US2496853A - Indicating board for electric power networks - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 7, 1950 G. A. BURNS 6,

INDICATING BOARD FOR ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS Filed March 50, 1945 I INVENTOR GEORGE ARTHUR BURNS ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 7, 1950 INDICATING BOARD FOR ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS George Arthur Burns, Liverpool, England, as-

signor to Automatic Electric Laboratories, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application March 30, 1945, Serial No. 585,669 In Great Britain April 27, 1944 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to indicating boards suitable for use in signalling systems for remote supervision and/or control of electric power transmission systems or the like. It is more particularly concerned With boards of the mimic line diagram type built up from a plurality of detachable and interchangeable units or escutcheons each of the order of 1 inch square, each unit being either blank or having a symbol thereon depicting a small section of the line diagram of which it forms part.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved form of mimic line diagram of this type in which certain of the escutcheons each depicting a small section of the line diagram carry electric switches for controlling the apparatus represented thereby, and in which certain other escutcheons are arranged to be translucent so as to enable the light from supervisory lamps to be observed therethrough, thereby avoiding lamp cap fittings on the front of the diagram which thus presents a smooth and pleasing appearance and can readily be kept clean.

According to one feature of the invention, in an indicating board of the mimic line diagram type made up of a plurality of detachable and interchangeable units of identical shape, control equipment corresponding to the appropriate units is mounted exclusively behind the board and is arranged to be effective from the front side without the provision of any projections or apertures in the front surface so as to maintain this surface smooth and unbroken.

According to another feature of the invention, in an indicating board of the mimic line diagram type made up of a plurality of detachable and interchangeable units of identical shape, certain of the units forming a section of the line diagram include a rotatable circular portion normally flush with the front surface the movement of which portion by an attendant is arranged to actuate an electric switch controlling the piece of apparatus represented by the unit.

A further feature of the invention is that in an indicating board of the mimic line diagram type made up of a plurality of detachable and interchangeable units of identical shape, the individual units are made of translucent material with a portion of reduced thickness and arrangements are provided for mounting a lamp behind the board closely adjacent to the reduced portion so that the lightingof the lamp is clearly visible from the front.

The invention will be better understood from the following description of one method of carrying it into effect, reference being bad to the acoompanying drawing comprising Figs. 1 and 2 which show front and side views respectively of a portion of an indicating board constructed according to the invention, Figs. 3, 4 and 5 which show top views of the escutcheon plates seen in Figure 2, and Fig. 6 which is a cross sectional view showing in detail how the switch escutcheons are mounted.

Referring to Fig. 1, the escutcheon plates such as III are preferably moulded from plastic material and have square front faces as shown so that they may be pieced together on the perforated metal panel II to build up the complete diagram. The small section of the line diagram depicted by escutcheon I0 takes the form of a shallow channel which is filled in with a suitable colouring material. As will be seen from Fig. 2 those escutcheons such as Ill which do not carry an electric switch are provided with a stem 12 which passes through a hole in the panel H and is provided with a circular groove [3 which accommodates the forked flat spring member M which secures the escutcheon firmly in position on the panel.

The escutcheon l5 carrying the electric switch is shown more clearly in the side and cross sectional views. It is provided with a rotatable plastic disc l6, conveniently of the same material as the other escutcheons, which carries a portion of the line diagram and is normally flush with the panel. It can, however, be depressed with the finger and turned to actuate the electric contact springs H to perform certain circuit controlling functions which result in the remote selection of the piece of apparatus depicted by this switch in the diagram, for example a circuit breaker.

As will be seen from Fig. 2 or 6 the rotatable disc I6 is provided with a stem which passes through to the rear of the panel andcarries at its end an insulating block [8 located between the moving springs of the contact assembly. Normally, the rotatable disc l6 as seen from Fig. 2 or 6 is urged into the position shown, that is, flush with the face of the panel, by a spring H! which encircles the plunger stem and is housed in a suitable cavity provided partly in the plastic escutcheon and partly in a metal block 20 which forms a backing member to the panel. Fastened also to the metal block 20, by the screws shown, is the L-shaped bracket 21 supporting the com tact spring assembly.

When it is desired to open the circuit breaker, represented in the mimic diagram by the escutchcon I5 in question, the operator depresses with his finger the rotatable disc l6 against the tension of the spring 19 so that a plunging action is performed, and the metal backing piece 22 turned-over. edges.

located behind the spring operating block [8 is moved axially out of engagement with a V-shaped locating slot not visible in the drawing. When this is done, the disc I6 can-be rotated so that the portion of the line diagram it carries assumes a horizontal position on the panel thus giving a pictorial representation of the open condition of the circuit breaker it represents. In this position the inner contacts of the assembly ll are broken and the outer contacts are made as a result of displacement of the moving springsby theinsulating member l8 which is rectangular in shape and hence its longer dimension assumes a vertical position when the line on the disc assumes a horizontal position on the-panel. In thisjposition the member 22 again moves into a V-shaped slot, not visible in the drawing, to locate'the line on the disc in its correct horizontal position.

In explanation of the circuit change which takes place as a result of operation of the switch,

it should be mentioned that atall times when the switchin the diagramis out of line with the circuit breaker it represents, an indicating lamp such as 25 is lighted adjacent to the switch, and remains lighted until such time as the indication on the panel ism-agreement with the condition of the circuit breaker. If the position of the switch is changed manuallythe lighting of the -lamp may indicate that the associated circuit breaker hasbeen selected-and can then be made to change its position by the pressing of a common operate button. Thus in the case inquestion, when the switch hasbeen operated to bring about -a change ofv condition of the circuit breaker, the

lamp remains alight until the circuit breaker has actually'changed its position. Under. other conditions when say the circuitbreaker automatically trips on fault, the lamp adjacent to the escutcheon l again lights tocall attention to Y. the difierencein condition of the circuit breaker and the diagram and remains lit until the-oper- :ator turns the disc to .coincidewith the new posi- .25 are supported by anaL-shaped metal .member '26, the longer limb of which is provided with These edges enable it to slide on to the upstanding portion of the spring mem- .ber 23 which thus gives the necessary support. A sheet metal shade orscreen 21 bent into roughly .the'iorm of a cylinder servesto restrict the light to the desired area, namely the reduced central .portion of the associated .escutcheon. This mema).

beris provided with turned over edges which .engagein the similar edges .on the. support 28 which. provide lamp mountings maybe. identical with all the other. escutcheons except those carrying switches and as a result the lamps may readily be moved and located in the position where they are most useful. It is found that the indication given by a lamp is readily visible from the .front of the board, even from a direction of considerable obliquity, and the additional advantage is obtained that there isno necessity for lamp caps or the like to break the front face of thediagram. The lamps may be of any suitable type meeting the dimensional limitations, for instance ofthetype employed inv telephone exchanges.

The arrangements for securing the special escutcheon to the panel II are not quite so sim- '20 and thus clamps the escutcheon 5 to the frame I l.

It may be mentioned that if thought desirable the rotatable centre portion of the escutcheons. such as 15 may be provided with a slightly raisedbar along the line of the diagram so as to facilitate the operation of turning.

According to the invention therefore a mimic diagram -is; -provided which may readily be built up to represent any desired system and which whilepermitting control of the circuit breakers and the like from the symbols which represent them still presents a clear and attractive appear- .ance which can readily be kept clean.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Inan electrified line diagram board, a base panel havinga plurality of apertures in spaced ,quadrature relation thereinand a plurality of small interchangeable escutcheons mounted side by side on said panel, stems attached to one face of each of said escutcheons and extending through said panel apertures,.retaining means associated with said .stems foimmaintaining said escutcheons abutting. relationship with said base panel, said retainingmeans being concealed from the faces of. said escutcheonsa mimic pattern defined. by said escutcheons, and electric control switches mounted behind certain of said escutcheons.

2.11111 an electrified line diagram board, a base paneLhaving a plurality of apertures .in spaced quadrature relationship therein, a plurality of small interchangeable. escutcheons mounted sideby-side on said panel, stems attachedto one side .of each ,of said escutcheons and extending through said panel apertures, springxmeansassociated with. said stems for maintaining said escutcheons in abutting relationship with said base panel, ,saidspringmeansbeing visible only from .the stem side of-said escutcheons, and a mimic patternjdefined by said escutcheons.

.LGEORGE ARTHUR BURNS.

REFERENCES CITED -,The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,963,722 Smith June 19, 1934 2,010,338 White Aug. 6, 1935 2,028,626 Schleicher etal Jan. 21, 1936 2,094,134 Obergfell Sept. 28, 1937 2,122,643 Golemb July 5, 1938 2,221,078 .Dotterer Nov...12, 1940 2,280,438 Matthews Apr. 21, 1942 2,315,420 Harrington .Mar. 30,1943

. 2,361,412 Baulus et al Oct. 31, 1944 E FOREIGN "PATENTS Number Country Date 420,629 Great Britain Dec. 5, 1934 .OT-HER REFERENCES The Unit Wiring Diagram a New Aid to Works Control,"Helios, August 1939, No. 32, pages 1089, 1090.

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