US2169924A

US2169924A - Time switch

Info

Publication number: US2169924A
Application number: US91206A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ohreneder Karl
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-07-22
Filing date: 1936-07-17
Publication date: 1939-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 1956-08-15

Description

ug. 1E, 1939 Filed July 1'? g QHRENEDER TRAE SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Allg' l5, 1939 K. oHRENEDr-:R 2,169,924

TIME SWITCH Filed July 17, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 15, 1939 K. -oHRENEDr-:R 2,169,924

TIME SWITCH Filed July 17, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT orifice Application July 17, 1936, SerialNo. 91,246 In Austria July 22, 1935 1s claim (Ci. zoo-3a) This invention relates to an electric time switch consisting of a running gearing, clockwork, electromotor, synchronous motor or the like, housed in a casing in which switching-on, switching-ofi or both is or are effected at predetermined times .set by turning a rotary ring pertaining to said casing and adapted to actuate means for operating the switch contact.

According to the present invention, in an electric time switch of this kind, the contact-operating means are independent oi the rotary casing ring and are set by a setting device carried by said ring.

The time switch according to the invention is intended to serve more particularly for the automatic switching on and on oi' wireless sets and other electrical appliances used in households, for example, electric heating pads or cookers, and is therefore destined for operation as a rule by persons devoid of any specialized knowledge' or experience of a technical nature. In development of this device, therefore, particular attention has been paid to providing for simple and readily understandable manipulation. and to sturdlness of construction.

Forms of construction embodying the inveni tion are shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the time switch according to the invention.

Fig. 2'shows the same partly in longitudinal section and partly in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a plan view with the dial removed.

Fig. 4 is a partial section of the time switch on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 shows, in plan view, the part of the mechanism operating the contacting means in a modified form of construction. y

Fig. 6 is a. plan view e2" the mechanism of this modified form of construction, with the dial-plate removed.

Fig. 7 is a partial longitudinal modied form of construction.

Referring to the drawings, the casing of the instrument consists of the lower 'part I which section of this houses the clockwork mechanism and the switching mechanism, and of the annular upper part 2 which is rotatably mounted on the lower part and intended to serve for the adjustment of the switching time. Within an annular aperture covered over by a glass window 3 there is provided the dial-plate 4. 'Ihe outward procedure in setting the instrument to effect a switching operation at a certain time is to turn the setting ring a mark 5 on the inside registers with the desired time on the dial, and then to x the sety ting by depressing a button 6.

The switch proper is mounted on a disc I which fast on the journal l of the hour hand, and consists of two pairs of tongues 9 to which members.

the current is supplied through slip rings on the under side of the disc 1. The tongues of each pair press resiliently against each other and are fitted at their free ends'with contacts. 'Ihese contacts consist preferably of two doubly tapered, mutually opposed contact members III made from precious metal between-which, when the current circuit is interrupted, there is thrust an insulating knife 45 which separates the two tapered This knife is pivoted about an axle II secured to a lug I2 on the disc Landis forced by a spring I3 between the contacts. When the knife is deflected against the action of the spring. in the direction o! the arrow I4, the contact members Il are free to come togetlnr under the influence of the inherent resilience of the tongues which carry them, and thus close the current circuit. What is intended is to bring about this deflection of lthe pivoted knife automatically by means of the self-contained clock at a pre-determinable time. For this purpose there is associated with the outwardly projecting abutment I5 whichg-.Heilraentlre switch, revolves with the hour 'and which occupies its extreme position when the knife is in the position in' which it is shown in Fig. 3. Ii' there be interposed in the path of this abutment a counter abutment I6 the abutment I5, which takes the form of alever'arm, yields as it goes past its counter abutment, and thereby swings the switch blade in the 'direction indicated by the arrow I4, so that the blade is withdrawn from between the contacts, and the circuit becomes closed in consequence of the spring action of the tongues. The deflection of the contact separating blade is eii'ected against the action of the spring I3, so that this spring becomes tensioned. When the lever arm I5 (Fig. 4) slides clear o! its counter abutment the separating blade 45 is thrust between the contacts by the action of the spring, l and. in view of its sharrknife-like edge, sepai rates the contacts instantaneously without allowina an electric arc to becomforrned.

'I'he position oi the counterabutment I6 relatively to the dial-plate of the clock determines, the moment at which the switching-on or circuitclosing is eiected. If it is desired to be able to set this time ,to within intervals of live minutes thereV are required twelve counter abutments for everyhour, that is to say one hundred and fortyfour counter abutments for a complete revolt;` V

tion of the hour wheel, capable of selectively into the path of movement ofthe'abutment I5. The moving up oi' the requiredcounter abutment isto be eiected by means of a setting member associated with the casing ring 2. This setting member of a thrust rod I'I which is iitted with a knob i, and which extends Athrough the annular wall into the interior of the casing, and adapted to co-act with a one-armed lever Il pivotally mounted in the wall of the casing. When pressure is exerted upon the knob B the lever I8 is pivotally swung, against the action of a restoring spring I9, into the interior of the casing. During this movement its end encounters the head of a rocking lever 20 pivotally mounted in the lower part of the casing, and presses this lever likewise into the interior of the casing. The foot of the rocking lever, through which the pivot pin 21 passes, is provided with a notch 2| into which, when the rocking lever is in the position of readiness, there snaps a spur 22 of a spring 23. If on the other hand the rocking lever be tilted from the position of readiness into the interior of the casing by pressure exerted upon the knob 6 the spur 22 comes out of engagement with the notch 23 and bears against the solid part 24 of the foot. At the same time the portion of the spring comprising the spur is forced into the interior of the casing. The free end of the spring is lengthened to form a tongue which constitutes the counter abutment I6 for the stop I5 pertaining to the contact separating blade. By operation of the rocking lever 2U the counter abutment I6 is forced with the spring 23 into the interior of the casing and into the path of movement of the stop I5, and thus operates the switch in the manner already described. When once the abutment I5 and the counter abutment have passed each other the rocking lever must be restored automatically into the position of readiness. This purpose is served by a spring stop 25 which is attached to the lug I2 on the disc 1,

Vand which exerts a directly restoring action upon the deflected rocking lever 20. It will be clear v ,that to each of the one hundred and forty-four 'abutmentsfl' there is allotted a separate rocking lever..

Whenvysettingthe'pointers to the required time it often happens that'the pointers have to be moved in opposite directions. The abutment arm I5 associated with the contact separating blade must therefore be so made that when the pointers are turned back this arm can move past its counter abutment I6 without actuating the conwhich can be deected in the other direction against the action of a restoring spring 4l. If

. the pawl be moved past the counter abutment I6 in a clockwise direction it strikes against the peg and is rigidly arrested, so that when slipping clear it takes the contact separating bladgw'ith it. However when the vpawl is moved past the abutment in the opposite direction it gives way while the restoring spring 4I is tensioned. The rocking levers can thus be turned into the position of readiness even when the marks or pointers are turned backwards. The spring stop 25 is furnished with two symmetrical running on surfaces of which always that corresponding to the direction of rotation for the moment takes effect.

By means of this stop any number of rocking levers situated in the arresting position can be restoredinto the position ofreadiness by a single complete revolution of the hour hand.

Since the clock switches of the type contemplated by the present invention have to `be capable of being manufactured on mass production lines the assembly must be extremely simple while at the same timeensuring a' high degree of accuracy. In order that these needs may be met there are impressed in the annular shoulder or step in the lower part of the casing radial slots 20 are threaded. The ribs 28 which are left standing between the slots are provided at their upper side with grooves 29 which together constitute a row of grooves which is concentric to the casing as a whole, and into this row of grooves the wire ring 21 is fitted and there held in position by means of clamping or holding members.

The springs 23 which carry the abutment IIi at their upper end are likewise fitted into the slots 26 and bear at one end against a ring 30 which is inserted in the casing, and which covers the open sides of the slots at the inner delimiting surface of the ribbed member. The springs 23 may also be provided on a communal, annular carrier with which they are integrally formed from a single piece of material. Y

The lower part of the casing comprising the ribbed member is preferably manufactured in one piece from insulating material, since in this manner freedom from short-circuiting and uniformly accurate production is ensured.

The upper ends of the rocking levers 20 are guided in radial slots 3l in an annular plate 32 whchis fitted into a groove 33 in the upper end surface of the lower part of the casing. The free inner surface of the ring is lled out bythe dialplate 4. The head of the rocking levers 20 is provided With extensions 35 pointing towards the interior of the casing, with which it overlaps the dial-plate when rocked out of the position of readiness, so that when rocked out it is visible from the outside against the dial-plate, and the time for which the switching'operation is set to take place can'be checked off.

The rocking levers 20 must move easily in their slots, and they are therefore fitted with slight play. This play makes it diicult however to iit the annular plate 32 in position, since the rocking. levers do not then all coincide simultaneously with their appropriate slots in the annular plate. In order to overcome thisvdiiculty there arey pressed vinto the upper edge of the lower part of the casing notches which centre the rocking levers in the position of readiness.

If it is desired, for example, to switch on a wireless set at a certain time by means of the clock switch the mark 5 on the setting ring 2 is set to the point on the dial-plate corresponding to the desired time while at the same time pressure is exerted upon the knob 6 which tilts out the rocking lever corresponding to the setting concerned. The extension 35 on the tilted lever is thereby rendered visible above the dial-plate. The setting operation can be facilitated by providing in the outer shell of the lower part of the casing detent notches 36 corresponding to the rocking levers, into which a spring 31 attached to the inside of the setting ring comes into snap engagement.

The spring is held in position by an angle member 42 which engages with one limb in a groove 43 in the outside ofthe lower part of the casing, thereby preventing withdrawal of the casing ring.

The apparatus will be switched on atthe time the instrument effect switching off automatically at a later time the setting ring must be used to tilt out all the rocking levers situated between the time at which the switching on operation is to be performed and that at which the switching oil' operation is desired to be performed.

. Provision must also be made for the restoring into the position of readiness of any rocking levers which may happen to be tilted out by mistake. For this purpose there is mounted on the pivot pin for the one-armed lever I8 a bell-crank lever 44 which bears with one limb on the upper side of the lever `I8 and with the other limb extends into the interior of the casing. If the rod I1 be then withdrawn from the casing by a pull exerted on the knob 6 the lever I8 also rotates the bellcrank lever 44, and thelimb of the latter which projects into the 4interior of the casing presses the rocking lever 20 back into its position of readiness.

In the form of construction described hitherto each tripped rocking lever brings about a switching operation lasting for a certain length ofl time which is dependent on the number of rocking levers provided. If there be provided a hundred and forty-four rocking levers in the case oi an instrument with a twelve-hour range each rocking lever, when tripped, initiates a switching operation lasting for ve minutes. vThus if it is desired to make the switching operation last for an hour it is necessary to trip twelve consecutive rocking levers. In a modified form of construction of the invention, shown in Figs. 5-7 of the accompanying drawings, theV number of rocking levers requiring to be tripped in order to effect a protracted switching operation of any desired duration is reduced to two by virtue of the arrangement that the contacting vmeansl are changed over by each consecutive tripped .rocking lever into the switching condition which is the reverse of the previous.

Figs. 5 to '7 show a modied device for actuating the Contact structure of the time switch of this invention. Inthis modified device, the contact structure is not on a disc which rotates with the shaft of the hour hand, but it is stationary, and hence, slip rings which act as connecting element between the supply of current and the contact structure may be eliminiated. For operating the contact structure in this modication, there is provided a stationary spring motor which is released or tripped by the stop element that has been set for the desired time. The release or trip is effected through intermediate elements. The transmitting elementsbetween spring motor arid contact device, on the other hand, are of such construction that with each two successive releases by a stop moved to operative position, the contact structure is alternately switched into and out of the circuit. Taking for instance a selected current supply period of one hour in the time between eleven and twelve oclock, Ait is, therefore, only necessary to set the two stops corresponding to the time 11 oclock and twelve oclock on the dial. K

The spring motor 48 which is supported stationarily, Figs. 5 and 6, operates through a gear transmission illustrated in the drawings the noncircular disc 5I unless o f course this spring motor is arrested. This non-circular disc 5I carries a cam 52 of approximately semi-circular shape.

AUpon rotation of the disc, this cam 52 acts on the lever 53 under control of the spring 54, and thereby moves the separator blade 55 with respect to the pairs of contacts 55. The separator-.bladey 55 is made of insulating material, andt is moved by being positioned alternately between the contact pairs 56 and then back again, overcoming the action of the spring 54. When the contact pairs 56 are in closed condition, the spring motor 46 is. stopped owing to the lock lever 49 which engages the pin 48 and thereby prevents rotation of the disc 41,'which disc is connected with the gearing. The release of the lock lever 49 against the action of its spring 50 to effect interruption of the circuit at a predetermined point of time takesv place in the following way, while at the same time then moving the separator blade 55 in between the pairs of contact 56.

When the stop 20 is moved to operative position`v Fig. 6, a bell crank lever 60 is moved inwardly. This bell crank lever is pivoted on the arm 59, which arm is xedly connected with the shaft of an hour hand and rotates with said hand. When the bell crank lever 50 has been moved inwardly, it engages at its end which is constructed as a pawl, the circumference of the star disc 51 which is loose on the shaft 8. This pawl, therefore, will rotate this disc as long as the engagement between the pawl and the stop 20 is continued. The star disc-51 is, therefore, rotatedfoi this short period of time, and this disc carries along the pin 58 which is fixed to the lock lever 49 and which projects into an aperture of the disc. The disc thereby effects a'rotation of the lock lever 49 about its axis in a `direction counterclockwise, whereby the free end of the lock lever slips oil' the bolt or pin 48. In this manner the spring motor 46 is released, and this spring motor imparts rotation to the disc 41 until the lever 49 again engages a pin :65 which is radially farther outward on thedisc 41 than the pin 48. .At the same time, however, the lever vhas left the stop 25, whereby the pawl engagement of arm 59 with the star disc 51 induced by thel lever 80 has been released. The locking lever 49 then continues its rotation under the action ofits return spring 50 in clockwise direction untiliit engages the elongated lat portion of the non-circular disc 5| and thereby brings about a return rotation of the star disc 51 by means of the pin 5B. Simultaneously the spring motor 46 which is now released also rotates the disc 5I so that the free end of the bell crank 53 after a rotation of this disc over 180 degrees slips ofi' the circular cam 52 and spring 54 of the bell crank lever 53, pushes the separator blade 55 between the pairs of contact 56 so as to interrupt thecircuit which had been closed heretofore.

Uponturning the non-circular disc 5|, it acts upon the long arm of the locking lever 49 when engaging said lever by means of the arcuate edge portion of the disc 5l. The locking lever 49 is thereby pushed outwardly so that its free end is beyond the path described by the stop pins 48 and 55. Upon continuing the rotation of disc 5l, the

lever 49 engages the second flat portion of the disc and its free end thereby Yenters again into the path of the .pin 48 so that the spring motor is locked again. `The separator bade of the contact -matically bythe bell-crank lever Y60 when the latter is continued in its movement by the arm 59. Care must be taken in this connection to ensure that the resistance oiieredby the rocking levers '20 to the restoring movement be greater than the resistanceV offered by the jagged wheel to the initiation of the switching operation.

It is also often of advantage to arrange for an acoustic signal to be given during the carrying out of the switching operation. For this purpose sound-giving mechanism consisting of the hammer 62 and bell 63 may be operated by a wheel 6l attached to thejournal of the disc 41. A time switch equipped in this manner can be used for .example as an alarm-clock without being connected to any source of current.

The condition of the switching means at any one time can be seen by lookingthrough an inspection aperture in the dial-plate at a mark 64 mounted on the contact separating blade and moved simultaneously therewith. If this mark is visible through the inspection aperture in the dial-plate then this means that the contacts are closed.

The dial-plate itself is preferably made lndependent of the ring 32 comprising the radial slot guides 3l for the rocking levers 20, so that the clockwork together with the dial can be dismantled bodily without at the same time having to remove the guide ring also, this latter part being tedious to fit, since to do so it is rst necessary to insert allv the rocking levers in their appropriate slots. l

I claim: Y

1. In a time switch, a casing, a power applying mechanism housed by said casing, a switchmech# anism within the casing for opening and closing an electrical circuit, and including a movable contact controlling member, elements in the casing for effecting' actuation of said controlling member when said elements are set to their operative positions, a' rotatable ring carried by the casing, and means carried by the ring and brought into operative relation with a selected element by turning the ring, for setting the said selected element to its operative position.

2. In a time switch, a casing, a power applying mechanism housed by said casing, a switch mechanism within the casing for opening and closing an electrical circuit, and including a movable contact controlling member, elements in the casing for eiecting actuation of said controlling member when said elements are set to their operative positions, a rotatable ring carried by the casing, and means carried by the ring Vand brought into operative relation with a selected element by turning the ring, for setting the said selected element to its operative position, said ring constituting a part of said casing.

3. Ina time switch, a casing, a power applying mechanism housed by said casing, a switch mechanism within the easing for opening and closing an electrical circuit, and including a movable contact controlling member, elements in the casing for eilecting actuation of said controlling member when said elements are set to their operative positions, a rotatable ring carried by the casing,

4means carried by the'ring and brought into opertive relation with a selected element by turn-- ing the ring, for setting the said selected element toits operative position, and means actuated by said power-applying means for` restoring said selected element and switch-controlling member to their initial positions.

4. In a time switch, a casing, a motor 'carried by the easing, a rotatable disc within the casing and operated by said motor, a make and break switch -carriedby said disc, and including pairs of engaging contacts and a contact separating device, a set of rocking lever devices for eecting actuation of said contact separating device .to release the contacts to close a circuit, means normally holding said lever devices inactive, means to set selected lever devices to active position, said setting means including a rotatable ring carried by the casing and a manually operated lever-device setting element carried by said ring.

5. In a time switch, a casing, a motor carried by the casing, a rotatable disc within the casing and operated by said motor, a make and break switch carried by said disc, and including pairs of engaging contacts and a contact separating device, a set of rocking lever devices for effecting actuation of said contact separating device to release thev contacts to close a circuit, means normally holding said lever devices inactive, means to set selected lever devices to active position, said setting means including a rotatable ring ,carried by the casing and a manually operated lever-device setting element carried by said ring, and means carried by said rotatable disc for re storing said rocking lever devices to their normal positions and moving said blade to open-circuit y position.

6. In a time switch, a rotatable disc, pairs of switch contacts on said disc, means on said disc -ior normally holding said contacts in one position, means to rotate said disc at constant speed, a casing enclosing the aforesaid parts, said casing having radially disposed slots, rocking lever devices held in said slots for controlling the contact holding means, a rotatable ring forming part. of said casing, means carried by said ring to set said lever devices to operative position, and means actuated by rotation of said disc for restoring said lever devices to normal position after a timed interval.

7. In a time switch, a rotatable disc, pairs of switch contacts on said disc, means on said disc for normally holding said contacts in one position, means to rotate said disc at constant speed, a casing enclosing the aforesaid parts, said casing having radially disposed slots,v rocking lever devices held in said slots for controlling the contact holding means, a rotatable ring forming part of said casing, means carried by said ring to set said lever devices to operative position, means actuated by rotation of said discfor restoring said lever devicesto normal position after a timed interval, and a non-rotatable disc in said casing having guide slots for said rocking lever devices.

8. In a time switch, a rotatable disc, pairs of switch contacts on said disc, means on said disc for normally holding said contacts in `one posi- ,tion, means to rotate said disc at constant speed,

`ring comprising a manually actuated setting member for engaging any rocking lever device into alignment with which said setting member is brought by rotation of said ring. A

9. In a time switch, a rotatable disc, pairs of switch contacts on saidl disc, means on said disc for normally holding said contacts in one position, means to rotate said disc at onstant speed, a casing enclosing the aforesaid parts, said casing having radially disposed'slots, rocking lever devices held in said slots for controlling the contact holding means, a rotatable ring forming part of said casing, means carried by said ring to set said lever devices to operative position, and

means actuated by rotation of said disc for restoring said lever devices to normal position after a timed interval, said rocking lever devices including rocking levers and spring means to retain said levers in either of their normal and set positions,

l0. In a time switch, a rotatable disc, pairs of switch contacts on said disc, means on said disc for normally holding said contacts in one position, means to rotate said disc at constant speed, a casing enclosing the aforesaid parts, said casing havingr radially disposed slots, rocking lever devices held in said slots for controlling the contact holding means, a rotatable ring forming part of said casing, means carried by said ring to set said lever devices to operative position, and means actuated by rotation of said disc for restoring said lever devices to normal position after a timed interval, said rocking lever devices including rocking levers and spring means to retain said levers in either of their normal and set positions, said spring means including a communal annular carrier having individual spring fingers, v i one for each rocking lever.

l1. In a time switch, a casing, a disc rotatable in the casing, means to rotate said disc at uniform speed, a switch device carried by said disc and including a movable switch opening and lclosin the casing, means to rotate said disc at uniform speed, a switch device carried by said disc and including a movable switch opening and closing member, a set of rocking levers mounted in the casing around but separate from said disc, said switch device opening and closing member including a one-way-operating abutment,I a counter-abutment for each rocking lever, means to set a selected rocking lever and its counter-abutment into operative positions to actuate said oneway-operating abutment, a rotatable body carried by said casing and carrying said setting means, and means carried by said disc and operable when said disc is turned either way for restoring said rocking levers and counter-abutments to normal position.

13. In a time switch, a casing, a disc rotatable in the casing, means to rotate said disc at uniform speed, a switch device carried by said disc and including a movable switch opening and closing member, a set of rocking levers mounted in the casing around but separate from said disc, said switch device opening and closing member including a one-way-operating abutment, a counter-abutment for each rocking lever, means to' set a selected rocking leyer and its counter-abutment into operative positions to actuate said oneway-operating abutment, and means cooperating with said setting means for also restoring the rocking levers to normal when desired.

14. In a time switch, a casing, a disc rotatable in the casing, means to rotate said disc at uniform speed, a switch device carried by said disc and including a movable switch opening and closing member, a set of rocking ievers mounted in the casing around but separate from said disc, said switch device opening and closing member including a one-way-operating abutment, a counter-abutment for each rocking lever, means to set a selected rocking lever and its counter-abutment into operative positions to actuate said oneway-operating abutment, said casing having a sight opening, a dial plate visible through said opening said rocking levers each having a projection to cooperate with said dial plate and be visible through said opening when the lever has been set to operative position.

15. In a time switch, a casing, a disc rotatable in the casing, means to rotate said disc at unlform speed, a. switch device carried by said disc and including a movable switch opening and closing member, a set of rocking levers mounted in the casing around but separate from said disc said switch device opening and closing member including an operating abutment, a counter-abutment for each rocking lever, means to set a selected rocking lever and its counter-abutment into operative positions to actuate said operating abutment, said casing including a relatively stationary annular part and a rotatable annular part, said setting means being carried by said rotatable part, said stationary annular part having detent notches corresponding to the rocking levers, and a spring retaining device carried by said rotatable annular part to snap into said detent notches.

16. In a time switch, a casing, a switch mechanism in said casing, means carrying said mechanism in a path about an axis, said mechanism including a make and break element, means for shifting said element from make to break positions and from break to make positions, said shifting means including'a set of rocking levers, a device having means'to engage said rocking 1evers to actuate said make and break element alternately to open and close the switch, and manually operated means to set said rocking levers to be engaged by said engaging means.

17. In a time switch, a casing, a switch mechanism in said casing, means carrying said mechanism in a path about an axis, said mechanism including a make and break element, means for shifting said element from one position to another, said shifting means including a set of rocking levers, a device having means to engage said rocking levers to actuate said make and break element alternately to open and close the switch, and manually operated means to set said rocking levers to be engaged by said engaging means, said engaging device including a jagged wheel disposed concentrically to said rocking levers, the number of teeth on said jagged wheel being the same as'the number of rocking'levers provided.

18. In a time switch, a casing, a power applying mechanism housed by said casing, a switch mechanism within the casing for opening and closing an electrical' circuit, and ,including a movable contact controlling member, elements in the casing for eilecting actuation of said controlling member when said elements are set to their operative positions, a rotatable ringy carried by the casing, means carried by the ring and brought into operative relation with a selected element by turning the ring, for setting the said selected element to its operative position, and means affected by said movable ccntact-ccntroliing'member for indicating the ccndition of said switching mechanism.

KARL maENEDEa.