US2317888A - Operating circuit for electrical devices - Google Patents

Description

April 27, 1943. H. F. CYPSER OPERATING CIRCUIT FOR ELECTRICAL DEVICES Filed Dec. 10, 1940 w WV.

Patented Apr. 27, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OPERATDIG CIRCUIT FOR ELEC'JIRICAL DEVICES Hugo F. Cypser, New York, N. Y., assignor to Signal Engineering & Manufacturlng Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Massachusetts Application Decemberilo, 1940, Serial No. 369,466

5 Claims.

The present inventionrelates to an operating circuit 1or electrical devices, such as circuit controllers or relays that are adapted to move from one extreme position .to another in response to separate current impulses, such relays being known in the art as impulse relays.

According to the invention, there is provided a circuit whereby anelectrical device of the ima non-operating value, irrespective of how long.

the circuit remains closed. I

The above and other advantageous features of the invention will hereinafter more fully appear from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: a

Fig. 1 is a diagram of .an electrical circuit embodying the invention, and showing the controlled relay in non-operating condition.

Fig. 2 shows the circuit Fig.1, with the relay moved into its other extreme position.

Fig. 3 is a diagram, illustrating a modification of the circuit of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a circuit diagramshowing the invention as-appiled to the control of a diiferent type of relay.

Referring to Fig. 1, the circuit of the present invention is shown, for purposes of illustration, as being utilized to operate a relay A of the impulse type. Ifhe relay A consists of amagne'tic core I, having a short leg in carrying an'energizing winding .2, while the longer core leg lb provides a suitable yoke 3, in which a magnetic armature 451s mounted on a pivot 5. The armature 4 extends in the direction of the core leg la, and provides near the pivot 5 an operating extension 6 terminating inaknife edge in received in a notch I provided at the end of a throw-over arm 8'. a

The arm 8 is freely mounted for longitudinal movement within a bracket .9, with a spring ill surrounding the armbetween the bracket 9 and a stop H, exerting a force on the arm, to thrust it in the direction of the armature extension 5. The spring I II is thus adapted to yieldlngly maintain the edge 6:: of the extension seated in the notch 1, and since the line of thrust of the arm I passes to one side of the pivot 5, the armature 4 is subjected toa turning force. With the parts occupying the position of Fig. l, the thrust of the arm 8 is such as to maintain the armature 4 against a suitable stop, with its free end displaced irom the end of the core leg in by a relatively small air gap. As shown, the armature stop can be in the form of spaced stationary contacts l2, adapted to be engaged by a bridging member l2a, carried by the armature, so that the relay is adapted to govern the flow of current through a controlled circuit.

When the operating winding 2 is energized, the armature 4 is drawn into the'dotted line position of Fig. 1, wherein the armature extension 6 and the thrust arm 8 are substantially in alinement with the pivot 5. However, should the impetus of the turning movement of the armature 4 besuflicient to carry the extension 6 past the mid position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, then the compressed spring ID will cause the :arm 8 to exert a thrust tending to throw the armature into the position of Fig. 2, wherein spaced stabe obtained by closing and immediatelyopening a suitable switch I4 in one of the supply mains I! from which the winding 2 is energized. In operation of the relay, it is essential that the current impulse for energizing the winding 2 be of such short duration as to Just swing the armature 4 in one direction or the other past the dead center point, wherein the thrust of the arm 8 passes through .the pivot 5. otherwisemontinued energization of the winding v2-f'or-anyappreciable period would tend to center the armature 4 between its two extreme positions, asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, wherein the magnetic pull would tend to hold the armature 4 against tuming movement in either direction.

As previously pointed out, the circuit of the present invention is adapted to so function as to permit a momentary flow of current through winding 2 only sufficient to pull in thearmature 4, to which end a condenser i6 is connected in series with the winding 2. When the switch 14 is closed, the winding '2 will be fully energized by the rush or kick of the so-called displacement current, which flows for a very short period as the condenser It becomes charged. However, by the time the armature 4 has swung past its mid position, the current traversing the winding 2 will have fallen to such a low value, due to charging of the condenser, that the thrust of the arm 8 .will be sufficient to complete turning movement of the armature into the position of Fig. 2. This will happen in response to initial closure of the switch 14, regardless of how long the switch remains closed.

Upon opening of the switch M, the condenser [6 will immediately discharge through a resistor H, so that when the switch I4 is again closed, a second impulse or kick will be given to the relay to cause the armature A to move from the position of Fig. 2 back to the position of Fig. 1. Therefore, the relay armature 4 will shift its position every time the switch I4 is opened and then closed, irrespective of the length of time that the switch may remain closed between suc cessive operations.

Referring now to Fig. 3, there is shown a modification of the circuit, wherein the switch is in theform of a push button l8 providing bridging members |8a and H31), adapted to alternatively engage pairs of stationary contacts is and 20.

The contacts I9 are in one supplymain I5, while the contacts are connected in series with a discharging resistance for the condenser l6.

Thereforawhenthe switch I8 is pushed down,

to bridge the line contacts [9 and energize the winding 2 by the condenser charging current, the resistorl'! will be removed from across the terminals of the condenser by opening of the previously closed contacts 20. As a result, there is nocurrent consumption by the winding 2 through the then fully charged condenser l6. even though the switchis held closed, since the discharging resistance, i1 is then entirely out of circuit. Upon opening of the switch [8 to unbridge the contacts i9, closure of the contacts 20 will cause the condenser 16 to discharge through the resistor ll, so that the circuit will be in readiness to again operate the relay, upon reclosure of the switch [8.

Referring now to Fig. 4, there is shown a further application of the control circuit of the present invention, in connection with a relay of the type having a magnetic hold-in for the armature, so that no holding current is required by the winding after the relay has pulled in. Such a relay usually comprises a permanently m-agnetized core 2i, of such strength that when the armature 22 is pulled in, upon energization of the winding 23, the armature will be held by magnetic attraction alone, even though the winding be no longer energized. Such magnetically heldin relays have heretofore required the use of a mechanically operated contact to break the winding circuit, and the present invention provides a control circuit for the relay in which this auxiliary contact is eliminated.

As shown in Fig. 4, a condenser 24 is connected in circuit with thewinding 23, so that when the double throw switch 25 is closed, in one direction, the kick of the charging current will cause the armature 22 to pull in, with the permanent magnet serving to hold the armature when the current in the winding 23 is reduced substantially to zero as the condenser 24 becomes fully charged. Therefore, there will be no appreciable current consumption by the relay while it remains closed, and the condenser charge will leak off through the resistor 26 when the switch 25 is open.

In order to release the armature 22, a second condenser 21 is provided in circuit with the winding 23, which is charged in the opposite direction,

upon closure of the switch 25 in the other direction. The resulting reversal of the polarity of the side of the core leg upon which the winding 23 is wound, causes the armature 22 to be repelled when the second condenser 21 is charged, although there will be no appreciable current consumption by the winding when the relay has been so released.

I claim;

1. An operating circuit for electrical devices, comprising in combination asource of electrical energy, an electrical device comprising a movable member, means for yieldably maintaining said member in either one of two extreme positions and an energizing winding adapted to actuate said movable member from one extreme position to another in response to each energization of said winding, and means included in circuit with said source and said device for permitting a momentary flow of current through said winding suiiicient only to actuate said device from one position to another, with said device remaining in its second extreme position, irrespective of continued closure of said circuit.

2. An operating circuit for electrical devices, comprising in combination a source of electrical energy, an electrical device comprising a movable member, means for. yieldably maintaining said member in either one of two extreme positions and an energizing winding adapted to actuate said movable member from one extreme position to another in response to each energization of said winding, and means included in circuit with said source and said device for permitting a.

momentary flow of current through said winding of sufiicient strength to actuate said device from one position to another, after which said current is reduced to anon-operating strength irrespective of continued closureof said circuit with said device remaining in its second extreme position.

3. An operating circuit for comprising in combination a source of electrical energy, a relay providing a winding, a magnetic armature movable in response to energization of said winding, and including means for yieldably maintaining said armature in either one of two extreme positions independently of said winding, means for establishing a circuit be-.

tween said source and said winding, and means in said circuit for permitting a flow of current from said source through said winding for a period sufficient only to move said armature from one position to another wherein said yieldably maintaining means is effective to hold said armature in its new position, irrespective of continued closure of said circuit.

' 4. An operating circuit for electrical devices, comprising in combination a source of uni-directional current, a relay providing a winding, a magnetic armature movable in response to energization of said winding, and including means for yieldablymaintaining said armature in either one of two extreme positions independently of said winding, means for establishing a circuit between said source and said winding, and a condenser in said circuit for permitting the flow of current through said winding in suflicient strength to move said armature from one position to another only during the charging period of said condenser, with said armature remaining in its new position, irrespective of continued closure of said circuit.

5. An operatingcircuit for electrical devices,

electrical devices,

- aamass 3 comprising in combination a source oi uni-directional current, a relay providing a. winding, a magnetic armature movable in response to energization of said winding, and including means for yieldably maintaining said armature in either one of two extreme positions independently of said winding, means for establishing a circuit between said source and said winding, and a condenser in said circuit for permitting the flowof current through said winding in suf- 10 flcient strength to move said armature from one position to another only during the charging period of said condenser, irrespective of continued closure oi said circuit, after which the charged condenser limits the current in said winding to a value insumcient to overcome the effect of said maintaining means on said armature in its new position, and until said condenser has been discharged.

HUGO F. CYPSER.

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