US3158724A

US3158724A - Quick-make, quick-break electric disconnect switch

Info

Publication number: US3158724A
Application number: US203783A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gerald J Emerick; Ernest W Stohr
Original assignee: Federal Pacific Electric Co
Current assignee: Federal Pacific Electric Co
Priority date: 1962-06-20
Filing date: 1962-06-20
Publication date: 1964-11-24
Anticipated expiration: 1981-11-24

Description

Nov. 24, 1964 G. J. EMERICK ETAL 3,158,724

QUICK-MAKE, quxcx BREAK ELECTRIC DISCONNECT SWITCH Filed June 20, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 22 FIGJ 20 l-l ll I 26 L 3 34 52 1 144 INVENTOILS GERALD J. EMERICK ERNEST W. STOHF? 2 la. [Fl/Q;

ATTORNEY Nov. 24, 1964 G. J. EMERICK ETAL 3,158,724

QUICK-MAKE, QUICK BREAK ELECTRIC DISCONNECT SWITCH Filed June 20, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3

I I I l I I INVENTORS GERALD J. EMERICK BYERNEST w. STOHR ATTORNEY QUICK-MAKE, QUICK BREAK ELECTRIC DISCONNECT SWITCH Nov. 24, 1964 G. J. EMERICK ETAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 20,

IIIIIHHML- INVENTORS GERALD d. EMEFHCK BYERNEST WSTOHR 24AM Zak/4.;

ATTORNEY Nov. 24, 1964 G. J. EMERICK ETAL- QUICK-MAKE, QUICK BREAK ELECTRIC DISCONNECT SWITCH Filed June 20, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 -w 1M 21,. m

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,158,72 QUICK-MAKE, QUICK-BREAK ELECTRIC DISCQ NNECT SWETCH Gerald J. Ernericlr, Spctswood, and Ernest W. Stohr,

Scotch Plains, NJ, assignors to Federai Pacific Eiectric Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 20, 1962, Ser. No. 203,733 6 Claims. (Cl. zen-r53 This invention relates generally to electric switches and more particularly to disconnect switches having quickmake and quick-break characteristics.

Disconnect switches are used for sectionalizing portions of transmission lines or bus distribution systems. When a switch is closed against a connected load, the load current flows through the first portions of the contacts that touch. On occasion, the load circuit may be shortcircuited. In that case, an electromagnetic force would develop almost instantly, tending to blow the contact arm away from the stationary contact. If the switch is allowed to open or to bounce open during a closing stroke because of short-circuit currents, an arc would result which would be highly destructive. Such switches are not designed for interrupting short-circuit currents. Therefore it is important that the closing mechanism should provide high mechanical contact-closing force to insure completion of the contact-closing stroke despite possibly high blow-off forces due to a short-circuit.

Large switches of knife-blade construction have been used as disconnect switches under no-load conditions. Where such switches are used for closing and opening a circuit under load conditions, the operating mechanism should eifect quick operation to avoid destructive arcing at the contacts. In prior devices the velocity of the main contact was greater at the beginning of the closing operation, when far from the companion contact, rather than at the end of its stroke when adjacent the companion contact. Further, the amount of force available at the end of the closing stroke was insufiicient to close the contacts under short-circuit conditions. It is an object of this invention to provide an improved load-break disconnect switch having high-speed operating characteristics.

It is another object of this invention to provide a simplilied disconnect switch having a stored energy operating mechanism.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a disconnect switch with a single stored energy mechanism which is used to open and close the switch.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide switch operating means which includes a stored energy mechanism having -a uni-directional power stroke that is arranged to effect both contact-opening and contactclosing strokes.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a thrust coupling means which converts uni-directional power input strokes into alternate bi-directional contactoperating strokes.

The rapid operation of the switch is achieved in one embodiment of the invention by the provision of a switch having compact stored energy means having a uni-directional power stroke and coupling means for connecting the stored energy means to the switch contact arm. The stored energy mechanism is of the rechargeable type which stores the operating energy in a group of compressed spn'ngs. The same stored energy mechanism used to drive the contact arm of the switch in the opening direction as well as in the closing direction.

The above and other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention become apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodiment when Ice taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a disconnect switch illustrating an embodiment of the invention in its various aspects;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation in partial section of the disconnect switch in FIG. 1 viewed along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 with some parts in section and other parts omitted in the interests of clarity; and

FIG. 3 is a partial view similar to FIG. 2 showing the mechanism in the open circuit position;

FIG. 4 is a front View, on a greatly enlarged scale of another embodiment of the coupling means;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the coupling means of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 69 are diagrammatic representations of the mode of operation of the coupling of FIG. 4;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary front elevation of the stored energy operating means for the switch;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary elevation view showing a portion of the charging mechanism;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view of portions of the stored energy means viewed from a plane parallel to but to the rear of that from which FIG. 11 is taken with the parts in the position assumed immediately after release of the spring mechanism; and,

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the release mechanism for operating the stored energy mechanism.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown as a multi-pole disconnect switch 20 which has a rear frame 22 that mounts the switch back plate 24. First and second insulated

terminals

26, 28 are carried by the back plate and extend rearwardly therethrough. Contact arm 30 is pivotally mounted at 32 on the lower terminal 28 and cooperates with a companion contact 34 mounted on the upper terminal to close the circuit between the terminals. A stored energy mechanism 36, having a unidirectional power stroke, is connected to the contact arm 30 by coupling means 38. Although only two blade and contact assemblies are shown in FIG. 3 it is contemplated that the number of assemblies may be increased or decreased in order to provide the desired number of simultaneously operated poles. The stored energy operating mechanism 36 is operatively connected to the switch shaft 40 by the coupling means 38. Switch operating shaft 46 is journaled in the main switch frame 42 for oscillatory movement about its longitudinal axis. The coupling means 38 and the stored energy means 36 Will be discussed in detail below.

The individual poles of the switch are identical and therefore only one will be described in detail. A contact arm operating lever 44, having a yoked or bifurcated end 46, is fixed by conventional means to the switch operating shaft it). A connecting member 48, of insulation, is pivoted at St) between the legs of yoke 46 of the lever 44. Contact arm 3% comprises a pair of spaced apart blades 3tla, 3ttb which straddle and engage the stationary contact 34. The blades 30a, 3012 are secured together for con current operation by a hinge bolt 32 and a spacer-andbolt arrangement 52. The end of the insulated member 48 passes between the blades 30a, 30b and is pivotally secured therebetween by a bolt 54. Companion contact 34 is provided with a notched-out portion 56 (FIG. 2) which accommodates the bolt-and-spacer 52 in the closed circuit position of the switch. Operating arm 44 and connecting member 48 form a toggle linkage, indicated generally at 58. The knee of the toggle is at the pivot 50 and the knee passes over-center of a line between the pivot 54 and the center of the operating shaft 40 in the closed condition of the switch.

A single coupling means 38 for the switch is interposed between the switch shaft itl and the stored energy Patented Nov. 24, 1964 operating mechanism 36. The coupling means provides both contact-closing and contact-opening forces from a uni-directional power stroke provided by the stored energy mechanism. A power stroke of the stored energy means 36 first oscillates the shaft 40 clockwise and, on a subsequent power stroke in the same direction, rotates the shaft 419 counterclockwise.

One embodiment of the coupling means 38 (FIGS. 1, 2) includes a transverse plate cam 61) fixed to shaft 43 and a shiftable two-part drive lever 62 which is pivoted by a pin 61 to the stored energy operating means '56. The plate cam 60 has a generally semi-circular configuration and has a chord 64 which is substantially diametrical. The extremities of chord 64 are provided with radially opposed drive surfaces in the form of

notches

66a, 66b which cooperate with a roller 68 that is secured between and adjacent the free ends 62a of the drive lever 62. The cam 60 has a projecting car 69 on each end of the chord 64 beyond the notches 66a, 661) which, together with the edge 76a, 7% of frame slot '71 control the orientation of the drive lever 62. Drive lever 62 is in either of two positions sequentially ie with the roller 68 adjacent notch 66a or adjacent notch 66b. The location of the drive lever 62 in either of the alternate positions is determined by a positioning lever 72 which is pivoted on a portion 73 of the frame at 74 intermediate the ends of the lever. The upper end 75 of the positioning lever 72 is connected by spring 76 to a pin 78 fixed to the drive lever 62 intermediate its ends. A lost motion joint 80 between the positioning lever 72 and the switch shaft 419 is formed by a slot 32 in the lower end of the positioning lever and a cooperating pin 84 secured to a d recting lever 86, fixed to the switch operating shaft 40.

Shaft 49 is driven from one position to another by release of the stored energy means 36 which drives pin 59 downward in a uni-directional power stroke. Operating shaft 46 is driven by the lever 62 from the position of FIG. 1 to the position of FIG. 2 and the pin 34 on lever 86 is swung through an are which has the shaft 18 as its center. The arcuate movement of pin 34 rocks the positioning lever 72 about its pivot 74. The rocking movement brings the lever end 75 toward a position wherein the line of action of spring 76, between lever end 75 and pin 78 on drive lever 62, passes over the pivot 74. When the stored energy means is later recharged elevation of pin 59 occurs and the drive lever 62 is thereby pulled upwardly, and under the urging of the spring 76 is pivoted to the position shown in FIG. 2 against the frame stop 7%. A subsequent power stroke of the stored energy means will drive the operating shaft 411 in the opposite direction returning the switch to the condition shown in FIG. 1.

A presently preferred embodiment of the coupling means 33 is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. The drive lever 62' is coupled by pin 59 to the stored energy means 36 from which it receives the operating thrust for the switch. Roller 63' is secured to the free end 62a of the drive lever 62 in operative relation with the radially opposed drive surfaces or

notches

66a and 66b formed in blocks 90. The blocks are mounted on a transverse bar 92 secured to shaft 40. A mounting plate 94 is attached to the vertical portions 95 of the blocks. The lower edges 6 of plate 94 together with the blocks 9% and shaft 41 delimit the area of movement of the free end of the drive lever 62'. A multi-part pantograph-like linkage 98 connects the drive lever end 88 to the mounting plate 94. The pantograph 98 includes a first pair 1% of toggle-

like links

102, 104 which are joined together at a knee 196. The first toggle 1 .10 is pivoted at 107 to the end 62a of the drive lever and to a fixed pivot 198 on the mounting plate 94'. A second pair 119 of

togglelike links

112, 114 are pivotally joined together at a knee 116 and are also pivoted to the drive lever and to the fixed pivot having common pivot points with the first toggle 1th) thereto. A tension spring 118 is connected between the

knees

106, 116 of the

toggles

100, 110 and urges the knees together thereby attempting to straighten or erect the toggle. The straightening bias of spring 118 at all times urges the lever end of the linkage, i.e. pivot 107, to a position of minimum extension of the spring 118.

The operation of the pantograph 98 will be best understood by reference to FIGS. 6 through 9. In FIG. 5 the coupling 38' is shown prior to the discharge of the stored energy means 36. At this time the roller 68' is against a surface of the vertical block portion to which the mounting plate 94 is secured. Roller 68 is therefore positioned adjacent the notch 66a against the block 90. The toggles 1G0, 116 are substantially erect under the bias of spring 118. The fixed pantographed pivot 108 is to the right of a line passing between the pin 59 and the center of the operating shaft 40. When the power stroke of the stored energy mechanism 36 is commenced the pin 59 is driven downwardly as shown in FIG. 6. Roller 68' seats in notch 66a and delivers the uni-directional operating thrust of the stored energy mechanism 36 to the shaft 46 through the bar 92. The thrust causes the shaft 41) to be rotated about its longitudinal axis and thereby causes the transverse bar 92 and plate 94 to the position shown in FIG. 7. Pantograph fixed pivot 168 is swung across the previously described line between the pin 59 and the center of shaft 40.

Referring to FIG. 8, as the stored energy means is recharged the pin 59 is retracted vertically. At this time the drive lever pivot 107 of the pantograph 98 is to the left of a line between the pantograph fixed pivot 108 and the center of shaft 40. As the drive lever 62 is lifted the toggles 100, are caused to collapse against the erecting bias of spring 118. When the pantograph pivot 107 is drawn overcenter of the line between the fixed pivot 19% and the center of the shaft 48 the erecting force of spring 118 attempts to erect the

toggles

100, 110. The force of spring 118 causes the pantograph to shift about pivot 1138 thereby driving the lever 62' to the position shown in FIG. 9 wherein it is ready for a subsequent power stroke of the stored energy mechanism to drive the shaft 49 in the opposite direction.

A stored energy means of the type illustrated in the drawings is more fully described in co-pending application S.N. 101,314, filed February 17, 1961, now Patent No. 3,097,275, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 10-13, the stored energy mechanism 36 has opposed pairs of compression springs 12% which are contained within a housing 124 affixed to the switch frame. Each of the energy storage springs 12% is positioned about a guide rod 122 and reacts between an end cap 124 and a U-shaped piston 126 slidable within the housing. The movement of each piston 126 is guided by an inner 128 and outer 130 guide pin. The path of the pistons 126 is determined by housing slots 132 engaged by the

pins

128, 130.

Energy which has been accumulated in the springs 120, is delivered, when the springs are discharged through a thrust link 134 to the pin 59 to the drive lever 62. Link 134 is reciprocable vertically and is guided by rods 135 (FIGS. 1, 2) that cooperate with portions of the housing (not shown). The pistons 126 are coupled to thrust link 134 by pairs of opposed links or levers 136 (only one pair being shown). Links 136 are pivoted on the outer guide pins 128 between the pistons and the housing wall on each side of the pistons. The links are pivoted together at 138 to the thrust link 134 and form a toggle 139. Thrust link 134- and toggle links 136 pass through an opening in the housing to the exterior thereof. When the springs are fully compressed, the toggle 139 is erected. When the energy storage mechanism is discharged the pistons 126 are driven toward one another and the toggle 139 is collapsed. When the toggle 139 is approaching its fully collapsed position, maximum thrust is transmitted to thrust link 1134 due to the lever action of the toggle links 136. In this way the increased energy required at the end of the stroke is provided.

Referring to the drawings, a pair of double lobe edge cams 140 (only one being shown) are secured to hollow shaft 142 which is journalled in the housing 124. The innermost piston guide pins 128 are forced against the edge of the cams by the springs 12G pushing against the pistons. Since the springs 120 are the same and are applied to opposed sides of the cam there is little or no strain on the shaft 142. Absence of unbalanced stresses reduces the friction which retards the speed of operation. Each lobe of each cam 142 (see FIG. has a low point 142a, positive angle segment 140b, high point 1411c, negative angle segment 148d and a sharp-drop off radially aligned segment 14%. Rotation of the cams 141 from their discharged position shown in FIG. 12 to the charged position shown in FIG. 10 causes the pistons 126 to move away from their discharged-abutting position, against the force of the storage springs 120. Rotation of the cams may be produced by either a manual charging mechanism 144 or a power charging mechanism 146 and is stopped when the pins 130 have traversed the periphery of the cam from the low point 14% through the positive angle segment 1413b past the high point 1400 and into the negative angle segment 1411a. The force of the compressed storage springs 120 pressing the pins 128 against the cams makes the cams 140 rotate, independent of the charging mechanism 144, 146, once the pins 128 are on the negative angle segment 140d of the cam periphery. However, the cams 140 are locked against the continued movement in the discharging direction by a spring loaded pivotal stop 148 which engages a complementary struckup projection 150 on one of the cams (FIGS. 11, 12). Stop 148 is mounted on a shaft 152 within the housing 124. Shaft 152 extends through, and is pivotally mounted in, the Wall of the housing. Bell crank 154 is afiixed to the external end of shaft 152 and tension spring 156 extends between the short end of bell crank 154 and the housing 124. The long end of the crank is releasably engaged by pivotal rolling-D stop 158 afiixed to the shaft 161 which extends through and is pivoted on the housing wall. Lever 162, mounted on shaft 161) inside the housing, extends to the exterior through a slot in the housing. Lever 162 is maintained in its erect position by spring 164. Pivotal movement of lever 162 and shaft 160 is caused by a slide 166 (see FIG. 13) which is slidably secured to the housing by two screws passing through a slot in the slide. A slide return spring (not shown) is positioned about the slide and reacts against the housing. The contoured segment 168 of slide 166 contacts the lever 162, as best seen in FIG. 13, so that the lever is pivoted when the slide is moved inwardly. Knob 176 is affixed to the end of the slide and protrudes from housing 124 to a position wherein it is accessible to the operator.

A power driven char ing mechanism 146 may be utilized to supply the energy for compressing the storage springs 12! The power charging mechanism includes a motor (not shown) which is coupled to a ratchet wheel 172 secured to the hollow shaft 142 (which also carries the doubled-lobed charging cams 14(1). The hub 172:: of the ratchet wheel has two diametrically opposed teeth 1721) cut into its external face forming half on a uni-directional clutch 173 (FIG. 11). Shaft 142 also serves as a bearing surface for the angularly reciprocated driving member 174 which is pivoted on the shaft between the ratchet wheel 1'72 and the wall of the housing. An eccentric drive cam 176 is secured to the motor output shaft 178 and has a roller 18! rotatably secured thereto in an offset position (see FIG. 11).

The driving member 174 is provided with a cam surface 182 which is contacted by the roller 181) when the eccentric cam 176 is rotated by the motor. A driving pawl 184 is mounted on the driving member 174 and engages the toothed periphery of the ratchet wheel for driving the wheel in only one direction, clockwise as seen in FIG. 11. Drive pawl 184 is urged into engagement with the wheel in one direction, by bias spring 186 connected between the housing and the pawl. Spring 186 also returns the drive member 174 to its initial position after each such oscillation. The periphery of the ratchet wheel has certain teeth removed therefrom forming flats 188, at points corresponding to the fully charged position of the storage spring making the pawl 184 unable to advance the ratchet wheel 172 because it drives against the toothless section 188 of the ratchet wheel periphery. The ratchet wheel 172 is indexed a tooth at a time for each revolution of the eccentric driving cam 176. The wheel 172 is allowed to move in the charging direction only by retaining

pawls

190, 190a pivoted on the housing 124 and interconnected by a tension spring 192.

The handle 194 of the manual charging means 144 is secured to one end of shaft 196 which is rotatably carried by the hollow shaft 142. A clutch segment (not shown) complementary to clutch segment 173 is secured to the handle shaft 196. When the handle is rotated the clutch 173 engages and the ratchet wheel 172 is driven to the fully charged position.

When it is desired to operate the switch 20 from one position to another, i.e. from opened to closed or from closed to open, the stored energy means 36 is operated by releasing the stop 148. Stop 148 is released by manually depressing the button 170 connected to slide 166. When the stop 148 is thus operated the cams are free to rotate under the impetus of the springs 120. Slight rotation of the cam 140 allows the inner guide pin 128 to drop off the cam segment 140d, thereby applying the full force of the springs 120 to the toggle 139. When the springs 120 are free of the cam 184 the entire force of the springs 129 is on the toggle links 136 through the pistons 126 and pins 130. The pistons 126 are driven toward one another rapidly, without any drag attributable to the charging mechanism, causing the links 126 to drive the thrust link 134 downwardly in a uni-directional power stroke thereby driving the drive lever 62 against the

notches

66a, or 66b in the coupling means 38. This driving movement causes the change in condition of the switch as desired. As the springs 120 are recharged the thrust link 134 is drawn upwardly by the outward movements of the pistons 126. The upward movement of the thrust link 134 lifts up the drive lever 62.

Overcentering means 200 is provided to maintain the switch toggle 58 in its erected position. The overcentering mechanism includes an'arm 292 secured to the main switch operating shaft 40. A spring guide rod 294 is pivoted at 206 to the arm 202 and at the other end of the rod freely passes through a slot formed in a frame mounted bracket 2116. An overcentering spring 2118 is positioned about the guide rod 2114 and reacts between the bracket 206 and a retainer 216 secured to the rod 92 adjacent the pivot-2G6. When the switch is open the overcentering mechanism is in the position shown in phantom in FIG. 1 and when the switch is closed it is in the solid line position of FIG. 1. The pivot 2% passes overcenter of a line drawn between the center of the slot and the bracket 206 and the center of the switch shaft 40 during the movement of the opened to closed position. The overcentering means 200 is effective to prevent rebound of the contact arm 30 from the stationary contact 34 during the closing operation of the switch.

When it is desired to operate the switch 20 as from the open position to the closed position the charged stored energy means is released by the operator pressing button inwardly to eflect release of the springs 1211. Thrust link 134 then drives the lever 62 of the coupling means 38 into engagement with the notch 66b in a unidirectional power stroke. Continued thrust causes the switch operating shaft 41) to rotate clockwise in its bearings. Rotation of shaft 4% drives the contact arms 30 about their respective pivots 32 into engagement with the stationary contacts 34 thereby erecting the toggle 58. Overcentering means 209 at first resists the movement of shaft 46) but is overcome and then assists in driving the contacts closed. The stored energy means 36 produces high velocity-high energy closing of the contacts. This is due to the increasing momentum during the power stroke, and due to the changing angle of links 136 in relation to the horizontal line along which elements 139 are driven by the springs. The contact closing force is great near the completion of the contact closing stroke. This is so despite the fact that the spring force of the stored-energy mechanism diminishes as it delivers its stored energy. High contact-closing force develops as the

toggle

44, 48 becomes erect.

The stored energy means is subsequently recharged, drawing the thrust link 134 upwardly. Upward movement of the thrust link allows a shift of the drive lever 62 from its first position adjacent notch 66b to its second position adjacent notch 66a. In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention this shift of the drive lever is brought about by the pantograph linkage 98.

When the springs 12% have been fully compressed the switch is ready for a subsequent operation. Release of the springs 126 drives the thrust link 134 downwardly. This time the drive lever 62 is adjacent notch 66a and the delivered thrust causes the shaft 40 to rotate counterclockwise. Counterclockwise rotation of shaft 40 causes the contact arm to pivot, at high speed, away from the stationary contacts 34. The high energy level available is effective to free the contact arms from the stationary contacts and to overcome the inertia of the moving parts.

Subsequent recharging of the stored energy means 36 causes the drive lever to be lifted and swung to a position adjacent notch 66b by the pantograph 98. When the springs are fully charged the switch is ready for the next cycle of operation.

While several embodiments of the invention have been shown and described it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. A switch having a first terminal and a second terminal, a contact arm pivotally mounted on said first terminal for movement between open circuit and closed circuit positions, a companion contact mounted on said second terminal for engagement by said contact arm in the closed circuit position, a toggle connected to said contact arm and operable into an erect condition for moving the contact arm into its closed circuit position, and into a collapsed condition for moving the contact arm into its open position, stored energy operating means for said toggle including an energy storage spring, means for charging the spring, and a releasable detent for holding the spring in its charged condition, said energy storage means having uni-directional power strokes alternating with return recharging strokes and means including a reversing mechanism coupling said stored energy means and said toggle for moving the contact arm between said open and said closed circuit positions, and vice versa, in response to suecessive uni-directional power strokes of said stored energy means.

2. A switch having a first terminal and a second terminal, a contact arm pivotally mounted on said first terminal for movement between open circuit and closed circuit positions, a companion contact mounted on said second terminal for engagement by said contact arm in the closed circuit position, a switch operating shaft, a toggle linkage between said contact arm and said shaft, said toggle being substantially erect in the closed circuit position, stored energy operating means having uni-directional power strokes alternating with return recharging strokes, means coupling said stored energy means and said shaft for moving said contact arm between said open and closed circuit positions and vice versa, in response to successive uni-directional power strokes of said stored energy means, and overcentering means for resiliently retaining said toggle in said erect-closed circuit position.

circuit position, an operating shaft for said contact arm,

a companion contact mounted on said second terminal for engagement by said contact arm in the closed circuit position, and means for operating said contact arm including energy storage spring means, means for charging said spring means, a detent for holding the spring means charged, and coupling means between said stored energy spring means and said operating shaft, said coupling means including a transverse member secured to said operating shaft and extending on both sides thereof, said transverse member having drive surfaces positioned on opposite sides of said shaft, a drive lever connected at one end to said stored energy means and having a free end for driving engagement with the drive surfaces on said transverse member, and means for positioning said free end of said drive lever adjacent alternate ones of said drive surfaces in sequence in response to the position of said shaft, whereby sequential discharge strokes of said stored energy spring operate said contact arm successively to its open circuit position and its closed circuit position immediately after each release of said detent.

4. A switch having a first terminal and a second terminal, a contact arm pivotally mounted on said first terminal for movement between open circuit and closed circuit positions, a companion contact mounted on said second terminal for engagement by said contact arm in the closed circuit position, stored energy operating means having uni-directional power strokes alternating with return recharging strokes, and means coupling said stored energy means and said contact arm for operating said contact arm, said coupling means including an oscillatable output shaft, a transverse member secured to said shaft and extending on both sides thereof, said transverse member having radially opposed drive surfaces positioned on opposite sides of said shaft, a drive lever connected at one end to said stored energy means and having a free end for driving engagement with the drive surfaces on said transverse member, means for positioning said free end of said drive lever adjacent alternate ones of said drive surfaces in sequence, said positioning means being responsive to the position of said shaft, said positioning means including a directing lever secured to said shaft, a positioning lever pivoted intermediate its ends, said positioning lever having a lost-motion coupling to said directing lever at one end, and a spring between said drive lever and the other end of said positioning lever, whereby the sequential return recharging strokes shift the drive lever to the position determined by said positioning means and sequential power strokes of said stored energy means oscillate said output shaft, and means operatively connecting said output shaft and said contact arm whereby said contact arm is moved between said open circuit and closed circuit position by movement of said output shaft.

5. A switch having a first terminal and second terminal, a contact arm pivotally mounted on said first terminal for movement between open circuit and closed circuit positions, a companion contact mounted on said second terminal for engagement by said contact arm in the closed circuit position, stored energy operating means having uni-directional power strokes alternating with return recharging strokes, and means coupling said stored energy means and said contact arm for operating said contact arm, said coupling means including an oscillatable output shaft, a transverse member secured to said shaft and extending on both sides thereof, said transverse member having radially opposed drive surfaces positioned on opposite sides of said shaft, a drive lever connected at one end to said stored energy means and having a free end for driving engagement with the drive surfaces on said transverse member, means for positioning said free end of said drive lever adjacent alternate ones of said drive surfaces in sequence, said positioning means being responsive to the position of said shaft, said positioning means including a spring biased pantograph linkage interconnecting the drive end of said lever and said transverse member, whereby sequential power strokes of said stored energy means oscillate said output shaft, and means operatively connecting said output shaft and said contact arm whereby said contact arm is moved between said open circuit and closed circuit position by said output shaft.

6. A switch having a frame and first and second mounted terminals on said frame, a contact arm pivotally mounted on said first terminal for movement between circuit open and circuit closed positions, a companion contact mounted on said second terminal, stored energy operating means having uni-directional power strokes alternating with return recharging strokes, a switch shaft mounted for oscillatory movement in said frame, means operatively connecting said switch shaft and said contact arm whereby the oscillatory movement of said switch shaft drives said contact arm between said circuit open and circuit closed positions, a plate cam secured to said operating shaft, said plate cam having radially opposed drive surfaces, at shiftable drive lever, said drive lever connected at one end to said stored energy mechanism and carrying a plate cam drive surface engaging member at the other, said drive lever adapted to engage alternate ones of said plate cam drive surfaces, means for shifting said drive lever between said alternate surfaces including a positioning lever pivotally mounted on said frame, an operating lever secured to said switch shaft, a lost motion coupling between said operating lever and one end of said positioning lever, and spring means between the remote end of said positioning lever and said drive lever, said shifting means urging said drive lever, in response to the position of said switch shaft, to the other of said plate cam engaging positions whereby successive uni-directional power strokes of said stored energy operating means drive said contact arm between said open and closed circuit positions.

Deans July 10, 1934 Wiktor July 9, 1963

Claims

1. A SWITCH HAVING A FIRST TERMINAL AND A SECOND TERMINAL, A CONTACT ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID FIRST TERMINAL FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN OPEN CIRCUIT AND CLOSED CIRCUIT POSITIONS, A COMPANION CONTACT MOUNTED ON SAID SECOND TERMINAL FOR ENGAGEMENT BY SAID CONTACT ARM IN THE CLOSED CIRCUIT POSITION, A TOGGLE CONNECTED TO SAID CONTACT ARM AND OPERABLE INTO AN ERECT CONDITION FOR MOVING THE CONTACT ARM INTO ITS CLOSED CIRCUIT POSITION, AND INTO A COLLAPSED CONDITION FOR MOVING THE CONTACT ARM INTO ITS OPEN POSITION, STORED ENERGY OPERATING MEANS FOR SAID TOGGLE INCLUDING AN ENERGY STORAGE SPRING, MEANS FOR CHARGING THE SPRING, AND A RELEASABLE DETENT FOR HOLDING THE SPRING IN ITS CHARGED CONDITION, SAID ENERGY STORAGE MEANS HAVING UNI-DIRECTIONAL POWER STROKES ALTERNATING WITH RETURN RECHARGING STROKES AND MEANS INCLUDING A REVERSING MECHANISM COUPLING SAID STORED ENERGY MEANS AND SAID TOGGLE FOR MOVING THE CONTACT ARM BETWEEN SAID OPEN AND SAID CLOSED CIRCUIT POSITIONS, AND VICE VERSA, IN RESPONSE TO SUCCESSIVE UNI-DIRECTIONAL POWER STROKES OF SAID STORED ENERGY MEANS.