US2922862A - Relays - Google Patents

Description

Jan- 25, 1960 R. l. DINLocKER 2,922,862

RELAY-S Filed Dec. 29, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 wpd; @auf A TTORNE YS.

Jan. 26, 1960 R, l, D|NLOCKER 2,922,862

RELAYS Filed Dec. 29. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 38 if .as F167` l IN V EN TOR.

BY @da @we A TTORNE YS.

RELAYS -Robert Dinlo'cker, Lansdale, Pa., assignor' to Electro- Mechanical Instrument Co., Perkasie, Pa.

Application December 29, 1958, Serial No. 783,343 Claims. (Cl. 200-104) This invention relatesto relays. More particularly, it is concerned with so-called sequence relays of the single pole double-throw solenoid-actuated type useful, for example, in connection with remote controls for television apparatus.

My invention has for its chief aim the provision of a relay of the above kind which is simple in construction and conducive to ready and economical production in quantity; which is free against the possibility of easy derangernent over long periods of use; which is reliable from a standpoint of positively maintaining the circuits which it is intended to establish and control; and which, moreover, is quiet in its operation as compared to relays heretofore designed to serve for a similar purpose.

Other important objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation on an enlarged scale of a relay conveniently embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 shows the relay in top plan,

Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sectional views through the relay taken as indicated respectively by the arrows III- III and IV-IV in Fig. 2, l

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are perspective views of various components of the relay which will be particularly referred to in detail hereinafter,

Figs. 8, 9, and 11 are fragmentary sectional views corresponding to Fig. 3 showing successive stepsy in the operation of the relay.

As'herein illustrated, the relay comprises a hollow vertical axis spool 1 of plastic or other suitable di-electric material, abo-ut which a coil 2 of wire is wound to serve as a solenoid, one lead of said coil Xbeing soldered to a terminal lug 3 recessed into the bottom of the upper ange of the spool, and the other lead to one end of a bar 4 recessed into the top of said ange and having its opposite end connected to another terminal lug 5,

also recessed into the bottom of said flange. At the bottom, the spool 1 has a diametrically reduced axial prolongation 6 about which is engaged a circumferentially grooved collar 7 of resilient rubber or other insulation, said collar being secured in place by a snap ring 8 forced onto the protruding end of said prolongation. Lodged in the circumferential groove of the collar 7 is the apertured horizontal arm 9 of an L-shaped supporting bracket 10 of which the vertical arm is apertured as at 11 in Figs. 2 and 4, for passage of screws or similar securing devices. Integrally formed with spool `1 at the top are square outstanding diametral projections 12 and 13. Set into a con formative recess in the top of the projection 12 is a contact piece 15 of stil sheet metal having a lug 16 which extends inwardly toward the axis of the spool, and a lateral lug 17 (see Fig. 2) for connection of a circuit conductor. Mounted on the projection 12 over the contact piece 15 is a small block 18 of insulation, and set into a recess in the top of said block is a similar contact piece 19 which likewise has a lug 20 extending inwardly toward the axis of the spool from the opposite side and United States Patent O Patented Jan. 26, 1960 a lateral lug 21 (Fig. 2) for connection of another circuit conductor. The shank of a headed securing screw designated 22 (Figs. 2 and 3) extends down through the contact piece 19, through the block 18 and through an oversize hole in the contact piece 15 and takes threadedly into the lug 12. Arranged for up and down movement of its distal end in the interval between the lugs 16 and 2t) of the xed Contact pieces 15 and 19 is a contact element 25 which is separately illustrated in Fig. 5, the same being struck from thin, springy sheet metal to channel cross section. The anchorage end of the element 25 is set into a recess at the top of the lug 13 of the spool 1 between a pair of thin restraining pieces 26 and 27 which may be of metal. Superimposed upon the anchorage end of the element 25 is a terminal piece 28 which is struck from stift sheet metal and has lugs 28 and 29 for connection of still other circuit conductors, said element and said terminal piece being xedly held in place in the assemblage by a headed screw 31, as best shown in Fig. 3. From Fig. 5 it will be observed that the element 25 is slotted and formed with a short punched out longitudinal tongue 32, and a long punched out longitudinal tongue, the spaced opposing ends of said tongues being notched as in 35 and 36 respectively for engagement therewith of the hook ends 38 and 39 of a V-shaped toggle element 40 which is separately illustrated in Fig. 6.

Constrained to up and down movement within the hollow of the spool 1 is the armature 41 of the solenoid (Figs. 3, 4 and 7) to the top of which is affixed by a screw 42, a U-shaped metallic yoke 43 whereof one leg 44 is provided adjacent the top with an aperture 45, and whereof the other leg 46 is provided adjacent the top with a downward notch 47; and engaged in said aperture and said notch are the outwardly directed ends 49 and 50 of a swingable bale-like element 5f1 fashioned from stiff wire and adapted to cooperate with the toggle element 40 in a manner presently explained. It is to be noted that the outwardly directed end 50 of the balelike element 51 engaged within the notch 47 of the yoke 43 if formed with a downward crank 52 to which is connected one end of a small tension spring 53, the other end of said spring being connected to an anchorage 54 on the corresponding leg of said yoke. By means of the spring 53, the element 51 is normally maintained yieldingly in true vertical suspension as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. A bifurcated plate 57 stamped from stift sheet insulation and secured to the top of the spool 1 by a screw 58, extends transversely of the projections 12 and 13, and serves as a guide for one of the legs of the yoke 43 to prevent the armature 41 from turning within the hollow of the spool during operation of the relay, and also as a limiting stop for the armature.

Assume that the distal end of the moveable contact element 25 is engaged with the lug 16 of the fixed contact element 15 as in Figs. 3 and 8, in which position it is firmly held by the biasing elfect of the toggle element 40 under the influence of the spring tongue 33. Upon energization of the solenoid and lifting of its armature 41 with attendant elevation of the bail-like element 51, the cross bar of the latter wipes against the lefthand side of the toggle element to swing low of the spool 1 is the armature 41 of the solenoid (Figs. 3, 4 and 7) to the top of which is ailxed by a screw 42, a U-shaped metallic yoke 43 whereof one leg 44 is provided adjacent the top with an aperture 45, and whereof one leg 44 is provided adjacent the top with an aperture 45, and whereof the other leg 46 is provided adjacent the top with a downward notch 47; and engaged in said aperture and said notch are the outwardly directed ends 49 and 50 of a swingable baillike element 51 fashioned from stijf wire and adapted to cooperate with the toggle element 40 in a manner pres- M ently explained. It is to be noted that the outwardly directed end 50 of the bail-like element 51 engaged within the notch 47 of the yoke 43 is formed with a downward crank 52 to which is lconnected one end of a small tension spring 53, the other end of said spring being connected to an anchorage 54 on the corresponding leg of said yoke. By means of the spring 53, the element 51 is normally maintained yieldingly in true vertical suspension as shown .in Figs. 3 and 4. A bifurcated plate 57 stamped from stiff sheet insulation and secured to the top of the spool 1 by a screw 58, extends transversely of the projections 12 and 13, and serves as a guide for one 0f the legs of the yoke 43 to prevent the armature 41 from turning within the hollow of the spool during operation of the relay, and also as a limiting stop for the armature.

Operation Assume that the distal end of the moveable contact element 25 is engaged with the lug 16 of the fixed contact element 15 as in Figs. 3 and 8, in which position Vit is firmly held by the biasing effect of the toggle velement 40 under the influence of the` spring tongue 33. Upon energization of the solenoid and lifting of its armature 41 with attendant elevation of the bail-like element 51, the cross bar of the latter wipes against the lefthand side of the toggle element to swing it to an angular position to the opposite side of the vertical als in Fig. 9 whereby the distal end of the moveable contact element 25 being thereby raised into engagement with the lug 20 of the upper fixed contact element19. The distal endrofthe moveable contact element 25 is thereafter maintained firmly in engagement with the lug 19 of the upper. fixed contact 20 by the spring action of the now upwardly deflected tongue 33 of said moveable contact element upon the toggle element 40. When the solenoid is next energized, the righthand side of the toggle element 40' is wiped by the cross bar of the bail-like element S1, with the result that said toggle element is swung back to` the angular position as in Fig. ll and the distal end of the moveable contact element thereby caused to engage the lug 16 of the fixed Contact 15, this engagement being firmly maintained thereafter likewise, by the spring action of the tongueV 33 upon said toggle element. It will therefore be seen that, by successive energizations of the solenoid, the moveable contact element 25 will be actuated to alternatively engage the lugs 16 and 20 of the fixed contacts 15 and 19.

In describing the preferred embodiment ofthe invention illustrated in the drawing, specific' terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, it is not the .intention to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

Having thus describedv my invention, I claim: l. In a sequence relay having a hollow vertical axis spool of dielectric material surrounded by a coil of wire to serve as a solenoid, a pair of vertically spaced fixed contacts at the top of the spool to one side of thehollow t of the spool, a moveable contact finger with Vone end thereof fixedly secured to the top ofthe spool Vto the opposite side of the spool hollow and extending diametrically across said hollow for play of its distal end in the interval between the fixed contacts, and armature constrained to up and down movement withinthe hollow of the spool, and means actuated from the armature tocause the linger to alternately engage the respective fixed contacts during excitation of the coil: a circumferentially grooved collar of resilient material engaged about a diametrically reduced axial prolongation at the bottom end of the spool, a supporting bracket of stiff plate material fashioned for engagement of one end thereof in the circum'ferential groove of the collar, and a retaining snap ring forced onto the end ofthe reduced prolongatin Of the spool protruding beyond the collar.

2. In a sequence relay, a vertical axis solenoid having an armature constrained to up and down movement within its hollow; a pair of vertically spaced contacts secured to the top of the solenoid at one side; a flexible contact element secured at one end to the top of the solenoid at the opposite side and extendingdiametrically of the hollow of the solenoid for movement of its distal end between and into engagement in alternation with said fixed contacts, said -moveable contact being yslotted and formed with a longitudinal spring tongue whereof the distal end is spaced from one end of the slot; a pendent V-shaped toggle element having one end thereof engaged with the distal end of the tongue and the other end thereof engaged with the opposing end of the slot for capacity to be yswung laterally to angular positions to opposite sides of the vertical; a U-shaped yoke amxed to the top of the solenoid armature with its side arms extending upgthrough the hollow'ofthe solenoid; and a bail-like element pivotally hung from the tops of the side arms of the yoke with its cross barl underreaching the toggle element, where- V by, upon energization of the solenoid and raising of said bail-like element, the cross bar of the latter by wiping one side ofthe toggle element causes the spring tongue to be flexed in one direction and the moveable contact element to engage one of the fixed contacts, and whereby upon the next energization of the solenoid and lifting of the yoke, the cross bar of the bail-like element is caused to wipe the opposite side of the toggle element thereby to flex the spring tongue in the opposite direction and the moveable contact element to engage the other fixed Contact. Y t

3. A lsequence relay according to claim 2, further including means for yieldingly maintaining said bail-like element no'rmally in true vertical suspension. p

4. A sequence relay according to claim 2, wherein the bail-like element has outwardly directed end portions pivoted in the tops of the yoke legs, and wherein one of the end portions of the bail-like element is formed with apendent crank projection; and further including a coiled spring with one end thereof connected to the crank of the bail-like element and the other end connected to an anchorage on the outer side of the corresponding yoke leg, for yieldingly maintaining said baillike element normally in true vertical suspension.

5. In a sequence relay, a hollow vertical axis' spool of di-electric material about which a coil of -wire is wound to serve as a solenoid; an armature constrained to up and down movement within the hollow of the A spool; a pair o'f vertically spaced contacts secured to the top of the spool at one side; a flexible moveable contact element with one of its ends secured to the Vtop of the spool, extending diametricalliy over the hollow of the spool Y for movement of its distal end between and into engagement alternately with the fixed contacts, said moveable contactl being slotted and. formed with a longitudinally extending tongue whereof the distal end is spaced from `the opposing end of the slot; a pendent V-shaped toggle element with hook ends whereof one is engaged in the distal end of the tongue of the moveable contact element and the other is engaged in'theiopposing end of the slot for capacity of said Vtoggle element to be swung laterally to' angular positions to opposite sides of the vertical; a U-shaped yoke affixed to the top of the vsolenoid armature with its side arms extending up and out through the top of the spool; and a bail-'like element hung fromy yoke, the cross bar of the bail-like element by wiping th Opposite side of the toggle element causes the tongu'` ofJthe moveable contact element to be flexed in the oggosite direction and the moveable contact to engage the other xed contact.

UNITED ST ATBS PATENTS Eaton i- June 24, 1941 Stilwell Feb. 11, 1947

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