US2039194A - Alarm operated switch - Google Patents

Description

April 28, 1936. J. o. SIMON ALARM OPERATED SWITCH Filed Dec. 12, 1934 James 0. 52mm.

Patented Apr. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE one-half to Lloyd T.

Brown, Taylorville, Ill.

Application December 12, 1934, Serial No. 757,197

1 Claim.

My present invention has reference to a timed circuit control for electric currents.

It is my aim to provide a circuit control which includes a switch in an electric circuit and which has removably attached thereto, conductors leading to the operating means of a radio or the like, together with means, operated at timed intervals, for operating the switch to on or off positions to direct current to or away from such radio operating means.

It is also my purpose the provision of'a switch for this purpose, that is plugged into an electric source, and which switch may be removably and adjustably attached to an ordinary spring wound alarm clock in a manner whereby the turning of the alarm key (when the set alarm is sounded) will contact with and throw the switch lever to either on or 01f positions and thus direct the current to or shunt the current from a radio operating mechanism, or other electrically operated device, whose conductors are removably plugged to the switch and whereby the radio, or other device, may be operated or stopped by the operation of the clock alarm which is set for such operation at desired time periods.

For a full and comprehensive understanding of my invention, and its advantages, reference is to be had to the attached drawing, on which there is illustrated one of a number of satisfactory embodiments of the improvement.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a rear view of an ordinary spring wound alarm with the switch applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an edge view and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring arrangement in the switch box.

My improvement is primarily desired for throwing on or shutting off the electric current for radios, but, as will hereinafter be apparent, the same may be successfully employed for lighting or extinguishing the bulbs of electric lamps, or for operating or stopping the operation of any electric actuated device at determined intervals of time.

In the embodiment of the device disclosed by the drawing, it will be noted that the improvement is arranged in a vertical position on the back of a spring wound alarm clock, that the box for the switch is provided with two plug sockets and that the throw element of the switch is of the toggle construction. In practice, the switch box may be arranged at any desired angle on the clock, or on any other device that has a time actuated key or other movable element, or the box may have asingle socket and the throw element may be of any desired construction.

In the drawing, the numeral l designates an ordinary clock having a spring actuated alarm (not shown). The numeral 2 designates the winding key for the alarm spring and 3 the key or knob for setting the alarm.

On the back of the clock I, I removably secure a switch box 4. The switch box carries two socket members 5 and 6, respectively. The sockets 5 and 6 are of the ordinary construction as is the switch box 4. The body of each socket is of insulated material and is provided with the usual pair of spaced openings for the passage of spring contact fingers on the plugs of conductor cords (not shown). Such cords are designed to have their wires connected to the actuating means of a radio apparatus, the sockets of electric bulbs, or to any other electrically actuated device (not shown).

The sockets 5 and B at the sides of the openings therein, carry the usual pairs of spaced spring contact fingers and such fingers are formed by off-setting the ends of metal conductor plates. One of these plates, indicated by the numeral 1, has both of its ends formed with contact fingers for both of the spaced sockets 5 and 6, while the body plates 8 and 9 for the other fingers for the sockets have their confronting ends spaced, thus providing a gap therebetween.

In the switch box 4 there is mounted a pair of spaced parallel U-shaped metal rail plates for metal bridge rollers H), which are journaled on trunnions which are oifset from the ends of the inner spring influenced metal element of a toggle switch. A cup member, slidable on the element, contacts the spring. Guided in a groove or bifurcation in the outer end of the switch element and received in the cup, there is the inner round end of the throw lever ll) of the switch. The lever ll) causes the sliding cup to tension the spring and is itself constantly under pressure by such spring. The lever it) passes freely through the switch box and is pivoted for swinging movement in two directions thereon. The switch, as far as described, is of conventional form, but I have deemed it necessary to set forth its construction in detail.

One of the rails H for the rollers I0, is of a single metal bar, while the others I2 and I3, respectively, have their confrontingends spaced to provide a gap therebetween. The rail ll may have a central inwardly rounded notch H on its tread surface, disposed directly opposite and centrally of the gap between the rails l2 and I3.

A cord ll carrying a plug l5, has its wires I4 and I4" enter the switch box and these wires are secured, respectively, to the plate 1 and rail II. A wire I6 is connected to rail II and plate 9 and another wire I! is connected to plate 8 and rail It.

The cord I4 is designed to be plugged into a socket for a house or main electric circuit. The current is thus directed into the switch box and to .the conductor elements therein. Thus the spaced metal conductors in the switch box are at all times energized, but the circuit is broken and cannot be completed even by the throwing of the switch. The manner in which the broken circuit is made by the switch and directed from the box 4, will now be described.

We will suppose that the switch throw lever I0 is in its neutral position, being influenced thereto by the pressure of the spring tensioning cup on the switch roller carrying element. The lever I0 is thus in a straight or slightly angular position on the switch box, as shown by Figure 1. The lever I0 is in the path of contact with the alarm winding key 2, when the latter is turned by the expansion or uncoiling of the alarm spring,

which is attached to the shaft for the key. A

radio or the like (not shown) is plugged in, say switch socket 6, but current from the box cannot pass to the radio until the switch is thrown to bring the bridge rollers Ill into contact with the offset ends of rails II and i2. This is done when the alarm is sounded and the expanding alarm spring turns the key 2. The current is thus caused to flow to and operate the radio. The contact of the key with the lever prevents the rapid unwinding and therefore prolongs the life of the alarm spring. By plugging the cord of a playing radio into the socket 5 and by arranging the switch so that the lever ID will be thrown by key 2, to bring one of the rollers l0 against the rail ll, current will be direct through the plug to the stop mechanism of the radio and thus cut out the radio.

When one of the radio plugs is permitted to remain in the switch box, and it is desired to illuminate lamp bulbs or other electrical devices, it is simply necessary to plug the cord for such bulb or apparatus into the empty socket of the switch, to direct current from the switch box to such bulb or apparatus, and the switch lever is operated to throw the switch in the manner above described.

It is believed that the foregoing description when read in connection with the drawing, will comprehensively set forth my invention and its advantages to those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

The invention has been described and shown in its broad aspects only, and it should be understood that it is capable of such modifications, and alterations, as to better adapt it to existing conditions, and to the convenience of the user, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim, is:

The combination, a switch box, a member having an element timed for movement associated therewith and to which member the switch box is removably and adjustably secured, a pair of spaced parallel metal plates whose ends terminate in offset spring fingers in and insulated from the switch box, one of said plates comprising two sections whose confronting ends are spaced, a pair of spaced metal rails having oflset ends in the box, one of said rails comprising two spaced sections and the other rail having a depression disposed centrally with respect to the gap between said sections, a spring influenced toggle switch having bridge rollers which travel on the rails and one of which rollers is normally received in the depression to arrange the other roller in the gap between the sectional rail, a throw lever for the switch contacted by the spring thereof and said lever being arranged in the path of contact with timed movable element of the member, a conductor cord carried by the box and adapted to be plugged into a source of electric ity, said cord being wired to the unbroken plate and to one of the rails and to the unbroken rail, wires connecting the broken rail to the broken plates and either or both, spaced pairs of spring fingers on the broken and unbroken plates designed to be engaged by spring fingers on the plugs of conductor cords whose wires are connected to the operating mechanism of a radio or other electrically actuated device.

' JAMES OSCAR SIMON.

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