US2636559A - Time switch - Google Patents

Description

April 8, 1953 F. o. HORSTMANN ETAL 2,636,559

TIME SWITCH Filed June 12, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET l m nwz/vraes FEEOE/P/CA 0. /aesmm mv P M/11.0 B. J/aesT/nfl/wv A ril 28, 1953 F. G. HORSTMANN ETAL 2,636,559

TIME SWITCH Filed June 12, 1950 2 SHEETS$HEET 2 //v I/EJYT'OES Fezose/o'r O, floksz/mq/v/v Eon 41.0 6, Holes mum/v Patented Apr. 28, 1953 TIME SWITCH Frederick Otto Horstmann and Ronald Blessley Horstmann, Bath, England Application June 12, 1950, Serial No. 167,659 In Great Britain June 17, 1949 2 Claims.

1 This invention relates to time switches or controllers of the type comprising a dial-plate which is adapted to be rotated by a clockwork or other driving mechanism so that it rotates once in a given period (usually twenty-four hours), and which carries a number of levers or tappets adapted to operate a switching mechanism or a closely preceding tappet.

While not confined to such an application the invention is of particular use with time switches or controllers of the type previously described that have automatic mechanism for adjusting the levers or tappets, the automatic adjusting mechanism being carried by the dial plate and being actuated by a cam or projection which advances the mechanism each time the dial plate rotates. An example of a mechanism of this type is described and claimed in the specification of British Patent No. 395,813 (Horstmann and others). In such an application the invention comprises an improved time switch which is provided with a number of levers or tappets adapted to be adjusted automatically and also with a number of additional levers or tappets adapted to be adjusted by hand. Such an arrangement is required for example for the control of street lamps which have to be lighted and extinguished approximately at dusk and dawn respectively and which are also required to be switched off and on at predetermined times during the night.

Broadly stated, the invention consists in providing a time switch of the type referred to with a plurality of dial plates adapted to be mounted on a common driving spindle and arranged to control separate switching or valve devices which, in the case of electric switches, may be connected in series with one another in the same lighting circuit or circuits.

One or more of the plurality of the dial plates may be provided with automatically adjusted mechanism for varying the adjustment of the tappets or levers thereof such as disclosed in our 2 aforesaid prior British specification No. 395,813, and one or more provided with a number of tappets or levers adapted to be adjusted by hand. By providing a separate dial plate for the manually adjustable levers or tappets (which may be used for example for switching off street lamps at predetermined times during the night) the danger of interference between the automatically adjusted levers or tappets and the manually adjusted levers or tappets is avoided.

Alternatively, all the dial plates may be provided with automatically adjusting mechanism, or again all the dial plates may carry manually adjustable tappets or levers.

The invention will be fully understood from the following more detailed description by way of example of one embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of a complete time switch;

Figure 2 is an end view of the same with the lid of the main casing open; and

Figure 3 is similar to Figure l but partly in section on the line IIIIII of Figure 2.

The drawings illustrate a construction in which only two dial plates are used, one being of the automatically adjusting type and one of the manually adjusting type.

In this embodiment, the time switch comprises a cylindrical casing I in the bottom of which is mounted a clockwork or other driving mechanism (not shown) carrying a driving shaft 2 (Figure 3) which projects axially within the casing and which is adapted to rotate once in every 24 hours.

The driving shaft is adapted to carry two dial plates 3 and 4 disposed one behind the other within the casing and each adapted to control a switch mechanism contained in a casing I 0 which is fixed to the side of the casing l on the outside thereof. The switch mechanisms have operating levers 5 (Figure 3) which are arranged to project into the casing I through holes 6 in the wall of the casing so that they can be actuated by the tappets or levers of the dial plates. Each switching mechanism may conveniently be constructed as described in the specification of British Patent No. 373,554 (Horstmann and others).

The casing I can be provided with a lid l which can be opened to allow the dial plates to be inserted into the casing or removed theretfrom, and for time-setting and routine inspec- The inner dial plate 3 is provided with auto matic adjusting mechanism which may conveniently be constructed as described in the aforesaid British specification No. 395,813 and which is adapted to co-operate with a fixed projection provided in the casing for advancing it each time the driving shaft rotates, such a construction being known and forming no part of the present invention. This dial is provided with a driving slot or like 8 adapted to c-ooperate with a driving pin or projection 9 on the driving shaft.

The outer dial plate t is provided with any desired number of tappets or projections which are manually adjustable. It is adapted to slip on to the driving shaft 2 above the lower dial plate 3, and is provided with a driving recess or like ll adapted to co-operate with a drivin lug or projection l2 on the inner dial plate so that it-will rotate with the inner dial plate.

A removable cap [3, for instance a, thumb nut, may be adapted to be screwed or otherwise secured to the upper end of the driving shaft 2 for the purpose of securing the two dial plates 3 and t in position.

The removable cap it enables the outer dial plate 4 to be readily removed by simply lifting it out of the casing l for the purpose of setting the mechanism of the inner dial plate 3 to a desired starting position or date. The outer dial plate 4 'may then be replaced and secured in position by means of the removable cap i3 and its levers or tappets may be adjusted as desired by hand.

The inner dial plate 3 may be adapted as is well known to close a switch for switching on a lamp or lamps at dusk and to open the switch for switching off the lamp or lamps at dawn, the automatic adjusting mechanism being arranged to 'set the levers ortappets of this dial plate auto- "matically-in conformity with the change in time of dusk and dawn through the year. The outer dial "plated may be arranged to control a switch connected in series with the first switch arranged to switch off the lamp or lamps at a predetermined time during the night and to switch them on-again at a predetermined time before dawn.

The levers or tappets of the outer dial 4 may beset to switch onand switch off at any times "required without risk of interference with the tappets on the inner dial 3.

The switches used (which are contained in the "casings i) may be two-way or change-over switches and the apparatus may thus be adapted to control switching operations of a complex na- 'ture.

Itwill be appreciated that the aforesaid improved arrangement introducing the plurality of commonly driven dial plates can be used equally well for time-controlling the flow of gas, water -orother fluidas well as of electric current, and

that the control of lighting circuits is but one of a variety of applications, others being timers for industrial processes in general. The expression switching means as used in the claims hereof therefore includes both electric switches for controlling electric currents and valve devices for controlling fluid flow.

What We claim is:

l. A time switch of the type described including a time-controlled driving spindle rotatable once in a given period, a dial plate on said spindle, a switching means adjacent said dial plate, a plurality of adjustable tappets on said dial plate for actuating said switching means at predetermined intervals, automatic adjusting mechanism on said dial plate for varying the adjustment of said tappets, at least one additional dial plate mounted on said spindle, an additional switching means adjacent each said additional dial plate, and a plurality of manually adjustable tappets on each said additional dial plate for actuating said additional switching means at desiredintervals, said first-"mentioned and each additional switching means being connected in series relationship with one another.

2. A time switch of the type described comprising a time-controlled driving spindle rotatable once in a given period, a casing surrounding said drivin spindle, two individually removable dial plates mounted one behind the other'on said spindle within said casing, an opening at one end of said casing permittinginsertion and withdrawal of said dial plates, two switching means mounted externally of said casing andeachcorresponding to one of said dial plates, and ,a plurality of adjustable dial tappets on each of said dial plates, each of said switching means including lever means projecting into said casing and into the path of the tappets on the corresponding dial plate, said tappetsbeingeffectiveforactuating said lever means for operating said switching means at predetermined intervals, said ,two switching means being'connect'ed in series-relationship with one another.

FREDERICKOTTO HORSTMANN. RONALD BLESSLEY HORSTMANN.

References Cited in thefile of thispatent UNITED STATESPATENTS Number Name Date 864,048 Tropp Aug. 20,190? 1,360,948 Hendry Nov.30, -'1'920 1,740,405 Kearsley -Dec. 17, 1929 1,966,959 Fisher "July 17,-1934 2,119,187 Teeper May 31,1938 2,209,108 Briggs gduly 23,-1-940

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