US2536368A

US2536368A - Delayed-action switch

Info

Publication number: US2536368A
Application number: US709573A
Authority: US
Inventors: Earl W Howard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-11-13
Filing date: 1946-11-13
Publication date: 1951-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 1968-01-02

Description

Jan. 2, 1951 E. w. HOWARD DELAYED ACTION SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 13, 1946 JNVEN TOR.

Jan. 2, 1951 E. w. HOWARD DELAYED ACTION SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 13, 1946 la', gf

y INVENYOR.

By l JQW 'mgww Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE DELAYED-ACTION SWITCH Earl W. Howard, Bay City, Mich. Application November 13, 1946, Serial No. 709,573

(Cl. 20D-39) 8 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in delayed action switches and particularly is directed to a delayed action switch of extremely compact construction which may be readily installed in the conventional outlet boxes associated with wiring installation for residential and commercial buildings.

It is an important object of the invention to incorporate a delayed action mechanism in an electric wall switch which has a snap-like circuit closing and circuit opening action, and in which the snap-like opening or closing action is delayed after the switch operating handle has been manually actuated.

Another object of the invention is a delayed action switch in which the contact making member is delayed in its action by a gear train which is kept wound during the normal position of the switch and is permitted to unwind upon the actuation of a manually operable switch handle, whereby the contact making member is actuated by a spring tensioned during this actuation of the switch handle at the end of a predetermined period of time to either close or open the electric circuit as the case may be.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent' or will be specifically pointed out in the description forming a part of this specification, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments of the invention herein described, as various forms may be adapted within the scope of the claims.

In the drawings, which illustrate by way of example one embodiment of the invention:

Fig. l is a side-elevational view of the action delay switch, with the parts shown in a position in which the switch handle has been moved to a position to cause the delay action mechanism to unwind.

Fig. 2 is a horizontally sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a side-elevation view of the delay action switch, with the parts shown in their normal position in which the delay action mechanism is tensioned and locked against unwinding until the switch handle is moved to the position shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the switch with the switch, the gear train etc. omitted.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, detail view of the springactuated latch member.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, side-elevational view of the switch showing the position of the parts after the delayed action mechanism has functioned.

Referring to the drawings, the base plate I of the switch has attached to its upper face a frame comprising a vertical U-shaped end bracket 2 provided on the upwardly directed ends of its legs with laterallv extending side walls 3. The latter are connected at their ends remote from the bracket 2 by an end wall 4 which is secured to the upper end of an L-shaped bracket 5 secured to the base I opposite theend to which the U-shaped bracket 2 is secured. A switch handle 6 is xedly attached to a switch operating yoke I which is pivotally mountzd about a horizontal transverse point 8 extending through the center portion of the side walls 3. The two parallel arms 9 of the yoke 1 are spaced from each other and are arranged with their free ends, which proiect downwardly, between the two side walls 3. Between each arm 9 and the adacent wall 3 is arranged an arm II! of a U-shaoed switch control bracket II, which is also rotatable about the pivot 8 independently of the yoke 1, but extends downwardly from the pivot 8. The yoke 'I is flexibly connected with the bracket II bv a helical spring I2. One end of this spring I2 is connected to an eye I4 arranged on the base of the yoke 'l adjacent the handle 6 and the other end of the spring I2 is attached to an eye I5 arranged on the base of the bracket II, which last named base connects the lower ends of the bracket arms IIJ with each other. The arrangement of the spring I2 is such that it always tends to draw the bracket II upwardly toward an angular position with respect to the yoke I. When the latter is moved by the handle 6 toward and beyond a position in which the yoke arms 9 and the bracket arms I0 are in alinement with each other, the tension of the spring I2 will be increased and the spring I2 will cause the bracket I I to snap over to the other side of a straight line containing the pivot 8 and the alined arms 9 and II as soon as the "dead center position with respect to the pivot 8 is overcome. In Fig. 3 the yoke 'I is tilted to the left hand side and the spring I2 urges the bracket II toward the left hand lower edge of the side wall 3. In Fig. 1 the yoke l has been moved in clockwise direction to its right hand end position and the spring I2 has moved the bracket I`I anti-clockwise toward a position in which it has just passed the dead center position and is prevented from further anti-clockwise rotation by a stop formed by an inwardly struck tongue l1 on the lower righthand edge of the side wall 3. The rotative movement of the yoke 1 in both directions is limited by a stop pin I8 on the yoke arm 9 which pin I8 engages the upper horizontal edge of the side wall 3 in either end position.

A U -shaped contact carrying yoke 20 straddles the side walls 3 and the bracket Il from below and has its two legs 2| pivotally attached outside the side walls 3 to the transverse pivot 8. The outer face of each one of the legs 2| has xedly secured thereto and electrically insulated therefrom a contact bar 24 having its two opposed

contact making poles

25, 26 arranged diametrically with respect to the pivot 8. The

poles

25, 26 are adapted to engage corresponding contact poles in an electric circuit (not shown) for instance in the position shown in Fig. 3.

A tongue 28 extends laterally from the base of the U-shaped yoke 20 and has attached to its free end 29 one end of a coiled tension spring 30 the other end of which is attached to an eye 3i at the adjacent base of the bracket Il as particularly clearly shown in Fig. 1. A detent 33 projecting downwardly from the base of the bracket ii is adapted to engage the right hand edge of the base of the contact carrying yoke 20 when the spring 3D is permitted to exercise its function, as will be described hereinafter.

A latch member 35 is pivotally mounted adjacent its upper end on a pivot pin 36 secured to the side wall 3 adjacent the end wall 4. A torsion spring 31 surrounding the pivot pin 35 and anchored to the latch member 35 urges the latter in anti-clockwise direction in which a notch 38 is normally held in engagement with a detent ledge 39 provided on the base of the contact carrying yoke 20. The latch member 35 retains the yoke 20 in the position shown in Fig. 3 when the switch handle 6 and its associated yoke l and control bracket Il is moved to the position shown in Fig. l and not until the latch member 35 is actuated by the delayed action mechanism, about to be described, will the contact carrying yoke 2U be released in order to be pulled by the tensioned spring 30 into a position in which the contact bar 24 is tilted into the oppositely inclined position from that shown in the Figs. 1 and 3.

The delayed action mechanism consists essentially of a gear train designated as a whole at 40 and which is wound by the switch handle 6 when the latter is moved from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown pin Fig. 3 and is automatically permitted to unwind as soon as the switch lever 6 has been moved to the position shown in Fig. l. A link 4| is pivotally attached with one end at 42 to one arm 9 of the yoke 1 and with its other end at 43 to a lever 44 pivotally supported on a pin 45 traversing the side walls 3 adjacent the bracket 2. The pin 45 also supports pivotally a downwardly extending operating bar 45; also mounted on the pin 45 is a link 41 having an angularly bent portion which is connected with a similarly angularly bent portion 48 of the lever 44 by a screw 49 passing freely through an aperture in the portion 48 and having threaded engagement with a threaded aperture in the angularly bent portion 41. A shoulder on the opposite end of the link 41 provides a break link abutment for the operating bar 45. A coil spring 50 surrounds the screw 49 between the

lever portions

41 and 48. The lower end of the operating bar 46 has rotatably secured thereto a pin I having a diametrical bore through its head for receiving one end oi a connecting rod 52 the other end of which is similarly secured in a diametrical bore of a headed pin 54 rotatably secured to the outer end of a cam-carrying crank arm 55. The latter is secured to the main shaft 5S of the gear train 40 which projects through the base i. A spring 51 attached with one end to an eye 53 on the base i and with its other end to an eye 58 on the crank arm 55 urges the latter constantly in clockwise direction. The ot'er end of the crankv arm 55 carries a cam 60 adapted to engage the lower end oi' the latch member 35 to rotate the same in clockwise direction against the action of the spring 31. When this occurs the latch member 35 releases the contact carrying yoke 20 and the latter moves under the action of the previously tensioned spring 30 with a snap-like action into a circuit opening position, if the previous position as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 should be one in which the electric circuit controlled by the switch is closed. The movement of the yoke 20 is limited by the detent 33 on the base of the bracket li and the latter, as mentioned previously is held in the position shown in Fig. 1 until the switch handle 6 is again returned to its initial position shown in Fig. 3.

The delay or time interval which elapses between the time the switch handle 6 has been moved to the position shown in Fig. 1, which is the position in which the gear train winding mechanism 4i to 55 permits an unwinding of the gear train, and the time the latch member 35 is tripped by the cam 68 depends, of course, upon the particular construction of the gear train and may be varied for diierent applications of the switch.

During the return of the switch handle 6 to its initial position shown in Fig. 3 the gear train winding mechanism 4i to 55 is operated to rewind the gear train 4D and at the same time the spring l2 returns the bracket Ii to the position shown in Fig. 3 with a snap-like action as soon as the yoke 1 has passed the dead center position with respect to the bracket ii. During this snap-like return movement of the bracket il its detent 33 strikes the base of the contact carrying yoke 20 and the latter returns also to its initial position shown in Fig. 3 in which its ledge 39 enters the notch 38 of the latch member 35. The switch is now ready for another operation.

What I claim is:

1. In a delayed action switch, a switch housing adapted for wall mounting, a pivotally mounted switch handle pivoted to said housing, a bracket pivotally mounted about the same pivot axis as said handle and extending in the opposite direction of the same, a tension spring attached to said handle and bracket respectively, to move said bracket to an angular position with said handle whenever the latter is moved beyond alinement with said bracket, a contact carrying yoke straddling said bracket and rotatable about the pivot of the latter, spring means connecting said bracket and yoke, said bracket being movable to swing said yoke to a normal latched position latch means engageable with said contact carrying yoke for holding said yoke in its normal latched position when said bracket is rotated away from said latch means to its oppositely arranged angular position with respect to said switch handle upon operation of the latter, yieldingly operated cam means for tripping said latch, and action delay means for said cam means operatively connected with said handle and adapted to become effective upon actuation of said handle to release said cam means after a predetermined period of time, whereupon said contact carrying yoke is caused to rotate under the influence of the spring means connecting the latter with said bracket.

2. In a delayed action switch, a frame adapted for mounting in a wall, a switch handle pivotally Amounted in said frame, means for limiting the rotative movement of said handle in both directions with respect to said frame, a bracket pivotally mounted about the same axis as said handle but extending in the opposite direction, a spring attached to said handle and bracket respectively, to move the bracket from one angular position on one side of said handle to another angular position on the other side of the handle whenever the latter is moved from one of its end positions to the other, stop means on said frame for limiting the rotative movement of said bracket with respect to said handle, a contact carrying yoke straddling said bracket and rotatable about the pivot of the latter, spring means connecting said bracket and yoke, latch means for holding said contact carrying yoke in its normal latched position when said bracket is rotated away from said latch means to its oppositely arranged angular position with respect to said -switch handle upon operation of the latter, means for tripping said latch means yieldingly urged toward the latch means, and clock train mechanism to provide a delayed action for said latch tripping means operatively connected with said handle and adapted to become effective upon actuation of said handle to release said tripping means and trip said latch means after a predetermined period of time, whereupon said contact carrying yoke is caused to rotate under the iniluence of the spring means connecting the latter with said bracket.

3. In a delayed action switch, a frame adapted to be mounted in a wall, a switch handle pivotally mounted in said frame, means for limiting the rotative movement of said handle in both directions With respect to said frame, a bracket pivotally mounted about the same axis as said handle but extending in the opposite direction, a spring attached to said handle and bracket respectively, to move the bracket from one angular position on one side of said handle to another angular position on the other side of the handle whenever the latter is moved from one of its end positions to the other, stop means on said frame for limiting the rotative movement of said bracket with respect to said handle, a contact carrying yoke straddling said bracket and rotatable about the pivot of the latter, spring means connecting said bracket and yoke, a latch lever pivotally mounted on said frame for holding said contact carrying yoke in its normal initial latched position when said bracket is rotated away from said latch lever to its oppositely arranged angular position with respect to said switch handle upon operation of the latter, and clock train mechanism providing delay action means supported by said frame and including a rotatable cam yieldingly urged into engagement with said latch means and adapted to actuate said latch lever after a predetermined period of time and thereby cause a release of said contact carrying yoke which under the inuence of said spring means connecting the latter with said bracket rotates with a snap-like action toward said bracket means said clock train mechanism being operable to retard movement of said cam in a direction toward said latch.

' ly urged in a direction to actuate said latch 4. In a delayed action switch. a frame adapted for wall mounting, a switch handle pivotally mounted in said frame, means for limiting the rotative movement of said handle in both directions with respect to said frame, a bracket pivotally mounted about the same axis as said handle but extending in the opposite direction, a spring attached to said handle and bracket respectively, to move the bracket from one angular position on one side of said handle to another angular position on the other side of the handle whenever the latter is moved from one of its end positions to the other, stop means on said frame for limiting the rotative movement of said bracket with respect to said handle, a contact carrying yoke straddling said bracket and rotatable about the pivot of the latter, spring means connecting said bracket and yoke, a latch lever pivotally mounted on said frame for holding said contact carrying yoke in its normal initial latched position when said bracket is rotated to its oppositely arranged angular position with respect to said switch handle upon operation of the latter, a cam yieldingly urged in a direction to trip said latch lever, clock train action delay means for retarding movement of said cam, said action delay means being operatively connected with said handle to restore the latch tripping cam to a non-operative position upon movement of said handle to a switch closing position, said clock train action delay means being operable to permit tripping of said latch after the handle is operated a predetermined period of time.

5. In a delayed action switch, a wall mounting frame, a switch hand e pivotally mounted in said frame, means for limit'ng the rotative movement of said handle in both directions with respect to said frame, a bracket pivotaly mounted about the same axis as said handle but extending in the opposite directon, a spring attached to said handle and bracket respectively, to move the bracket from one angular position on one side of said handle to another angular position on the other side of the handle whenever the latter is moved from one of its end positions to the other, stop means on said frame for limiting the rotative movement of said bracket with respect to said handle, a contact carrying yoke straddling said bracket and rotatable about the pivot of the latter, spring means connecting said bracket and yoke, a latch lever pivotally mounted on said frame for holding said contact carrying yoke in its normal initial latched position when said bracket is rotated away from said latch lever to its oppositely arranged angular posit'on with respect to said switch handle upon operation of the latter, and action delay means including a train of gears supported by said frame, an operative connection between said handle and sad train of gears for restoring said action relay means when the handle is in one of its end positions and for permitting said train of gears to unwind upon movement of said handle to its other end position, and a rotatable cam yieldinglever after a predetermined period of time and thereby cause a release of said contact carrying yoke which under the influence of said spring means connecting the latter with said bracket rotates with a snap-like action toward said bracket means, said delay action means being arranged to retard operation of said cam in a direction of latch tripping movement.

6. In a delayed action switch, a pivotally mounted switch handle, a bracket pivotally aosases 7 mounted about the same pivot axis as said handle and extending in the opposite direction of the same, a tension spring attached to said handle and bracket respectively, to move said bracket to an angular position with said handle whenever the latter is moved beyond alinement with said bracket, a contact carrying yoke straddling said bracket and rotatable about the pivot of the latter, spring means connecting said bracket and yoke, latch means for holding said contact carrying yoke in its normal initial latched position when said bracket is rotated away from said latch means to its oppositely arranged angular position with respect to said switch handle upon operation of the latter, and action delay means including a train of gears, an operative connection between said handle. and said train of gears for restoring said action delay means when the handle is in one of its end positions and for permitting said train of gears to unwind upon movement of said handle to its other end position, and a rotatable cam, yielding spring means for urging said cam in a direction to engage and trip said latch means after a predetermined period of time and thereby cause a release of said contact carrying yoke which under the influence of said spring means connecting the latter with said bracket rotates with a snap-like action toward said bracket means.

7. In a delayed action switch, a frame, a switch handle pivotally mounted in said frame, means for limiting the rotative movement of said handle in both directions with respect to said frame, a bracket pivotally mounted about the same axis as said handle but extending in the opposite direction, a spring attached to said handle and bracket respectively, to move the bracket from one angular position on one side of said handle to another angular position on the other side of the handle whenever the latter is moved from one of its end positions to the other, stop means on said frame for limiting the rotative movement of said bracket with respect to said handle, a contact carrying yoke straddling said bracket and rotatable about the pivot of the latter, a contact bar attached to said yoke with its opposite contact making ends arranged diametrically opposite of the pivot axis of said yoke, a detent on said bracket, spring means for urging the detent on said bracket in engagement with said yoke, latch means for holding said contact carrying yoke in its latched position when said bracket is rotated away from said latch means to its oppositely arranged angular position with respect to said switch handle uponoperation of the latter, yielding trip means urged into engagement with said latch means, and clock train mechanism for retarding movement of said trip means in a direction of latch tripping movement, said clock train mechanism being operatively connected with said handle and adapted to become effective upon actuation of said handle to release said trip means to actuafe said latch means after a predetermined period of time, whereupon said contact carrying yoke is caused to rotate under the influence ot said spring means until said yoke engages said detent on said bracket.

8. In a delayed action switch, a frame, a switch handle pivotally mounted in said frame, means for limiting the rotative movement of said handle in both directions with respect to said frame, a bracket pivotally mounted about the same axis as said handle but extending in the opposite direction, a spring attached to said handle and bracket respectively, to move the bracket from one angular position on one side of said handle to another angular position on the other side of the handle whenever the latter is moved from one of its end positions to the other, stop means on said frame for limiting the rotative movement of said bracket with respect to said handle, a contact carrying yoke straddling said bracket and rotatable about the pivot of the latter, a contact bar attached to said yoke with its opposite contact making ends arranged diametrically cpposite of the pivot axis of said yoke, spring means connecting said bracket and yoke, means on said bracket for limiting rotative movement of said yoke with respect to said bracket under the action of said spring means, a latch lever pivotally mounted on said frame for preventing rotation of said contact carrying yoke when said bracket is rotated to one ofA its end positions opposite said latch upon operation of the handle in a corresponding direction, clock train mechanism operatively connected with said handle and including a rotatable cam adapted to actuate said latch lever after a predetermined period of time and thereby cause a release of said contact carrying yoke which under the inuence of said spring means connecting the latter with said bracket rotates with a snap-like action toward said bracket means, said cam being yieldingly urged in a direction of latch tripping movement and retarded from latch tripping engagement by said action delay means.

EARL W. HOWARD.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,933,249 Frederica Oct. 3l, 1933 1,996,173 Rhodes Apr. 2, 1935 2,056,193 Hubbell, Jr. Oct. 6, 1936 2,112,422 McCullough et al. Mar. 29, 1938 2,240,189 Linde et al. Apr. 29, 1941