US2203350A - Electrical switch - Google Patents

Description

June 4, .1940. o. 'FROLAND ELECTRICAL sun-ca Filed Aug. 19, 19 37 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .5 mum/70,2

OLA 1/ Few AND ATTORNEY June 1940- O. FROLAND 2,203,350

- ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Aug. 19, 1957 2 s-Sheet 2 zzo I if;

ATTORNEY Patented June 4, 1940 UNITED STATES ELECTRICAL SWITCH Olav Froland, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to James R. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application August 19, 1937, Serial No. 159,889

5 Claims.

This invention relates generally to electrical switches and more specifically to an improved electrical switch of the dead blade disconnect type, the predominant object of the invention being to provide a switch of this type which because of its improved construction and arrangement is capable of highly efficient use.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a disconnect switch of the type disclosed herein which includes an improved arrangement for releasably latching the blade of the switch in the closed switch position.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a disconnect or other type of electrical switch which includes improved means for securing contact elements of the contacts of the switch in place.

Fig. 1 is a view of the improved switch partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the switch illustrated in Fig. 1 with the door broken away to reveal switch parts located within the switch housing.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line.

55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, wherein is shown for the purpose of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates the improved switch generally. The switch A includes a housing I of suitable shape and dimensions to receive the switch mechanism, said housing having secured thereto by suitable fastening elements 2 a bracket 3 which serves to secure the switch to a crossarm or other support. The housing preferably, though not necessarily, is formed of porcelain, and the open front of the housing is provided with a door 4 for closing said open front of the housing. The door 4 is formed of Bakelite or other suitable material and is hingedly supported at its upper end by a horizontal rod 5 which extends through an opening formed through the upper portion of the door and is embedded at its opposite ends in opposed portions of the housing.

In order to retain the door 4 in the closed and open positions an extension 5' is formed on said door at its upper end, this'extension, and adjacent portions of the door having applied thereto a strip 6 of metal or other suitable material which, because of the extension 5", is provided with opposed shoulders 6a and 6b. The top wall of the housing I is provided with an aperture 1 in which is cemented a sleeve 8, said sleeve having arranged therein a plunger 9 which is provided at its lower face with a tapered downwardly extended-lug Ill. The plunger 9 is urged downwardly by a coil spring H which contacts at its opposite ends with a face of the plunger and the top wall of the aperture 1. in the closed position the outer face of the lug l0 contacts with the shoulder 6a as shown in Fig. 1 and restrains the lower end of the door from moving outwardly and upwardly toward the open When the door 4 is position. In like manner when the door is in the fully open position where it extends horizontally extensions l5 which are preferably shaped as -1.;

shown to the best advantage in Fig. 5. The extensions l5 of the supporting element [5 are projected into openings l6 formed in the rear wall of the housing I, which openings are substantially larger in length and diameter than said extensions, and cement or other suitable sealing material H, which is characterized by the ability to harden after being introduced into the openings IS in a fluid or plastic condition, is arranged in said openings. Because of the depressions l6 formed in the walls of the openings l6 and the annular tapered depressions l5ai formed in the surfaces of the extensions IS the bodies of cement are keyed within the openings and to the extensions whereby the supporting element i5 is securely fastened in place.

' The supporting element l5 of the lower contact has formed in its forward face a relatively narrow groove 18 which preferably is open at the lower face of the supporting element as shown in Fig. 5. Also the supporting element has formed transversely therethrough' a plurality of vertically spaced'openings I 9, said openings being so placed.

that at the base of the groove l8 they take the form of segmental depressions, while in the portions of the supporting element at opposite sides .of the groove they are in their full round form (see Figs. 3 and 5). The lower contact includes also a'plurality of contact elements 20 which are formed'of' lengths of heavy wire or the equivalent thereof, said lengths of wire being extended through the transverse openings l9- so that the center portions thereof are seated in the segmental depressions at the base of the groove I3. The contact elements when viewed in plan have the shape illustrated in Fig. 3; that is to say opposed portions 26c extend forwardly from the opposite ends of the portions that are located in the openings l9 and the forward end portions of said elements are bent inwardly and rearwardly to provide portions 281) with which the switch blade contacts.

The contact elements 20 are assembled with the supporting element l5 by passing said contact elements through the openings l9 while said con-. tact elements are in a straight condition. The contact elements are secured to the supporting element by forming a weld 22 in the groove I8, the body of metal forming the weld being built up within the groove i8 so that the center portions of the contact elements 20 are embedded in the weld and between the body of metal forming the weld and the segmental seats at the base of the groove. Because of this arrangement the contact elements are very securely and perma nently fixed to the supporting element of the contact whereby a durable and conveniently formed connection between the contact elements and the supporting element of the contact is provided. After the contact elements have been assembled with the supporting element as described said contact elements are shaped as shown in Fig. 3 and as above described, either-before or after the welding operation.

The upper portion of the supporting element it of the lower contact I2 is of slightly increased width in the forward portion of said supporting element, and at the forward face of the supporting element immediately adjacent to the top thereof a curved seat 23 is provided. Associated with the supporting element I5 is a clamping member 2d which includes a curved upper portion provided with a curved seat 25 (Fig. l) complementary to the curved seat 23 of the supporting element. The clamping member 24 extends downwardly from the curved upper portion thereof and its lower portion is of slightly reduced width and is bifurcated to provide a pair of transversely spaced legs 2t which at their lower ends contact with the forward face of the supporting element at opposite sides of the groove I8 there- The clamping member is provided with a pair of opposed rearwardly extended lugs 26 which are disposed beyond opposite side faces of the supporting element so as to aline the clamping member with respect to the supporting element, and an electrical conductor Ca which forms a part of the circuit with which the switch is associated is clamped between the curved seat 25 of the clamping member and the curved seat 23 of the supporting element so as to electrically connect the lower contact in the circuit. Clamping action between the clamping member, and the supporting element is obtained through the use of bolts 2! which pass through openings formed in the clamping member and are screwed into screwthreaded openings formed in the supporting element and are adapted to move the clamping member rearwardly to clamp the conductor Ca .between the curved faces 25 and 23 of the clamping member and supporting element respectively.

The upper contact [3 is constructed and arranged just as is the lower contact l2 previously described in detail herein; that is to say the upper contactincludes a supporting element 28 which is anchored to the rear wall of the housing I just as is the supporting element [5 of the lower contact. Likewise the upper contact includes a plurality of contact elements 29 that are secured to the supporting element by welding as described in connection with the lower contact. Furthermore the upper contact includes a clamping mem-- ber 38 which cooperates with the upper portion of the supporting element 28 in the manner described in connection with the lower contact to electrically connect a conductor Cb, which forms a part of the circuit with which the switch is associated, to the upper contact.

The upper contact i3 includes as a part thereof an element 3! a counterpart of which is not included as a part of the lower contact L2. This element 3! includes a vertically disposed web 32 which 'at its lower portion is provided with a pair of opposed laterally and rearwardly extended cars 33 through which bolts or other suitable fastening devices M are passed, said bolts being screwed into screwthreaded openings formed in the lower portion of the supporting element 28 of the upper contact so as to secure the element 3! to said supporting element. The rear end of the web 32 of the element 3i is located at the forward face of the supporting element 28, and at the forward end of said web laterally projected flanges 35 are projected therefrom to provide the element 3i with a broad forward face. The broad forward face of the element 3| includes a vertically disposed upper portion and a vertically disposed lower portion which is located rearwardly of the vertical upper portion as shown in Fig. l, and said upper and lower vertical portions of said broad forward face are joined by an inclined face portion. At the top of the element 3| the transverse fianges 35 extend rearwardly to the face of the clamping member 30, and at forward lower end of said element a latch engaging member 35 is provided thereon.

The switch blade it of the improved structure is pivotally attached at its lower end, through the instrumentality of a pivot pin 31, to a forwardly extended arm 38 which is suitably secured within the lower portion of the housing i. The blade is composed of a pair of like elongated elements arranged parallel with each other and spaced apart slightly as shown in Fig. 2, said elongated elements being connected together by a plurality of pins 39 which are embraced by tubular spacers 40 which are interposed between the elongated, elements and maintain the spacing thereof. In order to secure the switch blade in the closedswitch position where it is in contact elements 283 and 29 of the lower and upper contacts of the switch a latch ll is provided (Fig. 1). which is mounted for rotary movement between the elongated elements of the blade on one of the pin and spacer. assemblies thereof. The latch ll includes a shoulder 4i and an extension 42, and additionally said latch includes an car 43 which receives an end of a coil spring 44. The opposite end of the coil spring is attached to a lower pin and spacer assembly as shown in Fig. land said operator is provided with an outer downwardly extended extension 48 which is adapted to engage the extension 42 of the latch, an inner, rearwardly and downwardly projected extension 49 which is adapted to contact with the broad forward face of the element 3|, and a.

rearwardly and upwardly projected extension 58 which is adapted to contact with theuppermost pin and spacer assembly of the switch blade to limit outward movement of the upper portion of the latch operator.

When the improved switch is in use the switch blade I4 is in the vertical position shown in Fig. l where said blade is forced between the portions 20?) of the contact elements 20 of the lower contact l2 and similar forward portions of the contact elements 29 of the upper contact I3, and with the switch blade so disposed current passes through the switch blade from one to the other contact. When it is desired to withdraw the switch blade from its effective position the door 4 is raised to its open position and the pull ring 41 of the latch operator 46 is engaged by a suitable tool and said pull ring is pulled outwardly to rotate the latch operator about the pin 45. Such rotation of the latch operator causes the extension 48 thereof to move the extension 42 of thelatch inwardly with a consequent lowering of the rear portion of the latch that disengages the shoulder 4| of the latch from the latch engaging member 36 of the element 3|. Simultaneously with the disengagement of the latch from the latch engagement member 36 the lower end of the extension 49 moves in camming contact with the broad forward face of the element 3| with the result that the upper portion of the switch blade is moved outwardly by such camming action. Rotation of the latch operator about the pin 45 continues until the extension 50 contacts with the uppermost of the pin and spacer assemblies of the switch blade and such contact serves to rigidly connect the latch operator and the switch blade together for unitary outward movement so that continuation of the outward movement of the pull ring 41 will result in the switch blade being drawn out of contact with the contact elements of the upper and lower contacts. When complete withdrawal of the switch blade has been accomplished said switch blade hangs downwardly in a vertical position from the pivot pin 31, an opening 5| being provided in the bottom wall of the housing I to receive the switch blade when it is in such disengaged position.

To move the switch blade from its open position to the closed switch position the pull ring is engaged by a tool and the free'end of said switch blade is moved outwardly and upwardly, such movement causing the latch operator 46 to contact with the pin and washer assembly located immediately adjacent to said free end of the switch blade. Such movement of the switch blade is continued until the switch blade reaches its closed position where it is forced between the forward portions of the switch elements 20 and 29 of the lower and upper contacts I2 and it. As the switch blade approaches the switch closed position the rearward portion of the latch 4| is cammed downwardly by the inclined face of the latch-engaging member 36 and when the shoulder 4| of the latch has passed said latchengaging member and resumes its'elevated position said shoulder is engaged by the latch-engaging member to secure the switch blade in the closed switch position.

When the contact elements 20 and 29 are secured in place by welding the heat incident to the welding operations may, in some cases, tend to remove the temper from said contact elements. When this happens the contact elements may be retempered while assembled with the associated supporting elements l5 and 28 in an obvious manner.

I claim:

1. An'electrical switch provided with a contact which includes a supporting element having a transversely extended opening formed therein and open at opposite edges of said supporting element and provided with a groove which extends at an approximate right angle to said opening and opens into said opening, a switch element supported in said opening and extended transversely of and within said groove, and a weld formed in said groove for securing said switch element in said opening and to said supporting element.

2. An electrical switch provided with a contact which includes a supporting element having a plurality of horizontally extended, vertically spaced openings formed therein and open at opposite edges of said supporting element and provided with a vertically extended groove which opens into said openings, switch elements supported in said openings and extended transversely of and within said groove, and a weld formed in said groove for securing said switch elements in said openings and to said supporting elements.

3. An electrical switch provided with a contact which includes a supporting element having a plurality of horizontally extended, vertically spaced openings formed therein and open at opposite edges of said supporting element and provided with a vertically extended groove which opens into said openings at the approximate centers thereof, switch elements supportedin said openings and extended transversely of and within said groove, and a weld formed in said groove for securing said switch elements in said openings and to said supporting elements.

4. An electrical switch provided with a contact which includes a supporting element having a plurality of horizontally extended, vertically spaced openings formed therein and open at 0pposite edges of said supporting element and provided with a vertically extended groove which opens into said openings, switch elements supported in said openings and extended transversely of and within said groove, a weld formed in said groove for securing said switch elements in said openings and to said supporting elements and means for attaching an electrical conductor to said contact.

5. An electrical switch provided with a contactwhich includes a supporting element having a plurality of horizontally extended, vertically spaced openings formed therein and open at opposite edges of said supporting element and provided with a vertically extended groove which opens into said openings, switch elements supported in said openings and extended transversely of and within said groove, a weld formed in said groove for securing said switch elements in said openings and-to said supporting elements and means including a clamping member for attaching an electrical conductor to said contact.

OLAV FROLAND.

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