US2028314A - Switch-type plug attachment device - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 21, 1936. J. D. BROWN 2,028,314

SWITCH TYPE PLUG ATTACHMENT DEVICE Filed March 6, 1934 "Lg-q U51 12 C IIiVENTOR Jose 1h D bra: n.

ATTORNEY ia- I Patented Jan. 21, 1936 Q PATENT OFFICE SWITCH-TYPE PLUG ATTACHMENT DEVICE Joseph D. Brown, New York, N. Y., assignor to Raylite Trading Company, Inc., a corporation of New York Application March 6, 1934, Serial No. 714,246

8 Claims.

This invention relates to switch-type of plug attachment devices for connecting conductor wire cords to portable electric appliances.

Among the objects of the invention is to generally improve devices of the character described whereby few and simple parts are arranged and constructed to provide a compact, rugged assembly capable of withstanding rough usage, which shall be inexpensive to manufacture yet form a neat appearing structure, and which shall be practical and convenient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

" The invention accordingly consists in the fea-. ture of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplifled in the construction hereinafter described and of which the scope of. application will be indicated in the following claims.

In theaccompanying drawing, .in which is shownvarious possible illustrative embodiments of this invention:

, Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an electric switch-type of plug attachment device showing the top member of the casing removed to expose the interior construction and assembly. 7 Figs. 2 and 3 are front and side elevational views ofthe. improved device.

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross sectional views taken onlines'4-4 and 55 in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively.

Fig. '6 is a perspective view of the switch curshown, said device includes a casing, having a top and bottom member, or mating halves l I and 12, respectively, which may be formedof vaisuitable insulating material, such as a molded phenol condensate product. Said halves II and I 2 are held together by any conventional fastening means, as for example,by spaced screws I3 which may be located .to extend throughthe casing members Hand l2, as is shown in Figs. "1 and 2.

.The inner side of said member II and I2, that is,'the.sides that are brought in face to face relation when assembling the device ID, are each formed with cavities which register to provide suitablejchambers for'housing the movable parts of the switch'mechanismand for retaining the live current carrying parts enclosed as hereinafter described. Thus betweenthe casing members l I and I2 there is provided parallelly aligned spaced chambers l4 and I wherein spring gripping contacts I6 and M, respectively, 5 are retained.

If desired, these contacts l6 and I! may be anchored to the casing bottom member l2 by any suitable means such as drive screws l8 extending through the inner ends of said contacts. 1 To give access to said contacts I6 and I1, passages Ma and [5a, respectively, are provided, wherethrough the usual spaced prongs or terminal posts of an electric appliance (not shown) are inserted into the forward or leading end of the casing for connecting such appliance to a suitable power source through the device I0 in the well understood manner. The drive screw l8 extending through the inner end of the spring contact I! may also serve as fastening means for electrically connecting thereto a front end l9a of a saddle jumper l9.

. A rear end I91) of the jumper l9 may be anchored by a drive screw 20 to the casing bottom member l2, said end l9b being provided with an extension terminal screw binding post I90.

The drive screw I 8 extending through the inner end of the spring contact l6 may also serve as a fastening means for electrically connecting there to a front end 2la. of a jumper member 2|. A rear end of said member 2| forms a lower spring contact jaw 2ib of the switch mechanism, the latter being indicated generally at S. An upper spring contact jaw 22b forming an end of a current carrying strip 22 is located in alignment with the lower contact jaw 2 lb as seen from Figs. 1 and 6. A drive screw 20 may be used to anchor said strip 22 to the casing bottom member I2, said strip 22 being also formed with an extension terminal screw binding post 22a at the end opposite the jaw 22b. 0 A chamber 23 having an end passage 23a provided within the rear end of the casing gives access to thespaced terminal posts I90 and 22a. and encloses a flexible condu'ctorwire cord 24 extending .therethrough, the bared ends 240. of said cord being electrically connected to said posts 1 9c and 22a. The'passage 23a may be channelled at 7 23b, for retaining therein an enlarged end 250' of a-helically coiled armor 25 (only a fragmentary portion being shown) between said casing member II and I2, said armor 25 serving in the well understood manner to protect and reinforce the portion of the cord 24 passing into the device [0.

The movable parts of the switch mechanism S occupy a chamber 26 formed by cavities in the members II and I2 above the chambers I4 and I5. Said moving parts include an element 21 preferably molded of insulating material having a circular shaped top wall 21a which is formed with an arcuate side wall 211) extending partially about the perimeter thereof. Said side wall 21b may be provided at the center of its outer surface with a handle 21c radially extending with respect to said top wall 210.. Said handle 210 may be extended inwardly beyond the inner surface of the said wall 21b to provide a lug 21d for anchoring one end 28a of a tension spring 28, the purpose of which will hereinafter be described. The top and side walls 210. and 21b may be cut away at 21g to facilitate molding and attaching the spring end 28a, to the lug 21d which may be pierced to receive said end 28a. Said top wall 21a. may also carry the legends On and Off on the portion thereof bordering the side wall 21!) for indicating through an opening Ila in the top member Ii the position of the switch mechanism S. If desired, the top wall 21a may be provided with an integral upstanding central boss or hub 21c concentric positioned with respect to said top wall 21a. Said hub 21c has an opening 21f serving as a bearing for an end 29a of a metallic circuit closer 29.

The member 12 within the chamber 26 is provided with a circular groove [2a which serves as a track in which the end or free edge of the side Wall 211) of the element 21 can rotate on moving of thehandle 210. Although the top member ll may be formed so as to retain the element 21 in place, said element is preferably secured against displacement from its working position on the member 12 by the saddle jumper l9. As shown in the drawing, said jumper I9 is provided with an opening No for journalling the hub 21c therein to center the element 21 and thereby make the rotary movement smoother.

The circuit closer 29 may be in the form of a U-shaped wire, the mid section 291) of which provides a fastening for the other end 281) of the coil spring 28 as is clearly shown in Fig. 5. The, end 29a of the circuit closer 29 which is supported in the bearing opening 21c and the end 296 opposite thereto which is journalled in a recess l2b concentric with the groove I; and provided in member l2 form a trunnion for the circuit closer 29.

In order to conveniently operate the switch S, the element 21 is positioned so that the handle! 21c extends outwardly from the side of the casing through an elongated slot Ifla provided in the casing as is shown in the drawing.

The operation of device ID will now be apparent. With the various parts provided and assembled as described above and shown in the drawing, on moving the handle 21c rearwardly causes the circuit closer 29 to take the On position, that is, bridging the spring contact jaws 2H) and 22b for closing the circuit passing from strip 22 to jumper 2| and to contact I6, as shown in Fig. 1.

On moving the handle 21c forwardly from the On position, the element 21 is rotated and since the spring 28 is in tension, the circuit closer 29 remains in the circuit closing position until the handle 21c passes beyond the dead center line indicated by XX in Fig. 1, thereafter tension by the spring 28 is exerted to snap the circuit closer 29 away from the jaws 2Ib and 22b for opening the circuit therebetween. The circuit closer 29 will then swing to the position indicated by the dot and dash lines in Fig. 1, and the handle 210 to 01f position shown in Fig. 2.

Similarly the circuit closer 29 will remain in the Off position and will snap into the On position on moving the handle 21c rearwardly beyond the dead center line X-X.

The On and Off positions are readily ascertained on sight at either the slot Illa above and below the handle 210, as shown in Fig. 3, or at the opening I la on member I I, as shown in Fig. 2.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a. device whereby the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and'desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a switch-type plug attachment, an insulating case having a circular groove and a recess concentric with said groove, an element having a curved edge wall fitted to rotate in said groove and an opening concentric with said wall, a circuit closer having trunnion portions journalled in said opening and recess, and a spring mounted between an end of said closer anda part of said element at a spaced distance from the opening thereof.

2. In a device of the character described, mating insulating members having cavities in register to form a casing with chambers, a switch mechanism assembly in one of said chambers, said assembly including an insulating element having a circular shaped top wall, an arcuate side Wall extending partially about the perimeter of said top wall, and a handle extending outwardly from the side wall radially with respect to said topwall, one of said members having a circular-shaped groove to serve as a track for the free edge of said side wall to ride in, said top wall and the last mentioned member each having an opening, a U-shaped circuit closer provided with out-turned ends journalled insaid openings, and a coil spring having one end anchored to the mid portion of said closer and the other end to the side wall of said element.

3. A, switch element comprising .molded insulated body formed with a circular shaped top wall, an arcuate side wall extending partially 7 about the perimeter of said top wall, and a handle extending outwardly from the mid portion of the side wall and radially with respect to said top wall. a V

A. A switch element comprising molded insulated body formed with a circular-shaped top wall, an arcuate side wall extending partially about the perimeter of said top wall, a handle extending outwardly from the mid portion of the side wall and radially with respect to said top indicating legend on the top wall bordering the and specified, a portion of said element being cut away to give access to said lug.

6. A switch element comprising molded insulated body formed with a circular shaped top wall, an arcuate side wall extending partially about the perimeter of said top wall, a handle extending outwardly from the mid portion of the side wall and radially with respect to said top wall, a lug extending from the inner surface of the side wall as and for the purpose described and specified, a portion of said element being cut away to give access to said lug, and indicating legends on the top and side walls.

7. A switch element comprising molded insulated body formed with a circular shaped top wall, an arcuate side wall extending partially about the perimeter of said top wall, and a handle extending from the mid portion of the side wall and radially with respect to said top wall, and

side wall.

8. In a switch-type plug attachment, an insulating casing having a top and bottom member, the bottom member having a circular groove and a recess concentric. with said groove, an element enclosed in the casing having a circular top wall, a curved side wall extending from said top' wall fitted to rotate in said groove and an opening concentric with said top wall, indicating 10 switch-position legends onthe top wall bordering the side wall, said top member having a window in register with one of said legends, a circuit closer having trunnion portions journalled in said opening and recess, and a spring mounted 15 between an end of said closer and a part of said element at a spaced distance from the opening thereof.

JOSEPH D. BROWN.

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