US3200657A

US3200657A - Electric switch

Info

Publication number: US3200657A
Application number: US226566A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wayne A Barden; Mervin B Arisman
Original assignee: CTS Corp
Current assignee: CTS Corp
Priority date: 1962-09-27
Filing date: 1962-09-27
Publication date: 1965-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 1982-08-17

Description

Aug. 17, 1965 w. A. BARDEN ETAL. 3,200,657

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Sept. 27, 1962 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS WAYNE A. BARDEN MERVIN B. ARISMAN BY 45W AT TO RNEY Aug. 17, 1965 W../\. BARDEN ETAL 3,200,657

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Sept. 27, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 8.

INVENTORS WAYNE A. BARDEN MERVIN B. ARISMAN ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,200,657 ELECTRHZ SWITCH Wayne A. Barden and Mervin B. Arisman, Elkhart, Ind,

assignors to CTS Corporation, Elkhart, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Sept. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 226,566 4 Claims. (CI. 74-99) This invention relates to apparatus for operating an electric switch generally and in particular to an apparatus which operates a rotary switch with a push-push rectilinear motion.

By push-push motion is meant a motion where the actuating member of the apparatus is moved in the same direction each time to either turn the switch on or oii.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel mechanism for operating a rotary switch with a pushpush rectilinear motion.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide an operating mechanism which does not interfere with the operating features of the switch i.e. if the switch is that type which snaps into position the mechanism will not prevent the snap action from occurring. It is a further object of the invention to provide a push-push switch operating mechanism which employs a minimum number of parts which are economical to build and as semble.

The invention employs a push rod which is arranged for reciprocating rectilinear motion. The push rod has an opening which is designed to engage two arms on a pivotally mounted switch actuating mechanism and cause it to oscillate on its pivot and thereby impart rotary motion to the switch cam.

The invention is described in detail below in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a switch actuating mechanism mounted on a switch.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the mechanism and a cross-sectional view of the switch of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG- URE 2 showing the switch in a closed position.

FIGURE 4 is a view taken along lines 33 of FIG- URE 2 showing the switch in a open position.

FIGURES 5-9 are diagrammatic plan views of the principal parts of the actuating mechanism showing the relative positions of the operating member as it moves through one cycle of movement.

The operating mechanism is mounted on the switch by means of the U-shaped mounting bracket which has two arms 11 and 12 and a bight portion 13. The bight portion 13 is attached to the cup-shaped metal cover 14 of the switch 15 by means of tangs 66.

Before proceeding with the description of the operating mechanism, the structure and operation of the switch will be described. The invention is not limited to use with this particular switch, but will work equally as well with any switch which employs a rotating actuating member.

The switch illustrated is of the rotary snap-action type. That is, it is operated by rotary motion of the operating switch cam 16. The snap action will be apparent from the description.

The cam 16 which operates the switch is rotatably mounted on the reduced section 19 of the switch pivot pin 17 and is maintained in place by the shoulder 24 and the upset end 21 of the pin 17.

The cam consists of two

flat end members

27 and 28 which are integrally connected by the member 29. The two end members are rotatably mounted on the pivot pin 17, with the end member 27 located outside and the end member 28 located inside the cover 14. The end member 28 has a tab 30 which is provided with a hole 38 "ice through which extends one end of the spring 18. The end member 27 of the cam 16 is bifurcated to engage the flange 40 on the actuator 41.

Also rotatably mounted on the pivot pin 17 is the contact carrier 31. It is made of non-conductive material and is held in position against the

stationary contacts

32 and 33 by the spring 18. The pivot pin and the stationary contacts are in turn attached to the base 22 by upsetting their ends. The stationary contacts have the

terminals

34 and 35 placed over them before their ends are upset so that they also serve to mount the terminals to the base. The base in turn is held in position against the rolled over end of the cover 14 by the indentations 23.

Located between the base 22 and the contact carrier 31 is the movable contact 25. It is not actually carried by the contact carrier but by means of lug 36 on the contact which extends into the small opening 37 provided therefor in the contact carrier. The movement of the contact carrier is transmitted to the contact. The free end of the contact is positioned by the two lugs 36 on the contact which extend into the large openings 37 to guide the contact toward the

stationary contacts

32 and 33. The contact is maintained in position longitudinally by the base and the contact carrier and is firmly held between the two members by the downward spring force exerted on the contact carrier by the spring 18, one end of which extends through the hole 39 in the contact carrier. In FIGURE 4 the switch is open. To close it the cam 16 is rotated clockwise moving lug 30 to the position shown in FIGURE 3. This causes the spring 18 to move the contact carrier laterally which in turn moves the contact 25 toward the

stationary contacts

32 and 33. Actually the cam must be forcefully moved only part of the way since the switch is designed so that the spring will snap the switch closed after the cam is moved a little more than half way between the positions shown. For this reason it is important that the cam be free to rotate faster than the member rotating it. This same snap action occurs when the switch is opened. The spring in other words has an over center action and once it has passed top dead center, it will move the parts to a new position in order to relieve the stress built up in it.

The switch cam, as stated above, has oneend member 27 which is located outside the cover 14 and which is engaged by the flange 40 on switch actuator 41. The switch actuator is arranged to pivot around the pin 42 which in turn is located on the member 65 which holds the actuator in position adjacent the push rod 43. The actuator is equipped with an elongated opening 49 to receive the pin for purposes which will be described below. The push rod is reciprocally mounted in the bracket 10. It extends through a slot 44 in the arm 11 and has two spaced

fingers

45 and 46 which slide in slots formed by the

cars

47 and 48 in arm 12. The end of the rod between the two

fingers

45 and 46 engages the arm 12 on the down stroke of the rod and limits its travel in that direction.

The switch actuator has two spaced

parallel arms

50 and 51 which extend outward from the actuator into the opening 52 in the push rod. The configuration of the opening 52 and its relationship to the

arms

50 and 51 on the actuator provide the unique motion of this invention. The opening can best be described by dividing it into three sections: a top section 53 which is rectangular; a middle section 54 which is also rectangular but which is wider than the top section to provide the two

shoulders

55 and 56; and the bottom section 57 which is in the shape of an inverted truncated cone which provides the two

inclined surfaces

62 and 63.

Completing the assembly is the coil spring 58 which is compressed between the upper end of the opening 53 and the switch actuator 41. Whereas the downward travel of the pushrod is limited by the arm 12, upward travel is stopped when the two

inclined surfaces

62 and 63 engage the

arms

56 and 51. The function of the spring is to return the push rod to this position. The spring is held in place by the spring guides 60 and 6]..

Operation and cam means carried by the operating member for moving the pivotal axis of the switch actuating member laterally when the operating member moves in the opposite direction so that the means carried by the operating member engages the other side of the switch actuating member-thereby imparting an oscillating and lateral motion to the switch actuating member with repeated movements of ,theoperating 'member. V

2. A switch actuating mechanism comprising switch operating means, a supporting member, a switch actuator pivotally supported on the supporting member and arranged to rotate the switch operating means froma first engage and to hold the elongated hole 49 against the pin 42 as the actuator rotates.

As the rod continues downward the actuator pivots around the pin 42 and rotates the switch cam 16 to the open position as shown in FIGURE 7. At this point the shoulder 55 is not in engagement with the actuator cam 5i? because actually when the switch spring 18 passes over dead center it snaps the switch open and moves the cam to the position shown in FIGURE 7 with no further urging by thepush rod. This is an important feature of the invention in that the actuating mechanism does not interfere with the snap action of the switch.

In FiGURE 8, the push rod 43 has been released and the spring 53 is returning it to its uppermost position. As the rod travels upward the inclined side 62 of the conical section 57 engages the arm 56. The angle of theside 62 is such that it cannot rotate the switch actuator but it can move it laterally so that the elongated hole 49 moves across the pin 42 and stops against the other end. This position is shown in FIGURE 9.

The mechanism is now in position to close the switch with the next downward stroke of the push rod. When this occurs the shoulder 56engages the shoulder'51, rotating the actuator around the pin 42 in a clockwise'direction thereby closing the switch. On the return stroke of the push rod the inclined side 63 engages the arm 51 and moves the actuator laterally to the position shown in FIG- URE 5 and cycle is complete.

As is clear from the above description, this invention provides a unique and novel mechanism for operating a rotary type snap switch with a push-push rectilinear motion.

The invention claimed is:

l. A mechanism for operating a rotary switch with a reciprocal motion comprising:

a supporting member;

a switch actuating member pivotally mounted on the supporting member; an operating member reciprocally carried by the supporting member in a plane parallel to the plane of the switch actuating member;

means carried by the operating member arranged to engage only one side of the switch actuating member upon movement of the operating member in one direction;

position to a second position for opening and closing a switch, a pair of arms attached to the switch actuator, the actuator being provided with an elongated aperture, a pivot pin extending upwardly of the supporting member and disposed in the elongated aperture, an operating member reciprocally carried bythe supporting member, a pair of shoulders integral with the operating member for engaging the. arms of the switch actuator whereby upon moving the operating member in one direction one of the shoulders engages one of the arms of the switch actuator for pivoting the switch actuator from 'a first position to a second position, and cam means carried by the operating member and arranged to shift the pivotal axis of the switch actuator from one side of the elongated aperture tothe other sidethereof upon movement of the actuating member in the other direction. V

3. The mechanism of claim 2, wherein the operating member is provided with an elongated opening, and the arms of the switch actuator are disposed in the elongated opening. I

4. In an electric switch, the combination of a movable contact, an actuator operably associated with the movable contact and pivotally movable between a first actuating position and a, second actuating position, an operating member movable between a first position and a second position, and first means carried by the operating member for pivoting the actuator back and-forth between the first actuating position and the second actuating position responsive to repeated movement of the operating member between the first position and the second position the improvement comprising cam means carried by the-operating member for shifting the pivotal'axis of the actuator from -a first axis to a second axis after the actuator has been pivoted from the first actuating position to the second actuating position by the first means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 211,600 1/79 Snediker 74l00 1,246,646 11/17 Pape 74-100 1,354,955 10/20 Clark 74-100 2,042,369 5/36 Von Kilian 200153.9 X 2,044,065 6/36 Douglas 200153.9 X 2,529,970 11/50 SChmid 74-100 X 2,810,031 10/57 Hellstrom 74100 X BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A MECHANISM FOR OPERATING A ROTARY SWITCH WITH A RECIPROCAL MOTION COMPRISING: A SUPPORTING MEMBER; A SWITCH ACTUATING MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE SUPPORTING MEMBER; AN OPERATING MEMBER RECIPROCALLY CARRIED BY THE SUPPORTING MEMBER IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF THE SWITCH ACTUATING MEMBER; MEANS CARRIED BY THE OPERATING MEMBER ARRANGED TO ENGAGE ONLY ONE SIDE OF THE SWITCH ACTUATING MEMBER UPON MOVEMENT OF THE OPERATING MEMBER IN ONE DIRECTION; AND CAM MEANS CARRIED BY THE OPERATING MEMBER FOR MOVING THE PIVOTAL AXIS OF THE SWITCH ACTUATING MEMBER LATERALLY WHEN THE OPERATING MEMBER MOVES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION SO THAT THE MEANS CARRIED BY THE OPERATING MEMBER ENGAGES THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SWITCH ACTUATING MEMBER THEREBY IMPARTING AN OSCILTHE OPPOSITE DIRECTION SO THAT THE MEANS CARRIED BY THE OPERATING MEMBER ENGAGES THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SWITCH ACTUATING MEMBER THEREBY IMPARTING AN OSCIL-