US2561450A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

y 1951 F. .1. RUSSELL 2,561,450

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed March 21, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l y 24, 1951 F. J. RUSSELL 2,561,450

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed March 21, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 g 5646 787 674.3% 4a 4a 46 E 7 BMW July 24, 1951 F. J. RUSSELL 2,561,450

ELECTRIC SWITCH Fild March 21, 1945 1 s Sheets-Sheet z Patented July 24, 1951 UNITBDQ PATENT f OFFICE ELECTRIC SWITCH Frank J. Russell, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignor to Cutler-Hammer, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis a corporation of Delaware Application March 21, 1945, Serial No. ssasss load conditions.

f trated without departing from This invention relates is particularly applicable to multi pole solenoid operated contactor's which are capable oi general use but control.

are especially adapted for aircraft large aircraft of recent design are provided with control systems in which a "phase A. 0.

current of relatively high voltage is used" to operate various motor driven controls. In these systems it is necessary to 'eifect control of the A. .C. circuits by means of electromagnetic contactors which are capable of being controlled from remote points through the medium or dinot current pilot circuits of low voltage. Con- I tactors for this service must have'various characproportion to 6. Confinement and quick extinguishment of The present invention has among its objects .to provide a'simple, rugged and inexpensive multinoted characteristics.

Another object is to provide acontactor of the pole solenoid operated contactor having the above aforesaid character having a novel are extinguish .ingnnd confining structure for the contacts of the several poles which is-dust-tight and which renders the switch capable of interrupting exceedingly heavy currents without flashover arcingbetween the contacts of the various poles.

v Another object is to provide an improved sole- .noid operating mechanism for contactors of the aforesaid type which is. positive and reliable in operation and which provides for closure of the contacts without rebound.

vYaricqus other objects and advantages ofthe invention will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawings illustrate arr-embodiment of the invention which will now be described. it being understood. that various modifications may be-made in theembodiment illusthe spirit and scopeofthe appended claims. I

[In the drawings;

; 1 Claims. (01. 2004144) to electric switchesand Figure 1 is a side elevational view of'a contactor embodying the invention;

P18. 2 is an end elevational view of a contactor shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on linel-i of Fig-2;

Fig. 4 is a-diagrammatic view of the solenoid operating winding shown in Fig. 3 and a control thereforincluding an auxiliary Figs. 2 and 3; 1

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line H of Pig. 5;

v Fig. '7 is an'isometric view of the contact enclosing parts illustrated in section in Figs. 3 and 5, and

of the contactor parts illustrated in Fig. 3.

The contactor illustrated in the drawings consists of an operating assembly I and a contact assembly I. solenoid winding 3 and an associated magnetic .plunger 4 which are carried by a pair of end supporting brackets I and t. Contact assembly '2 includes aplurality of movable bridging. contacts I each of which cooperates with a pair of stationarycontacts I and i. Stationary contacts I and I are mounted upon an insulating 'base 0 which is secured to the end brackets i and i, and bri in contacts I are carried by an elongated insulating bar I! which is operatively connected to plunger 4 by a pivoted operating lever I I. Base plate S has a removable insulating cover I! mounted thereon. and as hereinafter set forth said base plate is provided with barrier projections which engage bar it and fit into recesses formed on the interior of said cover to provide individualarcing chambers for each of the stationary contacts 8' and l".

More specifically, solenoid winding 3 is mounted within a magnetic casing lsof tubular form. and 0 as shown in Fig. 3 said winding is wound upon a having a magnetic washer IS. fixed to the left hand end thereof and a non-magnetic washer ll fixed to the right hand end thereof. Washer ll is secured between a shoulder-I I and an inwardly extending flange-projection il formed on the left hand end of easing i3 and washer l6 fits snugly within the right hand end of said casing. Brackets I and 6 are clamped against opposite ends of easing llby four bolts I! to m, which extend between said brackets. These bracketsare formed of magnetic sheet material and each is provided with a rcctangular body portion; having parallel leg extensions 12 and c formed on opposite sides 55. thereof. The body portions a of brackets i and s switch shown in 1 Figs. 8 and 9 are perspective views of certain Operating assembly I. includes a.

bobbin comprising a cylindrical brass tube ll,

3 ereprovidedwith corner openings (Pie. 2) for receivlnx the bolts ".nnd said hraeketsaresoartensed that the'lee extensions 1: and c thereof extendoutwerdlywithreepeottoonsingll. Washer II is shouldered to flt within an openinthebodyportioncoihrncketinnd thelntthsndi'soethereoi'isshnpedtoprovide Ii. Aoore plug 22,

snennuierpoleproieetion wlthinenopenincinthebodyportiona intothe righthnndend pported ehowninIlg.8theopposinghoeeot nndoorepluglisreprovidedwith sooilspring a.

provided with a pivot pin mldwny between the ends in Fig. 3 legv extension b to eoreplug II. enlergedheedfl iormedontheinnerendthereoiwhiehisheldin snesgementwithplungerlmtderthenctionoi sprhu 28 to provide ior movement of said pin withssidpluneer.

AsslwwninFig.4.solenoid winding'iesdsptrentincoilseetionl'isreduceduponinehnion olooilsectionl 'butwhenplungerlmoveslnto ite attracted position ooil section 3' acts oumulntively with ooil section I. Also upon mowenientoipluneerlintoits sttrectedpositionthe wlthinsleeve plunger 4.

4 ring projection ll with the face of pole projection ii on washer ll.

End bracket I is provided with s molded insnoisstrip ieltedeim ehowninl'iuisndtthebolts it's-mi medtoseoureeovermemberl'toitssseocistedbrsoketisndtheboltslvsndlrsre I. shownlnl'lgs.tsndo.insuletinebsrll together at opposite ends by rivets 42. These seetionssreiormsdtoprovideeouellyspaced openings 48 for receiving toward the left through the medium of toefl'eotenesgementotbridgingeonteets'lw their cooperating etstionsry eontsots I Upon i'ull movement of her it into its ex air-Z portionsliissecuredtobsseibynscrewbindinl post II which is sssocieted with the outer end holdineroreethereonissusmentedbyseslingoi 75 thereof.

As hereinbefore stated, base 9 has a removable insulating cover I! mounted thereon, and said b is provided with barrier projections which engage bar II and fit into recesses formed on the interior of said cover to provide individual arcing chambers for each of the stationary contacts 8 and I". As shown in Figs. 5 and 7, the top face of base I is formed to provide two rows of similarly shaped upwardly extending barriers 52 and 53 which are arranged in opposed relationon opposite sides of bar ll. Each of these rows includes end barriers 54 and 55 and two intermediate barriers 56 and 51. The barrier projections in row 52 extend outwardly from one side of bar II to provide spaced recesses for stationary contacts t and the barrier projections in row 53 extend outwardly from the opposite side of said bar to provide spaced recesses for stationary contacts 9'. Each of the barrier projections 5| to 51 has a right angle projection 41 formed on the inner end thereof for engaging bar It.

Cover i2 is box-shaped to receive barrier projections SI to 51 and is secured to base 9 by means of screws 58 carried by lug projections 59 formed on the upper face of said base. As shown in Fig. 7, the top wall of cover 12 is provided with an elongated recess 69 for receiving bar it, and said wall is also provided with recesses 6| for receiving the upper ends of projections 54* on barriers 54, recesses 52 and S3 for receiving the upper ends of barriers 56 and 51; recesses it for receiving barriers 55 and projections 65 for engaging barriers Sl. Also the side walls of said cover are provided with recesses 66 for receiving the outer edges of barriers 55, 56 and 51. A heat resisting gasket 61 formed of asbestos sheet mate rial is interposed between base 9 and cover I! to provide a dust-tight joint between these parts.

As is apparent from the foregoing, the above described barriers form with bar Ill and cover [2 small individual arcing chambers for the several stationary contacts 8 and 9. Base 9, bar It and cover I2 are preferably formed of molded melamine resin material, and in practice it has been found that by forming these parts of this material the contact enclosing structure is capable oi handling exceedingly heavy arcing currents without flash-over between contacts of the various poles. While applicant does not desire to be restricted to any particular theory of operation of his are extinguishing structure its effectiveness may extend at least in part to the use of melamine resin in the above mentioned parts which prevents what is known as are tracking and also to the provision of small arcing chambers for the various stationary contacts.

It has been found that the above described solenoid operating mechanism eifects closure of bridging contacts I without substantial rebound and also provides an exceedingly large operating force for moving said contacts into circuit closing position and for maintaining the same therein. Plunger I and bar III are so designed that the same are of equal weight. As hereinbefore stated, lever H is pivoted midway between its ends and it is thus apparent that accelerating forces which tend to move bar It and plunger 4 longitudinally are neutralized through the medium of said lever.

As hereinbefore stated, base 9 is secured to brackets 5 and 6 by screws ll. These screws extend through slotted openings in legs 5 and 6 of brackets 5 and 6 and are threaded into base 9. Thus by loosening screws 4| base 9 can be adjusted with respect to brackets 5 and 6 to vary the degree of movement of bar It upon energizetion of solenoid winding 3. As is apparent from Fig. 3, upon adjustment of base 9 toward the right, plunger 4 is moved outwardly with respect to winding 3 to increase the degree of movement of bar It, while adjustment of said base in an opposite direction has an opposite eifect. Base 9 is adjusted with respect to brackets '5 and 6 by a pair of set screws 69. These set screws engage shoulders Ill formed onopposite ends of base 9 and are carried by brackets H fixed to the legs 5 and 6 of brackets 5 and 5.

The lower ends of the screw binding posts 5| are insulated from brackets 5 and 6 by a sheet of insulating material I2 which is interposed between said brackets and the underside of base 9. Also the upper ends of said binding posts are shielded by a pair of insulating cover members 13 which are secured to opposite sides of base 9 by screws [4. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5 solenoid winding 3 is provided with terminal leads 15 which are connected to screw binding posts 16 mounted upon the right hand end of base 9.

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

1. In a circuit controller, in combination, a stationary insulating base, a plurality of contact sets each including a pair of stationary contacts and a cooperating bridging contact, said bridging contacts being arranged in spaced parallel relation and said stationary contacts being fixed to said base, and an elongated insulating carrier for said bridging contacts located between said pairs of stationary contacts and guided and supported upon said base for reciprocation in a straight line to move said bridging contacts into and out of engagement with their associated stationary contacts, and a box-shaped insulating cover secured to said base and forming therewith a complete dust-tight enclosure for ,said contacts and said carrier, said carrier and its associated bridging contacts being held in assembled position upon said base by said cover member and said base being provided with barrier projections on opposite sides of said carrier which fit into recesses formed on the interior of said cover and form with said cover and said carrier individual arcing chambers of restricted volume for said stationary contacts.

2. A multi-pole switch comprising an elongated reciprocable slide bar of insulating material, a plurality of contact sets spaced longitudinally with respect to said bar and each comprising a pair of stationary contacts arranged on opposite sides of said bar and a cooperating bridging contact mounted transversely upon said bar, an insulating enclosure for said contact sets including a bas member and a removable cover member, said stationary contacts being fixed to said base member and each pair thereof having integral terminal portions which extend outwardly and in opposite directions with respect to said bar through terminal outlets provided in opposite sides of said base member and said base member having walls which form with said bar and said cover member individual arcing chambers for each stationary contact together with a portion of its cooperating bridging contact, said chambers each wholly isolating the arcing occurring at each of the respective stationary contacts.

3. A multi-pole switch comprising an elongated reciprocable slide bar of insulating material, a, plurality of contact sets spaced longitudinally with respect to said bar and each comprising a pair of stationary contacts arranged on opposite sides of said bar and a cooperating bridging contact mounted transversely upon said 1hr, an ina,ssi,sso

sulating enclosure for said bar and said contact sets to which said stationary contacts are fixed, said enclosure having partitions and together with said bar forming for each fixed contact and the cooperating part of its brid in contact an individual isolating chamber, and said bar throughout its operating range having its opposite ends projected into closely fitting pockets iormedinthewallsoisaidenclosuretomaintain said bar eflective as an insulating barrier between said sets of stationary contacts in all operating positions of said bar.

4. asanarcextinguishingdeviceforanelectric switch of the class wherein circuit is closed and opened by bridging contacts moving into and out of engagement with pairs oi stationary contacts, in combination, a common insulating movable carrier in which are transversely mounted said bridging contacts, and an insulating housing having barriers which interengage with said carrier to provide for each stationary contact and a portion of its associated bridd contact an individual arcing chamber, each or which chambers is isolated from the others for wholly isolating the arcing occurring between each of the stationary contacts and their associated bridging contacts.

5. A multi-pole switch comprising an elongated reciprocable slide bar formed of insulating material, a plurality of contact sets spaced longitudinally with respect to said bar, each of said contact sets including a pair of stationary contacts arranged on opposite sides of said bar and a cooperating bridging contact mounted transversely upon said bar, and an insulating enclosure for said contact sets including a base member and a removable cover member, said base member having walls which form with said bar and said cover member individual arcing chambers .for each of said stationary contacts and a portion 01' its cooperating bridging contact, each of said individual chambers being isolated from the others for wholly isolating the arcing occurring between each of the stationary contacts and their cooperating bridging contacts.

6. A multi-pole switch comprising, in combination, an insulating slide bar having a plurality of spaced bridging contacts transversely mounted thereon, end contact portions on each or said bridging contacts, a pair or stationary contacts associated with each of said bridging contacts to be engaged by the end contact portions thereof, and an insulating housing providing in cooperation with said slide bar a plurality of individual enclosed arcing chambers, one for each stationary contact and the mating end contact portion of its associated bridging contact, said chambers each being isolated from the others for wholly isolating arcing occurring between said stationary contacts and their associated bri gin contacts.

7. In an electric switch, in combination, a stationary insulating base, a plurality 0! contact sets each including a pair of stationary contacts mounted upon said base and an associated movable bri l contact, a common insulating carrier for said bridging contacts supported by said base and reeiprocable in a straight line to move said bridging contacts into and out of engagement with their associated stationary contacts, and an insulating cover member secured to said base and iorming in cooperation with said base and said imulating carrier an individual enclosed arcing chamber for each stationary contact and the mating portion 01' its associated bridging contact. said chambers each being isolated from the others tor wholly isolating arcing occurring between said stationary contacts and their associated bridging contacts.

FRANK J. RUSSELL.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 595,330 Moskowitz Dec. 14, 1097 1,706,158 Hendricks, Jr Mar. 19, 1929 2,071,149 Wilms et al Feb. 16, 1937 2,227,434 Bierenfeid Jan. 7, 1941 2,310,056 Bendz Feb. 2, 1943 2,326,825 McMahon Sept. 7, 1943 2,390,344 Ayers et a1 Dec. 4, i945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 688,207 Germany Feb. 16, 1940

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