US2547998A - Impulse relay - Google Patents

Description

April 10, 1951 w. w. BRocKwAY IMPULSE RELAY Filed Nov. 3, 1945 t @tgl www.

lN V EN TOR.

l/V/LHELM M eocfM/A Y.

Patented Apr. 10, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IMPULSE RELAY Wilhelm W. Brockway, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application November 3, 1945, Serial N0. 626,513

(Cl. ZOO-105) 2 Claims.

The invention relates to electric apparatus and has particular reference to an impulse relay mounted in a conventional outlet box provided with knock-out holes. Although the design of electric apparatus and particularly switches and relayshas been conventionalized to a large extent, there is an ever present need of simplifying structures of this kind so that they can be made economically and can be installed with a minimum expenditure of man hours of a mechanics time.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved relay device which is sufficiently compact so that it can be fitted to the knock-out hole of a standard conduit outlet box, provision being .made for a low' voltage connection outside and a high voltage connection sealed Within the box.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved impulse relay device wherein parts are held in place without the use of screws so that it may be quickly assembled and disassembled.

sun another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved impulse relay device necessitating the use of but a single screw in the initial assembly and having the parts so constructed that they are spring-located in assem-v bled relationship permitting ready disassembly by contracting the spring to free one part from its engagement with another.

A further object of the invention is to provide an impulse relay incorporating an armature which is so mounted that it moves bodily against the resistance of springs, thereby reducing frictional resistance to a substantial minimum.

A still further object of the invention is to incorporate a snap-action contact in an impulse relay which is adjustable to a Wide variety of contact combinations without necessitating any change in the operation of the armature.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the ccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevational view of the device.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the device taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an exploded view of an adjustable composite shaft incorporating a ratchet wheel and Cam wheels.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of the device.

Figure 6 is a side View, partly in section, of a modified form of a coil cover.

Although considerable attention in the past has been directed to the simplification of manually operated electric switches there has been considerable resistance to changes in devices designed for automatic operation. Much of this resistance has been due to the feeling that unless automatic devices are of rugged construction they do not incorporate a sufficient safety factor to be installed in remote or inaccessible places where servicing may be difficult and infrequent. To provide an automatic switch which incorporates a sufficient safety factor and at the same time is of simple and inexpensive construction requires that careful attention be given to operating parts so that they have a freedom of operation while at the same time are so designed and are so assembled that they cannot readily get out of order. It is also highly desirable in apparatus of this kind to provide a simple assembly process so that the parts fit more or less automatically into their proper places with respect to each other and need be secured by only one or two tightening devices such as screws so that the likelihood of placing undue strain upon delicate parts when assembling or mounting is reduced to a negligible quantity.

An important application of a device of the kind described herein is its use in a normal house lighting circuit. It is contemplated that the impulse relay Will be located in the light fixture box and connected to a push button switch adapted to momentarily close the circuit, such for example, as the push button switch disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 626,512 led November 3, 1945, now Patent No. 2,546,086,v

March 20, 1951.

Used in this manner the impulse relay eliminates conduit and high voltage wires between the light outlet and the switch. Inasmuch as only a normal door bell transformer circuit is 3 needed to operate the impulse relay carrying no more than 24 volts, ordinary door bell wire may comprise the only connection between the push button switch and the relay. The 110 volt wires can be led directly to the relay terminals within a suitable outlet box.

It will be apparent, also, that complex two, three and four way light switching circuits involving multiple wire connections and conduit may be replaced with equal facility by open run bell wire. In this set-up push buttons may be in parallel at the respective control points in the house. Normal prohibitive multiple switch costs are minimized, and any number of light control points can be used with only the added cost of extra switches.

Another important consideration is the facttion of the relay in a knockout hole` plugsthe knockout hole and satisfies necessary safety` refA quirements.

In,v an embodiment chosen to illustrate asimplied device incorporating requisite safety factors, there is shown an impulse type relay assembly adapted to nt into outlet box |63 which has a conventional knockout hole ll ofv the usual size, as small as, in someV instances, V8. The relay device consists of two main operations, one constituting4 a mechanical device mounted upon a frame I2 and the other constituting an electric coil assembly I3.

The electric coil comprises a core I4,having a shaded pole I5y at one end held in place with relation to the core and coil by a molded plastic disk I3. At the other end of the coil is a similar molded plastic disk I7 in which is molded ater- `minal post I 8 having a lateral extension I 9 and a terminal screw 20.

A mounting ringy 2l issecured in place around,

the shaded core from which it is insulated by a portion of the plastic disk I6, The ring is pro vided with a flange 22 for mounting purposes. It willrbe noted that the diameter ofthe ilange is slightly smaller thanthe diameter of the knock,- out hole il so that the mounting ring may be passed through thevhole. A coil cover 23 surrounds the coil and extendsvinto a position surrounding the smallend of Vthermounting ring and is held inyplace by, a screw 2li which extends into the core lli. When the coil and cover are mounted upon the box the cover, together with the other metallic parts of the device, complete a magnetic circuit around the coil. It should be borne in mind, however, that the cover is preferably not applied tothe coil until after the parts of the device are assembled.

The remaining parts of the impulse relay construction are all supported by the frame l2. Included among the partsis a mounting block 215i of dielectric material which is attached to the upper side of the frame by means of an assembly screw 25. Also attached to the frame by means of the same screw is a spring keeper 26 and a spring 27. It will be noted that the spring is provided with arcuately extending wings 28 and 29 designed to contact the inside surface of the top wall of the box Il).

At the other end of the frame isa similar mounting block 3i) likewise of dielectric material which may be held in place by a flathead screw 3|. Mounted uponv the block 30 is acontact arm 33 having an overhanging portion 34 pressed against the lower side of the block. The contact arm is retained by an angle element 35 held in place by screws 36 and 37. The block is provided with a recess 38 for the contact arm so that it cannot slip from its proper place. A second recess 39 is also provided within which another contact arm may be placed whenever desired.

On the other block 24 there is mounted a coni tact arm 40 received in a recess 4I and retained therein by a screw 42. A similar recess 47 is provided in the event a second set of contact arms may be used. The contact arm il has a point 43 adapted to engagea corresponding point 44 on the other contact arm so that a suitable electric contact can be made whenever the points are brought together. The screw 42 serves as a binding post for an electric lead A5, and the screw 37 provides a binding post a lead on the opposite side of the points. The contact arm 33 has a central depressed portion a6, the purpose of which will be `described later.

Associated with the contact arm 33 is a composite shaft 50, shown in detail in Fig. 4, and

adapted to be supported' by brackets 5l and 52,

at the sides of theframe intermediate the mounting blocks. rihe composite shaft comprises a shaft pin 53 having a head 54 at one end and a cotter pin aperture 55 at the other end in which may be inserted a cotter pin 56. pin 53 extends through suitable holes in the brackets 5I and 52.

vMounted upon the pin is a ratchet wheel 7-7 which has serrated lateral extensions 57 andv 58. At the sides of the ratchet wheel are cam wheels 59 and 63 having flats 6I, three in number inithis example for the sake of-r illustration, spaced-equid-istant about the circumference of. the wheel.

The number of teeth on the ratch wheel normally will have a direct relation to the number of flats onrthe cam wheels. A cut-out portion 48 in the frame provides a space in which the cam Wheels may rotate unrestricted. Collars 62 and 63 are adapted to t between the respective cam Wheels and adjacent brackets thus completing the composite shaft. The cam wheels are provided with serrated interiors 65 so that they mayy be adjusted upon the cam wheel with respect toeach other and with respect to teeth on the ratchete wheel. The construction just described conftemplates thesubstitution of a ratchetwheel or cam wheels or both having a different number of teeth or ats toallow a variation in the operating eifect.

A combination actuator and armature 66 is adapted to rotate thercomposite shaft by means of the ratchet wheel. The armature consists of a relatively wide section 67 anda narrow actuat-Vv ing end.6r8.having a tapered edge which is adapted to engage the teeth oft the ratchet wheel one by` one. At its other end the armature is provided` there is a certain amount of freedom of movement of the armature with respect to the frame. In order to hold the armature in proper position there are provided a pair of extensions 69,v located one onl each side of and spacedfrom thel thin finger 68.

The extensions are designed to fit loosely within holes 70. The extensions are spaced a suflicient distance on `eachside of the finger so that a spring 7| may be fitted around the. :finger between the nger and the extensions, The spring presses at one end against the endof'the frame and at the TheV other end longitudinally against the armature at the bottom of the spaces separating the finger from the extensions. The thrust of the spring, therefore, tends to urge the armature endwise in a. downward direction, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, and thus presses the end of the linger against the ratchet wheel.

A second coiled spring 12 is located at the opposite end of the armature, retained in position by spring keepers 13 and 14, and tends to rotate the armature in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2.

When the device is initially assembled all of the parts which are to be attached to the frame l2 are secured in place so that the frame and its numerous parts comprise one unit in the assembly and the parts of the coil which include the core, shaded pole, mounting ring and plastic discs comprise another unit.

To install both units thus described in the outlet box I0 the mounting ring is pushed through the knock-out hole I I until the flange of the ring extends within the box. The frame is then applied to the box so that a hole 15 in the base of the frame receives the mounting ring. While this is being done the spring 21 may be depressed by pressing the frame upwardly. The flange of the mounting ring is then extended inside of the bottom of the frame so that the bottom of the frame underlies the flange and is pressed downwardly against the main portion of the mounting ring by force of the spring 21. This operation interlocks the coil within the frame and the outlet box. When the assembly just described has been completed the coil cover 23 may be applied to the coil and secured in place by the screw 24 so that the rim of the coil cover presses snugly against the exterior of the adjacent .vall of the outlet box. When this has been completed all of the parts are firmly engaged one with another. Upon disassembly it is necessary only to elevate the frame 2 in order to disengage the upper rim of the hole 15 from the flange of the mounting ring and the frame can then be drawn from the box. Disengagement of the units likewise frees the coil assembly and, where the outside diameter has been kept to a size smaller than the knock-out hole, the coil can be removed through the box from its position behind the knock-out hole.

In operation, an electric lead, of voltage as low as 24 volts such as that from a door bell transformer, is connected to one coil terminal by the screw 2D, the other coil terminal may be grounded through the coil cover and the metal cable of the electric lead. When the coil is energized the armature 66 is drawn against the end of the shaded pole against the pressure of spring 14 and likewise against the pressure of spring 1|. The armature thus moves in two directions, bothl lateral and in an endwise upward direction. The throw of the armature is suflicient to advance the ratchet wheel one notch. When advanced, the ratchet wheel will be held in its new position by a detent 16. As soon as the coil is de-energized the springs 1| and 14 return the armature to the position shown in Fig. 2. The corner of the mounting block 24 adjacent the armature will block movement of the armature toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, and thus prevent the spring 14 from moving the armature too far when the coil is de-energized.

As the ratchet wheel is rotated it rotates the composite shaft and likewise the cam wheels 59 and 60. At initiation of operation one of the ats 6| of the cam wheel 59 may be located be- 6 neath the depressed portion 46 of the Contact arm 33. In this position it may be presumed that the contact points 33 and 34 are separated from each other. As the cam wheel rotates a high portion of the cam adjacent the flat will be pressed against the depressed portion of the contact arm and lift the arm so that the contact points are engaged, thus closing a circuit through the relay. Continued operation of the armature continues the rotation of the composite shaft and periodically makes and breaks contact between the points. By adjusting the cam wheel 59 with respect to the position of the teeth on the ratchet wheel the points may be retained either separated or in contact for any given position of the ratchet wheel.

Should an additional number of contacts be desired by operation of the relay, another pair of contact arms may be applied to the mounting blocks on the opposite side in the space provided, and the second set of contact arms could then be: operated by the cam wheel 60. This cam wheel likewise may be adjusted as desired with respect to the ratchet wheel or the cam wheel 59. To change the adjustment of either cam wheel it is. necessary only to withdraw the cotter pin 66 and the pin 53 and then separate either one or both4 of the cam wheels from the ratchet wheel, rotat ing them a desired amount to provide the new adjustment and then re-apply them to each other followed by again mounting them upon the pin 53. The serrations will retain the cam wheels inv fixed position with relation to the ratchet wheel. It will be obvious that a great variety of combi-- nations of contacts may be incorporated, as for example, by selecting two cam wheels on one of' which a low side or flat is followed by two high side intervals preceding another flat while on the other cam wheel a low side or flat is followed'V by one high Side interval preceding two low side. intervals or flats. With a combination such as this. wherein the Contact points` close 110 volt lighting circuits of similar magnitude, rotation of the composite shaft one interval will close both circuits, rotation of the shaft a second interval will open one of the circuits but leave the second circuit closed following which rotation of the compositel shaft still another interval will open both circuits.. In this way a battery of lights could be turned on full, then diminished by one-half and finally turned out. It will be obvious that the cam wheels can be constructed with high sides and low sidesv in a wide variety of combinations and sequence;v to secure any one of a wide variety of effects. Although the low Voltage coil connection may be exposed, high voltage lighting connections may safely be sealed within the outlet box.

In a modified form of the device illustrated in Figure 5 there is incorporated a moving core solenoid instead of the stationary core solenoid illustrated in the embodiment first described. In the modified form an outlet box Hl provided with a knockout hole is designed to house a frame l2. Secured to the frame are insulated mounting blocks 8U and 8|. A switch contact point 82 is shown on the block 80, and on the block 8| is mounted a switch arm 83 bearing a contact point 84 adapted to close upon the point 82. For shifting the contact arm between open and closed positions there is provided a cam wheel 85 rotatably mounted upon the frame by means similar to that described in the first form. The cam wheel provides a lift for elevating the arm to a position wherein the contact points are separated,

Non-rotatably secured to the cam wheel is a ratchet wheel 876 which is engaged by a one way detent 8l'. A lcwvoltage coilk88Lv secured within a coverl 89 has' an axial bore 9d' within which a moving core 9| is adapted to reciprocate.

Mounted on the outside end or" the moving core' isla bracket 92 and a hook 93'pivoted3 to@th'eb'racl:` et and adapted to engage the ratchet wheel. A coiled spring 95 anchored at one end to a prol' jection on the hook and at the other end tol a pin secured to the frame serves the combined purpose of drawing the core outwardly' againl aft'er'it has been retracted by a magnetic impulse and also holding the hook releasably' in engageay ment with the ratchet wheel. Inf other respects the modiedV construction. has'- the same generalv characteristics as the rst described: form which permits itto be readily removedfromthe outlet b'oxi.

A second modified form of the devicesh'own in Figure' 6, incorporates a modiiied means! o'fat-y taching the assembly to an outlet box I. The particular means of attachment may be used, with suitable modifications,- with the device illus'- trated in. either of Figures 1L or 5.

In particular, the device comprises a coil unit H10' having permanently attached atr one endta framev unit 10|. These units areV substantially the same. with regard.- to their working parts'as"y the coil and frame portions of' the. previously describedl forms;

A special means of attachmentv is provided which consists lof a series of springv clips |022 spaced about the circumference of theV exterior of the coil unit and are adapted normally.4 to" spring outwardly. The spring clips have end vportions H13 bentover ata slight' angle. Thev exterior of the coil unit contains' recesses IM adapted,I to receive the end portions when theyv are pressedv inwardly. It Should be noted,.also, that the diam`- eter of theexterior of the coil unit, includingthe` added thicknessof the clips`,.will be. slightly'less than the diameter of a knock-out. aperture |05; It will be appreciated, however, that the exte-r rior of the coilunit itself may be slit so as to provide the necessary spring. clips.l

When the form shown-in Figure 6 is assembled, the coil unit is pushed throughvthe knock-out aperture, and during this portion of. the assembly the spring clips will be pressed inwardly against the outer surface of the coil unit. As soon as the assembledcoil and frame units reach the position shown in Figure 6,1theclips will spring. outwardly to the positions shown and firmly secure the parts in place. To remove the device fromthe. outlet. box it is necessary only to grasp the frameunit firmly and pull with suflicient force lto force the bent over end portions of the clips inwardly suffrcient to permit the coil unit to be pulled back through the knock-out aperture into the outlet box..

In all forms of the device, ybecause ofthe fact? that all of the working parts maybe removed. from the front of the box, the box in either case' can be plastered in theceiling.'or"wall"without in` any way interering'with the accessibilityof the interior ofthe box from the room side'. Nor: mally alight Xture will be so locatedas to'cover the outside ofthe boxl on the roomsid'e';

VBy, the construction just described th'erehas been provided a compact impulse relay mechani-sm wherein moving'parts-have-been heid* to al minimum andso designed that parts of the devicev performa multiple function, thereby making it' possible to reduceV the f number of parts-without 8 reducing the number of functions. By constructing the device` in separate units the units: caribe applied toy a stationary structure such as an out`J let box and a great deal ottime saved in both installing and servicing. TheL device isE further so designed that it is capable of a great numberl of contact combinations which can bev changed at will in the eld without it being necessary to' entirely disassemble the relay apparatus;

Although the invention hasl been herein' shown anddescribedin what is conceived tobe the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom' within the` scope of the invention, which is not to b-elimited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope" of the claims sol as to embrace any and all equivalent structures.

Having described my invention, what I'Y clair as new and desire to'secure by Letters Ps'itent isz' 1. In an impulse relay, a mounting bracket of generallyv L-shape, including. a generally hat mounting plate and an integral arm projecting from one end' thereof transverse to the plane thereof, a solenoid mounted on said plate, said arm having a pair of spaced apertures, an armature of fiat plate form disposed generally parallel to said plate and having at one end a pair ofj fingers loosely extending through said aperturesand terminating in hooked ends operative to engage saidarm to limit endwise movement' of'said armature, said armature havinga thirdlinger disposed centrally between andspaced frcmfsaid pair' of hooked lingers, a coil spring encircling said third finger and engaged under compression between said armature and said arm, a rotatable step by step switch actuator having a ratchet wheel, mounted on said plate in a position for generally L-shape, including a generally flat.

mounting-.plateand an integralarm projecting from one end thereof transverse to the'plane thereof, afsolenoid mOuntedOn-said-pIate, with its axis substantially .at right angles tothe plate, said solenoid extending through the plate', with its pole endA disposed adjacent the inner side'ofv the plate,` the major portion ofthe solenoid piro'-M jecting from' the out-er side ofi'the plate', a `Contactr mounting member carried by theouter end of' said arm, a second- Contact mounting member' securedto and projecting fromthe'otherA endtoff said plate, generally parallel to saidvv arm, an

electrical contactl and a sw'itch'arrn mounted on" said mounting members respectivelyand projecting toward each other in overlapping relation :and

in generally parallel and spaced relation to -said plate, an armature pivoted atoneend to said 'armfy between said first mentioned'contact' mountingf member and said plate and extending across sa'id pole, a rotatable step by step switch a'ctua'te'rfrv mounted on sa'id plate in operative association'- with the other end of said armature; including aA ratchetv wheel for actuation thereby when said solenoid is energized and falcaml'l'fcr 'actuatings'aid switch arm, said armature and! cambeing d'isi` posed in the space between said switch arm, contact and plate.

YWILHIH'JM W. BROCKWAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le o1' this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Stirn Feb. 27, 1894 Noeggerath June 16, 1908 Carson Oct. 12, 1909 Hawkins Mar. 17, 1914 Zakrzewsk et al. Sept. 21, 1915 m Cariehoff Aug. 5, 1924 Miles et al. Mar. 22, 1927 Anderson Nov. 4, 1930 Number Number

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