US2729985A - Electric switch operator - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 10, 1956 A. M. MIDGLEY ELECTRIC SWITCH OPERATOR Filed April 17, 1951 United States Patent ELECTRIC SWITCH OPERATOR Albert Morrell Midgley, Northwood, England, assignor of one-half to Albert Henry Midgley, Northwood, England Application April 17, 1951, Serial No. 221,356

Claims priority, application Great Britain April 24, 1950 2 Claims. (Cl. 74-504) This invention relates to electric switches for use with tratiic indicators on motor vehicles.

In the specifications of patent applications Nos. 123,195 and 206,003, new U. S. Patents 2,636,089 and 2,656,423 respectively, there are respectively described and claimed a delay action electric switch for periodically breaking the circuit during the period of delay so as to operate a flashing signal to indicate the direction in which a vehicle is about to turn, and a delay action switch as above with additional contacts by which the switch may also operate the usual semaphore arms either in addition to, or in substitution for, the flasher signals.

An object of the present invention is to increase the sphere of usefulness of such a switch so as to make it particularly suitable for use on motor-buses and other commercial vehicles.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for protecting the switch mechanism against damage due to shock in the event of the operative member of the switch being roughly handled by the driver.

Further features of the invention will be apparent from the description given hereafter with reference to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front end elevation of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a front end view with the actuating handle removed;

Figure 3 is a section on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

In carrying the invention into effect in one convenient manner, I form the body of my improved switch with two parts of different diameters, the main part 16 containing the delay action clockwork and contact mechanism, while the other part 17 has mounted therein a spindle 18 on which is secured the switch handle 19 adapted to be manipulated by the driver, which handle may be formed with a knob part 20 embracing the smaller part of the body. Mounted on a squared part of the spindle 18 or otherwise rigidly secured thereto is a spider member 21 controlled by a coil spring 22 anchored with its ends one on each side of a pillar formed by a screw 23 in the casing, the part 21a of the spider member engaging the spring being formed with a turned-over T-shaped end engaging between the ends of the spring. The spider member is somewhat sector-shaped with two fingers 21b spaced angularly apart from one another, and when the switch handle is moved in one direction or the other, after an initial lost-motion rotation, one or other of the fingers contacts a tongue-piece 24 formed in an arm on a disc 25 which is an easy fit on the inner end of the spindle, the arm 25a having a turned-over bifurcated end 26 extending therefrom and adapted to embrace a Phosphor bronze or like arm 27 mounted upon the spindle 31 in the main part of the switch body on which is also mounted a cam 32 for setting in operation the clockwork mechanism substantially in the manner described in the earlier specifications referred to.

The circumferential movement of the tongue-piece 24 is limited by the arcuate slot 17a in the part 17.

A window 28 is provided for the tell-tale lamp and a spring-loaded plug 29 in the hand actuating part 30. The switch handle 19 co-operates with a recess 17b in the part 17 to locate the switch handle in its central position. The arrangement is such that if the switch handle is roughly manipulated the switch mechanism will be completely protected from shock.

Thus, as mentioned, the initial rotation is first opposed by a spring; then after a period of lost-motion rotation the spider member engages the tongue-piece of the radial arm and rotates the radial arm and then the rotation of the tongue-piece is stopped by its engagement With the end wall of the arcuate slot in the switch body.

When the switch handle is released it is rapidly restored to its normal position by means of the coil spring, while the radial arm is restored more slowly by means of the clockwork mechanism.

So far as concerns the clockwork, clockwork operat ing working mechanism, and flasher signal operating switch mechanism, the improved switch may be formed much in the manner described in the earlier specification.

I claim:

1. An operating handle device for mechanism of the A type having a housing, an operating shaft in said housing and a radial operating arm secured to the shaft, said device comprising a knob, a spindle secured to said knob and journalled in a wall of said housing coaxially with said shaft, a fixed post carried by said housing, a spiral spring loosely surrounding said spindle and having its terminals extending radially of the spindle to engage closely on either side of said post, a spider member secured to said spindle having a first tongue lying between the terminals of said spring to define a centered position for the knob, a pair of angularly spaced radial fingers on said spider member, a disc loose on said spindle having a second tongue disposed between said fingers for lostmotion movement thereby and a bifurcated member on said disc engaging the said radial operating arm to rotate the same upon movement of said knob to either side of its centered position.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, in which said housing is provided with an arcuate slot of limited angular length, and in which said second tongue passes through said slot to limit its movement in both directions of rotation of said disc.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,226,810 Redfield May 22, 1917 2,056,193 Hubbell Oct. 6, 1936 2,230,994 Arbuckle et al Feb. 11, 1941 2,270,866 Cotesworth et al Ian. 27, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 81,246 Sweden Aug. 21, 1934 542,363 Germany Jan. 23, 1932 764,490 France Mar. 5, 1934

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