pair of similar stationary contacts 26, 28 located one above the other and each comprising a pair 7 of substantially parallel resilient abutting contact fingers. The upper contact 28 (see Figures 2 and 3) is secured upon a combined bracket and feed wire terminal 29'mounted on the base 22. The lower contact 26 is secured to a lug extending 7 perpendicular to the rear of the switch base from a bus bar 27 running along the right hand end of the base 22 (as viewed in Figures 2-4) and connecting the contact 26 with one arm of a conventional U shaped bimetallic thermal element 25. The other end of the thermal element 25 is connected to a combined bracket and wire terminal 24 which is mounted upon the rear of the switch base 22 and maybe provided with means to secure a feed wire to it. The construction of the brackets 24, 27, 29, fixed contacts 26 and 28, and the thermal element 25 may be varied within wide limits by those skilled in the art therefore it is not considered necessary to describe the construction of these parts in further detail. Obviously other load responsive means than a thermal bar may be used to cause the switch to operate upon overload.

The movable parts of the switch mechanism are all mounted upon a switch frame 20 which is stamped into U shape from sheet metal providing a pair of spaced parallel side plates 20a and 20b between which the switch mechanism moves.

' This switch frame is secured to the base 22 with the plates 20a, 20b parallel to the main portion or back 22a of the base by means of screw bolts 21 which pass through bosses 22b formed on the back 22a. Thus the plates 20a and 20b are secured parallel to but spaced from the back 22a.

The front and rear plates 22a and 22b of the switch frame are each provided with V notches whose sides are parallel and coplanar. Pivotally mounted in these V notches is a U shaped contact carrier 38 which may be stamped from sheet metal. in a shape similar to the contact carrier 11 shown in my copending application Serial No.

500,352. Secured to the arm of this contact carrier which is farthest from the base 22, is'a wide strip or plate 39 of insulating material having an enlarged central portion and being movable in a plane parallel to the back of the switch base 22. Secured upon the end of the insulating plate 39 and projecting laterally therefrom toward the base 22 is a bridging contact bar 30 which is adapted to move in and out between the resilient fingers of the stationary switch contacts 26 and 28 to complete and break the circuit through the switch.

The contact carrier 38 is moved with a snap motion by means of a tensioned coil spring 42 one end of which is connected to the central or cross portion of the contact carrier 38 while the other end is looped over a tongue 50 upon an auxiliary switch operator 44 whose structure and function will presently be more fully described. The switch is manually operated by the lever 52 which may be stamped from sheet metal-more or less in the shape of the letter C but with an extension upon whichv is secured an insulating body forming a handle 56. The lever 52 is pivotally mounted in the switch frame by a pivot pin 53 which passes through the lower end of the lever (see Figures 2-4) and through the bottom part of the plate 20b. Pivotally mounted upon the lower part of this lever 52 and normally moving as a unit'therewith is the auxiliary switch. operator 44 which may be readily 'stamped from sheet metal into the shape shown. The pivot pin 45 located a short distance to the right of the pivot 53 as shown in Figures 2-4, serves as the pivotal mounting for the auxiliary operator. Normally holding the auxiliary operator 44 against movement about its pivot 45 and thereby compelling the auxiliary bar 44 to move as a unit with the manual operating lever 52, is a sheet metal latching member 64 with an elbow in its central portion 64a. This latching member is pivotally mounted at its upper end on a pivot pin 65 located in the upper part of the lever 52 near the handle 56. In order that the main part of the latching membencontaining the elbow 64a may move freely over the auxiliary operator 44, the latching member is offset as at 64c, adjacent the pivot 65. A lateral extension from the latching member 64, adjacent its pivot 65 is provided with a catch lug 74 which is adapted to engage under normal conditions, i. e. when the switch is operated manually, with a nose 48 extending from the auxiliary operator 44, as shown in Figure 3. The latching member 64 has its lower end 645 pointed and normally engaging with a laterally projecting tongue 25a' upon the end of thermal element 25, the point of engagement of the end 65 and the tongue being located in the axis of the pivot pin 53. By this construction the tongue 25a provides a fulcrum for the latching member 64 and causes it to pivot about the axis of the pin 53 as the manual actuating member 52 is moved to operate the switch manually between on and 05? positions.

When the thermal member 25 bends due to the heat of an overload, the catch lug 74 moves out of engagement with the nose 48 and frees the latching member 64 for action under the influence of the spring '71, which is wound around an extension of the pivot pin 65 and presses against one edge of the latching member 64 urging that member in clockwise direction as shown in Figure 4, thereby permitting the auxiliary operator 44 to move counter clockwise about its pivot 45 under the action of the-switch spring 42. As soon as the line of action of the spring passes through the plane of the contact carrier 38 the spring 42 will urge the contact carrier in clockwise direction causing the bridging contact 30 to move out of engagement with the fixed contacts 26 and 28 thereby breaking the circuit through the switch. This is the tripped position of the switch as shown in Figure 4; When it is desired to reset the switch, the handle 56 must be moved to the left (in Figure 3) during which the offset portion 640 of the latching member 64-engages with the back of the auxiliary operator 44 causing the latching member 64 to move counter clockwise about its pivot 65 and at the same time causing the catch lug '74 and the end 64b of the latching lever to again engage with the tongue on the thermal bar 25 which by this time must have cooled and assumed its former position as shownin Figures 2 and 3.

In order to indicate whether the switch has been moved to open circuit position manually or has been moved to open circuit position due to an overload, or whether the switch is in closed circuit position I have marked on the insulating plate 39, the legends On and Trip. These legends are so placed that when the switch is in circuit closing position the legend On is visible through the window 19 of the casing cover 18 and when the switch has been tripped due to overload the legend Trip is visible through the window 19. This is easily accomplished due to the fact that upon moving of the switch from closed to open circuit position the insulating plate 29 moves with the movable contact 30. However, since the legend Trip is always beneath the window when the circuit is broken it is necessary to conceal thatlegend when the circuit is broken manually by handle 56. To this end an arm 70 bearing the legend 01f is secured to the manual operating lever 52 in position so as to be visible through the window 19 whenever the switch parts are in the position they take after the switch is manually moved to open the circuit. The arm 70 is placed so as to move in a plane parallel to the plate 39 but nearer the window than plate 29. Thus when the legend Off is visible, the arm '70 will conceal the legend "Trip. Due to the' fact the handle 56 and manual operating lever 52 do not move when the circuit is broken automatically, the

legend Off will remain out of view at all times except when the handle has been manually moved into circuit breaking position as shown in Figure 2.

Figures 7 and 8 show another form of means 1 for indicating when the circuit has been broken.

In this form of the invention the casing 110 instead of having a window in only one face has the window 119 extending up around the comer of the casing adjacent the operating handle 56 in order that the indicating means may be visible to a person looking down on the switch as in Figure 8. A sheet metal indicating member 120 which tapers from one end toward a circular enlargement at the other is stamped into L-shape 14C with the short arm 120a at the tapering end of the member, being made arcuate. This member 120 moves in unison with and is secured against the outside of the contact carrying member 39,

by the same means employed to hold the contact carrying member on the switching member 38,

as will hereinafter more fully appear. Thus the short arcuate arm 120a of the indicating member 120 is visible through the portion of the window in the top of the casing and the upper end of the long arm of said member is visible through the portion of the window in the side of the casing.

Upon the member 120 in position to be visible,

through the window 119 at the appropriate time the legends On and Trip or other suitable indicating devices may be placed so that as the contact carrier 39 moves between circuit breaking and circuit making position, the legends will appear beneath the window.

The means to indicate when the circuit is broken manually comprises a sheet metal indicating member 130 with a circular aperture 131 in one end, which aperture receives a depressed circular portion 132 of a washer 133. The member 130 is rotatably mounted upon the contact carrier 39 by means of the washer 133 which lies against the member 130 and holds it between the washer 133 and the indicating member 120. The washer 133 is held to the switching member in a conventional fashion by peening over the ends of the fingers 38a of the switching member which extend through the washer.

The other end of the member 130 is bent to lie over but not touch the arm 120a of the indicator 120, and thus be able to hide the arm 120a, under certain conditions.

The indicating member 130 is moved by the manual control lever 52 by reason of a laterally extending lug 152 on the lever engaging with one or the other of a pair of extensions 134, 136 extending from the bent end of the lever 130. These extensions are spaced to permit the lever 52 some lost motion before the lug 152 engages an extension and moves the indicating member. The purpose of this lost motion is to maintain the indicating member in status quo until the lever 52 has been moved far enough toward its next position so that a very slight additional movement will operate the switch mechanism. Thus there will be no false indications when the switch handle is only partially moved to a new position. Figure 8 shows lever 52 and indicator 130 in full lines in circuit breaking position, and in dotted lines in circuit making position.

To prevent overthrow of the indicator 130, two nubs 140, 142 are formed on the side wall of the casing. The nub 140 keeps the indicator 130 from moving past the window due to the aforementioned lost-motion connection, when the handle 56 is moved to circuit. breaking position. The nub 142 keeps the indicator 130 from moving into engagement with the upper stationary switch contact 28.

The operation of the form of invention shown in Figures 7-8 is quite similar to that shown in Figures 1-6. Since the means indicating the On and Trip position of the switch move as a unit with the contact carrier 38 the same effect is obtained in Figures 7-8 as in Figures 1-5. Likewise the indicator 130 for Oil position, hiding the Trip legend, (in Figures 7 and 8) differs in operation from indicator 70 (in Figures 1-6) only in the respect that there is lost motion betweenmanual operating means and indicator 130 while indicator '70 is rigidly connected to the manual operating means in Figures 1-6.

Many variations and changes within the scope of my invention will occur to those skilled in the art, therefore I do not limit the invention to the specific embodiment shown in the drawings.

I claim:-

1. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprising fixed and movable contacts, a manually operable member pivoted about a fixed axis and operable to move said movable contact, a carrier for said movable contact pivotally mounted about a fixed axis, a latching member pivotally mounted about amovable axis and freed for movement about said axis upon occurrence of an overload, means to move said movable contact with a snap .upon occurrence of an overload or movement of said manually operable member, said latching member being fulcrumed about a fixed axis during manual operation of the, switch.

2. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprising fixed and movable contacts, a manually operable member pivoted about a fixed axis, and operable to move said movable contact, a carrier for said movable contact pivotally mounted about a fixed axis, a latching member pivotally mounted about a movable axis and freed for movement about said axis upon occurrence of an overload, means acting to .move said movable contact with a snap upon occurrence of an overload or movement of said manually operable member, said latching member being fulcrumed about the axis of said manually operable member during manual operation of the switch.

3. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprising fixed and movable contacts, a manually operable member pivoted about a fixed axis, and operable to move said movable contact, a carrier for said movable contact pivotally mounted about a fixed axis, a latching member pivotally mounted about a movable axis and freed for movement about said axis upon occurrence of an overload, means acting to move said movable contact with a snap upon occurrence of an overload or movement of said manually operable member, and load responsive means providing a fulcrum for said latching member during manual operation of said switch.

4. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprising fixed and movable contacts, a manually operable member pivoted about a fixed axis and operable tomove said movable contact,.a carrier for said movable contact pivotally mounted about a fixed axis, a latching member pivotally mounted about a movableaxis and freed for movement about said axis upon occurrence of an overload, means acting to move said movable contact with a snap upon occurrence of an overload or movement of said manually operable member, and load responsive means providing a fulcrum for said latching member in the axis of said manually operable member during manual operation of the switch.

5. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprising fixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying one of said contacts, a pivoted manually actuablep lever, mechanical means controlled by said lever for directly indicating the condition of the switch, a. plurality of mechanical means directly indicating the condition of the switch and controlled by said movable member, said first mentioned indicating means appearing only when said switch is in one condition, said other indicating means showing, respectively, only when said switch is in another position or when the switch has been operated by an overload.

6. A manually and automatically operable electric switchcomprising fixed and movable contacts, a movable member can'ying a movable contact, a pivoted manually actuable lever,'means controlled by said lever for indicating the condition of the switch, and a plurality of means connected to and moving with said movable member for indicating the condition of the switch.

7. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprising fixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact, a pivoted manually actuable lever, means controlled by said lever for indicating the condition of the switch, a plurality of means connected to and moving with said movable member for indicating the condition of the switch, a different indicating means showing for each switch condition.

8. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprising fixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact, a pivoted manually actuable lever, means controlled by said lever for indicating the condition of the switch, a plurality of means moving with said movable member for indicating the condition of the switch,'one of said indicating means hiding another indicatingmeans in a certain position of the switch. I

9. A -manually and automatically operable electric switch comprising fixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact, a pivoted manually actuable lever, means controlled by said lever and visible to the operator for indicating the condition of the switch, a

.plurality of means moving with said movable member and visible to the operator for indicating the conditionof the switch, said first indicating means and said plurality of indicating means moving in opposite directions during manual movement of said movable contact.

' 10. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprising fixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying. a movable contact, a pivoted manually actuable member, a plurality of means indicating which of on, ofi or tripped positions the switch is occupying, one of said indicating means moving with said manually actuable member and the other of said indicating means moving with said movable member, no more than one of said means showing at any time.

11. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprising fixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact, a pivoted manually actuable member, a plurality of .means indicating which of on, oil or tripped positions the switch is occupying, one of said indicating means moving with said manually actuable member and the other of said indicating means moving with said movable member, said one indicating means moving in a plane parallel to the plane of movement of said other indicating means, no more than one.

of said means showing at any time.

12. A manually and automatically operable electric switch contained within a housing which has a window therein, comprising fixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact, a pivoted-manually actuable lever, means controlled by said lever for indicating the condition of the switch, a. plurality of means moving with said movable member for indicating the condition of the switch, said indicating means being visible one at a time through said window.

13. A manually and automatically operable electric switch contained within a housing which has a window therein, comprising fixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact, a pivoted manually actuable lever, means controlled by said lever for indicating the condition of the switch, a plurality of means moving with said movable member for indicating the condition of the switch,-said indicating means being visible one at a time through said window, one of said indicating means moving in front of another in one position of the switch.

14. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprising fixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact, a pivoted manually actuable lever, means having a lost-motion connection with said lever and indicating the condition of the switch, and a plurality of means moving with said movable member for indicating the condition of the switch, no more than one of said means showing at any time.

15. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprising fixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact, a pivoted manually actuable lever, means movable by said lever and having rotative engagement with said movable member and indicating the condition of the switch, and a plurality of means moving with said movable member for indicating the condition of the switch, no

more than one of said means showing at any time;

16. A manually and automatically operable electric switch comprising fixed and movable contacts, a movable member carrying a movable contact, a pivoted manually actuable lever, means having a lost-motion connection with said lever and having rotative engagement with said movable member and indicating the condition of the switch, and a plurality of means moving with said movable member for indicating the condition of the switch, no more than one of said means showing at any time. I

' MONROE GUETT.

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