US3031547A

US3031547A - Toggle switch

Info

Publication number: US3031547A
Application number: US101132A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wesley T Sorenson
Original assignee: CARLING ELECTRIC Inc
Current assignee: Carlingswitch Inc
Priority date: 1961-04-06
Filing date: 1961-04-06
Publication date: 1962-04-24
Anticipated expiration: 1979-04-24

Description

April 24, 1962 w. T. soRENsoN TOGGLE SWITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April s, 1961 mw. JW. FHI# BY a; ATTOR EY April 24, 1962 w. T. soRl-:NsoN

TOGGLE SWITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 6, 1961 ATTORNEY United States Patent O Electric, Inc., West Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Apr. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 101,132 14 Claims. (Cl. 200-67) This invention relates generally to switches, and more particularly to an improved toggle switch capable of controlling two electrical circuits.

"The present invention constitutes a single pole toggle switch arranged to control two electrical circuits in sequence, as follows: center position, both circuits ol; one side position, one circuit on; the opposite side position, both circuits on; said electrical conditions being slectable in forward, reverse or mixed sequence.

These functions of the invention are performed, in one embodiment, by a circuit contact lever supported pivotably on a yoke positioned between two contact elements. One of these contact elements constitutes a simple contact head 'which is connected through the switch case to a suitable terminal lug, and when the lever is in contact therewith, the particular circuit connected to said lug is closed. The otherof the contact elements has a novel composite structure whereby it may be contacted by the circuit lever in two positions of the latter, depending upon the selected position of the actuating mechanism for said lever.

When the actuator element for the lever is in the center position, it causes the circuit lever to be spaced apart from Ithe respective contact elements, thereby maintaining both of the circuits controlled by the switch in the open circuit condition. By moving the actuating mechanism in one direction from the center-oil? position, the circuit lever is pivotally moved into a position 4where one of itscontact arms makes electrical connection with only one portion of the composite circuit element connected to one of the circuits controlled -by the switch while the other circuit remains open. When the actuating mechanism is moved in the opposite direction from the centeroff position, the circuit lever is moved pivotally to a position where it makes electrical connection lwith another portion of said composite contact element while said lever also makes electrical connection with another contact element connected to the second electrical circuit. f Thus, the switch 4herein provides either for the closing of one of twoelectrical circuits only, or for closing both of said electrical circuits simultaneously. Moreover, this choice of operation is selectable by the operator of the switch from a neutral center-off position of the actuator and of the circuit lever Where both of the circuits controlled by the switch are in the open circuit condition.

The circuit lever is moved from one circuit position to a succeeding circuit position by operation of a toggle, slide, push, tipper or other type of actuator mechanism containing a spring actuated pin which yieldably maintains the lever in any selected one of the various circuit positions until the pin is moved into another selected circuit position.

The switch of the present invention comprises an arrangement of simple stamped and molded parts which are inexpensive to fabricate and which are easily assembled. Since the working parts are subjected to comparatively little stress, the switch is capable of performing for long periods of time without failure.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification.

The features of novelty which are believed to be characteristic of the invention are' set forth herein and will best =be understood, both as to their fundamental principles and as to their particular embodiments, by reference to the specification and accompanying drawings, in which:

3,03l,547 Patented Apr. 24, 1962 `ice FIGURE l is a perspective view of a typical switch asembly embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged vertical section view, taken on line 2 2 of FIG. l, some parts being shown in elevation and showing the circuit lever in a position where both eliectrical circuits are open;

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, except that the toggle element has moved the control pin into a position where the lever causes the closing of one circuit only;

FIG. 4 is similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, except that the toggle element has moved the control pin into a position where the lever causes the closing of two circuits;

FIG. 5 is a still further enlarged view taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a further enlarged view, taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 3, some parts being omitted;

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 constitute a series of fragmentary views extracted Ifrom FIG. 7, showing the different relative positions of the end portion of the circuit lever and its respective contact element, as they are shown in side view inFIGS. 2, 3 and 4, respectively; I FIG. ll is a greatly enlarged, exploded view of the yoke and circuit `lever element-s, as well as one of the cornposite contact elements forming part of the mechanism of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a lfragmentary view showing a contact element somewhat modiiied in form from that shown in the previous iigures.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the switch of the present invention comprises a box-like molded case, generally designated 21, made of a suitable electrically insulating material such as syntheticA resin, Bakelite, or the like, and having a pair of opposing end walls 22, and a pair of side walls 23. The bottom vof case 21 is enclosed by a oor 24. A p The open top of case 21 is covered by a top plate 25 made of a suitable material such as sheet metal, or the like, and whose ends are substantially co-extensive with the outer surfaces of respective end walls 22. The sides of vtop plate 25 4are recessed to coincide with recesses 26 in the outer surfaces of side walls 23 of case 21. See FIGS. 5 and 6. Top plate 25 has a central aperture 27 through which various switch actuating elements project, as will be described hereinbclow.

i Positioned over topplate Z5 is a bracket 31 of sheet metal, which has a central, circular aperture coaxial with aperture 27 in plate 25. Bracket 31 has a pair of opposed downwardly extending leaves 32 which tit within respective recesses'26 of side walls 23. The lower end of each leaf 32 is provided with a pair of spaced apart lugs 33 which tensionally-grasp respective recesses, not shown, in the bottom surface of door 24 to cause bracket 31 to secure top plate 25 firmly on the top of case 21.

' A tubular threaded bushing A36 is secured at its lower end by suitable means, such as a force lit or the like, between top plate 25 and bracket 31 at the inner peripheral areas surrounding their respective central apertures for firm connection to case 21.

The interior wall of bushing 36 has an inwardly curving annular shoulder 37 intermediate its ends, said shoulder being adapted to cooperate with a toggle or actuator element 38, a portion of whose surface is curved to mate movably with said shoulder, whereby said toggle may move pivotally relative to said bushing. Toggle 38 has an upwardly extending handle 39 for manual operation, and a lower tubular extension 41. Handle 39 has a bore 42, toggle 38 has a bore 43, and tube 41 has a bore 44, all of said bores being axially aligned and longitudinally accommodating an elongated control pin 45 which is normally urged outwardly from bore 44 by captive spring 46 within said bores. Control pin 45 is made of a suitable Positioned in floor 24 of case 21 is a pair of spaced apart, electrically conducting studs 51 and 52 which extend through said floor and are secured therein by means of molding or the like. Stud 51 has an electrically conducting contact head 53 and stud 52 has an electrically conducting Contact head 54, which extend into the interior of case 2l. The lower ends of said studs on the outer surface of floor 24 have rivet

heads

55 and 56, respectively, to which are rmly secured electrically conductive brackets 57 `and 58. Brackets 57 and 58 have downwardly extending electrically conducting lugs 61 and 62, respectively, which serve as terminals to which separate electrical circuits are connectible.

Positioned `intermediate studs 51 and `52 is an electrically conducting stud 63 which also extends through oor 24 and is secured therein by means of molding or the like` The lower end of stud 63 extends downwardly :to the exterior of case 21 and has a rivet head 64 which firmly secures an electrically conductive bracket 65 to thebottom of said case. Bracket 65 has a downwardly extending lug 66 which serves as a terminal to which an electrical circuit is connectible that is common to the other ftwo circuits that are controllable by the switch herein. The upper end of stud 63 extends into the interior of case 21 and through a central aperture in the base of an electrically conducting support or yoke 67. Stud 63 has a rivet head 69 which secures yoke 67 to the oor 24 of case 21.

Yoke 67 has a pair of upwardly extending spaced apart arms 47.?. each of which terminates in a pair of spaced apart, shortV lingers 73ay and 74. Between each pair of

lingers

73 and 74, on each of arms 72 are

shoulders

76 and 77, respectively, which serve as spaced apart fulcrums for an electrically conductive circuit contact lever, generally` designated 78, freely supported pivotally thereon. V-shaped circuit lever 78 has a pair of integral

lever arms f

81 and 82 extending in opposite directions and arrayed at an angle relative to each other.

Lever arms

81 and 82 are joined by an integral, central,

slightly arcuate portion 83 which is slightly extended laterally and is positioned between upwardly extending arms 72 of yoke 67. Connected to the outer end portion of lever arm 81 is a contact button 84, which, upon pivoting action of lever 78, makes or breaks an electrical circuit inV respect of contact head 54. See FIGS. 2-5, and ll.`

Secured by contact head 53 of st-ud 51 to case 21 is the base of an integral circuitcontact element 86 made of a suitable electrically conductive, resilient sheet metal. Contact element 86 has a pair-of upwardly extending arms 87 and 8-8 which have inwardly extending shoulders c apex portion 83 of the circuit lever 78 whereby said lever rests symmetrically on both

shoulders

76 and 77 of yoke 67, neither contact arm 81 nor arm S2 is in a circuit closing position with its respective Contact head 540i' 53, so that both of the circuits controlled by the switch are in the open or olf condition. ,It will also be noted from FIGS. 2 and 9 that contact arm'82 is spaced apart from and does not bear against any portion Y of circuit contact element S6.

When toggle handle 39 is moved to the left as repre.

sented in FIGS. 3, 5, '7 and 8, and nib, d? moves to the right sliding over and onto contact arm 82, the latter is caused to move downwardly and bear against Contact head 53 and to close the electrical circuit between terminais 61 and V66, said Vcontact arm 82 forming an electrical conductive bridge between Contact head Sil-tand` In the position of circuit lever between terminals 62 and V66,saidcontact arm 81 forma ing an electrically conductive bridge between contact head -54 and shoulder 76 of yoke 67; Y j

As shown in FIG. 4, when contact arm 82 is raised to the position that it occupies in the illustrations of FiGS. V4 and l0, it bears against and makeselectrical connection with lingers 93 4and 94 of circuit contact element 86, thereby closing the electrical circuit-.between terminals 61 and 66. Thus, in the position of the ele-V ments of' the switch shown in FIGS. 4 and l0,` both cir'- cuits connected to the respective terminals 61 and 62 are in the closed or on condition. I, A

In an alternative embodiment of the switch herein, the double fingered contact element 86 may bewreplaced by a single lingered integral contact element 101', made of resilient sheet metal or the` like, and connected to stud 15, as shown in FIG. l2, for example; `In' this embodiment, contact element 101 has an upwardly extending Aarm 102, an inwardly' extending shoulder 103,` and an upwardly extending finger 104.y When contact karm 82is raised to the position shown in FIGSI4, 10 and 1,2,` the resilience inherent in finger 104 maintains `a closed electrical circuit condition between itself and said contact arm.

It will be noted that contact head 53 and contact lingers 93 and 94 form an electrically integral composite contact element with which contact arm 82 makes elec-` trical connection at two positions of the latter as lever 78 is moved pivotally. FIGS. 3, 4, 8 and'lO. Inter` mediate said twopositions, contact arm 82 is spaced apart from said composite Contact element and is in the open circuit position relative to said compositecontact clement, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 9. Contact arm S1 is arrayed relative to arm 82 in such a manner that arm 81 closes the electrical circuit connected to terminal lug 62, when arm 82 is in' only one of its circuit closing positions as exemplified in FIGS. 4 and l0. By'virtue of the arrangement of componentparts herein, itis possible to fabricate 'a simple and inexpensive center-off,

switch forlcontrolling two electrical circuits in the manner described hereinabove.

In an alternative embodiment, the composite contact element with which contact arm 82 cooperates may take fthe form of two separate spaced apart contact elements positioned Within case 21, Saidelements being electrically connected tol each other or to a com-mon terminal lug 61 by means of a wire lead line, a stud, or the like.- I

In a'further embodiment, said `composite contact ele-` v first and second spaced apart circuit contact elements in `said case, an auxiliary contact element connected to said second contact element, an electrically conductive support yoke positioned in said case intermediate said first and second contact elements, an electrically conductive lever mounted pivotably on said yoke, a first contact arm on said lever movable into contact with and apart from said first contact element, a second contact arm on said lever movable into contact with and apart from a selected one of said second contact element and said auxiliary contact element, an actuator element mounted in said case and operative upon said lever to position the latter in any one of three positions, as follows: (a) neither contact arm is in electrical connection with any of said contact elements and said auxiliary contact element; (b) said second contact arm only is in electrical connection with said second contact element and said first contact arm is spaced apart from said first contact element; and (c) said second contact arm is in electrical connection with said auxiliary contact element and said first contact arm is in electrical connection with said first contact element.

2. A switch according to claim 1 wherein said lever and said actuator element are centrally arrayed in respect of said case and of said contact elements when said lever is in position a, and said lever is pivoted by said actuator element in one direction relative to said yoke in position b and is pivoted in the opposite direction relative to said yoke in position c.

3. A switch according to claim 1, and further comprising a pair of spaced apart shoulders on said yoke and wherein said lever rests on both of said shoulders when said lever is in position a, said second contact arm rests on one of said shoulders and on said second contact element in position b, and said first contact arm rests on the other of said shoulders and on said rst contact element when said lever is in position c.

4. A switch according to claim 1 wherein said lever and said actuator element are centrally arrayed in respect of said case and of said contact elements and said contact arms are spaced apart from their respective contact elements when said lever is in position a, and said lever is pivoted by said actuator element in one direction relative to said yoke to cause said second contact arm to be urged into electrical connection with said second contact element while said first contact arm is spaced apart from said first contact element when said lever is in position b and said lever is pivoted by said actuator element in the opposite direction relative to said yoke to cause said first contact arm to be urged into electrical connection with said first contact element while said second contact arm is urged into electrical connection with said auxiliary contact element when said lever is in position c.

5. A switch according to claim 1 wherein said lever is V-shaped and said actuator element is operative resiliently upon said lever to urge the latter into any one of said three positions selectively.

6. A switch according to claim 1 wherein said lever is V-shaped and said actuator element is operative resiliently upon said lever to urge the latter into any one of said three positions selectively, said actuator element being positioned at the apex of said lever when the latter is in position a.

7. A switch according to claim 1 wherein said auxiliary contact element is made of a resilient material and is biased in a manner as to maintain electrical contact with said first contact arm during position c only of said lever.

8. A switch comprising a case, rst and second spaced apart circuit contact elements in said case, a support yoke positioned intermediate said first and second contact elements, an electrically conductive lever pivotally mounted on said yoke and movable into any one of three positions, a first contact arm on said lever movable into contact with and apart from said first contact element, a second contact arrn on said lever movable into three positions relative to said second contact element, said second contact arm making electrical connection with said second contact element only at two of its three positions and being spaced apart from said second contact element when said second contact arm is in a position intermediate said two positions, said first contact arm being'integrally connected to and arrayed relative to said second contact arm in such manner that said first contact arm makes electrical connection with said first contact element only when said second contact arm is in only one of said two positions.

9. yA switch according to claim 8 wherein said yoke is electrically conductive, and further comprising means for connecting said contact elements and said yoke to respective electrical circuits to be controlled by said switch.

l0. A switch according to claim 8, and further comprising an .actuator-element mounted on said case and operative to impart pivoting motion to said lever, said actuator element being movable into any selected one of three positions corresponding to the three positions of said lever, said actuator when in the intermediate of its three positions causing said first and second contact arms of said lever to be spaced apart from their respective contact elements in the open circuit position.

l1. A switch comprising a case, a support yoke positioned in said case, an electrically conductive lever pivotally mounted on said yoke .and movable into any one of three positions, a first contact arm on said lever, a second contact arm on said lever, a pair of spaced apart contact elements positioned in said case, said pair of contact elements being electrically connected to a common circuit, said first contact arm making electrical connection with a seiected one of said pair of contact elements in two of its positions and in a third of its positions being positioned intermediate said pair ofcontact elements in the open circuit condition, a third contact element in said case, said second contact arm movable into contact with andapart from said third contact element, said second contact arm establishing electrical connection with said third contact element only when said first contact arm establishes electrical connection with only one of said pair of contact elements.

l2. A switch according to claim 11, and further comprising an actuating mechanism mounted in said case, a resilient member on said actuating mechanism operative upon said lever whereby the movement of said actuating mechanism into any one of three positions causes the pivoting action of said lever into three corresponding positions.

13. A switch according to claim 11, and further cornprising an electrical connection between said pair of spaced apart contact elements, said electrical connection being spaced apart from the traverse path of said first contact arm during its movement from one of said pair of contacts to the other.

14.- A switch according to claim 11, .and further comprising an actuating mechanism mounted in said case, a connection between said actuating mechanism and said lever, said actuating mechanism operative in three of its positions through said connection to cause the pivoting action of said lever into three corresponding positions, the location of said actuating mechanism in the intermediate of its three positions causing said lever to be located in a position where both of the circuits controlled by said switch are in the open circuit condition.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS