US2622160A - Switch - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 16, 1952 C. J. WERNER SWITCH Filed April 29, 1950 Patented Dec. 16, 1952 SWITCH Calvin J. Werner, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application April 29, 1950, Serial No. 158,960

(Gl. 20G-5) Claims.

This invention relates to an improved electric switch particularly adapted to control a plurality of circuits.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an electric switch adapted, while one of two members thereof is manually actuated, temporarily to complete a plurality'oi circuits and when said one member is released, maintains only one of said circuits complete and active.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a switch as defined in the aforegoing paragraph, said switch, however, having a sec- 'ond member which, when manually actuated will break the single circuit maintained by the switch and will render all of the circuits of the switch incomplete until the said one member is again actuated, at which time said second member is automatically released to effect completion of all of the circuits.

Further objects and advantages of the prescnt invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the switch.

Fig. 2 is a side View of the switch.

Figt is a sectional view of the switch in complete circuit breaking position and is taken substantially along the line and in the direction of the arrows 3 3 of Fig. 1. For the sake of clearness, certain parts of the switch have been shown in full and in a position in which all circuits controllable by the switch are broken.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of one of the switch actuators.

Fig. 5 is a detail end view of the second switch actuator, both actuators being identical.

Fig. 6 is a view of the detent spring.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line and in the direction of the arrows of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken subtantially along the line and in the direction of the arrows 8--8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the flexible movable contact element of the switch.

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the rivet which holds the two portions of the switch connection in assembled relation.

The switch consists of a two piece housing 2|) made of any suitable insulating material. As shown in Fig. 'I the housing 20 consists of two cooperating portions 2| and 22, a partition 23 and 24 in the respective portions making them substantially E-shaped in cross section as shown in this figure. When placed together as shown in Fig. '7 they form compartments 25 and 26. A rivet 2 provided with a head 28 at one end, the other end being split to provide tongues 29, extends through aligned openings in the two housing portions 2| and 22. When the tongue portions 29 are swedged away from each other as shown in Fig. l this rivet securely holds the two housing portions 2| and 22 in assembled relation as shown in the Fig. 7.

The sectional view Fig. 3 shows all the component parts of the switch mounted within the housing portion 22. The switch has two sets of cooperating contacts, one of each set being stationary, the other movable. The stationary conn tacts of the sets are numbered 30 and 3| respectively. The cooperating movable contacts 32 and 33 respectively of said sets are carri-ed at opposite ends of a common resilient blade 34, the central portion of which has oppositely disposed tongues 35 and 33 which extend through aligned openings in the housing portions 22 and 2| thereby predeterminately locating and centrally anchoring this common resilient blade 34 within the housing. The extension 36 on this resilient blade 34 provides one terminal of the switch. The flexible blade 34 is normally biased when not inuenced by an actuator so that the contact 32 thereon normally engages its cooperating stationary contact 30 of the one set of contacts,

while the contact 33, carried at the opposite end of the resilient blade 34, is normally maintained out of engagement with its co-operating station ary contact 3l. Fig. 3 shows the blade 34 biased by actuator to separate contacts 30 and 32 whereby the switch is in complete circuit breaking condition. The stationary contact elements 30 and 3| are carried by similar plates detailedly shown in Fig. 7. In this figure the contact 3| is shown attached to a plate 38 one end of which extends through an opening in the houisng portion 22, the other end 39 extending through a similar opening in the housing portion 2|, this end forming the terminal for this stationary contact. It will be seen in the Figures 3 and '7 that the contact carrying plate 33 is secured within the housing portions 2| and 22 so that contact 3| on the said plate may be engaged by the contact 33 on the resiilent blade 34. An arm similar to plate 38, designated by the numeral 40, is supported between aligned openings in the housing portions 2| and 22 in such a manner however 3 that the contact 3U on said plate 4l) is positioned so as to be engageable by the contact 32 on the resilient blade 34.

Each housing portion 2| and 22 has spaced semi-circular extensions 4I-42 and 43-44 respectively which when the housing portions are assembled as shown in Fig. 1 form a circular support surrounding an opening in each housing portion in which an actuator is slidably supported. The semi-annular portions 42 and 44 of the two housing portions 22 and 2l respectively form the bearing in which the actuator 50 is slidably supported while the semi-circular portions 4I and 43 of the respective housing portions 22 and 2| form a slidable support for the actuator 63. The actuator 53 as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 has a cylindrical shaped body portion which slidably ts in the bearing 42-44 of the housing, the lower portion of this actuator being shaped to present two oppositely disposed ilat wall portions 52. Each wall portion 52 has a wedged shaped camming lug or nubbin 33, the upper surfaces of which cooperate with the shoulders 54 on said actuator to form a groove 55 on each side of the actuator, the attened wall portions 52 of the actuator extend beyond the cylindrical body portion 5| thereof so as to form a shoulder 53 which limits the outward movement of the actuator in the housing.

Actuator 50 a counter part of actuator 5B ex-v cepting that 60 is red and 53 black, also has a lower portion provided with oppositely disposed nat walls 62 each of which having wedged shaped camming lugs or nubbins 63 extending outwardly therefrom and cooperating with the shoulder 3'! on the actuator 6D to form groove t5 similar to the groove 55 in the actuator Fill. Actuator 53 has shoulders 63 which limits the outward movement of this actuator 60 in the housing 2i?. The ends of the ilattened portions of both actuators are sloped so as to provide substantially pointed corners on each actuator. The pointed corner of actuator 53 is normally engaged by the biased end of the flexible spring blade 34 upon which contact 33 is attached. The corner of the aetuator 6! as shown in Fig. 3 is constantly engaged by the biased end of resilient spring blade 34 which carries the contact 32. rIhis resilient spring blade 34 thus yieldably maintains both y actuators 5t and 53 in normal position as illustrated by the Fig. 2. As shown in this figure the two pairs of cooperating contacts are secured within the compartment 25 in the housing.

In compartment 25 of the housing there is provided a detent spring shown in Fig. 6 as being hairpin shaped and having a coiled head portion 'l0 from which extend two arms 'Il and 'i2 normally yieldably held in substantially parallel relation. When in position in the housing the arm 12 of the spring yieldably rests upon the two corresponding iiat sides 52 and G2 of the respective actuators 53 and 6B while the arm 'H rests upon the opposite nat sides of the said two actuators. Normally these arms rest upon the respective at sides of the actuator adjacent the lower ends of the camming lugs or nubbins 53 and 63 on the actuators 53 and (i3 whereby these arms il and l2 constantly assist spring blade 3d in holding these actuators in normal position in which their respective shoulders 56 and 33 are held against the inner wall of the housing 253.

The Fig. 3 shows the actuators 5e and 63 in their respective positions in which the resilient blade 34 is biased to maintain the cooperating contacts open and thus all circuits controlled by the switch will be broken and incomplete.

To actuate the switch so that all circuits controlled thereby are completed, the push button o1' actuator 5l] is pressed into the housing which moves the portion of blade 34 carrying contact 33 so that said contact 33 will engage its cooperating contact 3l. As the actuator 5U is so moved into the housing, the camming lugs or nubbins 53 thereon, being wedged shaped, will urge the actuator engaging arms 1I and 12 apart causing them to spread. Actuator 50, in moving blade 34 to cause engagement of contacts 3l and 33 will not move into the housing a suiiicient distance to have arms 1I and 12 enter grooves 55 on said actuator 50, thus the arms 'Il and 12 of the detent spring will at no time lock the actuator 5f) in its contact closing position but on the contrary said actuator will effect engagement of contacts 3| and 33 only while manual pressure is being exerted upon the actuator 50 to hold it in this position. As soon as such manual pressure upon the actuator 5 is removed. said actuator will be returned by blade 34 into its contact separating position as shown in Fig. 3.

The spreading of detent spring arms 1I and 12 by the camming lugs 53 of actuator 50 as just described will move said arms out of the grooves @5 of actuator 63. The spread of arms 'Il and I2 being wider than the outer extreme surfaces of the camming lugs 53 on actuator 60, permits blade 34 to move said actuator 60 into its normal or inoperative position in which the blade 34 assumes its normal biased position to move contact 32 into engagement with contact 3D.

Thus it will be seen that manual depression of actuator 5B into housing 20 concurrently effects engagement of the contacts 3l--33 and 32-30 and thereby completes all the circuits controlled by the switch. When actuator 53 is relieved of manual pressure thereon blade 34 returns it to inoperative position and in so doing effects separation of contacts 3|-33 and la consequent breaking of the circuit in which they are connected. Contacts 32-30 will, however, remain in circuit closing engagement until the actuator B is manually depressed which moves arm 34 to disengage contact 30 from contact 32 and again permits spring arms 'll and l2 to ride over the surfaces of camming lugs 63 and enter grooves E55 for locking and retaining the actuator in this circuit breaking position as shown in Fig. 3 in which all circuits controlled by the switch are broken.

According to this design a heavy duty switch for controlling multiple circuits may be made of minimum size and maximum strength.

This type of switch is particularly adapted to be used in connection with electric motors provided with a centrifugal field controlling switch, in that stalling of the motor which causes the centrifugal switch to shift into a motor starting position will not again be rendered operative until the actuator 50 of the control switch is closed, the engagement of contacts 30 and 32 which maintain operation of the motor after attaining proper speed, not eifecting motor operation or starting thereof after the speed of the motor has been reduced by stalling or overload.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An electric switch comprising an insulating housing; two stationary terminals in said housing each providing a contact; a resilient blade anchored at its center in the housing, each freely movable end of the blade providing a contact adapted to engage a respective stationary contact, the blade being biased normally to cause one of its contacts to engage its cooperating stationary contact and the other of its contacts to disenga'ge its respective stationary contact; two push buttons in the housing, engaged by la respective movable portion of the flexible blade, each push button having oppositely disposed, wedge shaped cam projections cooperating with a ledge on each push button to form a retainer groove on each side thereof; and a hairpin shaped detent spring having two arms yieldably pressed against opposite sides of each push button, said arms moving into and occupying the groove in thepush button engaging the blade spring portion Whose contact normally engages its cooperating stationary contact when said button is operated into contact disengaging position whereby said button is retained in this operated position, the other push button, when actuated to cause its engaged blade to move its contact into engagement with its cooperating contact, moving an insucient distance to cause the detent spring to enter the retainer groove thereon, the cam projections on said other push button, duringthis push button movement biasing the detent spring to release the retained push button and permit its return to contact engaging position.

2. An electrical switch comprising an insulatinghousing; two sets of stationary and movable contacts in said housing, the stationary contacts being separate, each movable contact being carried at a respective end of a resilient element, anchored intermediate its end and biased so that one set of contacts normally engage and the other set are normally disengaged; two actuators slidably supported in the housing and each constantly engaging the said resilient element adjacenta contact thereon, each actuator having a wedge shaped cam and a contiguous recess; a common resilient bar yieldably urged against each lactuator said bar riding over the wedge shaped cam and into the recess adjacent thereto to lock the one actuator in its contact opening position when said actuator has been moved to open the normally engaging contacts, the resilient bar being flexed by operation of the other actuator into the position to cause engagement of the normally disengaged contacts, whereby the exped bar releases thev said one actuator and permits the resilient element to return the actuator to normal position and again eiect engagement of the normally engageable contacts.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2, in which the normally open contacts are so positioned relatively to each other that they limit the movement of the said other actuator so that only its wedge shaped cam engages the resilient bar to ex it and release the said one actuator, therecess contiguous to said cam not being moved into receiving alignment of said bar, thereby preventing retention of said other actuator in its contact closing position.

4. An electrical switch comprising an insulating housing; two sets of stationary and movable contacts in said housing, the stationary contacts being separate, each movable Contact being carried at a respective end of a resilient element, anchored intermediate its end and biased so that one set of contacts normally engage and the other set are normally disengaged; two actuators each having a cylindrical body portion slidably supported in the housing and a rectangularly shaped in cross-section portion presenting two parallel Walls, extending Within the housing and in constant engagement with the resilient element; a wedge-shaped cam and an adjacent recess on each side of the two actuators contiguous to their cylindrical body portions; and a single hair pin shaped detent in the housing, said detent consisting of a bar having a loop head portion and two arms each of which is yieldably urged against corresponding walls of the two actuators, preventing their rotation in the housing and providing means for retaining only one actuator in its contact disengaging position when so actuated, the other actuator being operative to flex said detent and release said one actuator when said other actuator is operated to cause engagement of the normally open contacts.

5. An electrical switch comprising an insulatinging housing; two sets of stationary and movable contacts in said housing, the stationary contacts being separate, each movable contact being carried at a respective end of a resilient element, anchored intermediate its end and biased so that one set of contacts normally engage and the other set are normally disengaged; two actuators each having a round body portion slidable in the housing and a wedge shaped portion extending into the housing and presenting oppositely disposed sloping walls and contiguous recesses, said wedge shaped portion constantly engaging the resilient element which urges both actuators outwardly of the housing; a single detent spring having a looped head portion and two arms each yieldably urged against respective, corresponding sides of the wedge-shaped portion of said actuators, said detent arms being operative to enter the recesses in the one actuator, when it is operated to cause disengagement of the normally engaged contacts, to retain said actuator in this contact engaging position, the other actuator, when operated to cause engagement of the normally disengaged contacts, ilexing the detent to release the retained actuator, the engagement of the contacts by operation of said other actuator limiting its movement so as to prevent its recesses from reaching the detent arms and being retained thereby.

` CALVIN J. WERNER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,316,834 Bierenfeld Apr. 20, 1943 2,519,899 Gaynor Aug. 22, 1950

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