US2657275A - Crossbar switch - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 27, 1953 J. H. MQGLER 2,657,275

CROSSBAR SWITCH Filed May 24, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

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- //Vl/EN7'OP By J. H. MOGLL'R ATTORNEY Oct. 27, 1953 .1-1. MOGL-ER CROSSBAR SWITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24, 1950 FIG. 5

INVENTOR J. H. MOGLER A TTOP/VE V Patented Oct. 27, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE Application May 24, 1950, Serial No.- 163,847

12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to electromagnetic apparatus and more particularly to electromagnetic switching apparatus of the cross-bar type.

An object of this invention is to provide means for easily and removably interassociating certain of the elements of a switch structure.

In general, a cross-bar switch mechanism is made up of a large number of individual elements. Certain of these elements must be maintained in fixed relation with others of these elements, and yet it is advantageous and desirable that assembly be simple and economical and disassembly be readily accomplishable. Thus, crossbar switches are generally provided with a plurality of electromagnets and a plurality of armatures which must be suitably associated one with the other, and many such switches utilize a return pole-piece common to a plurality of these electromagnet elements.

Therefore, a feature of this invention is a spring device for performing the plural functions of res movably affixing a plurality of electromagnet cores and a plurality of armatures to a return pole-piece and of biasing the armatures to their unoperated positions.

Similarly, in many types of cross-bar switch mechanism, select and hold operating tapes are provided which must be associated with the armatures of the electromagnets, and, in addition, the operating elements or cards for the 01fnormal contact springs must be connected to these armatures.

Therefore, another feature of this invention is a spring device for securely but removably afiixing an off-normal contact spring moving card and cross-bar switch operating tape to the armature of a select or hold electromagnet.

The invention may be more fully understood from the following detailed description of a pre-. ferred embodiment thereof, when read with ref-. erence to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a front view of a portion of a cross-bar switch embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a partially cut-away side view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1 taken through 2-.2 of Fig. i;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1, partially cut away to demonstrate the cooperative relationship between certain of the parts;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of the preferred embodiment of the invention taken through 4-4 in Fig. 2 and i 5 is a ectional view ta en hr u 5-5 Fig. 3.

, its corresponding set of fixed contacts.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, a portion of asuitable cro s-b r s it st uc ur is de c ed. Th switch may be of the ener l ype disc o ed in Patent 2341010 granted August 17, 1948, to H. C. Harrison, or may be of any other suitable con.- struction. In general, the switch comprises a plurality of sets of movable contacts and a plurality of sets of fixed contacts. Means are provided selectively to bring any one of the sets of movable contacts into electrical engagement with In the disclosed exemplary type of switch, the movable contacts II comprise flexible wire springs, each spring being fixedly mounted at the rear of the switch and extending forwardly in a horizontal plane. A pair of these movable contacts II is arranged to engage each fixed contact I2, Since, as an example, a so-called four-wire switch has been disclosed, four pairs of the moving contacts I I comprise one set of moving contacts, and these contact springs lie in a common vertical plane. A plurality of additional sets of moving contacts II lie in the same vertical plane, and a plurality of such columns of moving springs may be provided as is illustrated in Fig. l.

The fixed contacts I2 are in the form of lugs welded to and extending perpendicularly from horizontal wires I3. By this manner of construction, the requisite multipling of the fixed contacts I2 is obtained. One wire I3 is provided for each horizontal row of pairs of moving contact springs I i, and tabs I2 are afiixed to the wires It to cooperate with the individual pairs of moving contact springs. One set of moving springs I I and their cooperating lugs I2 will here inafter be referred to as a cross-point. The

several wires I3 are molded or otherwise fixed in insulation members I4 which extend vertically Fig. 1 and are fixed in position in any suitable manner.

Each set of moving contact springs II is provided with an operating element I5 of insulating material which may be of any suitable configuration and supported in any suitable manner, the essential requirement being that when an element I5 is moved to the left (in Fig. 1 or 3) the pairs of moving contact springs I I associated therewith will be deflected to the left to engage electrically the respective fixed contact lugs I2.

Each operating element I5 is provided with a select finger I6. Thefingers I6 are fixed at the rear of the switch and'extend forwardly in par allelism with the moving contact springs I I. The

fingers I6 extend through slotted apertures in the operating element I5 but terminate short of the plane in which the horizontal wires I3 lie. It will be seen that upon movement to the left of a select finger it, the associated operating element will also be moved to the left.

The selective operation of the contact at any one cross-point is accomplished by a two-fold movement of a selected one of the select fingers it. This movement is accomplished by a translatory movement of a select tape i! and by a subsequent translatory movement of a hold tape l8. These select and hold tapes may be either rigid or flexible. A select tape I1 is provided for each vertical column of cross-points and a hold tape 18 is provided for each horizontal row of crosspoints. As may best be seen in Fig. 3, each select tape H has integral therewith a plurality 01 tabs I 9, one per cross-point in the associated column of cross-points; and each hold tape H! has integral therewith a plurality of tabs 20, one per cross-point in the associated horizontal row of cross-points.

Upon the vertical movement of one of the select tapes H, the several lugs I 9 thereon engage the associated select fingers I6 and raise the ends of the fingers vertically in the slots in the operating elements [5. In this position, the select fingers it are engageable by the lugs 26 on the hold tapes l8. Therefore, upon the subsequent movement to the left of one of the hold tapes t8, the lug thereon which is engaging a select finger It will move that finger to the left to operate the selected cross-point. The select tape I! may then be restored to normal and the cross-point will remain operated until the hold tape I8 is released, in the normal fashion.

The select tapes I! and the hold tapes It may be positioned and guided in any suitable manner. Thus, in l of the drawings, the hold tapes 18 are guided in slots in the insulation members [4.

It is to be understood that the depicted and above-described operation of a selected crosspoint and the configuration of the elements involved is typical, but only exemplary, and the features of this invention, hereinafter to be described, may be advantageously employed with any suitable type of cross-bar switch and certain features may be embodied in any suitable type of electromagnetic switch mechanism.

The select tapes I! and the hold tapes [8 are moved, in the customary fashion, by select magnets 2| and hold magnets 22, respectively. In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, the banks of select magnets and hold magnets are substantially identical, and the configuration thereof and the manner of association with the operating tapes will be described with reference to the hold magnets 22.

A hold magnet 22 is provided for each hold tape l8. Referring to Figs. 2 and 4, each hold magnet comprises a core 25, which may be laminated, and a coil surrounding a portion of that core. The forward end of the core 25 is extended perpendicularly and reversely as at 21' (Fig. 4).

The return pole-piece 2B for the magnetic paths of the several hold magnets 22 comprises a plate of magnetic material and is common to a number of the magnets 22. It is provided with an offset tail portion 29 and the forwardmost edge of the return pole-piece extends so as to lie in spaced proximity to the extensions 2'! of the cores 25 to provide suitable air gaps in the magnetic paths.

An armature 3B is provided for each electromagnet 22, and is positioned so as to be bridgable across the air gap between the portion 2"]? of the core 25 and the return pole-piece 28. Each armature 30 has a cut-out portion at the rear underside thereof to provide a knife edge 3! about which the armature may pivot. The armature back stop will be described hereinafter.

A single, unitary means is provided to perform the functions of firmly affixing all of the cores 25 to the return pole-piece 28 and yet permitting the ready removal of any one of those cores. of positioning the several armatures 3% on the return pole-piece 28, and of biasing the several armatures 30 to their unoperated position, i. e., serving as armature-return springs. This means is the spring 33. The spring 33 extends substantially coextcnsively with the return polepiece 28 and a portion of the spring 33 engages the tail portion 29 of the return pole-piece 28.

One portion of the spring 33 extends forwardly (Fig. 4) in spaced parallelism with tail portion 29 and then curls back upon itself to form a circular portion 34. The extreme end of this portion may be bent outwardly to provide a smooth pressure surface 35. This portion of the spring 33 is provided with a plurality of slots 01' apertures. Thus, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, a first plurality of these slots extend from a point 35 (Fig. 4) at a point near the rearmost edge of the pole-piece portion 29 to a point 31 in the circular portion 34. Each of these slots is of substantially the same width as the cores 25 and one such slot is provided for each core. As may best be seen in Figs. 2 and 4, each core 25 extends through one of the apertures in the spring 33 and is firmly held against the tail portion 29 of the return pole-piece 28 by the pressure exerted thereon by the surface 35 of the spring 33. In this manner, the core is firmly held in position, lateral movement thereof being prevented by the side portions 33 (Fig. 2), and unwanted motion in the other directions being inhibited by the surface 35 of resilient spring 33 clamping the core 25 to the return pole-piece tail portion 29.

To permit the necessary lifting of the circular portion 34 of the spring 33 and to provide in dividual and substantially independent clamping of the several cores 25, additional slots 4| (Fig. 2) may be cut in the spring 33. The cores may also be more easily inserted in the apertures in the spring 33 and the surface 35 may be more readily cammed to its tensioned position if the ends of the cores 25 are chamfered as at 42 (Fig. 4).

The upper portion (Fig. 4) of spring 33 is offset and then extends forwardly in plane with the upper surface of the return pole-piece 28. This portion of the spring is provided with a plurality of slots to form a plurality of fingers 43. Alternate ones of these fingers 43 are slightly longer than the remaining ones of these fingers. One of these longer fingers is provided for each core, extends forwardly as at 44, and has a hooked portion 45 which engages a lateral notch at the rear of the associated armature 3!] (Figs. 2 and 4) The forward portions 46 of the shorter ones of the fingers 43 are firmly clamped to the return pole-piece 28 by a member 41 (Fig. 4). Since the alternate ones of the fingers 43 are clamped, the longer ones of the fingers 43 will exert a force toward the return pole-piece to cause the armatures 30 normally to pivot about their edges 3! to the unoperated position as shown in Fig. 4. It is obvious that member 41 must be provided with "suitable slots through which the forward ortions "M of the *longer fingers 43 may freely pass.

A plate 5! is provided to "serve the function, among others, of a back "stop for the several armatures 35. The plate Ellis of substantially the same length as return pole-piece '23 and comprises 'a flat strip of nommagnetic material. A plurality of notches are out along one edge of the plate 58 (Figs. Bjia'nd 5'). One suchnotch is provided {or each core and the width of the notches is substantially the same as the width of the cores 25. When plate "55 is 'in'position, these notches are inserted in transverse slots 51 in the front portions 21 of the cores 25. This inter-locking arrangement may best be seen in Figs. 3, a and 5 of the drawing.

The cores 3'5 and the plate '50 are maintained in proper interrelationship by means of spring clips 52. These clips may best be seen in front view in Fig. in side view in Fig. i and in top view in Fig. 2. The clips 52 each comprise two legs 53 fastened together with two cross pieces 54 and 55, with the portions of the legs between the two cross-pieces being bent in an exaggerated s-curve to provide a spring tension. The legs 53 lie adjacent the sides of the core 25. The first cross-piece 55 engages a transverse notch cut across the width of the core 25 and crosspiece 54 presses against the forwardmos-t end of the core 25. The two legs 53 are attached to the plate 5i! by pins 49 (Fig. 3) or by any other suitable means.

The plate 5!! is provided with an aperture for each armature and the tips 64 of the armatures 39 extend therethrough (Figs. 2, 3 and 4). The forward portion M of the longe spring :23 forces the armature normally to rest against the edge of the associated aperture whereby plate 55 serves as a back stop for the several arniatures'.

Plate 55 is further maintained in position by being provided with apertures engaging extensions 85 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) of the return polepiece 28. I,

A group of sets of off normal contacts are provided for each electromagnet. The off-normal contacts associated with each select or hold mag net are actuated upon the operation of the associated magnets to serve any requisite circuit functions. As may best be seen in Figs. 4 and 5, r

these off-normal contacts may comprise a plurality of pairs of wire springs 5'! which may be be molded or otherwise mounted in blocks of, in sulating material 58. These blocks, as well as block 1, may be mounted on the return pole piece 28 in any suitable fashion, as by the use of screws 59. I I p The actuation of each group of springs5l is controlled by a fixed card (it and a moving card El, both of insulating material. The axed card 58 (Figs. 3, 4 and 5) extends coextensively with plate 58 and is aihxed thereto in any suitable manner. For example, in Fig. 3, projections at each end of the fixed card es may engage apertures in flan es 52 of plate 59 and a plurality of projections 53 may engage slots near the edge of plate 50.

A moving card 6! is provided individual to and associated with each of the armatures 36. Each moving card 6i and the fixed card 5%! are suitably apertu'red and slotted in accordance with the particular contact coding desired. In Fig. 3, as an exemplary arrangement, four sets of contacts are provided for each electromagnet with two of the sets making contact and the other 6 two sets breaking contact upon movement of the associated'armatureand movingcard.

A single means is employed. individual to each electromagnet, to-perform the functions of affixing both the moving. card 6! and the operating tape I! or iii to the tip. 64. of armature 3B. This means comprises spring clip which may :be'seen in front view in, Figs. 1 and 3, in top view in Fig. 2, and in sectional ,sideviewin Figs. 4and '5. Each spring clip it comprises two portions extending substantially perpendicularly one to the other. One of these spring clip 'portionsliesiadjacent the face of the moving card 61 and'issuitab-ly conformedto providesev ieral points at which the card 5! and the clip 55 may be fastened together. and .yetxto. prevent the clip from interfering with the relationship between the moving card and the cit-normal con.- tact springs 51. Thus, in Figs. 1 and 3, thisfirst or base portion maybe seen to be substantially. Y-shaped. A plurality of tangs 5? are provided which are bent over firmly to grasp the moving card Bl. One such tang El at the base of. the Y may best be seen in Figs. 4 and 5. and additional tangs 6! at the arms of the Y may best be seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

The extreme of this. base portion of the spring clip 56 is offset and bifurcated to provide fingers 58 (Figs. 3, t and 5). The operating tape, now assumed to be the hold tape 18, extends through the slots between the fingers 58 and is provided with extensions 69 which engage fingers 68 of the spring clip 65.

The end of the operating tape is is enlarged and is provided with an aperture Hi (Fig. 3). The tip 8 of the armature 38 passes through the aperture 13 and the cross-piece 13 (Figs. 3 and 5) at the extreme end of the tape 18 engages a slotor notch in the tip 64 of the armature 30.

The other portion of the spring clip 65 extends perpendicularly to the base portion and comprises two legs and a cross-piece is. De pending from the cross-piece 74 is an oifset por tion '55 which, in turn, has two legs 15 and a cross-piece IT (Figs. 2 and 5).

A notch in the moving card 5! engages a transverse slot 18 (Fig. 5) in the tip 64 of the armature so. As has been described, the crosspiece '53 at the extreme end of the tape it engages a notch in the opposite surface of the tip 6t of the armature 38. The cross-piece 'll' of the spring clip 65 also engages the tip (2 of the armature 30 on the same side thereof as does the cross-piece 13 of the tape 8. The legs '15 of the onset portion I5 oi the spring clip engage shoulders 19 at the end of the operating tape 18 (Figs. 3 and 5). The legs '55 may be curved, as shown, at the point of contact with the shoulder 79 to provide sockets whereby relative latera1 shifting of these parts may be avoided. Since the spring 56 is firmly affixed to moving card 6!, the moving card El and the opera"- ing tape [3 are firmly attached to the tip of the armature 3G by spring clip 56. As may be seen, the arrangement is such as to provide a structure which may readily be assembled or disassembled and yet one in which the cooperating elements are. firmly retained in their proper relative positions.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are but illustrative of an application oithe principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements maybe devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cross-bar switch, an electromagnet comprising a core, a return pole-piece and an armature, a plurality of contact springs, a card for actuating said contact springs, an operating tape, a unitary spring engaging said core, said return pole-piece and said armature to retain both said core and said armature on said return pole-piece, and a spring clip engaging said armature, said card and said operating tape to retain both said card and said operating tape on said armature.

2. In a cross-bar switch, an electromagnet comprising a core, a return pole-piece and a flat armature having two end portions, a plurality of contact springs, a card for actuating said contact springs, an operating tape, a unitary spring engaging said core, said pole-piece and one of the end portions of said armature to retain said core and said armature on said pole-piece, and a spring clip engaging said card, said operating tape and the other of the end portions of said armature to retain both said card and said operating tape on said armature.

3. In a cross-bar switch, an electromagnet comprising a core, a return pole-piece and an armature, a plurality of contact springs, a card for actuating said contact springs, an operating tape, a unitary spring for retaining both said core and said armature on said return pole-piece, and

a spring clip retaining both said card and said operating tape on said armature, said unitary spring comprising a body portion engaging said return pole-piece, an apertured portion on one side of said pole-piece having a reverse bend engageable with said core and a portion on the other side of said po1e-piece engageable with said armature.

4. In a cross-bar switch, an electromagnet comprising a a return pole-piece an armature, a plurality of contact springs, a card for actuating said contact springs, an operating tape, a unitary spring for retaining both said core and said armature on said return pole-piece, and a spring clip retaining both said card and said operating tape on said armature, said spring clip comprising a first and a second portion at right angles one to other, said first portion being provided with elements engaging opposite sides of said card and a bifurcated projection engageable with said tape, said second portion being provided with an offset portion for clamping said tape to said armature.

5. In a cross-bar switch, an electromagnet comprising a core, a return pole-piece and a flat armature, a plurality of contact springs, a card for actuating said contact springs, an operating tape, a unitary spring for retaining both said core and said armature on said return pole-piece, and a spring clip retaining both said card and and said operating tape on said armature, said unitary spring comprising a body portion engaging said return pole-piece, an apertured portion on one side of said pole-piece having a reverse bent engageable with said core and a portion on the other side of said pole-piece engageable with said armature, said spring clip comprising a first and a second portion at right angles one to the other, said spring clip first portion being provided with elements engaging opposite sides of said card and a bifurcated projection engageable with said tape, said spring clip second portion being provided with an ofiset portion for clamping said tape to said armature.

iii)

6. In an electromagnet, a core, a return polepiece, an armature, and a unitary spring engaging said core, said return pole-piece and said armature to retain both said core and said armature on said return pole-piece.

'7. In an electromagnet, a core, a return polepiece, an armature, and a unitary spring retaining both said core and said armature on said return pole-piece ,said spring comprising a body portion engaging said return pole-piece, an apertured portion on one side of said pole-piece hav ing a. reverse bend engageable with said core and a portion on the other side of said pole-piece engageable with said armature.

8. In an electromagnet, a core, a return pole piece, an armature, and a unitary spring retaining both said core and said armature on said return pole-piece, said spring comprising a body portion engaging said return pole-piece, an apertured portion on one side of said po1e-piece hav ing a reverse bend engageable with said core and a triiurcated portion on the other of piece, the middle one of said trifurcations having a hook portion engageable with said armature.

9. In a switch, a return pole-piece, a plurality of cores, an armature individual to each of said cores, and a spring engaging said return polepiece, said cores and said armatures to retain all of said cores and all of said armatures on said return pole-piece.

10. In a switch, a return pole-piece, a plurality of cores, an armature individual to each of said cores, and a spring retaining all of said cores and all of said armatures on said return pole-piece, said spring comprising a body portion engaging said return pole'piece, a plurality of apertured portions on one side of said pole-piece, individual ones of said apertured portions each having a reverse bend engageable with individual ones of said cores, and a plurality of projections on the other side of said pole-pieces, each of said projections being engageable with individual ones of said armatures.

11. In a cross-bar switch, an armature, a plurality of contact springs, a card for operating said contact springs, an operating tape, and a spring clip engaging said armature, said card and said operating tape to retain both said card and said operating tape on said armature.

12. In a cross-bar switch, an armature, a plurality of contact springs, a card for operating said contact springs, an operating tape, and a spring clip retaining both said card and said op" erating tape on said armature, said spring clip comprising a first and a second portion at right angles one to the other, said first portion being provided with elements engaging opposite sides of said card and a bifurcated projection engageable with said tape, said second portion being provided with an offset portion for clamping said tape to said armature.

JOHN H. MOGLEPU.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 771,323 Perret Oct. 4, 1904 2,353,377 Vaughn July 11, 1944 2,362,551 Harrison Nov. 14, 1944 2,538,819 Bellamy Jan. 23, 1951

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