US2467939A - Snap action electric switch - Google Patents

Snap action electric switch Download PDF

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Publication number
US2467939A
US2467939A US715189A US71518946A US2467939A US 2467939 A US2467939 A US 2467939A US 715189 A US715189 A US 715189A US 71518946 A US71518946 A US 71518946A US 2467939 A US2467939 A US 2467939A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
abutment
switch
carrier plate
operating member
switch operating
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
US715189A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Lees-Andrews Robert Samuel
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.)
BISSET IND Ltd
BISSET INDUSTRIES Ltd
Original Assignee
BISSET IND Ltd
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
Priority claimed from GB1082346A external-priority patent/GB600545A/en
Application filed by BISSET IND Ltd filed Critical BISSET IND Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2467939A publication Critical patent/US2467939A/en
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
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/02—Details
    • H01H13/26—Snap-action arrangements depending upon deformation of elastic members
    • H01H13/36—Snap-action arrangements depending upon deformation of elastic members using flexing of blade springs
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/02—Details
    • H01H13/04—Cases; Covers
    • H01H13/06—Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof or flameproof casings
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T74/00—Machine element or mechanism
    • Y10T74/18—Mechanical movements
    • Y10T74/18888—Reciprocating to or from oscillating
    • Y10T74/18896—Snap action

Definitions

  • This invention relates to snap action electric switches of the kind (hereinafter referred to as the kind described) in which a resilient strip or blade co-operates with a xed contact or contacts to make or break an electric circuit and is pre-stressed to take up one or other of two limit positions on either side of a dead-centre position in which it is in unstable equilibrium.
  • the present invention provides a snap action switch which when operated into the closed position will remain in this position until positively operated into the open position.
  • Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a change-over switch
  • Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the switch shown in Fig. 1, with the moving parts in one operated position,
  • Fig. 3 is a side elevation with part of the housing broken away and with the moving parts in the other operated position, and
  • Fig. 4 is an end elevation seen in the direction of the arrow IV of Fig. 3, some parts being removed.
  • the switch illustrated is of the push button type and consists of a hollow rectangular oiltight box or body part l forming a housing for the moving parts of the switch.
  • the body part I is closed in an oil-tight manner by an insulating carrier plate 2 rigidly secured thereto as by cementing or by screws with the interposition of an oil-seal washer or gasket l a, and an escutcheon plate 3 is secured to the front of the carrier plate 2 to give a nished and suitably decorative appearance.
  • the escutcheon plate may be replaced by a switch cover having button shrouds to conform to the appropriate regulations when the switch is to be used for industrial purposes.
  • the cover may be made of an aluminium alloy, and the box or body part I may then be a die-cast case with a conduit entry boss.
  • 'Ihe carrier plate 2 is divided into two parts 2a, 2b to accommodate oil seals I3 around the switchoperating rods, as will be described more fully below.
  • On the carrier plate 2 are mounted two pairs of contacts 4, 5, the pair of contacts 4 being mounted in a plane spaced slightly behind that of the pair of contacts 5.
  • the two pairs of contacts are arranged on either side of the transverse centre-line C (Fig. 4) and are connected by rigid strips 4a, 5a, respectively, to the terminal pillars 4b, 5b.
  • At one end of the carrier plate 2 is mounted a U-shaped anchor member 6, the limbs of the U being of the same height.
  • the two limbs of the U are cut away for part of their width, the lower limb-as seen in Figs. 1 and 2-being cut away at its centre to present a pair of abutments 'l which are grooved transversely on their upper faces near the free ends to receive the lower end of an H-shaped resilient blade 8 of silver-faced beryllium copper.
  • the upper limb 9 of the U- shaped anchor member 6 is cut away along each side to enable it to project with clearance between the sides of the H-shaped resilient blade, and is transversely grooved on its under surface near the outer end thereof to constitute a fixed fulcrum part.
  • 'I'his fulcrum part 9 is engageable by a forward projection Illa on an operating member or lever i0 of approximately the same overall dimensions as the resilient blade 8.
  • This forward projection 9 has a knife-edge formation at its extremity which seats in the groove in the xed', iulcrum part 9, the combination acting as a substantially frictionless fulcrum for the operating lever l0.
  • the lower end of the operating lever Ill has an inturned lug Ib which passes between the two halves of the lower blade abutment l.
  • the upperv end of the lever l0 has an inturned abutment lug
  • the arrangement and dimensions of these parts are such that, when the blade is mounted in the grooves in its upper end lower abutments
  • the stress thus set up in the resilient blade 8 holds the fulcrum in engagement, and at the same time operates to bias the blade to a ilexed contour on one or other side of a dead-centre position in which it is in unstable equilibrium.
  • the xed contacts 4, 5 on either side of this dead centre position dene the limit positions of this ilexure.
  • the cross-piece 8a of the resilient blade 8 is Y
  • the operating lever III is tilted, rocking it about its fulcrum 9, Illa and initially pressing the blade against the made" contacts (l in Fig. 1), so as to tend to straighten it, until it passes through its dead centre position and snaps over to come to rest, in its other limit position, to bridge the other pair of contacts 6.
  • two insulating push-buttons II are mounted on stems I2 which pass through the carrier plate 2 and the escutcheon plate 3, the part 2b being recessed on its undersurface around the holes for the stems I2 to receive packing washers I3.
  • the housing I is lled to the required level with transformer oil, thereby increasing the current breaking capacity of the switch, or conversely reducing the overall size of the switch for a given circuit.
  • the buttons Il may be distinctively coloured or engraved to indicate the setting of the switch.
  • the housing is secured in position by means of a cruciform fixing frame I4 screwed thereto at I5, the arms Ma having iixing holes I 6 drilled therein.
  • the frame I4 may be crimped during installation of the switch in order to allow the sealing face of the escutcheon plate to be located parallel with the plane of the outer surface of the wall or other support on which the switch is being installed.
  • the resilient blade 8 may constitute one contact, to co-operate with a single xed contact or contacts connected to the other part or parts of the external circuit.
  • a plurality of switch units may be mounted side by side on a common carrier plate and in a common body or housing, each unit having its oWn set of fixed contacts such as 4, andiresilient blade such as 8.
  • a common escutcheon plate may be used, and may be engraved so as to identify the several circuits.
  • the design described above which is not limitative of the invention as to details of construction, is lsimple to manufacture and assemble since all the working parts may be stamped out by a simple press-tool or like operations,
  • the body I, carrier plate 2 and escutcheon plate 3 may be plastic mouldings or they may be metal castings or forgings, or may be fabricated from sheet metal.
  • the fuicrum arrangement 9, Illa is sturdy, and by reason of the knife-edge feature of construction at all points where relative motion occurs, friction is reduced to a minimum, thus adding to the sensitivity and reliability of operation of the switch, even under adverse climatic conditions.
  • the iixed parts of the switch may be mounted on a rigid frame work constituting the carrier part which may be enclosed by any desired form of sheeting, or may be incorporated into a larger assembly of components.
  • all the parts may be of moulded plastic materials, although even the blade may be of a plastic or other tough and :flex-y ible insulating material if desired.
  • the cross-piece of the H-shaped blade 8 may be of metal.
  • the resilient blade s may have more than one cross-piece such as 8a, each cross-piece co-operating with respective xed contacts for controlling simultaneously a plurality ofcircuits.
  • the switch is capable of many applications, particularly to the control of low-power domestic or industrial circuits.
  • a snap action electric switch comprising a carrier plate, a ixed abutment extending from said carrier plate. a rigid, movable switch operating member having an abutment at one of its ends spaced from said xed abutment, a resilient blade carried at its ends in said abutments and having a length greater than the distance between the fixed abutment and the abutment on the switch operating member, said resilient blade being movable with the switch operating member about said xed abutment as a pivot, a second iixed abutment extending from the carrier plate intermediate said iirst fixed abutment and said abutment on said switch operating member, said switch operating member and said second iixed abutment being provided with separate rigid inter-engaging pivot formations so that the ends of said rigid switch operating member including said abutment thereon move along an arcuate path of shorter radius than that which would be described by said resilient blade if unrestrained, spaced stop members on
  • a snap action electric switch comprising a carrier plate, a xed abutment mounted on the carrier plate towards one end thereof, a rigid switch operating member, separate rigid interengaging pivot formations on the switch operating member and the carrier plate, that on the latter being at a point nearer the other end of the carrier plate than the fixed abutment, an abutment on the switch operating member distant from the xed abutment, a rst stop mounted on the carrier plate between the xed abutment and the abutment on the switch operating member, a second stop mounted on the carrier plate at a point between the fixed abutment and the abutment on the switch operating member and spaced from the rst stop, at least one of said stops consistuting a xed contact of the switch, a resilient blade carried at its ends in the fixed abutment and the abutment on the switch operating member and extending through the gap between the two stops and of a length greater than the distance between the xed a
  • a snap action electric switch according to claim 2 wherein the means for moving the switch operating member includes two plungers projecting through the carrier plate and operatively engaged with the switch operating member on each side of the inter-engaging pivot formations and wherein the resilient blade is of H shape with the plungers extending therethrough.
  • a snap action electric switch comprising a carrier plate, a xed abutment mounted on the carrier plate towards one end thereof, a rig-id switch operating member, an abutment on the switch operating member distant from the xed abutment, a first stop mounted on the carrier plate between the fixed abutment and the abutment on the switch operating member, a second stop mounted on the carrier plate at a point between the fixed abutment and the abutment on the switch operating member and spaced from the first stop, at least one of said'stops constituting a fixed contact of the switch, a resilient blade carried at its ends in the fixed abutment and the abutment on the switch operating member and extending through the gap between the two stops and of a length greater than the distance between the xed abutment and the abutment on the switch operating member at all positions, separate rigid inter-engaging pivot formations on the switch operating member and the carrier plate, the point of engagement being between the xed abutment

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  • Switch Cases, Indication, And Locking (AREA)
US715189A 1946-04-08 1946-12-10 Snap action electric switch Expired - Lifetime US2467939A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1082346A GB600545A (en) 1946-04-08 Improvements in or relating to snap action electric switches

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2467939A true US2467939A (en) 1949-04-19

Family

ID=9974944

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US715189A Expired - Lifetime US2467939A (en) 1946-04-08 1946-12-10 Snap action electric switch

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US2467939A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BE (1) BE470279A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CH (1) CH262088A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2809247A (en) * 1953-12-21 1957-10-08 Crabtree & Co Ltd J A Electric-snap-action switches
US2993101A (en) * 1959-08-03 1961-07-18 Cherry Electrical Prod Snap-action switches

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1351161A (en) * 1919-02-07 1920-08-31 Fagerlund Erik Artur Switch
US2157156A (en) * 1938-07-08 1939-05-09 Oakes Mfg Company Electrical switch
US2316834A (en) * 1940-12-07 1943-04-20 Square D Co Push button
US2348982A (en) * 1943-02-06 1944-05-16 Gleason Sales Co Snap switch
US2417169A (en) * 1943-01-20 1947-03-11 First Ind Corp Snap switch

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1351161A (en) * 1919-02-07 1920-08-31 Fagerlund Erik Artur Switch
US2157156A (en) * 1938-07-08 1939-05-09 Oakes Mfg Company Electrical switch
US2316834A (en) * 1940-12-07 1943-04-20 Square D Co Push button
US2417169A (en) * 1943-01-20 1947-03-11 First Ind Corp Snap switch
US2348982A (en) * 1943-02-06 1944-05-16 Gleason Sales Co Snap switch

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2809247A (en) * 1953-12-21 1957-10-08 Crabtree & Co Ltd J A Electric-snap-action switches
US2993101A (en) * 1959-08-03 1961-07-18 Cherry Electrical Prod Snap-action switches

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BE470279A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CH262088A (fr) 1949-06-15

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