US3200220A

US3200220A - Combination electrical socket, electromagnetic actuator and on-off switch

Info

Publication number: US3200220A
Application number: US268661A
Authority: US
Inventors: Leon D Carr; Willard E Thompson
Original assignee: Sperry Rand Corp
Current assignee: Sperry Corp
Priority date: 1963-03-28
Filing date: 1963-03-28
Publication date: 1965-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 1982-08-10

Description

Aug. 10, 1965 L. D. CARR ETAL 3,200,220 COMBINATION ELECTRI CAL SOCKET, ELECTROMAGNETIC ACTUATOR AND ON-OFF SWITCH Filed March 28, 1965 INVENTORS. LEON 0. CAR/P ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,2fitl,220 C(JMBINATIDN ELECTRICAL S0KET, ELEC- TROMAGNETIC ACTUATOR AND (IN-OFF SWITCH Leon D. Carr, Bloomfield, Conn, and Willard E. Thompson, Woodhury, N.Y., assignors to Sperry Rand Corporation, Great Neck, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 268,661

a 3 Claims. ({3 200-111) This invention relates to a combination electrical socket electromagnetic type in which the structure includes an axially movable armature actuator and electric switch of the on-oft" type. More particularly,

in the improved combination, the stationary switch parts are included a socket structure in which a plurality of elongated brushes are fixedly mounted at one of the ends thereof on an insulator base or frame. The axially movable element of the electromagnetic actuator is provided by an armature and insulator sleeve assembly in which the conductive terminals included as a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve and the sleeve itself constitutes the other of the switch parts. As the brushes in the improved combination are stationary with respect to the armature, the operational life span of the switch is much greater than that found in structures of a similar type where the brushes move with each operation of the armature.

An object of the present invention is to provide a miniature socket, actuator and switch combination of the character described in which shock and vibration are reduced to a minimum by narrowly limiting the extent of the axial movement of the armature between its stop positions.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision in the improved combination of a stationary switch part of elongated brushes that are fixedly connected at one of their ends to an electrical socket.

Another feature of the invention is provided by the armature and insulator sleeve structure of the electromagnetic actuator where the sleeve includes conductive terminals on a portion of its outer peripheral surface as the movable part of the on-otf switch.

Another feature of the invention resides in the inclusion of a spring as a component of the combination to bias the armature at one of its stop position limits when the winding of the actuator is unenergized.

Still a further feature of the invention is provided by the cam and follower structure of the respective sleeve and brush parts of the on-olf switch for lifting the free end of the brushes from the conductive terminals in a direction radial to the axis of the actuator during axial movement of the armature.

Other objects, features and structural details of the invention will be apparent from the following description with relation to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross sectional view showing a preferred embodiment of the improved combination electrical socket, electromagnetic actuator and on-ofi" switch,

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2, in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a detail development view showing the curved surface of the switch sleeve in FIG. 1 developed as a fiat surface, and

FIG. 4 is a partial view similar to FIG. 1 showing a modified embodiment of the brush and sleeve structure of the on-ofi switch of the improved combination.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the stationary socket of the improved combination includes a base or frame of insulator material anda cover 11 of shielding material. Cover 11 is tubular in configuration with a closing end wall 12 whose inside flat surface 13 provides one of the stops that determine the motion limits of the armature of the actuator. The open end of the tubular cover 11 is removably connected to the base 10 by means of a suitable interfitting mechanical coupling between the parts. As shown in FIG. 1, the socket is mounted in a suitable electrical outlet (not shown) by the male terminals 14 extending from the base or frame 10. The other of the stops for limiting the motion of the armature is provided in the structure shown in FIG. 1 by the internal wall 15 of a projecting part 16 of the base 10 extending within the cover 11.

The actuator portion of the improved combination includes a magnetizable tubular core provided by the

abutted parts

17 and 18, and a spool 19 encircling the core with a winding 20. The actuator is operated by energizing the winding 20 through a suitable external switching circuit to an electrical source (not shown) by way of two of the male terminals 14. The winding 29 is accordingly electrically connected to two of the terminals 14 of the socket structure. The axis 21 of the produced flux field corresponds with the axial opening provided in the abutting

tubular core parts

17 and 18. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the improved combination includes a pair of electrical switches each of whose stationary switch parts includes two elongated brushes that are fixedly connected at one of their ends to one of the terminals 14 in the frame or base 10 of the socket structure. The respective brushes indicated at 22, 2'3 and 24, 25 provide the stationary switch parts for each of the one-off switches represented.

The electromagnetic structure of the movable actuator of the improved combination includes a cylindrical armature 26 of magnetizable material that fits an axial opening in the core part 18. The movable switch part of the armature is provided by a cylindrical member or sleeve 27 of flux shielding material having conducting and non-conducting parts with an end wall 28 that is fixedly connected to one of the ends of the armature 26 by a suitable mechanical joint. The hollow cylindrical member 27 is arranged in the assembly in concentric relation to the axis 21 and in encircling relation to the winding 20. The sleeve described accordingly provides flux shielding for the winding 26 from sources of radiation exterior to the cover 11 other than that provided by the cover. The movable structure shown in FIG. 1 further includes a bow spring 29 which is mounted on the end wall 28 of the insulator 27 through the single rivet joint shown connecting the individual parts together. As shown in FIG. 1, the armature 26 is biased in one of its stop positions by the spring 29 when the winding 20 is unenergized and a stop 30 provided by one of the ends of the armature 26 engages the stop wall 15. When the winding of the actuator is energized, the armature moves axially until the rivet connection at the other end of the armature 26 abuts the wall stop 13 of the cover 11. The stop part of the movable armature engaging the wall stop 13 of the socket structure is indicated at 31. The axial spacing between the fixed stop 13 and stop 31 determines the movement or travel permitted the movable armature in the improved structure. By narrowly limiting the stroke of the movable armature through the provided stops the effects of shock and vibration on the operational :life of the on-olf switch are minimized. In the arrangement described, the bias providing bow spring 29 is connected at its center part to the movable armature assembly with its respective free end parts slidably contacting the inside end wall of the stationary cover 11 of the socket.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the insulator sleeve part 27 of the on-off switch includes two

conductive terminals

32 and 33 arranged on the outside surface of the sleeve in switching relation to the

respective brushes

22, 23 and

brushes

24, 25. Here, the

terminals

32 and 33 are curved metal strips that are attached to the surface of the sleeve by known electroplating or other methods of deposition. on positions of the components shown in FIG. 3, the winding is unenergized and the free ends of the paired

brushes

22, 23 contact the strip terminal 32 to provide a closed electrical switch. Likewise, the

pairedbrushes

24, 25 contact the strip terminal 33 to provide a second closed electrical switch. The off position brushes 2.2 and 25 of the represented switches include a cam follower surface as indicated in FIG. 1 at 34. The related cam surface on the insulator sleeve 27 includes a concave portion 35 in which the curved surface of the brushes fits when the free end contacts the conductive strips. When sleeve 27.1noves with the armature assembly to its other limit position, the follower surface 34 rises from the concave portion 35 to lift the free ends of the brushes In the from the

respective terminals

32, 33 in a direction radial to the axis. This opens the respective electrical switches of the relay when the armature is located at the other of its travel limits with

stops

13 and 31 engaged.

In the modification shown in FIG. 4, a further two switch type of structure is represented where the arrangement between the parts is such that one switch is open and one switchis closed in an unenergized condition of the winding. Here, the terminals of the switch parts are provided by suitable curved bands 36, 37 of conducting material that are fitted in conforming grooves in the outer surface of a sleeve insulator 38 that also includes a cam surface 39. A lift brush 40 for the terminal 36 includes a follower surface 41 that with surface 39 opens the switchin the unenergized condition of the winding. The brush 42 in FIG. 4 for the other switch is lifted from the conductive band 37 when the armature is moved to its other limit condition through the cooperation of the brush surface 43 and cam 39. The respec:

tive extending ends of the brushes of the improved structure are spaced radially from the axis 21 in contacting relation to the conducting terminals on the insulator sleeve at one of the limit positions of the armature. The brush and sleeve structures include lifting means with respective parts on the brush and insulator sleeve for raising the end of a brush from a conductive terminal in a direction radial to the axis during movement of the armature. I

While the invention has been described in its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the words which have been used are Words of description rather than of limitation and that changeswithin the purview of the appended claims may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention in its broader aspects. 7

What is claimed is:

1. A combination electrical socket, electromagnetic actuator and on-olf switch including a socket having electrical terminals; an actuator having a magnetizable core mounted on the socket with an opening concentric to an axis, a winding on the core for providing a flux field along the axis electrically connected to two of the socket terminals and an armature fitting the core opening movable between spaced positions along the axis in response to the flux field; an on-oif switch having a nonconductive sleeve fixedly mounted on the armature with a side wall arranged in concentric relation to the axis and in encircling relation to the winding, a conductive terminal on a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the side wall of the sleeve, and an elongated brush with spaced ends, one end of which is fixedly mounted on the socket and electrically connected to another socket terminal, and the other end of which contacts the conductive terminal of the sleeve at one of the positions of the armature and contacts a portion of the non-conductive peripheral surface of the side wall of the sleeve at the other of the armature positions; and cam and follower means with respective parts on the brush and sleeve for lifting the end of the brush from the conductive terminal in a direction radial to the axis during movement of the armature.

2. In a combination electrical socket, electromagnetic actuator and on-oifswitch; a socket having electrical terminals; an actuator having a magnetizable spool fixedly mounted on the socket with an. axial opening, an energizable winding on the spool electrically connected to two of the socketterminals providing a flux field along the axis thereof, 'an armature fitting the axial opening in the spool movable between limits along the axis with relation to the socket; an on-off switch'having a sleeve fixedly mounted on the movable armature in concentric relation to the axis with non-conductive and conductive parts, and an elongated brush having an end fixedly mounted on the socket and electrically connected to another socket terminal, and an end spaced radially from the axis to contact one of the parts of the sleeve when the winding is energized and to contact the other of the parts of the sleeve when the winding is unenergized, and lifting means with, respective parts on the brush and sleeve for raising the end of the brush from the sleeve in a direction radial to the axis during axial movement of the armature.

3. In a combination electrical socket, electromagnetic actuator and onoff switch; a socket having electrical terminals; an actuator having a magnetizable core fixedly mounted. on. the .socketwith an axial opening, an energizable winding on the core for providing a flux field along the axis of the core, an armature fitting the axial opening in the core movable along the axis with relation tothe socket; an on-oif switch having a cylindrical member with non-conductive and conductive parts fixedly mounted on the movable armature in concentric relation to the axis, and an elongated brush with spaced ends, one end of which is fixedly mounted on the socket and electrically connected to one of the terminals, and the other end of which contacts one of the parts of the sleeve when the winding is energized and contacts the other of e the parts of the sleeve when the winding is unenergized, and lifting means with respective parts on the brush and member for raising the end of the brush from the memher in a direction radial of the axis during axial movement of the armature.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT SCI-IAEFER, Acting Primary Examiner,

BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Eraminer,

Claims

1. A COMBINATION ELECTRICAL SOCKET, ELECTROMAGNETIC ACTUATOR AND ON-OFF SWITCH INCLUDING A SOCKET HAVING ELECTRICAL TERMINALS; AN ACTUATOR HAVING A MAGNETIZABLE CORE MOUNTED ON THE SOCKET WITH AN OPENING CONCENTRIC TO AN AXIS, A WINDING ON THE CORE FOR PPROVIDING A FLUX FIELD ALONG THE AXIS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO TWO OF THE SOCKET TERMINALS AND AN ARMATURE FITTING THE CORE OPENING MOVABLE BETWEEN SPACED POSITIONS ALONG THE AXIS IN RESPONSE TO THE FLUX FIELD; AN ON-OFF SWITCH HAVING A NONCONDUCTIVE SLEEVE FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON THE ARMATURE WITH A SIDE WALL ARRANGED IN CONCENTRIC RELATION TO THE AXIS AND IN ENCIRCLING RELATION TO THE WINDING, A CONDUCTIVE TERMINAL ON A PORTION OF THE OUTER PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF THE SIDE WALL OF THE SLEEVE, AND AN ELONGATED BRUSH WITH SPACED ENDS, ONE OF WHICH IS FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON THE SOCKET AND ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO ANOTHER SOCKET TERMINAL, AND THE OTHER END OF WHICH CONTACTS THE CONDUCTIVE TERMINAL OF THE SLEEVE AT ON OF THE POSITIONS OF THE ARMATURE AND CONTACTS A PORTION OF THE NON-CONDUCTIVE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF THE SIDE WALL OF THE SLEEVE AT THE OTHER OF THE ARMATURE POSITIONS; AND CAM AND FOLLOWER MEANS WITH RESPECTIVE PARTS ON THE BRUSH AND SLEEVE FOR LIFTING THE END OF THE BRUSH FROM THE CONDUCTIVE TERMINAL IN A DIRECTION RADIAL TO THE AXIS DURING MOVEMENT OF THE ARMATURE.