US2385858A - Relay - Google Patents

Description

J. H. HORMAN Oct. 2, 1945.

RELAY Filed June 11, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR d vflflmw ATTORNEYS Oct. 2, 1945.

'J. H. HORMAN 2,385,858

RELAY Filed June 11.- 1943 2 Sheet s-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 2, 1945 RELAY JohnH. Horman, Tuckahoe, N. Y., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to S poration, New York, N.

United States maller War Plants Cor- Y., a corporation of the Application June 11, 1943, Serial No. 490,449

6 Claims. This invention relates to relays.

In a known type of relay, there is a contact arm pack in which a plurality of metal members or plates are superposed in parallel relation and are separated by insulating spacers and held against displacement by bolts from which the plates are insulated by insulating sleeves surrounding the bolts. Strips of Bakelite or other similar material have been used as spacers and the plates have been continuous between the bolts.

An object of this invention is to reduce the capacity effect between successive members in a contact arm pack of the type above mentioned and decrease the separation between successive members to reduce the overall height of the pack.

According to the present invention, the metal members or plates are separated by annular ceramic spacers having hubs which fit into apertures in the members and through which the supporting bolts pass, the hubs serving to insulate the members from the bolts. Each member is cut away between the spacers along the major portion of aline passing through the bolt centers with adjacent members being cut away on opposite sides of the center line. With this arrangement, the spacing between overlying portions of the arms equals the distance between alternate members rather than the distance between successive members and there is an air gap between successive members in the space. between the two stacks of ceramic insulators. The capacity effect between successive plates is, therefore, materially reduced and the spacing between the members may be lessened, thereby reducing the overall height of the contact arm pack. Furthermore, the ceramic spacers are less absorptive of moisture than other insulating materials so that there is less likelihood of leakage developing between successive strips by reason of moisture accumulating on the spacers.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a relay embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 1 looking from the right;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are detail views of contact arms.

An L-shaped plate It] has attached to one arm an iron core H enclosed by a wire coil l2 with the remaining arm of the L extending lengthwise of the coil. A second plate 13 is fixed to the last-mentioned arm of the member If] and extends beyond the end of the coil opposite the remaining arm of the plate. It! and is provided with apertured lugs 14. A plate-like armature E5 extends across the free end of the core I l and has apertured arms I 6. A pin I! extends through the apertures in the lugs I4 and arms IE to pivotally attach the armature [5 to the plate l3. In the armature is adjustably mounted a bolt 18, one end of which is engageable with the adjacent end of the core H. An arm [9 extends from the armature i5 longitudinally of the core and its end rests upon a stop 20 supported by the plate 13. The structure up to now described has been long in use and forms no part of the present invention.

On the plate I3 is supported a contact arm pack made up of several rigid and several flexible members. These members are separated from each other by spacers 2| composed of ceramic material and each having a hub 22 fitting into an aperture in one of the aforementioned members. Bolts 23 pass through the spacers 2| and are threaded into the plate l3 to hold said members in packed relation. The lowermost member 24 is a rigid contact arm and is of the configuration shown in Fig. 6. The next member 25 is a flexible contact arm and is of the configuration shown in Fig. '7. The third member 25 is a rigid contact arm and is of the same configuration as 24. The member 21 is a rigid contact arm and is of the configuration shown in Fig. 8. The member 28 is a flexible contact arm and is of the configuration shown in Fig. 9. The member 29 is a rigid contact arm and is of the configuration shown in Fig. 8. The member 30 is a rigid contact arm and is of the configuration shown in Fig. 7. The top member 3| is a flexible contact arm and is of the configuration shown in Fig. 6. The arms 24, 21 and 30 carry contacts 24a, 21a and 30a respectively on their upper faces only while the contacts 26, 29 and 3| carry contacts 26a, 29a and 3 la respectively on their lower faces only. The arms 25 and 29 carry contacts 25a and 25b and 28a and 28b respectively on both top and bottom faces.

In Figs. '7 and 9, each of the members is provided with a body portion through which the bolts 23 extend and an offset flexible portion extending from a point near the left bolt and the contact is attached to the free end of this portion. Between the apertures each member is cut away along the major portion of the line joining the aperture centers but on opposite sides of such center line. In Figs. 6 and 8, the member is provided with a body portion through which the bolts 23 extend and continues into an arm rightangled at its end and supporting a contact. Between the apertures the member of Fig. 8 is cut away similarly to the member of Fig. 7 and the member of Fig. 6 is cut away similarly to the member of Fig. 9. Thus, in the assembled contact pack, the metal between apertures in the successive members lies alternatelypnopposite" sides of the center line as illustrated in Figllfl and the spacing between overlying portions equals the distance between alternate members rather than successive members. reduce the capacity effect between successive members. p

A button 32.0f insulating material is mounted on the free end of the arm-l9 andengages the free endof a flexiblemetal arm 33 projecting from a member 34 contacting the. member 25 and hav ing' apertures through-whi-ch'the bolts 23 pass, the member .33 beingin electrical contact with and of-generally similar shape to the member 25. A

This arrangementserves to button 'of insulatingmaterial is carried'by the arm -25 and extends upwardly into engagement with the arm'28." A button 36'of insulating ma te'rial is carried byrthearm;3l and-extends downwardly into engagement with theycontact '28.

Upon energization of the electromagnet, the arm graph is found in the-knownrelays ofthe type to which the invention relates.

The novelty of the present invention is centered in the. contact arm pack per se.

It is of .courseunderstood that various .modificationsmay be made in the:structure above described. withoutin any wayideparting: from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended 1 claims. For example, while. the spacersll .have

been. disclosed as being composed .of ceramic ma-.- terial, it is contemplated thatthe spacersmay be.. composed. of any; inorganic. insulating material. having electricaland mechanical properties simie.

lar .to steatite.

I claim:

1. In a relay, a plurality of parallel contact arms, a pair of supports extending through said arms in spaced relation and a pair of annular ceramic spacers between each pair of arms with one of said supports passing through each spacer, the adjacent arms being oppositely cut away between the spacers to reduce the'capacity between said arms.

2. In a relay, a plurality of parallel contact arms, a pair of apertures in each arm, a pair of annular ceramic spacers between each pair of arms and having hubs located in said apertures and a support passing through each set of spacers, successive arms being. alternately cut away along the major .portionof a line passing through the centers of said apertures to reduce the capacity efi'ect of the'assembly.

3. In..a relay, a plurality of parallel contact arms, a pair of supports extending through said arms in spaced relationand a pair of annular spacers between eachapair of arms: with one of said supports passing through each spa'cerythe adjacent arms being oppositely cutaway'between'the spacers-to reduce the :electrical capacity between said armsand the. spacers being composedof an inorganic insulating .material' having" electrical and mechanical properties similar to steatite.

4. In a relay, a pluralityof parallel contact arms, a pair of apertures in each arm, a pair of annular spacers between each pair of arms and having hubs located in said apertures, and a support passing through each set of spacers, successivearms being alternatelycut away along the major portion of a line'connecting the centers to said apertures to reduce the capacity effect of the assembly and said spacer being composed of an inorganic insulating material having electrical and mechanical properties similarv to steatite.

. 5. In a relay,.a plurality of parallel-contact arms, a pair of supports extending. through said arms .in spaced relation, an spacing means in-i sulating said arms. from said supports and from each. other, the adjacentarmsabeing-.opp9sitely cutaway. between the supports to reducetheca-v pacity between saidarmsv away along the majorportion of a line passing.

through the .centersof said apertures to reduce 1 the capacity effect of .the assembly.

JOHN .H..HORMAN...

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