US2209645A

US2209645A - Electric mercury switch

Info

Publication number: US2209645A
Application number: US260183A
Authority: US
Inventors: Cornella Emanuel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-03-06
Filing date: 1939-03-06
Publication date: 1940-07-30
Anticipated expiration: 1957-07-30

Description

y 30, 1940- E. CORNELLA I 2,209,645

' ELECTRIC MERCURY SWITCH Filed March 6, 1959 Carmella INVENTOR. BY M A TTORNEYS.

Patented July 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,209, I 7 I ELECTRIC MERCURY swrron Emanuel Cornella, Lombard, 111. Application March a, 1939, Serial'NoL'ZGOJSS 2 Claims.

This invention relates to electric switches, and more particularly to electric wall switches of the mercury type.

An important object of the invention is to provide an electric switch which will be absolutely noiseless, gas-proof, and one which may be manufactured at an exceptionally low cost.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a switch of this character which embodies a-minimum number of moving parts, to the end that the switch will be exceptionally dependable in operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and. arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention,

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a switch constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the switch.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view through the movable mercury chamber of the switch.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the switch comprises a housing indicated generally by the reference character 5, which housing includes the wall plate 6 which forms one end of the housing, and which is designed to cover the usual receptacle opening of a wall.

As shown, the wall plate 6 is formed with an elongated opening 1 for the reception of the finger piece 8 of the switch body or mercury chamber indicated at 9.

The body portion 9, is constructed of suitable insulating material such as glass or porcelain, and as shown is substantially triangular in formation, the apex of the body portion being disposed upwardly, as clearly shown by Figure 1 of the drawing.

A partition indicated at IU divides the body portion or mercury chamber into lateral chambers, the partition being formed with an opening H near the lower end thereof, establishing communication between the mercury chambers or compartments formed by the partition 10. The bottoms of the compartments o'r mercury chambers, are closed by means of the contact plates l2 which have downwardly extended contact members I3 formed with clips M at the free ends thereof. The clips M are mounted on the shafts l5 and frictionally engage the shafts, to permit rotary movement of the clips and body portion 9 with respect to the shafts l5.

These shafts l5, which extend inwardly from the side plates of the housing, are insulated from the housing and are secured to the side plates of the housing by means of the nuts I 6, the adjacent inner ends of the shafts being spaced apart, to permit the rib l1, extending along the bottom of the body portion, to be positioned between the shafts l5, insulating the shafts from each other.

Connecting the rear ends of the side plates of the housing 5, is a bar I9 which is provided with an inwardly extended lug 20' over which one end of the coiled spring 2| is positioned, the opposite end of the coiled spring being positioned over the lug 22 extending from the rear end of the rib ll of the body portion 9. Thus it will be seen that due to this construction, when the finger piece 8 is operated to tilt the body portion or mercury chamber 9 rearwardly as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 of the drawing, the end of the coiled spring 2! engaging the lug 22, will be moved past dead center, holding the body portion or mercury chamber 9 in its tilted position. As the body portion or mercury chamber 9 is moved downwardly, the body portion 9 is tilted forwardly. The end of the coiled spring contacting with lug 22 now swings upwardly past dead center exerting a pressure on the body portion 9 to hold the body portion in this position.

When the body portion 9 is tilted forwardly, it is obvious that the mercury in the chambers of the body portion 9, and which is indicated by the reference character 23, flows through the opening H, completing a circuit through the mercury, and through the contact members 13, clips 14, shaft I5 to the wires 24, which are in circuit with an electrical device, not shown.

When the mercury switch or body portion 9 is moved to its rearward tilted position, the mrcury will of course flow to the rear ends of the compartments of the body portion 9, breaking the circuit.

In view of the foregoing detail description, it is believed that a further description as to the operation of the device is unnecessary.

What is claimed is:

1. A mercury switch comprising a support, shafts on the support and to which wires of an electric circuit are connected, the adjacent ends of the shafts being spaced apart, a hollow body portion constructed of insulating material pivotally mounted on the shafts, a partition dividing the body portion into lateral compartments, said compartments adapted to contain mercury, contact plates forming the bottoms of the compartments and on which the mercury rests, contact clips connected with the bottoms of the compartments and fitted over the shafts pivotally mounting the hollow body portion on the shafts and completing circuits to the shafts, said partition having an opening in the lower edge thereof establishing communication between the compartments, and the mercury in the compartments adapted to flow through the opening completing an electric circuit when the body portion is tilted in one direction.

2. A mercury switch comprising a support, shafts on the support and to which wires of an electric circuit are connected, the adjacent ends of the shafts being spaced apart, a hollow body portion constructed of insulating material, pivotally mounted on said shaft, a partition dividing the body portion into lateral compartments adapted to contain mercury, said partition extending between the adjacent ends of the shaft, insulating the shafts from each other, contact members forming the bottoms of the compartment, clips on the contact members and adapted to be fitted around said shaft, pivotally connecting the body portion to the shafts, said partition having an opening above the-bottoms of the compartments establishing communication between the compartments, whereby the mercury may flow from one compartment to the other completing a circuit, and said body portion adapted to be tilted in such a Way to cause the mercury to flow to one end of the body portion breaking the circuit.

EMANUEL CORNELLA.