US2023139A

US2023139A - Automatic reversible electric switch

Info

Publication number: US2023139A
Application number: US712740A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kessler Otto
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1934-02-24
Filing date: 1934-02-24
Publication date: 1935-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 1952-12-03

Description

Dm. 3, 1935. @,LKESSLER 2,023,139

AUTOMATIC REVERSIBLE ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Feb. 24, 1954 1 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3 Fiyi] INVENTOR.

z'a Kass [er Mm Mm. Y A TTORNEYS.

Mmm, 3, E. o. KESSLER I 2,023,139

AUTOMATIC REVERSIBLE ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Feb. 24, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "5 j "l, f2/49 4a4 35 l 6h33 /39 39 -w31 a; 7 `/ZZ if v INVENTOR.

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A TTORNE YS.

Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE :guardata AUTOMATIC REvERsIELE ELECTRIC SWITC This invention relates to automatic reversible' -lectric switches adapted for use in connection with various types of rotary machines, such as rotary electric furnaces, laundry tubs and the like, wherein the carrying member or container f such machines may be rotated or rocked backwardf'and Aforward variable distances, in a way to agitate or keep in motion the contents of the container.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a switch that may be operatively connected to a rotatable electric furnace, laundry tub, or the like, and which in turn will serve to cut out and turn on the current to the motor operating the furnace, and so that the furnace will be automatically reversed at pre-determined times in its rotary movements.

It is also an object of the invention to provide means whereby the amount of rock or throw of the cylindrical furnace may be increased or decreased from time to time, as is usually desirable, as for instance it is customary to start such furnaces by imparting thereto comparatively short rocking movements and to increase their distance of travel from time to time over a period of perhaps fifteen or twenty minutes, the approximate time ordinarily required to melt a charge of brass.

The invention is fully disclosed in an accompanying embodiment thereof, comprising drawings and specication, and as will more fully appear, reference being had to the characters of reference used throughout the specification and found upon like parts of the drawings, in which Fig. l shows a top plan view of my novel automatic electric reversing switch;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the same, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 shows a cross section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end View of a commercial type of rotary electric furnace having one of my electric switches mounted thereon and connected to be operated thereby; and

Fig. 5 is a detailed view showing an assembly of rocker shaft 42, arm 40 and collar 48 including its adjusting screw.

I will first refer to Fig. 4 of the drawings wherein is shown an end view of a modern type of rot/ary electric furnace to which my improved switch is shown applied. This furnace, as will be seen, includes a base II, a cylindrical metal container I2 having a closable opening I3 through which the furnace is charged and the melted metal is poured.

Four rollers I4, two of which are carried by each of the shafts I5 and I6 serve to rotatably support the cylindrical container I2 of the furnace, the said cylinder being rocked through its frictional engagements with the rollers on the s Claims. (ci. o- 47) shaft I5 that in tarn are journaled in the base I I and connected to-be .driven by the reversible motor I'I connectedwith the far end of the shaft I5. In addition tothe two rollers mounted on the shaft I6, there is-also provided thereon a sprocket 5 wheel I8 which is connected by a sprocket chain I9 with a sprocket wheel 26 on the feed screw 2| of my improved electric switch 22 that is shown supported on a bracket 23 secured to the before mentioned base of the furnace. This switch is 10 connected through a magnetic reversing switch, not shown, with the before mentioned motor I1 so as to properly eect its reverse drive with-the action of the -switch of the invention.

My reversing switch 22 will be'mor'e readily 15 understood with reference to Figs. 1, -2 and 3,

Awhere it will be'seen that the same comprises a frame including a bed 25 formed of cast metal and two upwardly extended bearing ribs 26, one at eachend which serve in part to support the 20 before mentioned feed screw 2| and an adjusting screw 21, the said feed screw being operated through the sprocket and chain connections heretofore-referred to while the adjusting screw is provided with a handle 28 so as to facilitate an 25 adjustment of parts of the switch.

A Vsuitable block of insulating material 29 is attached on each of the ribs 26 by means of screws 38. These insulating blocks in turn are notched as at 3| to receive current-carrying guide 3o bars 32, 33, 33a, 34, 35 and 35B. The bars 32 and. 34 are full length bars, whereas the

bars

33 and 33a, and 35 and 35a, connected by insulations 36, the

portions

33 and 35 serving for the electric circuit breakers on support 3l while the shorter 35 end portions are connected with the circuit breakers on support 38.

Upon these bars are mounted two

movable supports

31 and 38 which are formed of in sulating material and serve to carry electric-circuit closers and openers. The insulative support 38 is movably mounted upon the guide bars and is adapted for short longitudinal movements as in setting it and its contacting means when the switch is being installed,`and to properly adapt its action to the required operation of the furnace or other machine, the operation of which it is4 to control.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my im` proved switch is operated by the furnace, whose movements it controls through the sprocket and chain connections with the feed screw 2| journaled in the before mentioned ribs 26 of the bed. This feed screw carries a nut 39 backward and forward with its forward and reverse rotations to alternately engage arms 40 and 4| to operate their rocker shafts 42 carrying electric contacting means, as will later be described.

An adjusting screw 43 having its bearing 44 in the insulation block 29 serves for the adjust- 60 ment of the support 38 with which said screw threadably engages. A larger screw 21 which has itsbearings in the ribs 25 threadably engages a metal block 45 secured to the underside of the support -31 and whereby the support is adjusted backward and forward upon the

bars

32, 33, 34 and 35 toward and from the before mentioned support 38, the said screw 21 being provided with a handle 28 by'means of which it is turned for the purpose support 31.

In the beginning of the melting of a charge of metal, it is rst necessary to turnthe screw 21 in a way to move the support 31 inward-close to the insulation 36 and againstthe limit screw 43. This insures, for the beginning, of the operation, the shorter rocking movements of the furnace, whereas a further turning of the screw from time to time in the .opposite will delay the operation of the mercuryswitches carried by the supports and consequently cause-longer rocking movements of the furnace. These latter adjustments are obviously accomplished` during the operation of the furnace and are made from time to time to increase the throw as theknetal becomes melted. Whlethe other support 38 is adjustable as by means of the before mentioned screw 43, yet this adjustment is'made only

wliemthe switch

2,2 is installed to form afixedlimit of V,movementh1 of the furnace in one direction, such for instance ns would bring the opening I3 ofthe cylinder and its spout in aposition for pouring.

` are secured to opposite' end Like bearings 4 1 portions'of -each 'ofthe supports 31 and 38 to mount the rocker shafts '42 which carry upon their outer ends inwardly'and downwardly projecting arms 4|l and 4| that are'engaged by the before mentioned floating nut 39 mounted l.upon the feed screw 2|. These arms are loosely mounted upon their shafts, being normally supported in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5, by means of a collar 48 secured to the rocker shaft 42 and whereby the shaft will be rocked against the action of a spring 49 mounted on the shaft and having one end secured thereto and the other one secured to the before mentioned bearing.

At this point it might be fitting to state that the two

supports

31 and 38 including their rocker shafts and electric contacting mechanisms carried by said shafts are substantially alike in both instances and therefore like characters of reference will be applied to similar parts of the two sets. Upon each shaft 42 are pairs of arms 50-59 set at slightly different relative angular positions, and which are provided with transparent tubular liquid-metal containers 5| having suitable contacts 52 whereby when the rocker shafts and arms are in one position an electric contact will be insured whereas when in another position said contacts will be broken and others made. Suitable wire connections a, b, c and d are made from the mercury switch contacts to the conducting bars and these in turn having wire connections e, f, g, h and i with a commercial type of magnetic reversing switch, not shown.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, a drive of the feed screw 2| as from the furnace will cause the nut 39 upon the feed screw to be fed forward and engage with the arm 40 or 4| according to the direction of rotation of the feed screw. This engagement will cause the shaft 42 upon which the arm 4U or 4| 75 is mounted to be rocked" so that the arms 5|l'on of adjusting the said said shaft would be swung over into a different position so that the liquid metal such as mercury, carried in the transparent tubes mounted in the outer end portions of said arms, would be shifted to reverse the respective'electric contacts of the switches..` This change of contact is obviously conveyed through the wire connections, guide nut 39 with the arms 40 and 4| In this connection it will also be apparent that' t the nearer the support `31 is positioned to the", support 38, the quicker the engagements of the a'qu'icker reversal or shorter rocking movement of the furnace. This re-positionng, or adjusting of the support 31 during the operation of the furnace, as before stated, is brought about by 'the operation of a handle 28 and its shaft 21, 25 'from time to time,'during the melting of the charge of metal'ln the furnace.

.Having thus described my invention, whatl "claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. In an automatic revcrsime electric switch, i a frame, a reversible feed screw, electric conducting guide rods, switch-carrying supports mountj 'ed'on the rods, separate means for adjusting one Asupport on the rods with respect to the other, a

,rocker shaft carried on each support, arms upon fthe shafts, liquid metal contacting means carried by the arms, means for holding the rocker shafts n their normal positions, a floating nut mounted upon the feed screw, acontact arm carried upon each rocker shaft and projected in the line of 0' travel of the saidnut for alternately operating the shafts.

2. In an automatic reversible electric switch, a frame, a feed screw, insulating blocks mounted on the frame, electric conducting guide rods 45 mounted in the blocks, insulating supports mounted on the rods, means for adjusting either support on the rods with respect to the other, a rocker shaft carried on each support, arms upon each shaft that are projected at different angles, 50 'alternately operatable electrical contacting means'carried by the arms, means for holding the rocker shafts in their normal positions, a floating nut mounted upon the feed screw, a contact arm carried upon each rocker shaft and projected in the line of travel of the said nut.

3. An automatic reversible electric switch, including a frame, a reversible feed screw, insulating blocks mounted on the frame, electric oonducting guide rods mounted in the blocks, switch 30 carrying supports adjustably mounted von the rods, a separate adjusting screw for adjusting one support on the rods with respect to the other while the switch is in use, a rocker shaft carried on each support, a pair of switch arms upon each 65 shaft, electric contacting means carried by each arm, yieldable means for holding the rocker shafts in their normal positions, a oating nut mounted upon the feed screw, contact means carried upon each rocker shaft and projected in the 70 line of travel of said nut for alternately operating the shafts and their electric contacting means and electric wire connections from the contact means to the guide rods.

OTTO KESSLER.

and consequently..