US2294196A - Circuit making and breaking device - Google Patents

Description

1942- s. A. MOORE 2,294,196

CIRCUIT MAKING AND BREAKING DEVICE Filed June 4, 1941 FIT'IELJIETiUTZj v Patented Aug. 25, 1942 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE The Prime Manufacturing Company,

Mil-

waukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application June 4, 1941, Serial No. 396,535

12 Claims.

This invention relates to circuit, making and breaking devices and refers particularly to circuit making and breaking devices primarily adapted for use in electric fence controllers.

In electric fences, especially alternating current fences wherein the electromotive force for energizing the fence is taken from the commercial supply lines, it is important that failure of the circuit interrupter which periodically opens and closes the primary circuit of the energizing transformer will not result in the contacts remaining closed.

If this happens, it results in the exceedingly dangerous condition of a continuously charge-d fence wire. In many instances, such failure of the fence controller has resulted in the loss of human life. It is therefore, an object of this invention to provide a circuit making and breaking device which is so designed and constructed that the contacts will not remain closed if the interrupter fails for any reason whatsoever.

Another prerequisite of the circuit making and breaking device in a fence controller and also of other circuit making and breaking devices is that the duration of contact closure and also the frequency of the closure may be adjusted.

It is, therefore, another object of this invention to provide a circuit making and breaking device wherein adjustment of these factors is readily effected.

Electric fence controllers have advanced to the stage where the cost of the mechanism is an important consideration. Controllers are now sold for a price. Consequently, every effort must be made to keep the manufacturing cost of its component parts down to a minimum.

With this objective in view, the present invention has as another of its objects the provision of a circuit making and breaking device which is extremely simple in design and construction and which lends itself readily to production at a very low cost.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a circuit making and breaking device constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken through Figure 1 on the plane of the line 22; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail plan View illustrating the operation of the device.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 5 designates a base of suitable insulating material upon which a switch designated gene-rally by the numeral 6 is mounted. If desired the base may serve as one wall of a housing within which the switch and its actuating mechanism are enclosed.

The switch comprises a stationary contact I and a movable contact 8. Suitable terminals are provided for the contacts by which the switch may be connected in the circuit to be controlled. The stationary contact is yieldingly held in its fixed position by a spring 9 and. the movable contact is biased to a switch open position by means of a torsion spring If].

The specific design and construction of the switch forms no part of this invention as any switch which is biased to its open position and capable of momentary closure will sufiice.

The movable contact of the switch has a curved arm or bar H connected thereto in such a way that its depression effects closure of the switch.

The arm I I is so positioned that the are formed by its curvature is substantially concentric to the axis of a shaft I2. The shaft [2 passes through the base 6 and at the front face of the base mounts a carrier 13. Any suitable means may be provided for continuously revolving the shaft as for instance a synchronous motor indicated generally by the numeral M which may be supported from the base by studs l5.

While the carrier I3 is shown in the form of a disc, its circular shape is of no consequence. The function of the carrier, as will be apparent, is that of a crank. To this end it has a pivot 18 eccentrically mounted thereon. This pivot forms the pin of the crank so that upon revolution of the carrier by the shaft [2 the pin l6 and consequently, an actuator I! mounted thereon is recurrently carried around a defined path.

The actuator l1 consists of a relatively heavy cross bar medially pivoted on the pin 16 and a cylindrical plate or disc [8 on its medial portion concentric to its pivotal mounting. A spiral spring l9 overlying the disc l8 has its inner end carrier.

anchored to the pin [6 as at 2% and its outer end fixed to the disc l8 as at 2| to bias the actuator to a retracted position defined by a stop 22 on the A buffer spring 23 seated in a well in the actuator is preferably provided to cushion the engagement of the actuator with the stop.

At one end the actuator carries a tip 24'. of fibre or other suitable insulating material. It is this part of the actuator which engages the curved arm or switch closing part H during operation of the circuit breaker.

In the normal retracted position of the actuator to which it is biased by the spring I9 and which, as stated, is defined by the stop 22, the extremity of the tip 2 travels in an orbit indicated by the broken line 25. This'orbit as will be seen from Figure 3 coincides with the curvature of the arm or switch closing part H.

Hence, if the actuator were to remain in this retracted position, it would be ineffective to close the switch. It is to be observed, however, that the distance from the pivot of the actuator to the extremity of its tip 24 added to the length of the crank arm (the distance from the actuator pivot to the axis of the shaft I2) is sufficient to project the tip 24 beyondthe orbit 25. Consequently, if the actuator is in radial alignment with the crank arm axis at the time the crank faces the arm H as indicated in the dotted line position A in Figure 3, closure of the switch results.

Such disposition of the actuator is momentarily effected during each revolution of the carrier by a stop 26 mounted on the base 5. This stop is so positioned with relation to the orbit 25 and the position of the switch closing arm Ii that as the actuator is moved along by the carrier, its tip engages the stop as shown in Figure 1. The carrier, of course, continues to rotate, but the tip of the actuator is restrained by the stop so that the biasing spring 89 is wound up to increase its tension.

As the carrier continues to move, it pulls the tip of the actuator away from the stop 26 until at a position shown in full lines in Figure 3 the actuator is freed from the stop. Thereupon its biasing spring i9 snaps the actuator back to its retracted position shown in the dotted line position B in Figure 3. During the passage of the actuator from its position at which it leaves the stop 26 to its retracted position its tip 24 wipes against the arm I l to momentarily close the contacts.

It will be readily apparent that several factors cooperate to determine the duration of switch closure. The speed of the carrier, the length of the arm H, the strength of the biasing spring I9 and the inertia of the actuator all contribute in determining this period. In addition, the stop 26 is adjustably mounted on the base so that its location may be varied. This enables adjust ment of the period of switch closure after the other factors have been set. 7

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention provides a circuit making and breaking device which will not fail in the circuit closing position, and that while admirably suited for use in electric fence controllers the invention is not limited thereto. Any condition requiring continuous circuit making and breaking coupled with assurance against accidental continued closure is embraced by this invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

prising: a switch biased to a normally open position; an actuator for momentarily closin the switch; a carrier for the actuator movable along a defined path past the switch; means biasing the actuator to a retracted position at which it would be ineffective to close the switch as it is traversed past the switch by the carrier; and stop means acting on the actuator as it approaches the switch for moving the actuator out of its retracted position to increase the tension in its biasing means, said stop means releasing the actuator in time to have it moved by its biasing means through a switch closing motion which momentarily closes the switch.

2. A circuit making and breaking device comprising: a switch biased to a normally open position; an actuator for momentarily closing the 1. A circuit making and breaking device comswitch; means for moving the actuator along a defined path past the switch; means biasing the actuator to a position at which it would be ineffective to close th switch as it is moved past the switch; and means transiently operable on the actuator to cause the same to be moved by its biasing means in a switch closing motion as it moves past the switch to thereby momentarily close th switch.

3. A circuit making and breaking device comprising: a carrier constrained to motion in a defined path; a movable switch actuator on the carrier; means biasing said switch actuator to a predetermined position with relation to its carrier with a part thereof moving along a defined path; a normally open switch having a part disposed adjacent to said path of the actuator part and engageable by the actuator part whenever said actuator part projects beyond its said path; and means for momentarily projecting said actuator part beyond its path of movement to engage the switch part and effect momentary closure thereof as the actuator is carried past the switch.

4. A circuit making and breaking device comprising: a normally open switch; a carrier movable in a defined path adjacent to the switch; a switch actuator carried thereby and biased to a position at which it would be ineffective to close the switch as it moves therepast but movable to a position operable to close the switch; and a stop so positioned with relation to said path of th carrier as to engage and detain the switch actuator and thereby store energy in its biasing means which upon release of the actuator moves the same through a switch closing motion to momentarily close the switch, said actuator being weighted so that the inertia of the actuator has a controlling effect upon the speed at which the actuator moves toclose the switch.

5. A circuit making and breaking device comprising: a normally open switch having a part engageable by an actuator to close the switch; a carrier rotatable about a fixed axis; a switch actuator; a pivot eccentrically mounted on the carrier and having the actuator pivotally mounted thereon; a spring biasing the actuator to a retracted position at which its switch contacting part moves in an orbit clear of said movable switch part; and stop means for detaining the actuator while its carrier continues to move to therebystore up energy in the biasing spring which upon release of the actuator from the top means swings theactuator outwardly beyond said orbit, said stop means being so located with relation to the switch that the outward swing of the actuator beyond its normal orbit occurs in time to engage the movable switch part and elfect momentary closure of the switch.

3. A circuit making and breaking device comlengthening the period of engagement thereof prising: a normally open switch having a part with said actuator. engageable by an actuator to close the switch; 9. A circuit making and breaking device coma carrier rotatable about a fixed axis; a switch prising: a normally open switch having a part actuator; a pivot eccentrically mounted on the 5 normally occupying a predetermined position carrier and having the actuator pivotally mountfrom which it is movable to efiect closure of the ed thereon; a spring biasing the actuator to a switch, said part having a predetermined length; retracted position at which its switch contacting an actuator engageable with said part to effect part moves in an orbit clear of said movable closure of the switch; means moving said actuswitch part; and stop means for detaining the ator along a defined path; means biasing the acactuator while it carrier continues to mov to tuator to a normally retracted position clear of thereb store up energy in the biasing s rin said w t p d a p in the p of the which upon release of the actuator from the stop switch actuator for detaining the same as it is means swings the actuator outwardly beyond said ove alon sa pa t a e th same to move orbit, said stop means being so located with reto a Position from Which the biasing means S p lation to th switch that th outwa d swing of the actuator back to its retracted position and in the actuator beyond its normal orbit occurs in doing so, Carries the actuator y nd ts normal time to engage the movable switch art and effect retracted position; s s p a s being s 10- momentary closu of th wit h id bl cated with relation to the switch that the actuswitch part having a portion extending along ator in snapping back to its retracted position the normal orbit of th actuator to increase the Wipes egaille the Switch Closing p t0 m menduration of switch closure. y o e the Switch.

'7. A circuit making and breaking device com- In a cu t ak ng and breaking device: prising: a normally open switch having a part the combination with a normally open switch engageable by an actuator to close the switch; a 5 having a part adapted to be depressed to eileet carrier rotatable about a fixed axis; a switch closure of the switch, of means f periodically actuator; a pivot eccentrically mounted on the and momentarily depressing Said p o fie t carrier and having the actuator pivotally mountmomentary Closure of the Switch Comprising, a ed thereon; a spring biasing the actuator to a driven shaft; a crank 0n the S t; an ctu to retracted position at which its switch contacting pivoted 0n the p 0f e r k to be C rried part moves in an orbit clear of said movable along an it ms ri in he sh f a prin switch part; and stop means for detaining the biasing the actuator to a retracted position at an actuator while its carrier continues to move to angle to the Crank t ow a d at Which its outer thereby store up energy in the biasing spring end will not reach the switch part, said outer end which upon release of the actuator from the 0f the aetllater being p d o t e Cente Of stop means swings the actuator outwardly bethe Crank p a distance which When added to yond said orbit, said stop means being so located the Crank throw is sufficient to dispose the end with relation to the switch that the outward 0f the actuator ey nd s normal orbit to deswing of the actuator beyond its normal orbit press the Switch part; and means effecting occurs in time to engage the movable switch Swinging motion of the eetllatel" On its DiVOt part and effect momentary closure of the switch, through a dead center p o in ia a said actuator having sufiicient weight to constiment With the Crank t ow whenever the crank tute an inertia member having a controlling efpasses Said Switch P to thllS momentarily fect upon the rate of motion of the actuator in feet Closure of the W t response to its biasing spring so that the dura- In a Circuit making and breaking v tion of switch closure is determined at least parthe combination with a m y p n sw tch ti ll by th Weight of th actuator. having a part adapted to be depressed to effect 8. A circuit making and breaking device com- Closure of the w t f means f r p d a y prising: a normally open switch having a part and momentarily depressing S d p to e ect engageable by an actuator to close the switch; momentary closure f th swi comprising, a a carrier rotatable about a fixed axis; a switch driven h a nk on the sh an c ua or actuator; a pivot eccentrically mounted on the pivoted 0n the p 0f the Crank to be Carried along carrier and having the actuator pivotally an orbit circumscribing the shaft; a spring biasmounted thereon; a spring biasing the actuator g the actuator o a letraeted position at a to a retracted position at which its switch conangle to the crank throw and at which its outer tacting part moves in an orbit clear of said end will not reach the switch part, said outer end movable switch part; and stop means for detainof the actuator being spaced from the center of ing the actuator while its carrier continues to he C ank p n a distance which when added to move to thereby store up energy in the biasing the crank throw is sufficient to dispose the end of spring which upon release of the actuator from 0 the actuator beyond its normal orbit to depress the stop means swings the actuator outwardly the switch part; and stop means in the path of beyond said orbit, said stop means beingso lothe outer end portion of the actuator to engage cated with relation to the switch that the outand detain the same as the actuator is carried ward swing of the actuator beyond its normal along by the crank and thereby increase the orbit occurs in time to engage the movable tension on its biasing spring which upon release switch part and effect momentary closure of the of the actuator from the stop means swings the switch, said actuator having sufiicient weight to actuator through a fully extended position and constitute an inertia member having a controlback to its retracted position, and said stop means ling effect upon the rate of motion of the actubeing so located with relation to the depressible ator in response to its biasing spring so that the switch part that the swinging of the actuator to duration of switch closure is determined at least and past its fully extended position occurs when partially by the weight of the actuator and the the crank arm faces the depressible switch part movable switch part extending along the normal to thus efiect momentary closure of the switch.

orbit of the switch actuator for a substantial dis- 12. In a circuit making and breaking device: tance to increase the period of switch closure by the combination with a normally open switch having a part adapted to be depressed to effect closure of the switch, of means for periodically and momentarily depressing said part to effect momentary closure of the switch comprising, a driven shaft; a crank on the shaft; an actuator pivoted on the pin of the crank to be carried along an orbit circumscribing the shaft; a spring biasing the actuator to a retracted position at an angle to the crank throw and at which its outer end will not reach the switch part, said outer end of the actuator being spaced from the center of the crank pin a distance which when added to the crank throw is sufficient to dispose the end of the actuator beyond its normal orbit to depress the switch part; and stop means in the path of the outer end portion of the actuator to engage and detain the same as the actuator is carried along by the crank and thereby increase the tension on its biasing spring which upon release of the actuator from the stop means swings the actuator through a fully extended position and back to its retracted position, and said stop means being so located with relation to the depressible switch part that the swinging of the actuator to and past its fully extended position occurs when the crank arm faces the depressible switch part to thus effect momentary closure of the switch and said actuator being weighted to increase its inertia and thus retard its return to retracted position.

SIDNEY A. MOORE.

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