US2661402A

US2661402A - Switch actuator

Info

Publication number: US2661402A
Application number: US216803A
Authority: US
Inventors: Theodore H Balch
Original assignee: SEL SET Co
Current assignee: SEL SET Co; SEL-SET Co
Priority date: 1951-03-21
Filing date: 1951-03-21
Publication date: 1953-12-01
Anticipated expiration: 1970-12-01

Description

T. H. BALCH SWITCH ACTUATOR Dec. 1, 1953 Filed March 21 1951 INVENTOR. Theodore H BQZch E's flg-en z N MM Patented Dec. 1, 1953 SWITCH ACTUATOR Theodore H. Balch, Salem, reg., assignor to Sel- Set Company, West Salem, 0reg., a corporation of Oregon Application March 21, 1951, Serial No. 216,803

4 Claims.

This invention pertains to switch actuators, and relates particularly to the novel construction of a lever control handle wherein is incorporated mechanical means for actuating switches while simultaneously manipulating the handle.

There are numerous and diverse types of machinery which are operated and controlled by the selective manipulation of both levers and electrical switches. Included among these are, for example, hoists, cranes, steam shovels, and other heavy construction equipment. A specific example of such apparatus is the head saw assembly of a. sawmill. Briefly, the construction and operation of a conventional sawmill head saw assembly is as follows: A log is deposited, as from a millpond, upon a log deck disposed adjacent a movable carriage. The log is usually held upon the log deck within a cradle-type stop and loader preliminary to mounting upon the carriage. When released from the stop and loader the log is moved onto the carriage by the actuation of log loaders. The log rests upon spaced head blocks and is forced into close abutment with knees mounted slidalbly upon the head blocks. The log is then secured in position by various dogs and hooks. Setworks are then employed to move the knees and log toward or away from the plane of a cutting saw blade which is positioned adjacent the path of movement of the carriage. After the log has been properly positioned relative to the saw blade the carriage is driven forwardly past the saw blade, whereby the desired cut of the log is made.

It is a general practice to employ air motors to actuate the stop and loaders, the log loaders, the carriage and the dogs and hooks. Manually operated levers are provided. at the sawyers station for use in actuating the air valves which control the operation of these motors. The preferred type of setworks employed for controlling the setting of the knees are the electrically 0perated devices described in detail and claimed in the copending applications, Serial Numbers 210,581 and 210,582, both filed on February 12, 1951 and both entitled Remote Control Setworks and both having a common assignee with the present application.

The foregoing preferred setworks are operated by means of electrical push button switches located at the sawyers station. Thus, the sawyer is required to manipulate both the mechanical levers and the electrical push buttons. It has been determined that certain disadvantages attend the operation of such head saw assemblies wherein the push button switches are positioned separately from the levers. In such cases the sawyer is required to remove one hand from one of the levers in order to operate the push buttons. Thus, when the levers are constructed to be moved with relative ease, the vibration of the mill or an accidental contact of the sawyers arm with the released lever might cause the latter to be moved and thereby effect operation of one of the air motors when not desired. Moreover, it is somewhat inconvenient for the sawyer to release the lever whenever it is required to operate the push buttons.

Although the foregoing disadvantages have been described with exemplary reference to a head saw assembly of a sawmill, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that said disadvantages also attend the operation of many other types of equipment which are operated by both levers and push buttons.

It is a principal object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a novel control handle constructed to house an electrical switch therein and including mechanical lever means for actuating the switch, the lever means being operated conveniently by thumb pressure while the hand lever is grasped in the hand.

. boxes.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a switch actuator of the foregoing type which is of simplified and therefore economical construction and which is sturdily built for long operating life.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of a switch actuator embodying the novel features of the present invention, parts thereof being broken away to disclose details of construction;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the switch actuator with parts broken away to disclose details of construction;

Figure 3 is an end view as observed from the right in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 2.

The switch actuator illustrated in the draw ing includes an elongated body constructed of metal or other material of substantial strength. The body comprises a hand grip end section joined to an intermediate hollow housing defined between the lateral side walls 2 and 3. The housing is, in turn, joined to the attachment end section 4 The housingis divided into two longitudinal compartmentsi and G by the separator plate I. The body comprising the foregoing parts is preferably formed as an integral unit as by the process of casting.

The longitudinal compartment 5 is proportioned to receive therein an electrical switch box 8 of standard type. The conductor cable 9 leading from the switch box is received in 'a'slot it formed in the housing wall. The slot extends inwardly from the outer edge of the wall, 'a'sshown in'Figure 1, whereby to obviate the necessity of threading the cable therethrough. The switch box abuts along one side against the plate I and is supported thereag'ainst by the removable cover secured to the housing by screws l2. I e e ,1 N

, The swith box illustrated is provided with three spaced cylindrical collars l3 which project into [compartment 6 through complementary openings |4 formed in the plate 1. The switch box ,is thus stabilized against displacement when moiintedwithin the housing. Projecting through each of the threecollars |3 are the push buttons l5, IB and I1. These push buttons are springloaded in conventional manner "to effect their return after being depressed, I

Three tubular supports l8 are mounted withi 'coinpartrnentt transversely between the side walls 2 and 3 for rotation upon bolts 19. Projecting transversely from the longitudinal center of each support are the fingers 26, 2| and 22, the free ends of which are disposed in contact with the respective push buttons l5, I ES and A lever arm 23 projects from the support of finger 2|, while lever arm 24 projects from the support of finger 22. As, best shown in Figure 2 otthe drawing, lever arm 23 is disposed upon one side of the plane of the lingers and lever arm 24 is disposed upon theoppositeside of said plane. The open end of compartment 6 is sealed by the removable cover '25 secured to the housing by screwszs. ,7

An actuating rod 21 is pivotally connected at onefend to the forward finger and extends lohg'itu'dinally of thebody through the handgrip section The hand grip section is preferably hollow through the greater proportion of its length, "with the terminal end thereof being of solid construction, as shown. Rod 21 thus'extends slidably'thro'ugh a hole formed in mesons end'of the hand grip, In similar manner,

actuatingrods

28 and 29 are pivotally connected at one are to the lever arms 23 and 24, respectively, and extend longitudinally through holes provided Lin the solid end of the hand grip. The outer ends of rods121f28 and '29fare provided with enlarged push "buttons 30, 3| and 32, respectively.

It is to be noted that

rods

28 and 29 project outwardly of the hand grip to distances shorter than rod21. .The push buttons 3| and 32 are provided with'complementary notches 33 in their adjacent edges wherebyto form an opening through which the actuating rod 21 slidably extends. In this manner each of. the actuating rods may be operated independently of the others. The projecting end of rod 21 is of sufficient length that its push button 30 does not strike the push buttons 3| and 32 when rod 21 is pushed inwardly to operate the switch push button I5.

The operation of the switch actuator described hereinbefore is as follows: Let it be assumed, for purposes of illustration, that the hand lever body is installed, by the connecting end 4, to ac tuate air valves for controlling the operation of air motors employed to operate a sawmill carriage. Assume further that the wires leading irom the switch, box 8 and contained "in cable 9 connect the push button switches I5, I6 and I! inthe electrical circuits of an electrically actuated reversible set shaft motor whereby to aiford the respective stop, forward and reverse controls of the latter by said push buttons.

The operator grasps the handle 3 in his hand with his fingers wrapped circumferentially around the handle. this position of the hand the thumb is disposed naturally for contacting the pushbuttons 30, 3| and 32. Thus, the operator may select the proper push button quickly and with facility without releasing the hand grip on the handle 3. For example, if the operator wishes to energize the set shaft motor for forwardrhov'- mer t of the knees, he moves his thumb to depress the push button 3|. Rod 28 is thereby movedjto the left, as viewed in Figure 1, and the finger 2| is rotated'clockwise about bolt H! to depress the push button switch Hi. When the thumb pressure is released from button 3| the spring-loaded push button l6 forces the finger 2| into counterclockwise rotation and the button 3| is returned to its extended position. Additional spring means (not shown) may be provided between each finger or finger support l8 and the housing to cause the rods to be extended upon release of their respective buttons, in manner well-known in the art. Operation of the other push buttons is substantially identical with the foregoing procedure. Thus, the handle I functionsas a grip by which to operate the lever and also as means by which to station the hand for properinanipulation of the thumb buttons.

It will 'beapp'arent to those skilled in the'art that variouschang'es in the structural details described and illustrated may be made without departing from the scope'and spirit of the present invention. For example, the number of push button switches and actuating levers illustrated is merely exemplary, it being apparent that any desired number may be provided. As another exampla'the connecting end 4 need not function as a lever connection but may, if desired, sci-veto mount the handle I and housing securely upon a fixe'dsupport, As a further example, the compartmenti may function to house any typeof switchsuch as'an air or other fluid valve which isbp'erated 'bypush button or other plungertype heads with'which the lever actuated fingers may be arranged to contact. In such cases the cable 5 if provided, may serve to contain pipe lines whichcOnnect the valves to the operating equipment intended to be controlled. As a still further example, the actuator may be employed with switches ofthe toggletype by proper arrangeri'ient and' conn 'ection oi the actuating rods.

[It is'to behnderstood that the foregoing detailed description ismerely illustrative of this invention and is not to be considered in a limiting sense. e

fl laving nowfdescribed my invention and' the manner in which thesame may be used, what I claim as new'and desire'to secure by Letters Patout is: e

l. Aswitch actuator comprising, combinatio'nf'witha switch box containing switch means tobe"ac'tuated; abody'including' an elongated handle, a hollow housing connected to one end of the handle, a plate extending parallel to the longitudinal of the handle and separating the housing into two longitudinal compartments one of which is adapted to contain the switch box, the plate being apertured transversely to receive the switch means therethrough whereby to stabilise the switch box against displacement, linger means mounted pivotally in the second compartment and arranged to contact the switch means, elongated rod means extending slidably and longitudinally through the elongated handle into the second compartment, and means pivotally connecting the inner end of the rod means to the finger means, whereby longitudinal movement of the rod means pivots the connected finger means and actuates the switch means in a direction transversely to said rod means.

2. A switch actuator comprising, in combination with a switch box containing push button switch means to be actuated and conductor means for the switch means extending from the box; a body including an elongated handle, a hollow housing connected to one end of the handle and having an open side, a plate extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the handle and separating the housing into two longitudinal compartments, the compartment adjacent the open side being adapted to contain the switch box, the plate being apertured transversely to receive the push button therethrough whereby to stabilize the switch box against displacement, one wall of the switch compartment being slotted inwardly from the open side to receive the said conductor means freely therethrough, elongated rod means extending slidably and longitudinally through the elongated handle into the second compartment and arranged to actuate the push button, and cover means detachably closing the open side and slot of the housing.

3. A switch actuator comprising, in combination with a switch box containing switch means to be actuated and conductor means for the switch means extending from the box; a body including an elongated handle, a hollow housing connected to one end of the handle and having an open side, a plate extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the handle and separating the housing into two longitudinal compartments, the compartment adjacent the open side being adapted to contain the switch box, the plate being apertured transversely to receive the switch means therethrough whereby to stabilize the switch box against displacement, one wall of the switch compartment being slotted inwardly from the open side to receive the said conductor means freely therethrough, linger means mounted pivotally in the second compartment and arranged to contact the switch means, elongated rod means extending slidably and longitudinally through the elongated handle into the second compartment, means pivotally connecting the inner end of the rod means to the finger means, whereby longitudinal movement of the rod means pivots the connected finger means and actuates the switch means in a direction transversely to said rod means, and cover means detachably closing the open side and slot of the housing.

4. A switch actuator comprising, in combination with three switch means to be actuated; a body including an elongated handle, a hollow housing connected to one end of the handle and adapted to contain the switch means, three parallel elongated rod means extending slidably and longitudinally through the elongated handle into the housing and each arranged to actuate one of the switch means, button means on the outer end of each of the outer rod means and having their adjacent edges arranged in substantially abutting relation, said adjacent edges having complementary grooves therein forming an opening, the center rod means extending outwardly through said opening, and button means on the outer end of the center rod means.

THEODORE H. BALCH.

Fry Dec. 2, 1947 Warmey Oct. 18, 1949 Number