US2359136A - Contact mechanism - Google Patents

Contact mechanism Download PDF

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Publication number
US2359136A
US2359136A US459354A US45935442A US2359136A US 2359136 A US2359136 A US 2359136A US 459354 A US459354 A US 459354A US 45935442 A US45935442 A US 45935442A US 2359136 A US2359136 A US 2359136A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
contact
contacts
circuit
movable
relay
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US459354A
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English (en)
Inventor
Andrew J Mcconnell
William C Morris
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
General Electric Co
Original Assignee
General Electric Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by General Electric Co filed Critical General Electric Co
Priority to US459354A priority Critical patent/US2359136A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2359136A publication Critical patent/US2359136A/en
Priority to FR938628D priority patent/FR938628A/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/50—Means for increasing contact pressure, preventing vibration of contacts, holding contacts together after engagement, or biasing contacts to the open position
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H35/00—Switches operated by change of a physical condition
    • H01H35/02—Switches operated by change of position, inclination or orientation of the switch itself in relation to gravitational field

Definitions

  • a shock resistant backstcp comprising a cushioning member carried by the movable contact of the relay and ensageable with a movable mem- .ber of suiiicient intertia to abmrb shock.
  • the movable member is arranged directly to partake of the movement of the movable contact to an amount l dependent on the circuit opening eil'ect of the contact actuating means of the-relay whereby proportionately to increase the contact gap and thus minimise the danger of rebound reclosing clonng operation of the contacts, itis often desirable to use a relatively weak return spring in order to obtain maximum sensitivity of response.
  • An oblect of our invention is to provide an improved contact mechanism for electroresponsive devices, relays and the like, such that the advantages accruing from small contact gaps and weak return springs may be retained without danger of false operation because of shock and rebound.
  • Another object of our invention is, in eifect, momentarily so to increase the contact gap when the relay operating i'orceor ⁇ torque is strong in the circuit opening direction as to requirea closing time greater than the normal closing time.
  • FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a relay having a contact mechanism embodying my invention
  • Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the relay. and contact mechanisxn shown in Fig. 1:
  • Fig. -il is a vertical sectionalfview on the line 3-3 oi' Fig. 2; and
  • Fig. 4 is a vertical sectionalfview on the line 3-3 oi' Fig. 2; and
  • FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view, similar to Fig. 3, -illustrating a modiiication of our invention.
  • tuating means or motor structure is mounted between suitable ncnmagnetic end frames 8 and il;V preferably having high heat dissipatlng properties.
  • a supporting structure or contact head Il which is of suitable insulating material and which carries a suitably adjustable bearing ii for the .upper end offth'e shaft l. Mounted on this shaft so as to turn 1n accordance with our invention.
  • vwe provide 55 therewith is a movable'contact carrying member ,the contact head I0.
  • the member I2 to which is secured a suitable electric current conducting strip I3 provided with a contact I4.
  • the member I2, referring to Fig. 2, is biasedV for counterclockwise movement by a relatively weak spiral spring I5, the inner end I6 of which is in conductive relation with the strip I3 and the outer end I'I of which is conductively secured toa ring I8 of suitable conducting material.
  • the ring I8 is rotatably positioned in an insulating support I9 mounted on To hold the ring in any desired position, it may be clamped against its support I9, as shown in Fig. 2, by suitable means such as a threaded member 20 which passes through terminal 2I of a lead 22, the support I9, the ring IB and a clamping plate 23 set in a notch on the lower side of the support i9.
  • suitable means such as a threaded member 20 which passes through terminal 2I of a lead 22, the support I9, the ring IB and a clamping plate 23 set in a notch on the lower side of the support i9.
  • a relatively stationary contact 24 which is illustrated as of the anti-rebound type disclosed in United States Letters Patent 2,098,032, issued November 2, 1937.
  • This anti-rebound structure comprises a split nut or support 25 provided with a threaded bushing 26 and a clamping screw 2l, all mounted on the contact head l0 with the threaded opening in the bushing suitably inclined to the base of the contact head il).
  • Screwed into the bushing 26 is a threaded barrel or cylinder 28 within which there is a rollable member or ball which normally rests against a diaphragm at the lower end of the housing.
  • Between the diaphragm and a resilient contact support which carries the contact lli is a spacing ring. The contact support, ring and diaphragm are held in place with the ball in the housing 28 by a collar 22, all asdisclosed in said Letters Patent 2,098,032..
  • a small gap, preferably not exceeding three sixty-fourths of an inch, between the contacts id and 2d is essential and vfor maximum sensitivity of response the counter-clockwise torque or' the spring imust be small; it is apparent that any shock transmittedto the relay could readily eirect an undesirable circuit closing operation of the contacts. This would, if these were the only contacts in the circuit 0f the trip coil of a circuit breaker as in the vcase of a differential relay, cause a false circuit opening operation with a possible interruption in the much desired continuity or service.
  • a shock absorbing means which, as shown more clearly in Fig.
  • a cushioning means such as a felt pad mounted on the Contact carrying member i2.
  • this pad is set in a cup which is secured to a metallic strip similar to the contact strip i3 and similarly mounted on the member ln the path of movement of the pad so as to partake ci movement or" the member i2 is a movable inember such as a ball which is reliable in a suitably mounted guideway such as a cylindrical housing
  • Thishousing is screwed into a split and threaded bushing 2u which is so mounted in a split nut or support 25' as te cause the ball to tend to roll down hill toward the pad St.
  • the bushing 25 and the housingT 28 are held in position by a clamping screw 2l'.
  • the ball 33 is maintained in the housing 23 by a collar Eil' having a suitable opening to allow the desired movement of the pad 3U.
  • the combination of the ball and the cushioning member 3@ eliminates the possibility of contact closure with any shock ordinarily to be ex- In addition to the antishock feature, relays pected.
  • the rebound is eliminated without any special features such as slip clutches and the ad- 4 il, is o! particular value in absorbing the upward component or lift on the ball I3 due to shock
  • our invention may be used without this cushioning means, particularly when the contact gapincre'ase eilect is the principal feature desired.
  • the embodiment oi our invention shown in Pig. 4 may be employed.
  • shock-resistant backstop means for maintaining a relatively small gap between said contacts when the device is substantially deenergized comprising a guideway having one end adjacent the movable contact, a member movable in said guideway and .biased toward said one end thereof, and a cushioning member mounted on the movable contact and engageable with said movable member when the contacts are separated more than a predetermined amount.
  • shock-resistant backstop-means for maintaining a relatively small gap between said contacts when'the device is substantially deawaed comprising a cylindrical housing having an open end adjacent the'movable contact and inclined downwardly toward said contact. a relatively heavy ball in said housing, and a cushioning member mounted on the movable contact and engageable with said ball when the contacts are separated more than a predetermined amount.
  • actuating means are arranged to eilect circuit controlling operations oi relatively fixedv and movable cooperating contacts and a relatively weak resilient means is provided for eecting a circuit opening operation of the contacts when the device is substantially deenergised;
  • ⁇ shock-resistant backstop meansl for maintaining a contact gap less than three sixty-fourths of an inch when the device is substantially deenergized comprising a cylindrical housing having an open end adjacent the.
  • a relatively heavy ball in said cylindrical housing arranged directly to partake of the .movement of the movable contact and movable thereby uphill in the housing an amount dependent upon the ⁇ circuit opening eflect of the actuating means proportionally to increase the contact gap, and a cushioning member mounted on the movable contact and engageable with said ball when the contacts are separated more than a predetermined amount.
  • actuating means are arranged to effect the circuit closing operation of relatively ilxed and movable cooperating contacts and a relatively weak means is provided for eilectln'g a circuit opening operation of the contacts when the device is of an inch when the device is substantially deenergized comprising a cylindrical housing inclined downwardly toward the movable contact withI one end adjacent thereto, a ball in said housing, and a felt pad mounted onthe movable contact and engageable with said vball when the contacts are separated more than a predetermined amount.
  • actuating means are arranged to effect the circuit closing and circuit opening operations o! a relatively ilxed contact and a movably supported cooperating contactl and a relatively weak means is provided for effecting a circuit opening operation of the contacts; means for hunting the contact separation under the effect of only said relatively weak means to a value less than three sixty-fourths of an inch arranged to permit an eilfective increase in the separation of the contacts when the actuating means tends to cause a circuit opening operation of the contacts comprising a cylindrical housing inclined downwardopening effect oi' said relatively weak means, said ball being directly engageable by the support of the movable contact when the contacts are separated by'said amonut and movable uphill in the housing an amount dependent on the circuit opening"eiect of the actuating means proportionally to increase the separation of the contacts.
  • actuating means are arranged to effect circuit vcontrolling operations of a relatively fixed contact and a movably supported cooperating contact and a relatively weak resilient means is provided for effecting a circuit opening operation of the contacts; backstop means for limiting the contact gap to a value less than three sixty-fourths of an inch when the device is substantially deenergized comprising a cylindrical housing having an open end adjacent the movable contact andv inclined downwardly toward said contact, a relatively heavy ball in said cylindrical housing for exerting on the support of said movable contact a substantially constant counter effect to balance the circuit opening effect of said resilient means, said ball being directly engageable by the support of the movable contact for movement uphiilin the housing an amount dependent upon the circuit opening eiect of the ⁇ actuating means proportionally to increase the contact gap.
  • actuating means are arranged to eiect circuit controlling operations of a relatively xed contact and a movably supported cooperating contact and a relatively weak means-is provided tending to eiect a circuit opening operation of the contacts; means for limitingl the contact separation under the effect of only said relatively weak means to a value less than three sixty-fourths of an inch arranged to permit an effective in-v crease in the contact gap when the actuating means tends to cause an increase in the separa- .tion of the contacts comprising a cylindrical housing inclined downwardly toward the movable contact with one end adjacent thereto and a ball in said housing for balancing the eiect of. said weak means when the 'contact separation is substantially equal to said value, said ball being directly engageable by the support of said movable contact and movable uphill in the housing an amount dependent upon the magnitude of the circuit opening action of said actuating means.
  • actuating means are arranged to effect the circuit controlling operations Ao1' a relatively ilxed contact and .
  • a movably supported cooperating contact and separate means is provided for eiecting a circuit opening of the contacts when the device is substanl tially deenergized; backstop means for limiting the separation of the contacts to a relatively small value in response to the eiect of only said separate means comprising a guideway having one end adjacent the movable contact, and means for exerting on the support of said movable contact a substantially constant counter effect to balance the circuit opening eiect of said separate means comprising a member movable in said guideway biased toward said one end thereof said member being directly engagea'ble by the support of said movable contact for movement in said guideway against said bias when the contacts are separated more than said value.

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  • Switches Operated By Changes In Physical Conditions (AREA)
US459354A 1942-09-23 1942-09-23 Contact mechanism Expired - Lifetime US2359136A (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US459354A US2359136A (en) 1942-09-23 1942-09-23 Contact mechanism
FR938628D FR938628A (fr) 1942-09-23 1946-09-16 Perfectionnements aux contacts des relais électriques

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US459354A US2359136A (en) 1942-09-23 1942-09-23 Contact mechanism

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2359136A true US2359136A (en) 1944-09-26

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US459354A Expired - Lifetime US2359136A (en) 1942-09-23 1942-09-23 Contact mechanism

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US2359136A (fr)
FR (1) FR938628A (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2999919A (en) * 1958-05-10 1961-09-12 Marocaine De Rech S D Etudes E Vibrator devices

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE904218C (de) * 1949-09-02 1954-02-15 Rupert Evan Howard Carpenter Einrichtung zum Verringern oder Beseitigen von Kontaktprellungen

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2999919A (en) * 1958-05-10 1961-09-12 Marocaine De Rech S D Etudes E Vibrator devices

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR938628A (fr) 1948-10-20

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