US3001042A

US3001042A - Snap-action switch

Info

Publication number: US3001042A
Application number: US831142A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Walter L Cherry
Original assignee: Cherry Electrical Products Corp
Current assignee: Cherry Corp
Priority date: 1959-08-03
Filing date: 1959-08-03
Publication date: 1961-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 1978-09-19

Description

Sept. 19, 1961 w. L. CHERRY, JR

SNAP-ACTION SWITCH Filed Aug. 5, 1959 an a w I 0 l 9 3 -1: 4 I: h

w i Q United States Patent 3,001,042 SNAP-ACTION SWITCH Walter L. Cherry, Jr., Highland Park, 111., assignor to Cherry Electrical Products Corp Highland Park, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 831,142

4 Claims. (Cl. 200-67) My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a snap-action switch and more particularly to an electric switch having a switch blade movable with a snapaction between moving actuating contact blades.

Another object of my invention is in the provision a switch of this character of a snap-action switch blade which by reason of its operative connection with an actuating means is prevented from accidentally reaching and maintaining an idle position.

0 Yet another object of my invention is in the provision in a switch of this character which is of a rigid and sturdy construction, which is compact, simple and economical in manufacture.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed. t

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of my snap-action switch with the cover removed showing the parts thereof in normal position;

; FIG. 2 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the parts in operative position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the parts of my improved snap-action switch in exploded relation; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing progressively the positions of the movable parts of my snap-action switch as they move from their normal position to their actuated position.

A housing is indicated as at 10. It consists of a back wall 11,

side walls

12 and 13, a top wall 14 and a bottom Wall 15. A cover 16 is adapted to be mounted on the open side of the housing and fastened by screws or the like 17 passing through

holes

17 and 18 formed in the housing 10 and cover 16 respectively.

The side wall 12 is provided with a plurality of vertically aligned

slots

19, 20 and 21. Each of these slots has open communication with a cavity 22 formed internally in the housing 10.

In the uppermost slot 19 there is fixedly positioned a contact bearing member 23. Likewise in the lowermost slot 21 there is fixedly positioned a contact bearing member 24. The inner ends of the

members

23 and 24 disposed in the cavity 22 are movably connected together by a bar 25. The means for connecting the bar 25 to the ends of the

members

23 and 24 consists of lateral projections 26 and 27 extending parallel to the longitudinal length of the bar 25 and which are insertable into apertures 28 and 29 formed in the ends of the

contact bearing members

23 and 24 respectively.

In slot 20 there is fixedly positioned a movable switch blade 30. This switch blade 30 has a longitudinal length less than the

contact bearing members

23 and 24 so that its end 31 disposed within the cavity 22 is spaced from the bar 25 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

A mounting post 32 frictionally fits within the cavity 22 in facial abutment with the inner face of the side wall 13. This mounting post 32 supports a yieldable support element 33. This support element 33 has its lowermost end 34 bent in the direction of the bar 25 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. Between the end 34 of the support element 33 and the end 31 of the switch blade 30 is a substantially rigid actuating link 35.

This actuating link 35 is of a U-shaped formation. The bar 25 is adapted to be disposed between the arms 36 and 37 of thelink 35 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The free ends of the arms 36 and 37 are V-notched as at 38. The base of the bight portion of the link 35 is likewise V-notched. The free end 31 of the switch blade 30 as well as the end 34 of the support element 33 are positioned in the V- notches.

A plunger 39 is slidably carried by a guide block 40 connected within the cavity 22 by means of a screw (not shown) which is threaded through an aperture 41 formed in back wall 11 and into a threaded aperture 42 formed in the block 40.. The plunger 39 has an enlarged head 43 adapted to be in facial engagement with the top surface of the contact bearing member 23. In the normal position of the parts of the switch heretofore described such contact bearing member 23 will position the plunger 39 so as to expose one end 44 thereof through an aperture 45 formed in the top wall 14 of the housing 10'.

Between the contact bearing member 23 and the movable switch blade intermediate the ends thereof is a non-conductive stud 46. This stud 46 is fixedly carried by the contact bearing member 23 as is seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

In the installation of the parts within the housing 10 the contact bearing member 24 is formed so that its innermost end has a siight rise thereto in the direction of the free end 34 of the support element 33. By such arrangement the. contact bearing member 23 through the bar 25 is yieldably maintained in bearing relationship with the enlarged head 43 of the plunger 39.

As will be noted from FIGS. 1 and 2 the actuating link 35 is of a length greater than the normal distance between the end-3'1 of the switch blade 30 and the end 34 of the support element 33. By reason thereof when the parts are assembled the switch blade 30 is bent upwardly so that the uppermost contact 47 thereon is in engagement With contact 48 of the contact bearing member 23.

When an applied force is placed on the free end 44 of the plunger 39 it will cause a simultaneous downward movement through bar 25 of the

contact bearing members

23 and 24. The downward movement of the contact bearing member 23 together with the stud 46 mounted thereon will cause the switch blade 30 to be deformed into a substantial S-shaped formation as shown in sketch B of FIG. 4. The free end 31 of the switch blade 30 is forced in a downward direction by the contact 48 of the contact bearing member 23. The bar 25 is freely movable transversely with respect to the actuating link 35. As the switch blade 30 is forced to move downwardly below its normal horizontal plane it will yieldably move the actuating link 35 against the support element 33 causing the same to yieldably move in the direction toward the supporting post 32. By continued downward movement of the free end 31 of the switch blade 30, the inherent resiliency of the support element 33 will overcome the force, transmitted to it through the actuating link 35 that has caused it to move in the direction of the supporting post 32, and will force with a snap-action the end 31 of the switch blade 30 in a downward direction until the lower contact 47 thereof engages the contact 49 of the contact bearing member 24. Because of this resilient force of the supporting element 33 acting upon the actuating link 35 it will cause the link 35 to be reversely tilted into the position shown in FIG. 2, which tilting results in the snap-action movement of the end 31 of the switch blade 30 into its operative position. When the applied force is removed from the plunger 39 the reverse action will take place by reason of the resiliency of the contact bearing member 24 which has been placed in a stressed position below its normal longitudinal plane by the above described movement of parts which resulted in the snapaction of the switch blade 30.

The stud 46 carried by the contact bearing member 23 when moved into engagement with the switch blade 30 bends the same downwardly from a point distant from its fixed base, deforming its normal longitudinal plane and thereby cooperating with the contact 48 of the contact bearing member 23 and link 55 to deform the switch blade 36 into a substantially S-s'haped formation. Because the stud 46 moves with the contact bearing member 23 and operates upon the switch blade 30' as above described it prevents the switch blade 30 from reaching an idle position which would be a substantially horizontal plane through the longitudinal length of the switch blade 30, the longitudinal length of the actuating link 35, and the end 34 of the supporting element 33.

It should be noted that before the snapaction movement of the blade Sit in either direction, the contact heating force between its contact 47 and the moving contact which could be either of the

contacts

48 or 49, is maintained.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A snap-action switch comprising a pair of parallelly extending spaced apart contact-bearing members, an element providing connection between corresponding end portions of said contact-bearing members, a switch blade positioned between said contact-bearing members in spaced relation with respect thereto and having a contact engageable with the contacts of said contact bearing members, means carried by one of said contact-bearing members and engaging said switch blade to impart flexing of said switch blade upon flexing of said contact-bearing members, a supporting member extending in a vertical plane with respect to said contact-bearing members and having an end portion angled in a direction toward the contact-bearing end portion of said switch blade, a substantially rigid link connecting said angled end portion and said contact-bearing end portion of said switch blade and of a length greater than the distance between said angled end portion and the said end of said switch blade so as to effect snap-action of said switch blade in either direction past its long axis, a fixed mounting for corresponding ends of said contact-bearing members and an adjacent end portion of said switch blade, said switch blade engaging means when forced against said switch blade adapted to deform said switch blade in the direction of its length so as to cooperate with said link to effect a snap action movement of the switch blade on either side of its said long axis, and an actuating member for said contact-bearing members.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 in which the supporting member is yieldable and acts upon the link in a direction against the movement of the switch blade to effect said snap action movement of said switch blade when said contact members are moved by said actuating member.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 in which the said means engages said switch blade at a point spaced from the point of engagement between the switch blade and said link.

4. The device as defined in claim 2 in which the said means engages said switch blade at a point spaced from the point of engagement between the switch blade and said link.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,995,877 Woodworth Mar. 26, 1935 2,574,429 Wood Nov. 6, 1951 2,748,215 Davis May 29, 1956 2,870,282 Brand I an. 20, 1959