US3047693A - Electromagnetic device - Google Patents

Description

July 31, 1962 A, RlCE 3,047,693

ELECTROMAGNETIC DEVICE Filed June lo, 1957 #i if if Z ` 'ze 65 LA v Q 7H l .9

70 72 7, 7T; I! n l h -L y0 60 5 'I if hn ,i2 u

h Il E y A INVENTOR.

Ag l man ce United States Patent ware Filed June 10, 1957, Ser. No. 664,804 15 Claims. (Cl. 200-98) This invention relates to electromagnetic devices and more particularly to an improved electromagnetic relay structure wherein the support for the stationary contact is carried above the relay armature on a projection secured to the relay magnetic core.

Among the problems encountered during the manufacture of electromagnetic devices, such as relays of the vibratory types, is the contacts of the relay frequently are misaligned and the setting of the air gap between the relay magnetic core and the armature is difficult to accomplish. These problems are particularly troublesome when the relays are assembled automatically. When the manufacturing techniques now in use are employed, it is necessary to manually bend the individual contact supports of the relay to obtain proper .alignment between the contacts and to manually bend or adjust certain parts of the relay to obtain the desired air gap clearance.

The relay construction of the present invention avoids both of the above difficulties .as well as provides an arrangement of parts which will considerably reduce the lead wires or connections which have been heretofore necessary. The construction further will reduce toV a minimum the effects of the stack up of dimensional tolerances now encountered in the present day relay production.

It is an object, therefore, to provide a relay construction which will minimize the effects of stack up of dimensional tolerances and will provide a relay structure wherein the air gap may be adjusted automatically.

A further object of the present invention is to provide the magnetic core of a relay with a projection which is used to locate the armature and stationary contacts for the relay.

Another object of the present invention is to carry the stationary contact for a relay on a threaded projection on the relay core.

-A still further object of the present invention is to provide a threaded nonmagnetic projection on the core of an electromagnetic relay which projection has a tapered portion which will correctly position the armature for the relay, when the hinge portion of the armature is secured to a support and will adjustably position a stationary contact support so the air gap of the relay can be adjusted when the stationary contact support is threadedly adjusted on the threaded portion.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a common support for the stationary contacts of a pair of relays which are secured to a common base which common support is adjustably carried on a threaded projection on the magnetic cores of the relays.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a top plan View showing a pair of relays incorporating the features of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged View of a portion of the parts of the relays in FIGURE l taken along line 2-2 in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged'view of a portion ofthe ice parts used in the relay in FIGURE l taken along line 3-3 in FIGURE l.

In FIGURE l, a current and voltage regulator 20 is shown, typical of the type used in present day vehicle battery charging systems. This regulator 20 includes a cut-out relay, not shown, which is located beneath the unbroken portion of the cover 22. The regulator also includes a current regulating relay 24 and a voltage regulating relay 26. These relays are circuited, in the conventional manner in the battery charging system. The current regulator relay 24 has an actuating coil winding 28 connected in series between the generator and battery to open the contacts 30 and 32 when the current output of the generator exceeds a predetermined value. The voltage regulating relay 26 has a conventional coil winding connected to open the contacts 34 and 36 whenever the Voltage output of the generatorV exceeds a predeter mined value.

The present invention is directed to an arrangement `which will provide for proper alignment between the contacts of the relays 24 and 26 during manufacture and an arrangement which will permit the air gaps of these relays 24 and 26 to be adjusted without difliculty.

When the relays, such as shown in the Rady Patents 2,348,263 and 2,377,265, are manufactured, diculties are frequently encountered in obtaining the correct alignment between the contact points. These difficulties are largely the result of variations of dimensional tolerances, which during manufacture will stack up to cause misalgnment of the contacts.

The present invention is directed to alleviate these diiculties and to provide a relay structure wherein the contacts will be in ,alignment and which will permit the,

air gap to be adjusted automatically by a machine if desired.

The regulator `in FIGURE l is provided with a base 39 which may be secured to provide a grounded electrical connection for the electrical components in the relay. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, theY the relays, respectively, includes the magnetic iron parts,

50 and 52, the spring hinge 54 and 56 and the spring anchors 58 and 60. The arrangement of these parts is most clearly shown in Patent 2,377,265. When the relays 24 `and 26 are assembled, the spring hinges 54 and 56 are respectively welded to the supports 46 and 48. The spring anchors 58 and 60 have springs 59 and 61, respectively, connected thereto to constantly urge the respective con* tacts 30 and 32 and 34 and 36 into engagement as shown. Each of the armatures Sti-SZ is provided with an opening 62 which is of suflcient size to provide a clearance with the projections 64 and 65 of nonmagnetic materiall which are secured to the ends of the respective cores 42 and 44 as is shown in FIGURE 3. In the embodiment shown, the projections 64 and 65 each consist of a screw Iwhich is formed of nonmagnetic material such as brass. The projections 64 and 65 have tapered end portions 66 and 67 which are respectively secured adjacent to the top at surface of the cores 42 and 44. The threaded portions 68 and 69 of the projections 64 and 65 extend through the openings 62 and appreciably above the top surface of the individual relays 24 and 26.

The support 76 for the stationary contacts 30` and 34 is shaped as most clearly seen in FIGURE l. The support is provided with a pair of openings shown as 72 in FIGURE 3 and a pair of openings shownl as :74 in aces/,eee

FIGURE 3 which are spaced and located to be respectively aligned with the pair of openings shown as '76 in FIGURE 3 and the pair of openings shown as 62 in FIG- URE 3 in the armatures 50 and 52. The openings 72 are used to position contacts 30 and 34. The openings 76 are used to position contacts 32 and 36. The openings 72 and 74 in the support 70 are located on the same centers as openings 76 and 62 in the armature 50. This is easy to achieve in production and may be accomplished if desired by using the same die punch to stamp out the openings in the respective parts. The support 7i) is carried on the projections 64 and 65 by means of a nylon nut '73 and an annular spring washer 80 which maintains the support 70 in rm engagement in the groove in the nut. The nut 78 is preferably formed of nylon and is of the selftapping variety. That is, the thread portion 68 will bite into the nylon material of the nut to form threads therein. These threads will rmly lock the nut and threaded portion together once the adjustment is made. The use of nylon nuts in this environment is well known. The spring Washer 80 is maintained in tight engagement with the armature 70 by the flange 82. The flange 82 has a larger outer diameter than both the opening 74 and the inner opening in the washer S0. The nuts 78 and Washers 30 are assembled in the openings 74 in the support 70 before the support 70 is assembled on the threaded portions 68. The nylon material of the nut, being reasonably flexible, will permit the flanges 82 to be compressed so the anges 82 will pass through the openings 74 and the inner opening in the washer Si). After the support 78 is lassembled to the projections 64 and 65, the threaded portions 68 will stress the flexible material of the nuts 78 yand thereby cause the spring washer and the support 70 to be tightly pressed between the iianges 82 and the shoulders 83 on the nuts 7S.

When the parts of the regulator are assembled, it may be preferable to iirst secure the relay cores 42 and 44 and the armature supports 46 and 48 to the base. rhe relay armature assembly 38 for the current regulator relay 24 and the armature assembly 40 for the voltage regulator relay 26 are then secured to the respective supports 46 and 48 by suitably attaching, as by welding, the spring hinges 54 and 56 to the supports 46 and 48. During the welding of the spring hinges 54 and 56 to supports 46 and `48, the armatures `50 and 52 are positioned so the material of the armatures which surrounds openings 62 is in contact with the tapered portions 66 and 67, to thus locate the armatures 5t) and S2 relative to the projections 64 and 65 respectively. The spacing between the contacts 32 and 36 during the Welding operation is maintained -by a suitable iixture, not shown, which will locate the contacts 32 and 36 so the distance between contacts 32 and 36 is equal to the distance between the pair of openings 72 wherein contacts 3Q and 34 are secured.

After the armature assemblies 38 and 48 are thus secured to supports 46 and 48, the support 70 for the stationary contacts and 34 is assembled on the projections 64 and `65. In this connection, any variations in the distance between the projections 64 and 65 is compensated by providing the support 78 with the opening 84 twhich will permit the support to slightly bend if necessary. It is clearly apparent that the construction of the support 70` and its location on the projection will permit the support to Ibe assembled with the remaining components of the regulator automatically by a machine which will position the support 70 on the projections 64 and 65 and then thread the nuts 78 on the portions 68 and 69. The threading action of the machine will cease when the contacts 30 and 34 engage contacts 32 and 36 respectively. The position of contacts 32 and `36 is dictated by the thickness of the removable spacers 86 which have a predetermined thickness to provide the proper air gap between the armature assemblies 38 and 40 and cores 42 and 44. After the support 'itl is thus adjustably positioned on the `cores `46 and 48, the spacer 86 is removed.

As heretofore stated, the projections 64 and 65 are formed of nonmagnetic material. This will prevent the projections 64 and 65 from providing a -magnetic shortcircuit path for the flux generated by cores 42 and 44 and will provide an arrangement whereby the stationary contacts for the relay may be carried by a threaded projection on the relay core to provide a relay structure which will permit the relay parts to be readily assembled and adjusted without difficulties heretofore encountered.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

l. ln an electromagnetic device, the combination comprising; a magnetic core, a coil winding surrounding at least a portion of a core, an extension projecting from one end of the core, an armature spaced from the core and adapted to be attracted by the core in response to energization of the coil winding, a contact on the armature, a stationary contact engageable with the contact carried on the armature, a support for the stationary contact, and a member formed of insulating Imaterial having an adjustable connection with said extension and carrying said support.

2. In an electromagnetic device, the combination comprising; a magnetic core, a coil winding surrounding at least a portion of the core, a threaded extension projecting from one end of the core, an armature spaced from the core and arranged to be attracted toward the core in respouse to the energization of the coil winding, a contact on the armature, a stationary contact engageable by the contact on the armature, and a support for the stationary contact including an insulating part having a threaded connection with the threaded projection on the core.

3. In an electromagnetic device, the combination comprising; a magnetic core, a coil winding surrounding at least Ia portion of the core, a threaded portion projecting from one end of the core, an armaturey spaced from the core and arranged to be attracted toward the core in response to the energization of the coil winding, a contact carried on the armature, a stationary contact arranged for engagement with the Contact on the armature, a support for the stationary contact, and a means having a threaded connection with the projection adjustably connecting the support to the projection.

4. In an electromagnetic device, the combination comprising; a magnetic core, a coil Winding surrounding at least a portion of the core, a threaded projection extending upwardly from one end of the core, an armature spaced from the core and surrounding said projection, a contact carried by the armature, a stationary contact engageable by the contact carried on the armature, and a means carried by said projection for supporting the stationary contact.

5. In an electromagnetic device, the combination comprising; a magnetic core, a coil winding surrounding at least a portion of the core, an ar-mature spaced from the core and adapted to be attracted by the core in response to the energization of the coil winding, said armature having an opening therein aligned with the core, a projection on one end of the core having a threaded portion extending through the opening in the armature, a movable contact carried by the armature arranged to engage a stationary contact, and a support for the stationary contact engaging the threaded portion of the projection.

6. In an electromagnetic device, the combination comprising; a pair of electromagnetic relays mounted side by side wherein each relay has; a magnetic core, a coil winding surrounding a portion of the core, a projection having a threaded portion on the core, an armature spaced from both the core and projection, a movable contact carried by the armature to be engageable with a stationary contact and a common support for the stationary contacts for both relays having a threaded connection with the threaded projections of both relays.

7. In an electromagnetic device, the combination comprising; `a pair of electromagnetic relays mounted side by side on a common base, wherein each relay of said pair includes; a magnetic core, a coil winding arranged to induce a magnetic force in said core, an armature normally spaced from the core and arranged to be attracted by the magnetic force induced therein, a movable contact carried by the armature arranged to engage a stationary contact, a projection on each core extending up'- wardly from said base, and a common support for the stationary contacts of both relays carried by the projections on both relays.

8. In an electromagnetic device, the combination comprising; a pair of electromagnetic relays mounted side by side on a common base, each of said relays having; a magnetic core, a coil winding energizable for inducing a magnetic flux in said core, an armature normally spaced above the core and arranged to be moved toward the core by the magnetic attraction of the core, said armature having an opening therein aligned with the core, a movable contact carriedby the armature arranged to engage a stationary contact, and a projection on the core extending upwardly through the opening in the armature, and a common support for the stationary contacts of both relays, carried by the projections on the cores of both relays.

9. In an electromagnetic device, the combination cornprising; a support, a magnetic core carried by the support, a coil Winding for inducing a magnetic ilux in said core, an armature carried by said support and spaced at a predetermined distance from said support, a nonmagnetic threaded projection on the core, a movable contact carried by the armature arranged to engage a stationary contact and a support for the stationary contact including an insulating member having a threaded engagement with the projection.

10. In a method of assembly of an electromagnetic device, the steps comprising; securing a spacer of nonmagnetic material to the end of a magnetic core, positioning the armature for the electromagnetic device on the spacer while simultaneously securing a hinge for the armature to a support, positioning a removable spacer of predetermined thickness between the armature and core and adjustably moving a support for a stationary contact on the rst mentioned spacer until the stationary contact engages a movable contact carried by the armature for obtaining a predetermined air gap between the armature and core when the removable spacer is removed.

11. In an electromagnetic device, the combination comprising; a base, a relay having a magnetic core and an armature support secured to and insulated from said base, a second relay having a magnetic core and armature support secured in electrical contact on said base, each of said relays having; a nonmagnetic projection secured to the end of the core remote from the base, an

armature having an opening therein for receiving the projection and secured to the respective armature supports in clearance relation with the core and projection, and a movable contact carried by the armature arranged to normally engage a stationary contact, and a common support for the stationary contacts of both relays carried by the projections on both relays and arranged to cond-uct electric current between the insulated armature support and the armature support electrically connected to the base when the contacts of both relays are closed.

12. The combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein the projections on the respective relay cores include a threaded portion which will permit the support for the stationary contact to be adjusted relative to the cores.

13. The combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein the projections on the respective relay cores each include a threaded portion which will permit the support for the stationary contact to be adjusted relative to the core and a tapered portion between the threaded portion and the core which will locate the armature relative to the core when the armature is secured to the contact support.

14. The combination as set forth in claim 12 wherein the support for the stationary contact includes a selftapping nylon nut which threadedly engages the thread portion of the projection.

15. In an electromagnetic device, the combination comprising; a magnetic core, a coil winding surrounding atleast a portion of the core, a fixed threaded member, an armature spaced from the core and arranged to be attracted toward the core in response to the energization of the coil winding, a contact on the armature, a stationary contact engageable by the contact on the armature, and a support for the stationary contact including a part formed of insulating material having a threaded connection with said threaded member whereby said support may be adjusted relative to said threaded member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 524,773 Wheless Aug. 21, 1894 909,594 Heinze Jan. 12, 1909 1,140,433 Ames May 25, 1915 1,923,613 Carley et al Aug. 22, 1933 2,082,493 Hartman June 1, 1937 2,127,887 Rayburn Aug. 23, 1938 2,345,151 Ray Mar. 28, 1944 2,364,684 Aust Dec. 12, 1944 2,453,774 Basista Nov. 16, 1948 2,505,225 Akroyd Apr. 25, 1950 2,519,093 Zoerlein Aug. 15, 1950 2,523,020 Hehenkamp et al Sept. 19, 1950 2,725,616 Epstein Dec. 6, 1955 Lace, *rrr-:r2

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