US2732457A - Hinge - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 24, 1956 H J, wys 2,732,457

VIBRAIOR MECHANISM Filed May 10, 1954 I N V E N TO R Her/arm J. Wake ATTORNEY United States Patent VIBRATOR MECHANISM Herman J. Wise, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to P. R. Mallory & Co., Inc., Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application May 10, 1954, Serial No. 428,399

11 Claims. (Cl. 200-90) This invention relates generally to electrical translating apparatus and has particular reference to such means and methods including translating apparatus for transferring energy between direct and alternating current circuits.

interrupter devices, more generally known as vibrators, have been extensively used for converting direct current energy into alternating current energy or into direct current energy of a different voltage. In the usual form of these vibrators, a reed contact bearing arm usually makes contact with a substantially fixed side contact member at a frequency depending upon the operation of the reed member. It is a desideratum in the operation of all these vibrators to obtain high contact pressure so as to aid in the efiiciency of the operative characteristics of the vibrator.

The present invention is directed toward constructing a small, high contact pressure interrupter or vibrator wherein novel features are employed to obtain higher contact pressures. The vibrator is constructed for low cost production as well as for efficient operation. The high contact pressure is accomplished by increasing the ratio of effective reed length to the effective reed arm length. This ratio will be henceforth called the A ratio for convenience. In the usual case to obtain a high A ratio, the reed must be made longer or the reed arm shorter, neither of which is desirable or practical. In the present invention, however, the ratio is made high without changing either the effective reed length or the reed arm length.

It has been discovered by the applicant that by novelly mounting the reed and reed arm and utilizing a specific position of the hinge point about which the reed and reed arm swings, then the ratio for high contact pressure may be increased while the length of the reed arm and the reed remain the same. The positioning of the reed arm with respect to its associated reed as taken from a predetermined hingepoint accomplishes the desired increase of the high contact pressure ratio.

It is therefore a prime object of the present invention to provide a novel vibrator in which high contact pressure may be obtained while the reed arm and reed length remain substantially unaltered.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means in a vibrator for increasing the contact pressure without changing either, the effective reed or the reed arm length of the vibrator.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide means in a vibrator for increasing the effective reed length to the effective reed arm length, thus to provide a high contact pressure type of vibrator whose overall dimensions for achieving such a high contact pressure is substantially less than heretofore obtainable.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a small high contact pressure vibrator at a low cost of production and which operates at a high degree of efficiency.

Another objectifof the-present inventionisto provide a a novel vibrator which has high contact pressure and does 2,732,457 Patented Jan. 24, 1956 not have excessive contact material transfer due thereto, but rather results in less contact wear and more power therein and provides less danger of contact locking.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel vibrator needing less power to drive the mechanism, having fewer parts, good dimensional stability, more eflicient drive, less shake and noise and wherein the overall size of the vibrator is smaller for its equivalent power handling ability.

The invention, in another of its aspects, relates to novel features of the instrumentalities described herein for teaching the principal object of the invention and to the novel principles employed in the instrumentalities whether or not these features and principles may be used in the said object and/or in the said field.

Other objects of the invention and the nature thereof will become apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying figures of the drawing and wherein like reference characters describe elements of similar function therein and wherein the scope of the invention is determined rather from the dependent claims.

Referring now to the figures of the drawing:

Figure l is a front elevational view of an embodiment of the invention useful in showing the constructional arrangement thereof;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the vibrator invention shown in Figure 1 adapted to show the novel hinge arrangement of the side reed. arm and the reed whereby the high contact pressure is obtainable therein;

Figure 3 is a side-elevational view of the reed utilized in the present invention;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a reed arm associated with said reed of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of one of the vibrator frames used in the construction of the present novel high contact pressure vibrator and as including a fixed side contact integrally connected to said one frame; Figures 3, 4 ond 5 together being an exploded view adapted to show the positional and constructional arrangement of one side of the present embodiment of a high contact pressure vibrator; and

Figures 6 and 7 are comparison representations useful in depicting the basis for the reed and reed arm ratio shown for the usual vibrator as contrasted with the increase in this ratio by the construction thereof shown in the present new and improved high contact pressure vibrator.

Generally speaking, the present invention discloses means and method for providing a high contact pressure vibrator without the necessity for increasing the length dimensions of either the reed or reed arm or both. in previous devices, such attempts to obtain an increased contact pressure resulted in enlarging the overall physical dimensions of the vibrator causing greater costs in material and assemblies.

In the present invention, however, since the contact pressure depends on the ratio of effective reed length to the effective reedarm length, this increased ratio was obtained by reconstructing the vibrator and providing a hinge mounting which allowed this greater ratio to be accomplished without necessitating the enlargement of the physical characteristics of the components therein. The vibrator as so novelly constructed utilizes an especially configured reed, reed arm and integrally constructed fixed contact, contact arm and frame, as one half thereof. Each half, that is either the left or right half, is adapted to face its cooperating half, thus to comprise the entire vibrator assembly.

' In Figs. 1 and 2, there are generally shown face and side views respectively of the high contact pressure type vibrator of the present invention. The vibrator 10 in- 7 battery.

eludes two unitarily formed, thin- framed structures 11 and 12 which are adapted to be placed back to back to each other with each generally having the configuration as shown in Figure 5. Each frame is essentially the same shape as its fellow, except for the fact that one of the frames is adapted to have a tongue 13 depending from the center of a horizontally extending fiat, half-disc-lilte portion or head 14. This tongue or hook is adapted to end in a pole piece 16 which penetrates the center of a vibrator driver coil 17 adapted to be suitably mounted thereabout, as by means of discs 18, 19 and to be driven by a D. C. current supplied from a suitable source, such as As is usual in vibrator structures, the pole piece is adapted upon excitation of the vibrator coil to activate a cooperating armature 20 which is situated at the free end of a reed 21, shown in Figure 3, and as will hereinafter be described.

Each head portion 14, 35, of the frame as noted, has a substantially hemispherical outline ending in stepped portions 23, 24 at each end thereof. Each head portion is seen to be bent outwardly from two thin side walls, such as 25, 25' and 26, 26' of each frame, which side walls are substantially spaced from each other on each individual frame, with the head portion being horizontal with respect to said frames and being bent substantialiy 90 thereto While being integrally connected therewith.

Somewhat down on each of these separate side walls of the frame, for example at approximately a distance of one third the length of the frame, convoluted U-shaped concave sections, such as 27, 28 are bent outwardly in the frame. Since the frames are adapted to be placed to back to each other, the concavities bent in each of the frames cooperate to give the form of a flat large case letter O at the bending point 29 in the two frames. Second sections 39, 3t) and 31, 31' in each of the thin side walls of each of the frames are also bent therefrom to form sinuated step portions. At the end of these individual sinuated step portions, horiozntally extending foot sections 37, 38 also generally of hemispherical sh ape, are bent substantially in the same plane as that of the head portions above described. The foot sections may be apertured so as to accept electric lead wires for connection to the contact arms of the vibrator.

Each of the frames, such as for example, frame 12, has steps 31, 31' integrally interconnected by a vertically extending end 40. This end has a centrally positioned and integrally joined fixed side contact arm 41 having a tapered configuration stamped therefrom. Contact arm 4-1 has a base section 42 and a neck section 43 slightly bent away or angulated with respect thereto. A contact 45 is adapted to be placed at the top of the neck portion and insulated from it by insulating washers 47, one on each side of the neck portion, which serve to insulate the contact electrically from the neck portion. Lug 48 serves to connect lead wire to contact. side arm 41 has an aperture or window 44 formed therein.

As shown in Figures 2 and 5, particularly, each reed arm and reed assembly, for example, reed 21 together with reed arm 50, is adapted to be riveted together at their substantially rectangular bottom ends 51 and 52 as juxtaposed and fitted against each other. Then each of these assemblies, comprising the reed and reed. arm, is adapted to be secured to and mounted as against frame 12 by means of hanging or suspension tongues 73 and 74, individually contained or welded between frames 11 and12.

Reed arm 50, which may be fabricated of molybdenum stock, as seen, comprises a thin rectangular bottom end 52, a tapered mid-section 53 and a rounded contact end 54 all integrally interconnected. Section 53 is slightly angulated with respect to corresponding end 52 so as to give arm a. keyholeconfiguration.

.Reed 21, which. may be fabricated of spring steel, comprises a bottom end 51, to which are integrally joined suspension tongues 73 and 74 each having, a rectangular top portion 55, 55 joined to each side of the end 51 by means of neck. sections 56, 56. A. main reed section 58.

Fixed contact bearing is connected to end 51 substantially at the center thereof. This main reed. section has its sides 6!) and 61 converging toward its free end 63 which is of general rectangular configuration. At its free swinging end 63 an armature weight 20, of similar shape to corresponding end 63 is attached thereto as by being welded at points 64 and 65.

As stated, the assembly of the vibrator comprises two substantially similar halves, wherefor the description here given for the right half side of the vibrator will also apply to the left half side, making it unnecessary to repeat the description for the latter half.

Each assembly of half the vibrator is placed back-toback to each other so thatwhen reed 21, reed arm 59, and frame 12 are assembled together to its corresponding assembly for the other half, then the vibrator so assembled will appear as shown in Fig. 2, so as to give a new type of binge mounting allowing for the small high contact vibrator having the efiicient operation of the present vibrator. This is diagrammatically illustrated for operation purposes in Figure 7, as compared with the usual hinge mounting relationship shown in Figure '5.

The basis for the construction of the small high contact pressure vibrator of the present invention can be illustrated by referring to Figures 1, 6 and 7. The high contact pressure of the novel vibrator is accomplished by increasing the ratio of effective reed length to the effective reed arm length. For convenience, we shall call this the A ratio. Referring to Figures 6 and 7, it is [1/12. Normally to obtain a high A ratio the reed would have to be made longer or conversely the reed arm made shorter. Neither of these expedients is practical or desirable.

In great contradistinction to these alternatives, above expressed, the A ratio is made high in the present novel vibrator without changing either the effective reed length or the reed arm length. This is accomplished by changing the hinge position as shown in Figure 7.

It is seen that the effective reed length, l, is the same in both cases. Also the'reed arm C2 is the same length in both cases. But the ?A ratio is greater in Figure 7 due to 12 being shorter, as can be seen from the figures. For a given thickness, length, and width of C2, there will be a greater deflection of C2 in Figure 7 than in Figure 6. This means the reed amplitude will be greater for a given driving force (assuming the same reed and weight parameters in both cases). This will tend to offset the expected poorer contact spacing characteristics of the vibrator rep resented by Figure 7. Due to the greater amplitude, the velocity will be greater at a given frequency. This means that a thinner reed and lighter weight will give the same energy storage as the conventional system with heavier parts, and still give good contact pressure.

Thus, there are several advantages in operation obtained through the novel construction shown in the present vibrator. For example, there is no contact wiping action or shear. This is accomplished by the new hinge position. The hinge is now at the exact center of the reed arm movement. C2 now acts as the radius of a circle with the center at the hinge point and the circumference as the are made by the contact end. This results in less contact wear and less power loss. Furthermore, it has been found that transfer of contact material is not excessive due to this higher pressure. Further, even with some transfer, there is less danger of contact lockup. Again, in the construction of the vibrator, molybdenum strip stock is used in fabricating the reed arms. This saves the cost of welding on contacts and also requires less driving power due to the lighter reed arm contact system. This lighter mass of the moving parts also reduces the energy of free oscillation of the contact arms at break, making this easier to control. In addition, less power is required to drive the mechanism. This is accomplished, as explained above, by the use of lighter moving parts, no wiping action of the contacts, and more compliant reed. It is apparent further that the overall size of the vibrator is made substantially smaller for an equivalent power handling ability. This is accomplished by the elimination of the stack and by the new hinge position and also, by the reduction in energy storage and power required. The vibrator, further, has good dimensional stability because of the elimination of the usual stack construction.

The present vibrator is simply constructed, calling for fewer parts and gives less shake and noise as a result of the use of lighter moving parts with low impact mass of the contacts. Again, the instant construction gives a more eificient drive as a result of the low reluctance path for the flux from the coil, and low flux leakage. Due to these factors, and to the fact that the mechanism requires less power, the coil is much smaller and requires much less copper therein.

The novel small high contact pressure vibrator, as described above, is intended to be merely illustrative and not exhaustive and since many changes could be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that these changes be included here.

What is claimed is:

l. A small vibrator mechanism comprising a plurality of frames placed back to back, each of said frames having a fixed contact arm connected thereto adapted to have a contact thereon, a reed contact arm having a contact-making face for making contact with said fixed contact arm, a vibrating reed having an armature, said reed and reed arm adapted to be connected together, said reed further being adapted to be mounted between said frames of said vibrator, a driver coil for said mechanism, and a vibrator pole piece connected to one of said frames and adapted to activate said armature upon the excitation of said driven coil whereby high contact pressure is obtained between said contacts. I

2. A small vibrator mechanism comprising a plurality of frames, each of said frames having thin side walls, a top head portion substantially having a hemispherical shape interconnecting both said side walls, and a bottom foot portion substantially of the same shape interconnect ing the opposite ends of said side walls, each of said frames further having a fixed contact arm connected thereto adapted to have a contact thereon, a reed contact arm having a contact-making face for making contact with said fixed contact arm, a vibrating reed having an armature, said reed and reed arm adapted to be connected together, said reed having tongue means adapted to be connected to said frames of said vibrator so as to support said reed and reed arm thereby, a driver coil for said mechanism, and a vibrator pole piece connected to one of said frames and adapted to activate said armature upon the excitation of said driven coil whereby high contact pressure is obtained between said contacts.

3. A small vibrator mechanism comprising a plurality of thin, longitudinally extending frames placed back to back, each of said frames further having a fixed contact arm connected thereto and bent away therefrom adapted to have a contact thereon, a tapered reed contact arm having a fiat contact-making face for making contact with said fixed contact arm, a vibrating reed having an armature, said reed and reed arm adapted to be connected together at one end thereof to form a hinge about which both said reed and reed arm may be moved, said reed further being adapted to be hung between said frames of said vibrator by a pair of metal tongues, a driver coil for said mechanism, and a vibrator pole piece connected to one of said frames and adapted to activate said armature upon the excitation of said driven coil whereby high contact pressure is obtained between said contacts.

4. A small vibrator mechanism comprising a plurality of frames placed back to back, each of said frames having thin side walls being substantially spaced from each other, a top head portion and a bottom foot portion interconnecting said thin side walls, both said portions extending from said frame at substantially ninety degrees thereto, each of said frames further having a fixed con tact arm connected thereto substantially at the bottom end thereof adapted to have a contact thereon, a reed contact arm having a contact-making face for making contact with said fixed contact arm, a vibrating reed having an armature, said reed and reed arm adapted to be connected together, said reed further being adapted to hang between said frames of said vibrator, a driver coil for said mechanism, and a vibrator pole piece connected to one of said frames and adapted to activate said armature upon the excitation of said driven coil whereby high contact pressure is obtained between said contacts.

5. A small vibrator mechanism comprising a plurality of thin, longitudinally extending frames placed back to back, each of said frames having thin, lengthwise extending side walls substantially separated from each other, said walls being interconnected at each end by head and foot semi-circular discs respectively, said discs extending outwardly from said frames in a horizontal plane, each of said frames further having a fixed contact arm integrally connected thereto and slightly offset therefrom adapted to have a contact thereon, a reed contact arm having a contact-making face for making contact with said fixed contact arm, a vibrating reed having an armature, said reed and reed arm adapted to be connected together at one end thereof to form a hinge about which both said reed and reed arm may be moved, said reed further being adapted to be mounted between said frames of said vibrator, a driver coil for said mechanism and a vibrator pole piece connected to one of said frames and adapted to activate said armature upon the excitation of said driven coil whereby high contact pressure is obtained between said contacts.

6. A small vibrator mechanism comprising a plurality of thin, longitudinally extending frames placed back to back, each of said frames having a fixed contact arm connected thereto substantially midway on said frame and adapted to have a contact thereon, a reed arm made of molybdenum having a contact-making face for making contact with said fixed contact arm, a vibrating reed having an armature placed at its free end, said reed and reed arm adapted to be connected together to form a hinge at said other end of said reed, tongue means for said reed adapted to mount the same between said frames of said vibrator, a driver coil for said mechanism, and a vibrator pole piece connected to one of said frames and adapted to activate said armature to move said reed and reed arm upon the excitation of said driven coil whereby high contact pressure is obtained between said contacts.

7. A small vibrator comprising a pair of frames each including oppositely disposed thin side and end walls, head and foot sections connected to said end walls, said pair of frames placed back to back, each of said frames having aside fixed contact carrying means integrally formed of and bent out from one of the individual end walls thereof, a reed contact carrying arm, a reed having an armature at its free end, said reed and reed arm being joined together by a hinge, a driver coil adapted to be suitably current excited, a pole piece extending therein adapted to have a magnetic flux induced therein by said driver coil so as to actuate said armature, and mounting means connecting said reed and reed arm to each of said individual frames whereby When said armature is activated said reed and reed arm is adapted to move and provide high contact pressure in said vibrator.

8. A small vibrator comprising a pair of frames each including oppositely disposed thin side and end walls, said side walls each having a U-shaped bend made therein so as to provide a means of adjusting the pole air gap and to provide a means of visibly inspecting said gap, semi-circular head and foot disc-like sections connected to said end walls, said pair of frames placed back to back, each of said frames having a side fixed contact carrying means integrally formed of and bent out from one of the individual end walls substantially at the center thereof, a tapered reed contact carrying arm, a reed having an armature weight at its free end, said reed and reed arm being joined together by a flat hinge, a driver coil adapted to be suitably current excited, a pole piece extending therethrough. adapted to have a magnetic flux induced therein by said driver coil so as to actuate said armature, and mounting means connecting said reed and reed arm to each of said individual frames whereby when said armature is activated said reed and reed armis adapted to move and provide high contact pressure in said vibrator.

9. A smallvib'rator comprising a pair of frames each including oppositely disposed thin side and end walls, said side walls each having a U-shaped bend 'rnade therein so as to provide a means of adjusting the pole air gap and to provide a means of visibly inspecting said gap, half disc-like head and foot sections connected to said end walls, said pair of frames placed back to back, each of said frames having a side fixed contact carrying means connected thereto at one of the individual end walls thereof, a tapered reed contact carrying arm, a reed having an armature'at its free end, said reed and reed arm being joined together by a hinge, the ratio of said reed length to reed arm length being increased thereby over that which heretofore existed for a vibrator of similar dimension, a driver coil adapted to be suitably current excited, a pole piece extending therein adapted to have a magnetic flux induced therein by said driver coil so as to actuate said armature, and tongue mounting means connecting said reed and reed arm between each of said individual frames whereby when said armature is activated said reed and reed arm is adapted to move about said hinge in accordance with said new ratio above established and to provide high contact pressure in said vibrator.

10. A small vibrator comprising a pair of frames each including oppositely'disposed thin side and end walls, head and foot sections connected to said end walls, the connections of said individual foot sections being made by step portions respectively, said pair offrames placed back to back, each of said frames having a side fixed contact carrying means integrally formed of and bent out from one of the individual end walls thereof, a reed contact carrying arm fabricated of a thin molybdenum sheet, a reed of spring steel having an armature weight placed at its free end, said reed and reed arm being further joined together by a hingeat saidother end of said reed, a driver coil adapted to be suitably current excited, a'pole pie ce extendingcentrally therethrough' adapted to have a magneticfiux induced therein by said driver coil so as to V 11. it small vibrator comprising a pair of frames eachincluding oppositely disposed thin side and end walls,

head and foot'sections connected to said end walls, the

connections of-said individual foot sections being made by sinuated step portions respectively, said pair of frames placed back to back, each of said frames having a side fixed contact carrying means integrally formed of and bent out from one of the individual end walls thereof, a reed contact'carrying arm, a. reed having an armature placed at its free end, said reedand reed arm being joined together by a hinge at the other end of said reed, a driver coil adapted to be suitably current excited, a pole piece cooperating therewith adapted to have a magnetic iiux induced therein by said driver coil so as to actuate said armature, and mounting tongues connecting said reed and reed arm'to each of said individual frames, said hinge which joins said reed to said reed arm adapted to hang between said foot sections of said vibrator to provide a novel pivot point about which said reed and reed arm may move While increasing the reed to reed arm ratio, whereby when said armature is activated said reed and reed arm is adapted to provide optimum high contact pressure in said vibrator.

References Cited in the file or this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,009,892 Leece July 30, 1935 2,164,632 Barrett July 4, 1939 2,200,064 James May 7, 1940 2,247,469 Barrett July 1, 1941 2,468,991 Mas May 3, 1949 2,483,085 Coake Sept. 27, 1949 2,659,786 Hufnagel Nov. 17, 1953

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