US2111541A - Time delay relay - Google Patents

Description

March 22, 1938. G. c. ARMSTRONG TIME DELAY RELAY Filed Oct. 23, 1955 INVENTOR Geozye 6T flr/rzszrargg BY /Z/U7 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIMIE DELAY RELAY George G. Armstrong,

Forest Hills, Pa, assignof Pennsylvania Application October 23, i935, Serial No. 46,283

5 Claims.

This invention relates to delayed-action relays and more particularly to relays of this type in which the delay is controlled by means of a device actuated by a branch magnetic circuit.

It is an object of this invention to apply the method of producing rotation described in my copending application Serial No. 46,287, filed October 23, 1935, and to use this method for controlling the delay in a delayed-action relay.

Other objects of my invention and. details of the proposed construction will be evident from the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 shows one form of my device;

Fig. 2 shows a modification thereof;

Fig. 3 illustrates a further modification; and

Fig. 4'the preferred form.

A magnetic circuit l is provided comprising a magnet proper 2 and its armature 3. The magnet proper is energized by alternating current in a coil 4. A shading coil 5 at the pole 6 is provided for insuring an uninterrupted pull from the alternating-current flux. Contacts are controlled by the movement of the armature in the usual way. A rotor I0 is mounted so as to have rolling contact with the end surface II of the armature A non-magnetic stirrup I2 provides bearings for a shaft through the rotor. This shaft preferably is not directly connected to the rotor it, but a spiral spring unites them, providing for some angular movement of the rotor H] with reference to its shaft. When the rotor rotates, its motion is transmitted to the shaft, any irregularity in the rotation being more or less absorbed thereby.

A spring [5 mounted from the same stirrup l2 biases the rotor l0 away from the adjacent pole of the magnet 2. A pinion, not shown, on the end of the shaft meshes with a sector I6, engagement between the pinion and the sector preventing movement of the armature 3 toward the magnet 2. A spring I1, mounted from the magnet by any convenient support I8, acts to return the sector to its original position when released.

In the operation of this form of the device, when the coil 4 is energized with alternating current, a flux is set up between the pole face 6 and the end of the armature 3. This draws the pinion into mesh with the sector l6 if in the deenergized position they are out of engagement.

The rotor I0 is in the path of a leakage flux which extends from pole face 6 through a part of the rotor and enters the armature 3 at the face H. The action of the flux where it enters the face H and the spring 15, as explained in my above-mentioned copending application, tends to set up a rotation of the rotor l0, partly on account of its own hysteresis.

The rotation is counter-clockwise as shown in Fig. 1. It therefore drives the sector l6 down- Ward, stretching the spring ll until the upper end of the segmental gear I16 passes below the pinion. The flux between members 6 and 3 then causes the armature to move and the pinion to ride upon the upper edge of the sector I6.

When the current ceases in the coil 4, the armature 3 is returned to the illustrated position, either by gravity or by a spring which is not shown. When, during its return movement, the pinion passes off of the upper edge of the sector it, the spring ill will lift the sector to the illustrated position. The pinion may then engage the teeth of the sector it or if the motion of the armature 3 is great enough it may be too far to the right to engage them.

In the form of the device illustrated in Fig. 2,

the magnet 2 has mounted thereon an iron bail,

formir a branch magnetic circuit 20. The mounting includes a piece of non-magnetic material 2i, whereby flux which goes through member 23 is small in amount as compared with the flux in the main magnetic circuit. The rotor I0 is mounted to bear against the surface of the end i of the bail-shaped iron 20. The mounting is by means of a non-magnetic stirrup 22 and includes a spring 23 biasing the rotor l0 away from the pole 6 of the magnet 2. A pinion 24 mounted on the end of the shaft of the rotor meshes with a sector 25 mounted on the free end of the armature 3.

In the operation of this form of the device, when the coil 4 is energized with alternating current, the armature 3 is attracted toward the magnet 2 and the sector 25 comes into mesh with the pinion 24, if it were not already in mesh. The rotor i0 is subjected to flux between the bailshaped iron 23 and the pole 6. Between member 20 and'the rotor this flux passes nearly at right angles to the surface 2'! and again between the rotor 10 and the pole 6 the flux emerges nearly at right angles to the surface.

At times in the cycle of this flux, the portion of the rotor l0 adjacent the bail 20 will be of opposite polarity to that of the contiguous part of the bail 20, but at times, because of the hysteresis of the rotor i0, these two polarities will be alike. The flux between the pole 6 and the rotor ID attracts the rotor iil against the action of the spring 23 and when this flux diminishes or becomes zero the spring 23 returns the rotor I0 upward.

The combineffect of these actions will cause the rotor i0 rotate in a d 'ection clockwise as seen in Fig. moves the actor 25 downward against the action of the spring 26 until the end of the sector disengages pinion 24. The between members 6 and 3 n moves the armature 3 toward the left as shown in 2 and the pinion 24 will ride upon the upper edge of the sector.

When the current in coil 4 is cut off, the armature 3 is retiuned to the illustrated position, by gravity or by the action of a spring, not shown. This will cause the sector 25 to move upward under the action of the spring 26, into a position in which it will engage the pinion 24 or will be ready to do so upon energization of the coil 4.

The non-magnetic piece 2| was introduced in order to insure that the iiux through the bailshaped piece 20 will be small, the flux from pole 6 to armature 3 will thus be but slightly diminished by the action of the magnetic shunt.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, the rotor l0 has been shown upon the other face of the bailshaped member 20, other parts being as described in connection with Fig. 2. When the coil 4 is energized with alternating current, the rotor l0 causes a pinion (similar to pinion 24 in Fig. 2) to turn counter-clockwise as seen in Fig. 3 and the sector 25 moves upward until it escapes the pinion. The flux between pole 6 and armature 3 then moves armature 3 toward the left as shown in Fig. 3, and the lower edge of sector 25 slides over the pinion. When the current in the coil 4 ceases the armature 3 is returned to its original position and the sector 25 is dragged off of the pinion so that it is in engagement with the teeth thereof or is ready to become engaged as soon as the coil is re-energized.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 4, the piece 30 mounted on the magnet 2 adjacent to the pole 6 is of iron, but the bracket 3| in which the shaft for the rotor I0 is mounted is of non-magnetic material. A spring 32 is mounted in a position to press the rotor l0 away from the iron piece 30. The sector 33 is provided with a notch which can receive the pinion upon the shaft of the rotor I0 when the sector has been rotated far enough for that purpose. The mounting 34 which carries the sector 33 is of non-magnetic material.

In the operation of the device when the coil 4 is energized by alternating current, the rotor I0 is subject to a flux which is oblique to the surface of the bracket 3| with which the rotor contacts. When the rotor I0 is moving under the attraction of the piece 30, it is acted upon by the spring 32. Because of the hysteresis of the rotor lo, the portion of it in contact with the bracket 3| is sometimes of the same polarity as the iron piece 30 and sometimes of opposite polarity.

When the motion has become steady, the time wherein these polarities are alike is a greater fraction of the time when the rotor is moving under the action of the spring 32 than is the time when they are unlike, and the time when they are unlike during the motion of the rotor ||I against the action of spring 32 is greater than the time during this motion that they are alike. The result of this is a rotation of the rotor l0 counter-clockwise as seen in Fig. 4. While the coil 4 is energized with alternating current, the armature 3 is attracted, pulling the sector 33 into engagement with the pinion unless it was already in engagement and the rotor I0 turns counter-clockwise as just explained. Turning counter-clockwise, it brings one edge of the notch in sector 33 above the pinion. The attraction between members 6 and 3 then moves the armature to the left and that edge of the notch slides over the pinion. When the coil is deenergized the armature returns to its original posl tion and the notch returns to the illustrated position under the action of spring.

Other variations of this invention will occur to those skilled in the art, and I do not wish to be limited to only the forms specifically illustrated and described.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a delayed-action relay, 9. main magnetic circuit including an armature, a rotary device including a rotor, a bearing surface on which said rotor rests, means constituting a branch magnetic circuit for producing flux through said rotor oblique to said surface, and a spring biasing said rotor away from the position toward which it is attracted by said flux, an obstacle preventing complete response to the flux by said armature and gearing operated by said rotor and acting to move said obstacle to an inoperative position.

2. In a delayed-action relay, a magnetic structure including a contact-operating armature, delay mechanism comprising an obstacle normally preventing completion of the movement of said armature, a mechanism including a magnetic rotor for moving said obstacle to a nonobstructing position, said rotor rolling on a surface of said magnetic structure whereby fiux passes between said rotor and said surface at the line of rolling contact, and a magnetic shunt distinct from said magnetic structure producing flux for operating said rotor.

3. In a relay, a main magnetic structure, a branch magnetic structure, an armature in said main magnetic structure, an obstacle to the closing of said armature and means, including a rotary device responsive to the flux in said branch magnetic structure for moving said obstacle to an inoperative position, said rotary device rolling on a surface of one of said magnetic structures whereby flux passes between said rotor and said surface at the line of rolling contact.

4. In a relay, 9. main magnetic structure, a branch magnetic structure, an armature in said main magnetic structure, an obstacle to the closing of said armature and means, including a. spring and a magnetic rotor responsive to both the flux in said branch magnetic structure and to said spring to produce rotary motion thereof, said rotor rolling on a surface of one of said magnetic structures whereby flux passes between said rotor and said surface at the line of roll ing contact, and a mechanism actuated by said rotary motion to move the obstacle to a nonobstructing position.

5. In a relay, a main magnetic structure including an armature, a magnetic rotor, means constituting a branch magnetic structure for producing an attracting flux through said rotor, said rotor rolling on a surface of one of said magnetic structures whereby flux passes between said rotor and said surface at the line of rolling contact, spring means biasing said rolling rotor away from the position toward which it is attracted by said flux, an obstacle preventing complete response tothe flux by said armature, and means operated by said rotor to move said obstacle to an inoperative position.

GEORGE C. ARMSTRONG.

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