US2460495A - Releasable lever operated switch - Google Patents

Description

1949- c. E. ELRICK RELEASABLE LEVER OPERATED SWITCH Filed May 10, 1946 rim Feb. 1, in,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,480,495 RELEASABLE LEVER OPERATED SWITCH Charles E. Elrick, Frostburg, Md. Application May 10, 1946, Serial No. 868,706

The present invention relates to automatic switches for outlet boxes, and is more particularly concerned with a switch and outlet box constructed to be energized at a predetermined time or upon the happening of an event.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an alarm switch which is constructed to be operated automatically by an independent agency, such as an alarm clock, an opened door or an opened window.

A further object of theinvention is to provide an automatic switch of simpler and more compact construction than alarm switches in prior devices.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages 'in view the invention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiments of the invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, partly in section, as positioned to be operated by an alarm clock.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof with the switch box shown in horizontal section.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan of the wiring circuits between the components of the device.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic plan of wiring for use with a plurality of outlet boxes.

Figue 5 is a wiring plan for either a make or break device.

Like numerals, as used in the description and drawings designate the same structural parts.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, 0 represents any. type or alarm clock having a winged winder on the exterior end of the alarm-spring stem or spindle.

The switch is housed in a box il' mounted on a base II and mounted on the same base adjacent to the switch box is an outlet box l2, with sockets for attachment 01' an electric appliance to be activated. This box may be of any suitable type with interior posts I3 and I4 wired to a plug ll designed to be inserted in a socket fixture, such as an electric lamp socket or wall sockets. The wire from post It is directly connected to plug I! while the wire from post id is connected to the switch.

The automatic switch comprises two contact bars I! and I! which are fixed at one end to posts serving as terminals. The other ends are provided with contact points. As shown in the wiring plan in Figure 3, the circuit wire from post ll of the outlet box is connected to the post of contact member I! and the circuit wires from the 1 Claim. (Cl. 200-45) lamp or wall plug II are connected to post It and a circuit interrupter ll, thus producing the make-and-break switch here'used. To change the switch to a breakand make device the contact member I6 is wired to plug II and that from I! to the outlet box I2 disconnected. The wire from the interrupter i8 is disconnected from plug l5 and wired to the post in the outlet box formerly connected to contact i I. Thus the device may be used independently of the alarm clock as will be explained further on.

The interrupter It. consists of two parallel bars or blades joined in parallelism by a block at one end. The other extremities are mounted in posts insulated from each other and one bar is wired to plug i5. This bar carries on each side a contact point II to operate between spaced contact points on contact members it and I1, the spacing being suiilcient, to leave a gap between the point on one side of the interrupter and the contiguous point of a contact member when the interrupter is in contact with the other contact member, either i6 or IT.

Mounted in the switch box i0 is a pivoted trip lever 20 designed to operate the interrupter. This lever is pivoted intermediate its extremities on a bracket 2!, the upper-end of which is adjacent a vertical slot 22 in the end wall of the switch box Ill. An arm 23 of the trip lever projects through this slot and to a point somewhat above the top of the switch box. This arm is designed to be placed underneath one wing of an horizontally set winding element of an alarm clock. It is provided transversely with a plurality of parallel indentations 24 designed to permit adjustment of the arm to clocks of various sizes, thus stretching of spring 28 is prevented. When the device is used as a burglar alarm it rests on end 24 of arm 23. When so used, or when placed sidewise in a door frame, only a small portion of the arm 23 need project above the top of the switch box.

The lower or inner end of the trip lever is bent to form an angular lateral 2!, which is normally contiguous to the upper and insulated unwired blade of the interrupter, but is held out of operable contact therewith, until the lever 20 is tripped, by an helical spring 26 connected to the lever intermediate said 'lateral and the pivoted point. When thecwinderof the alarm clock rotates, the arm 23 is released, and the lateral is consequently depressed by action of spring 26, thus bringing the underside contact point of the interrupter into contact with the point on contact member II. This closes the circuit and energizes the outlet box and any appliance, such as a radio, which may be connected thereto.

The wiring plan shown in Figure is provided with a switch 21, to adapt the device to make or break work and accomplish the same results as the wiring plan illustrated in Figure 4.

When this device is used in a door or window to serve as a burglar alarm, the alarm appliance to be connected to the outlet box may be a bell, a light or a radio, as desired.

As different embodiments may be made of this inventive concept and modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it will be understood that the matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative merely, and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

A switch comprising a base, a first pair of parallely spaced horizontal spring leaves serving as relatively stationary contacts, a second pair of parallely spaced horizontal spring leaves serving as a switch arm, one of said second pair of spring leaves being positioned between the spring leaves of the first pair and the other of said second pair of spring leaves being positioned above and normally spaced from the upper spring leaf of the first pair, insulated means supportably engaging the inner ends of all of said leaves and insulating the same from each other, the outer ends of said second pair of leaves extending outwardly beyond the outer ends of said first pair of leaves, an insulated spacing block connected to and between the outer ends of said second pair of leaves whereby upon upward or downward movement of said second pair of leaves move in unison, contact point means on the lower leaf of said second pair exposed above and below said lower leaf for engagement with the outer ends of the leaves of said first pair, said contact point means being normally engaged with the outer end of the upper leaf of said first pair, a bracket rising from said base to a level above said pairs of leaves adjacent to the inner ends thereof, an actuating lever pivoted intermediate its ends on an upper part of said bracket providing a first arm having a portion overlying the upper leaf of said switch arm and a second arm, releasable holding means adjacent said second arm holding said lever positioned with said first arm spaced above said switch arm, and spring means operating between said first arm of said actuating lever and said bracket to bias said first arm downwardly to engage and depress the upper leaf of said switch arm and depress said switch arm so as to disengage said contact point means from the upper contact leaf of said first pair and engage said contact point means with the lower contact leaf of said first pair when said holding means is withdrawn from holding engagement with said second actuating lever arm.

- E. ELRICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 898,847 Dodson Sept. 15, 1908 1,122,261 Dean Dec. 29, 1914 1,372,437 Koch Mar, 22, 1921 1,470,323 Hokanson Oct. 9, 1923 1,520,193 Manson Dec. 23, 1924 1,787,176 Spitzglass Dec. 30, 1930 1,830,138 Smith et al. Nov. 3, 1931 1,875,801 Bryce Sept. 6, 1932 1,938,155 Schultz Dec. 5, 1933 1,958,646 Snavely et al. May 15, 1934 1,964,268 Morgenstern June 26, 1934 2,039,194 Simon Apr. 28, 1936 2,154,338 Knos Apr. 11, 1939 2,436,906 Svoboda Mar. 2, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 80,601 Switzerland Aug. 1, 1919 102,508 Australia Dec. 2, 1937

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