US3184557A - Heavy duty electrical rotary switches with push-button snap-action - Google Patents

Description

May 18, 1965 A. CLAREY HEAVY DUTY ELECTRICAL ROTARY SWITCHES WITH PUSH-BUTTON SNAP-ACTION 2 SheetsSheet l Filed Feb. 8, 1963 vMay 18, 1965 v A. CLAREY 3,184,557

l HEAVY DUTY ELECTRICAL ROTARY SWITCHES WITH PUSH-BUTTON SNAP-ACTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 8, 1963 INVENTOR.

Alexander Claw-ey United States Patent O 3,184,557 HEAVY ELECERECAL R'ihlill! SWITCHES lil/lill lllildleldillrihl SNAFAC'PEN Alexander Clarey, dit@ W. 145th St., New York, NSY. Filed S, i963, Ser. No. 257,262.6 o Ciaims. (Cl. Zilli-4) rthis invention relates to electrical switches, and more particularly to multiple pole heavy duty electrical rotary switches with push-button snap-action.

ln its broad aspect, the invention proposes an improved multiple pole switch that can be operated to close any one of a plurality of circuits.

Somewhat more speciiically, a general purpose of the invention is to enable closing orP any one particular circuit of a plurality of circuits without causing even momentary closure of any of the other circuits to the switch.

A detail object of the invention is to provide a switch having a rotor which can be brought to and closure made to any one of a plurality oi contacts without touching any other contacts in its approach to the selected one.

Also of specific nature, the invention is directed to provision ot' a multiple pole electric switch wherein opstanding blade contacts in a circular series may be employed for selective engagement by an axially depressible rotatable contact.

Corollary to the foregoing, an object of the invention is to make selection of the circuit to be closed before any closure of any electric circuit is eiiectcd and after selection has been made to then close only the selected circuit.

ln somewhat greater detail, the invention proposes a multiple pole blade and scabbard rotary contact construction wherein opening and closing the switch for any of a multiple of circuits may be effected with snap action.

The invention is directed to the important objective derived 'oy using upstanding blade contacts and a snap action mechanism, for providing a switch having a much greater number of positions and capable of carrying a much greater electrical load as compared with and having the same diameter as conventional rotary switches of the prior art.

Other objects, advantages, beneficial results and novel structural features will appear to persons skilled in the art to which the invention appcrtains, as the description proceeds, both by direct recitation thereof and by implication trom the context.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views;

FlGURE 1 is a rear view of a switch embodying my invention and showing the arrangement of circuit connectors for a plurality ot circuits;

FlGURE 2 is a longitudinal section of the switch in open condition, ready to snap closed, the section being taken on line ll-ll of FlG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a iront view oi said switch showing the dial by which the desired circuit may be selected;

FlGURES 4 and 5 are cross sections on lines IV--IV and V-V respectively of FIG. 2;

FlGURE. 6 is a longitudinal section corresponding to FIG. 2, showing the switch closed but ready to snap open;

FiGURE 7 is a detail elevation of the toggle plunger employed in said switch;

FlGURE 8 is an elevational view of one of the staggered contact elements;

FIGURE 9 is a rear view similar to FlG. 1, as on line lX-lX of FlG. 15, showing a modified construction;

FIGURE 10 is a cross section on line X-X of FlG. l5;

FIGURES l1 and 14 are sectional views looking in the reverse direction to that of FIG. 1() on line X-X, showing two forms of rotor contacts;

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FGURES 12 and 13 are plan and edge views respectively of dual contacts of FIG. 11;

FIGURE 15 is a longitudinal section corresponding to FlGS. 2 and 6, showing modiiication thereof;

FGURE 16 is another longitudinal section of a further modiiied construction; and

FIGURE 17 is a cross sectional View on line XVH-XVH of FIG. 16.

ln the speciic embodiment of the invention illustrated in said drawings, and referring initially to the construction shown on sheet 1 thereof, FIGS. 1 8, numeral 20 designates any suitable panel or wall on which the switch is mounted. The switch body or casing 21 is located behind the panel, and a knob 22 for manipulation by the user, and dial 23 and pointer 245 are at the iront of the panel. Said body or casing 21 has a forwardly extending threaded neck 2S that protrudes through the panel 2li, and a nut if on said neck secures the body in iXed position to neither rotate nor move longitudinally. Dial 23 is clamped at its midportion under said nut and against the panel.

Said neck 25 is hollow and rotatably extending therethrough coaxial therewith is a sleeve 27 on the outer end of which is secured, as by set screw 28, a hub 29 to which said pointer 2d is attached for revolving in front of said dial 23. Also fixed on sad hub 29 is a locater annulus 3) having a circular series of teeth 31 directed forwardly away from the panel. While the teeth may be of any selected shape and number, the indication given in the drawings is that the teeth are of a square character and that there are as many teeth as position markings on the dial, although this is not to be considered a necessity.

@n the inner end of the sleeve 2'7 there is a placement wheel 32 having peripheral notches 33 in number and location corresponding to the position markings of the dial. These notches taper up to sharp peaks between successive notches, At least one spring-loaded ball 34 is provided to register with and seat in a corresponding notch of placement wheel at a position of retention when the pointer is at a dial marking. For balanced construction two balls, diametrically opposed with respect to the placement wheel are preferred. Spring loading is accomplished in the construction oi the showing on sheet l, by means of a circular split ring spring 35 at the outside of casing 21 passing over holes through which the balls protrude. It will thus be appreciated that the placement Wheel 32 can be indeaed from position to position of a ball seating in successive notches 33 and that the rotation of said wheel is effected by corresponding rotation of annulus 30.

Rotation ot annulus Si@ is effected, when desired, lby a cooperating actuator 36 rotatably mounted coaxial thereto, and preferably also annular and provided with teeth 37 equal in number, shape and location as and directed toward the teeth 31 ot the locater yannulus 3i), so as to interengage therewith as occasion requires. The actuator 3o is iixed coaxially at the inside of knob 22 which in turn is fixed, as by set screw 3S upon a shaft 39 which in this instance is shown hollow and is both rotatable and slidable in said sleeve. The knob can be pressed inwardly toward the panel, as shown in FIG. 2, and thereby engage the actuator 36 with the locater annulus 3d, and then rotation of the knob Z2 will rotate the annulus 3d, sleeve 27 and placement wheel 32 to desired location indicated by pointer 2d on dial 23. Retraction of the knob 22 separates the actuator 36 from lthe loeater annulus Sti as shown in FIG, 6, and in lthat relation thereof turning the knob 22. neither disturbs the pointer 24 set-ting or the setting of the placement Wheel 32.

Within casing 21, secured to the inward face of the placement wheel 32 is a 4rectangular guide frame 40 disposed symmctrically with respect to the axis of said wheel 32, sleeve 27 and shaft 39. Midway of two opposed walls of said guide frame there are two slots 41 extending in directions parallel to each other and to the axis of said wheel, sleeve and shaft. These slots receive guiding wings 42 projecting radially -thereinto from an axial plunger 43. S-aid plunger extends axially through the shaft 39 and protrudes at the front end thereof within the knob and there has a head 44 which keeps the plunger retained within the shaft.

In the space within the casing 2li, Ibeyond said guide frame 40, is located the movable switch member comprising -a radially disposed bus bar 45 flatwise upon and secured to a carrie/i246, here lshown as a disk of insulating material. On this carrier is secured a c-ross member of a U-shaped bracket 47 the arms of which project into said guide frame adjacent to the end walls thereof and in guided relation both to said end walls and to the side walls of said frame. This bracket is insulated from said `bus bar.

The arms of said bracket have inwardly directed pins 48 or other means receiving and retaining ends of compression springs 49 the other ends of wmch are received and retained by similar pins projecting radially from said plunger 43. The relationship of attachment is such that when the switch is in its off position (FIG. Q) and the operator pulls the knob 22 outwardly, after having set the pointer to desired position, the springs 49, pulled by the pins on plunger 43, pass at tirst through a condition of axial alignment, usually referred to as dead-center position, at which they become compressed to maximum. At or about this moment the teeth 37 within the knob 22 disengage from the teeth 31 of the annulus Sil. As soon as the pins of the plunger 43 pass the dead-center position, the compressed springs 49 will briskly push vthe U-bracket 47 with the bus bar 45 in the direction opposite from that in which the knob 22 is pulled. The desired circuit becomes closed and the switch is in its on position. The actuator 36 being at this time separated `from the locater annulus 30, as shown in FIG. 6, turning of the knob 22 neither disturbs the pointer l24 setting or .the setting of the placement wheel 32. It is obvious that if the knob 22 is pushed inwardly, lthe mechanism of the switch will work in the same but reverse manner; the circuit will become open, the locater annulus 30 will engage with the actuator 36, and thus `the rotating of Vthe knob 22 will permit setting the pointer 24 in a new position.

According to the showing of Sheet l of the drawings, the bus bar 45 has a contact Si) mounted thereon at a location coaxial with respect to .the axis of rotation of the placement wheel 32, frame 4.t and bracket 47. Since this Contact is movable forwardly and rearwardly with the bracket and bus bar, it will be referred -to as the central movable contact 50.

Beyond the bus bar 45 and fixed in the inner end of the casing 2l, is a header S1 of insulating material centrally of which is disposed a xed contact 52. One or the other of contacts 50 and S2 is of arcua-te scabbard type, in this instance movable contact 50 on the Ibus bar, whereas the other contact, in this instance the fixed one S2, is of cylindrical plug type, 'so that engagement can be made at any position of rotation of one with respect to the other. The header 51 carries a circular series of fixed contacts 53, the center of .the circle of which is at said centrally disposed xed contact 52 above described.

The bus bar 4S has a selector contact 54 at an outward end portion thereof, so that this contact not only can revolve, but can be advanced or retracted in rel-ation to the switch axis by corresponding movement applied to the bus bar. Since the bus bar is indexed in rotation, the contacts 53 of the circular series are correspondingly arranged to be individually engaged by `the selector contact in accordance with location indicated by pointer 24 on dial 23 and consequential setting of the selector wheel 32, frame 40 and bus -bar 45. In lthe present disclosure, the selector contact 54 has been illustrated as a U-shape scabbard Contact, whereas 4the contacts 53 of the circular series are of blade type. All of those blades are arranged to be selectively engaged by the selector contact 54, so of course are all at a common radial distance from the axis, but alternate ones may have a greater radial dimension than others iso that the stern portions 55 thereof will project, as shown in FIG. 1, alternately at different radial distances for enabling lead-in wires (not shown) to be more readily attached thereto than if all stems projected at a common radial distance.

If desired, a visual means may be provided for indicating whether the switch is in open or closed condition. An example of such means comprises an electric light bulb Se, for instance red in color, to indicate a ciosed circuit condition, and if desired, another electric light bulb 57, for instance green in color, to indicate an open circuit condition. These electric light bulbs are of course properly energized at the closed and open switch conditions determined by the advanced or retracted location of bus bar 45 and its carrier 46. A conventional microswitch 59, for example a double throw single pole type, can be properly located at the side of the casing 2l so the actuator 5S of the micro-switch ywill be depressed by arrival of carrier 4e thcreagainst, whereupon the circuit is closed to 4light the green light. This occurs when the knob 22 is pushed inward as in FIG. 2. When the knob is pulled outward as in FIG. 6, actuator 5S is released from engagement with the carrier and the micro-switch then closes the circuit to the red light 56. in order for the carrier to be effective for all dial settings when the knob is pushed inward, said carrier is made circular in shape.

Giving momentary attention to FGS. 9-15, it will be observed that there is no central contact to the bus bar. Instead, the bus bar is provided with two contacts both of which make engagement with different contacts of the circular series. For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 10, the circular series is arranged as a double set of contacts 60 of which one set is at a less radial distance from the axis of rotation of the associated rotor than the other set, but the stems 61 all extend straight out through header 51 to be correspondingly arranged in two sets with the stems of one set having a staggered relation to the stems of the other set for ready attachment of lead-in wires.

The rotor as shown in FIGS. 1l and 12 may provide a bus bar 62 with contacts d3, d4 thereon in substantially side-by-side relation but with enough radial oit-set to permit one contact 63 to engage with one of the contacts of one set of the circular series Whereas the other Contact 64 will simultaneously engage an adjacent contact of the other set of the circular series for purposes of completing an exterior circuit not relying upon a common ground for all circuits.

The only difference of construction to be noted of FIGS. 14 and 15 from FIGS. 11 and 12, is in the location of the contacts 65, 66 on opposite sides radially of the axis but oit-set from precise diainetric relation and at different radial distances yet with both on a common bus bar 67 having an appropriate angular disposition. It may further be said, that since the arrangement of paired contact engagement in FIGS. 9-15 utilizes only half as many positions as utilized in the construction shown on sheet l, the placement wheel 68 is half as large and has half as many notches 33 for the balls 34. Since the placement wheel is smaller, the balls are at a distance inward from the casing 21 and are individually pressed toward the placement wheel by springs 69.

It will be observed in FIGS. 1-15 that the knob 22 has free rotation without changing the pointer setting when the knob is pulled outwardly. FIGS. 16 and 17 show a construction wherein free rotation of the knob occurs when the knob is pushed inwardly. This difference is made possible by locating and securing the annulus 70 at the inward face of the placement wheel 68 and securing the cooperating toothed actuator 71 at the inner end of the shaft 72 to the outer end of which the knob 22 is secured. In this showing, the actuator 71 lies between the end walls of the guide frame 73, the side Walls of said frame being cut away to admit presence of said actuator. Furthermore, the rotor 74 provides a central bullet shape male contact 75 fitting rotatably into a socket type contact 76 and near the outer end of the rotor is a shorter bullet shape male contact 77 that can be selectively introduced into and withdrawn from one of a circular series of socket type contacts '78. The rotor provides a bus bar 79 which connects the male contacts electrically but preferably suliicient looseness, as by flexible nature of the bus bar, is provided to permit seating of the male contacts properly in the socket contacts. A spring 8) keeps the knob normally pulled inwardly and the contacts engaged. It may be noted that the construction shown in FIGURES 16 and 17 contains the feature of a series of upstanding contacts adapted to close a desired circuit without transitional engagement of the rotor contact with others of the series. However, mechanism for snap or toggle action for closing or opening the circuit is omitted from this showing, and the resultant structure is thereby rendered more compact than in the previously described constructions.

ll claim:

1. A heavy duty electric switch comprising a casing having a fixed header at an end thereof and an axis perpendicular to said header, a circular series concentric to said axis of electrically conductive blade contacts upstanding within said casing perpendicular to and fixed on said header, a rotor in said casing parallel to and opposed to said header and rotatable on said axis and having an electrically conductive mating contact thereon projecting perpendicularly therefrom toward the header and adapted to be located as the rotor is rotated to a selected position of rest with its said mating contact in spaced juxtaposition in alignment to a selected one of said fixed series of header contacts, a bracket fixed with respect to said rotor and rotatable and slidable therewith on said axis, a frame in and supported from said casing and rotatable on said axis but having a fixed position longitudinally of said axis, said frame slidably telescoping with said bracket thereby effecting simultaneous rotation of the frame and bracket on said axis, and means supporting said frame rotatably and non-slidably in said casing, said means providing a snap-action control for sliding said bracket and rotor axially in either direction and for rotating said frame and bracket.

2. A heavy duty electric switch in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means comprises a sleeve coaxially and rotatably mounted in said casing and fixed with respect to said frame and having a control exterior to said casing for rotating said frame to selected position of rotation, and a toggle within and connecting said bracket and frame providing a snapaction axial sliding of said bracket and rotor and its said conductive mating contact to and from interengagement of said 4mating contact with said selected one of the circular series of contacts.

3. A heavy duty electric switch in accordance with claim 2 wherein said toggle comprises a plunger coaxial to and extending through said sleeve and provided at its end portion within the bracket with transverse springs connecting said plunger to said bracket and said plunger having movement axially adequate to deflect the springs selectively in opposite directions from dead-center alignment with each other and thereby effect snap action sliding of said bracket with respect to the frame.

4. A heavy duty electric switch comprising a casing having a fixed header at an end thereof and an axis perpendicular to said header, a plurality of circular series concentric to said axis of electrically conductive blade contacts upstanding within said casing perpendicular to and fixed on said header with the blades of one series staggered with respect to blades of another series, a rotor in said casing parallel to and opposed to said header and rotatable on said axis and having a plurality of electrically conductive mating contacts thereon providing a mating contact for each of said series of contacts, said mating contacts projecting perpendicularly from said rotor toward the header and adapted to be individually located as the rotor is rotated to a selected position of rest with one mating contact in spaced juxtaposition in alignment to a selected one of a corresponding fixed series of header contacts, a bracket fixed with respect to said rotor and rotatable and slidable therewith on said axis, a frame in and supported from said casing and rotatable on said axis but having a fixed position longitudinally of said axis, said frame slidably telescoping with said bracket thereby effecting simultaneous rotation of the frame and bracket on said axis, and means supporting said frame rotatably and non-slidably in said casing, said means providing a snap-action control for sliding said bracket and rotor axially in either direction and for rotating said frame and bracket.

5. A heavy duty electric switch in accordance with claim 4, wherein means is provided for indexing the rotor to each position of juxtapositioning of the mating contacts successively with the respective contacts of the plurality of series of fixed contacts.

6. A heavy duty electric switch comprising a casing having an external coaxial neck at one end thereof, a fixed dial coaxially on said neck, a non-slidable rotatable sleeve extending coaxially through said neck, a rotatable and slidable hollow shaft coaxially in said sleeve, and a plunger coaxially in said shaft projecting at opposite ends thereof, an indexing placement wheel fixed on the inner end of said sleeve to be rotated thereby, a spring-loaded ball for releasably retaining the placement wheel at a selected indexed position, a push-button knob xed on the outer end of said shaft, releasably interengaging teeth respectively on the sleeve and knob for rotating the sleeve and placement wheel when the knob is pushed in and rotated, a pointer fixed on the sleeve rotatable therewith contiguous to said dial, a header for said casing at the opposite end thereof from the aforesaid end, a circular series of upstanding blade contacts carried by said header projecting toward said placement wheel, a rotor in said casing providing a mating blade contact revolvable in said casing into juxtaposed alinement with and directed toward a selected one of said circular series of blade contacts, a bracket fixed on said rotor and directed toward said placement wheel, a guide frame fixed on said placement wheel and directed toward said rotor, said bracket and frame being non-rotatable with respect to each other but slidably telescopic one with the other, and toggle springs interposed between sides of said bracket and inner end of said plunger for obtaining snap-action longitudinal sliding engagement and disengagement of the mating blade contact with respect to the selected one of the circular series of blade contacts by sliding said plunger.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,051,181 8/36 Saar 20G-167 X 2,629,791 2/ 53 Tournedu 20G-76 2,669,612 2/54 Johnson 200-4 2,817,722 12/57 Johnson 20C-166 2,991,337 7/61 Reihman 200-4 X FOREIGN PATENTS 582,687 Great Britain.

BERNARD A.' GILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A HEAVY DUTY ELECTRIC SWITCH COMPRISING A CASING HAVING A FIXED HEADER AT AN END THEREOF AND AN AXIS PERPENDICULAR TO SAID HEADER, A CIRCULAR SERIES CONCENTRIC TO SAID AXIS OF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE BLADE CONTACTS UPSTANDING WITHIN SAID CASING PERPENDICULAR TO AND FIXED ON SAID HEADER, A ROTOR IN SAID CASING PARALLEL TO AND OPPOSED DTO SAID HEADER AND ROTATABLE ON SAID AXIS AND HAVING AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MATING CONTACT THEREON PROJECTING PERPENDICULARLY THEREFROM TOWARD THE HEADER AND ADAPTED TO BE LOCATED AS THE ROTOR IS ROTATED TO A SELECTED POSITION OF REST WITH ITS SAID MATING CONTACT IN SPACED JUXTAPOSITION IN ALIGNMENT TO A SELECTED ONE OF SAID FIXED SERIES OF HEADER CONTACTS, A BRACKET FIXED WITH RE-

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