US1984921A

US1984921A - Starting motor switch

Info

Publication number: US1984921A
Application number: US425664A
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis B Ehrlich
Original assignee: Electric Auto Lite Co
Current assignee: Electric Auto Lite Co
Priority date: 1930-02-03
Filing date: 1930-02-03
Publication date: 1934-12-18
Anticipated expiration: 1951-12-18

Description

Dec. 18, 1934. B, EHRLlcl-l 1,984,921

STARTING MOTOR SWITCH Filed Feb. 5, 1930 Patented Dec. 18, 1934 PATENT OFFICE STARTING MOTOR SWITCH Louis B. Ehrlich, Toledo, Ohio, minor to The Electric Auto-Lite Company, Toledo, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application February 3, 1930, Serial No. 425,664

4 Claim.

This invention relates to switches and more particularly to that type of switch used with electrical apparatus employed for initiating the operation of an internal combustion engine.

The invention contemplates the provision of a switch of this character which is capable of carrying the large current for operating a motor of the type hereinbefore mentioned.

The invention embraces the provision of a switch having laminated current carrying members cooperating with manipulating means which will not be effected by excessive heat produced during the switch contacting and decontacting operation.

The invention embraces the provision of a switch of this character incorporating simple and effective means for adequately insulating the current conducting parts from the enclosing casing, the device incorporating anti-friction means for easy manipulation of the switch.

A further object of the invention embraces the provision of a switch unit per se which may be easily afiixed to a starter motor and which is particularly adapted for use with remote controlling devices.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this invention such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of construction and to combinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specification and drawing of a form of the invention, in which Figure 1 is a sectional view showing the switch of my invention together with one form of manipulating means therefor;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the switch showing a modified form of a manipulating means;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the switch, part of the casing being shown in section.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated the switch of my invention as used in conjunction with a starting motor, but it is to be understood that I contemplate the use of my device in conjunction with any mechanism where- 60 in the same may be found applicable. Referring to the drawing in detail, 5 designates the starting motor frame which serves as a support for the starting switch enclosed within a casing '7. The frame 5 supports a binding post or ter- 55 minal 8 to which is secured one end of a conductor 9 leading to the field structure (not shown). The terminal post 8 is suitably insulated from the frame 5 by means of washers 10 and a collar 11 of suitable insulating material.

The switch housing '1 adapted to be secured to the motor frame 5 by means of screws 6, supports a terminal post 15 which is insulatingly supported upon the housing 7 by means of washers l8 and 19 of suitable material, the washer 19 being interposed between the washers 18 in an opening in the housing '7 surrounding the terminal post. The post 15 is provided at its lower end with an enlarged head 20 and outside the housing 7 a cable connector 16 is secured to the terminal by means of a nut 22 and serves as a connection to a storage battery or other source of power.

Positioned within the housing 7 longitudinally thereof is a movable switch contact structure adapted to complete the circuit between the

switch terminal posts

8 and 15. This movable contact structure comprises a plurality of laminated current conducting members 24 and juxtaposed with respect thereto is a resilient plate or reinforcing member 25. The plate and laminated current conducting members are provided with openings adjacent one end through which projects the terminal post 15, the nut 26 when drawn up serving to hold the parts in fixed relation. The opposite ends of the plate and current conducting members are held together by means of a headed stud 28 which is riveted as shown at 29 and serves to hold the ends of these parts in fixed relation. The stud 28 is preferably made of good current conducting material as, for example, copper, the head 30 of the stud serving as a contact member for engagement with the upper headed portion of the terminal 8 for completing the circuit. The intermediate portions of the current conducting elements are preferably bowed downwardly so as to accommodate a substantially rectangular guide disc or spacer 32 of insulating or other suitable material which is secured to the plate by means of a rivet 33 or other suitable retaining means. The spacer 32 may, however, be secured to the current conduct-. ing members if the same may be found to be desirable.

The ends of the spacer 32 adjacent the side walls of the casing 7 are preferably rounded as particularly shown in Figure 4 for the purpose of decreasing the contact between the parts, thus eliminating friction. Any suitable means may be employed to prevent the spacer 32 from being rotated or displaced, the means shown comprising a struck up projection on the plate 25 adjacent one edge of the spacer 32 obviously serving to prevent the derangement of these parts.

Mounted upon a pivot pin 38, journalled in ears 89 struck up from the housing "I, is an operating lever the end oi. said lever projecting into the housing '1 and carrying at its extremity the rollers 41 0! insulating or other suitable material which are adapted tor roller contact with the upper surface of the plate 25. In the form of the invention shown in Figure l, a pull wire 43 is used for operation, the lever 40 being provided with an opening 44 adapted to receive one end of the wire, the other end being operatively connected to an operating button or handle 45 mounted upon the dashboard 46 for manipulating the switch. It will be apparent that in order to start the motor, it is only necessary to bring the contact 30 into engagement with the temiinal 8 which may be accomplished by exerting a pull upon the handle 45 causing a downward movement of the end of the lever 40 projecting into the housing 7, the rollers 41 engaging a plate 25 to bring the contacts into engagement to complete the circuit.

It should be noted that the bent portion of the plate 25 cooperating with the rollers 41 during the contacting operation of the switch causes a longitudinal relative movement of the contact 30 with respect to the contact 8, thereby resulting in a wiping or sliding action which tends to keep the contacting suriaces clean and prevent the accumulation oi corrosion or oxidation.

When a push rod is used for operation, the arrangement is substantially that illustrated in Figure 2 wherein the lever 40' is substantially semicircular in shape and carrying at its upper end a pin 44' which is adapted to be received into a slot 47' located in the lower end of the push rod 43'. In the operation of this form or device, a downward movement upon the button 45 located on the upper end of the push rod 48' operates to move the rollers 41' downwardly to eflect engagement of the contact 30 with the upper end of the terminal 8 thus completing the circuit.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention modifications and different arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character disclosed comprising a switch housing; a terminal insulatingly supported upon said housing; a current conducting element secured to said terminal;. guiding means for said current conducting element including a member of insulating material movable therewith; and manipulating means including a lever supported upon said housing adapted for cooperative engagement with said current conducting member.

2. In a device of the character disclosed comprising a switch housing; a terminal insulatingly supported upon said housing; a movable contact element secured to said terminal; means including a member of insulating material secured to said movable contact element for guiding said element in said casing; manipulating means for said movable member including a lever supported upon said housing, said lever carrying anti-triction means adapted for cooperative engagement with said movable member.

3. In a device of the character disclosed in cluding a switch housing adapted to cover a motor terminal; a switch terminal carried by said housing and insulated therefrom; current conducting means secured to one of said terminals and extending into cooperative relation with the other terminal, said current conducting means including a plurality of metallic strips and a resilient reinforcing member also secured to said terminal and extending with said current conducting means into cooperative relation with the other terminal; guiding means for said current conducting means carried thereby and movable therewith, said guiding means coacting with the walls of the switch housing for preventing contact of said current conducting means and switch housing; and means for bringing the current conducting means into electrical contact with the other terminal to complete the circuit between said terminals.

4. In a device of the character disclosed, a switch housing; a terminal carried by said housing and insulated therefrom: current conducting means secured to said terminal including a laminated current conducting element and a resilient plate extending substantially coincident with said laminated element; a contact member holding together one end of said laminated element and said plate; means including a member of insulating material carried by and movable with said current conducting means and slidably engageable with the walls of said switch housing for preventing lateral movement of said current conducting means; and manipulating means supported upon said switch housing and adapted for cooperative engagement with said current conducting means ior moving said means in said housing.

LOUIS B. EHRLICH.