US3209093A

US3209093A - Lever operated switch actuated by a speed responsive mechanism of a dynamoelectric machine

Info

Publication number: US3209093A
Application number: US156792A
Authority: US
Inventors: William F Simpson
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1961-12-04
Filing date: 1961-12-04
Publication date: 1965-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 1982-09-28

Description

Sept. 28, 1965 w. F. SIMPSON 3,209,093

LEVER OPERATED SWITCH ACTUATED BY A SPEED RESPONSIVE MECHANISM OF A DYNAMOELECTRIC MACHINE Filed Dec. 4. 1961 "T I li 'm United States Patent Office 3,209,093 Patented Sept. 28, 1965 3,209,093 LEVER OPERATED SWITCH ACTUATED BY A SPEED. RESPONSIVE MECHANISM OF A DYNAMGELECTREC MACHINE William F. Simpson, Louisville, Ky., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 156,792

' 7 Claims. (Cl. 20080) This invention relates to lever operated switches, and more particularly to lever operated switches arranged for use with speed responsive mechanisms in dynamoelectric machines for controlling the winding circuits thereof.

It is the general object of this invention to provide a novel and improved lever operated switch assembly, and more particularly to provide an improved switch assembly which is adapted for efficient operation by the speed responsive mechanism of a motor to control the winding circuits thereof.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved integrated switch assembly which is structurally [adapted for operation by an actuating mechanism within a motor and is mounted externally of the motor, thereby enabling the switch assembly to be readily assembled to and removed from the motor.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved lever operated switch which is simple in construction, eflicient in operation, and readily manufacturable.

In carrying out my invention, in one form thereof, I provide an improved switch assembly particularly suitable for use with a speed responsive actuating device having an axially movable element in a single phase induction motor. In the preferred embodiment, the switch assembly is of integral construction and includes an insulating base readily attached to and removable from the exterior of a motor frame. The base has a cavity formed therein which opens into one of its sides and is closed by a cover to form a housing for the assembly. Within the switch housing, first and second movable contact blades are supported in cantilevered fashion. These blades are disposed in overlying relationship with their longitudinal axes located in a first plane. A first fixed contact is provided for cooperation with the first blade to form a first switch. Second and third fixed contacts are disposed on opposite sides of the second blade for alternative cooperation with the second blade to form a second switch. With such an arrangement, a pivoted bell-crank lever of insulating material, pivotally supported by the base is provided for directly actuating both of the blades and to thereby operate both of the switches, This lever is integral to the switch and in the illustrated form is of generally planar construction, being disposed in a second plane which is in transverse relationship to the first plane. The lever includes an operating arm which extends outwardly from the switch housing and inwardly of the frame of the motor, between the interior side of the frame and the motor stator toward the axially movable element, for actuation by the speed responsive device of the motor. The lever also includes a blade or switch actuating section which extends into the switch housing in a direction generally away from the stator and selectively acts upon the first and sec nd blades in response to predetermined motor speeds and the axial position of the axially movable element for operating the two switches. With such a switch arrangement, an efficient and integrated switch assembly is provided, the switch being mounted as an integral unit in readily accessible fashion on the frame of the motor. This improved switch assembly is effectively operated by a lever which is supported by the switch base and acted upon by the speed responsive mechanism to directly control the positioning of the movable switch blades.

Further aspects of my invention will become apparent hereinafter, and the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which I regard as my invention. My invention, itself, as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of one end of a single phase induction motor which incorporates one form of the improved switch assembly of the present invention therein;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end view of the switch assembly of FIG. 1, partly broken away to show the internal mechanism of the switch with the switch actuating lever compressed toward the viewer by the speed responsive device; 1

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, with the switch actuating lever being shown in its alternative undepressed position; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 44 of FIG. 3, with the switch assembly positioned in the motor frame.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown one form of my invention as being incorporated in a single phase induction motor 10 having a stationary core member or stator 12 of conventional construction and a rotor 14 fixedly secured to shaft 16. The rotor is shown as being provided with the well-known cast squirrel cage winding. Stator 1a is supported within a cylindrical shell 18 closed at each end by an end frame or shield assembly 20 which is secured to shell 18 by a rabbet connection at 22. Shell 18 and two end shield assemblies thus are fastened together to provide a supporting frame for the motor. For simplicity of illustration, only one end shield assembly has been shown and, as illustrated, it is formed with a suitably supported bearing housing 24 in which is housed a bearing 26 for rotatably supporting one end of shaft [16. A fan 28 is mounted on the shaft 16, and a :bafile member 30 is arranged within shell 18. Openings 3-2 are formed in each end shield which enable ventilating air to be drawn by the fan 28 into shell 18 in the standard fashion, the air being directed around the b-afile member 30 to cool the interior portion of the motor.

In single phase induction motors, other than the shaded pole type, one or more main or running windings are commonly provided together with a starting winding physically and electrically displaced from the main windings. Thus, energization of the main and starting windings during starting conditions of the motor provides two phase starting flux. It is therefore desirable to energize a starting circuit which includes the main and starting windings during starting conditions. It is further desirable, however, that the starting winding be deenergized when the speed of the motor exceeds a predetermined value for Operation of the motor by a running circuit including the main windings only.

In the single phase induction motor 10 embodying the present invention, the desired excitation for the starting and running circuits is provided by main or running winding 32 and starting winding 34. To efiiciently control the starting winding circuit and the running winding circuit of motor 10, the improved switch assembly 36 of my invention has been provided. Switch assembly 36, as shall become apparent hereinafter, readily lends itself to external mounting upon end shield assembly 20 and is operated by a speed responsive actuating device 38. Device 38 is disposed within the motor frame and it acbias of tension springs 46.

tuates switch assembly 36 to connect the starting circuit when the motor is starting from rest or the speed of the motor is reduced beyond a predetermined value, and to disconnect the starting circuit when the speed of the motor exceeds a predetermined value so that the running circuit may then be established. Switch assembly 36 also is adapted, as shall be set forth hereinafter, to

.control an additional circuit external of the motor in response to actuation by device 38, such as, for example, the heater circuit of an electrical appliance.

The speed responsive device 38, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a pair of opposed weights 40 arranged on each side of shaft 16. Each of the weights 40 includes a pair of rigid parallel arms 48 (one of which is shown in FIG. 1) which are directed inwardly toward and pivotally engage a push-collar 50 slidably arranged on shaft 16. Arms 48 are integral to and in angular relationship with outer body section 49. The weights 40 are guided for movement by retainer 42, which includes a pair of out- .wardly extending limbs 44 slidably engaging slots (not shown) formed in the weights 40. Retainer 42 is securely fastened to shaft 16. A pair of opposed tension springs 46, such as the one shown in FIG. 1, are arranged on opposite sides of the shaft 16 to resiliently bias the free ends of arms 48 of the weights toward push-collar 50. These springs 46 are arranged in tension between the weights on each side thereof so that the spring forces act .upon the weights to normally maintain an axially movable element or push-collar 50 in its dotted position, as shown in FIG. 1, when the motor is at standstill. When the motor starts up and its speed increases beyond a predetermined value, push-collar 50 is moved axially along .shaft 16 to the retracted position (shown in solid in FIG.

1) by the centrifugal weights 40, which overcome the More particularly, at a predetermined motor speed, the outward movement of body sections 49 of the weights overcomes the force of the tension springs, and the free ends of arms 48 of the weights pivot on the push-collar 50 to float the push-collar axially inwardly on shaft 16 in the direction of the rotor 14.

Turning now to a detailed explanation of the structure of the improved switch assembly 36 embodying my invention, attention is first directed to FIGS. 1 and 4. To furnish a compact supporting structure and enclosure for the operating mechanism of switch 36, I have provided a switch housing 52 which includes recessed insulating base 54 and a relatively thin insulating cover plate 56. More particularly, base 54 is recessed to provide a box-shaped cavity 58 which is formed by rectangularly arranged

longitudinal walls

58a, 58b, and end walls 58c, 58d, these walls being in perpendicular relationship to inner side 59. Cavity 58 opens outwardly from inner side 59 (as shown in FIG. 4) into a planar outer side 60 of the base 54 and is closed by means of cover plate 56 to provide a compact enclosure for the switch contacts. More specifically, plate 56 is fitted into peripheral recess 60a (FIGS. 2 and 3) of side 60 and fastened to the base in some suitable manner, such as by staking the terminals of the switch assembly to base 54 and to the cover plate 56. The enclosure provided by switch housing 52 serves to prevent contamination of the switch contacts by precluding the access thereto of extraneous substances, such as dust, lint, etc. The housing also serves to insulatively enclose any are provided by the switch contacts.

To enable my improved switch assembly 36 to be removably mounted upon and readily fastened to the exterior side of the frame of motor remote from the stator 12, as shown in FIG. 2, planar side 60 of base 54 includes a generally U-shaped flange 62. Flange 62 projects outwardly from a longitudinal side wall 58a and the two end walls 58c, 58d of base 54, having suitably positioned apertures 64 formed therein for rigid attachment of the switch to the end shield assembly 20 by means of screws 66. More particularly, screws 66 are extended through apertures 64 of flange 62 as suggested by FIGS. 1 and 2, and threaded into engagement with end shield 20 to rigidly secure switch assembly 36 to the outer surface of the motor frame. A suitable opening 67 is formed in a wall of end shield 20 to enable the walls 58a-58d to be positioned therein, and inner side 59 of the base 54 thus faces toward bafile member 30 and stator 12, as shown in FIG. 1.

For connecting the appropriate circuits to my improved switch assembly 36, as shown in FIG. 2, fixed

contact terminals

68, 70, and 72 and movable contact terminals 69, 71, respectively, have been provided. Terminals 68-72 are of the tab type and are extended through aligned apertures 74 of the cover plate 56 and inner base side 59, being staked thereto in the well-known manner. More particularly, as shown in FIG. 2, movable contact terminals 69 and 71 are disposed in parallel spaced apart relationship in a row on one side of cavity 58, near end wall 58c.

Fixed contact terminals

68, 70, and 72 are disposed in spaced apart parallel relationship to themselves and terminals 69, 71 in another row on the other side of cavity 58, near end wall 58d.

To suitably position the terminals 68-72 within cavity 58 of the switch base 54, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, various bosses 75 are formed therein. These bosses extend inwardly from the inner side 59 toward outer side 60 and engage each of the terminals to accurately position them and help support them within the base.

For movably bridging a circuit between fixed contact terminal 68 and movable contact terminal 69, a contact supporting arm or blade 76 is fastened in cantilever fashion at one of its ends to an inner surface of terminal 69. (See FIG. 2.) Arm 76 is of thin resilient blade construction and is disposed within cavity 58 in edgewise relation- .ship to inner side 59 of base 54 (as shown in FIG. 4). The other or free end of arm 76 carries a movable contact 78 arranged to selectively move toward and away from the rotational axis of shaft 16 as best shown in FIGURE 2 for cooperation with a fixed contact 80 on terminal 68. The free end of arm 76 is resiliently biased toward terminal 68 so that the

contacts

78 and 80 are normally biased closed (as shown in FIG. 3). It will thus be seen that movable contact arm 76 and the

contacts

78, 80 controlled thereby form a single pole single throw switch A (FIG. 3) for controlling a circuit connected to terminals 68 and 69.

For movably bridging circuits between fixed contact terminals 70 72, and movable contact terminal 71, a movable contact supporting arm or blade 82 is fastened in cantilever fashion at one of its ends to an inner surface of terminal 71 (as shown in FIG. 2). Arm 82 is constructed similarly to arm 76, being disposed within cavity 58 in directly underlying relationship to arm 76 and in edgewise relationship to inner side 59 of base 54 (as shown in FIG. 4). The other or free end of arm 82 carries a double sided movable contact 84 arranged to selectively and alternatively cooperate with fixed contact 86 on terminal 70 or fixed contact 88 on terminal 72. The free end of arm 82 is resiliently biased toward terminal 70 so that the

contacts

84 and 86 are normally biased closed (i.e., to the position where they are shown in FIG. 2). It will thus be seen that movable contact arm 82 and the two pairs of contacts controlled thereby (i.e., contact pairs 84, 86, and 84, 88) form a single pole double throw switch B (FIG. 3) for selectively controlling circuits connected to

terminals

71, 70 and 71, 72.

To efficiently operate the two switches of my improved switch assembly 36 by means of a single integral lever which acts between the speed responsive device 38 and the movable contact arms, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, I have provided a bell-crank lever 90. Lever 90 is preferably formed from a flat piece of insulating material and has an L-shaped planar configuration (FIG. 4). More particularly, the lever 90 comprises an elongated operating arm or handle section 92 and a blade actuating section 94 connected to and in generally perpendicular relationship to operating arm 92. The bell-crank lever 90 is pivotally supported

intermediate sections

92, 94 for limited rotation on base 54 by means of pin 96. More particularly, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a pair of opposed uprights 98 are extended outwardly from the switch cavity in perpendicular fashion from inner side 59 of base 54. Uprights 98 are disposed on each side of slot 100 formed inthe inner side 59, and they provide a pair of aligned apertures 102 near their outer ends for receiving pin 96. As shown in FIG. 4, lever 90 has a bearing aperture 104 formed therethrough near roundedcorner 105 thereof (FIG. 4). The lever 90 is thus partially sandwiched between the uprights 98, and pin 96 is extended through apertures 102 of the uprights and aperture 104 of the lever, being riveted to the uprights for rotatably supporting the lever on base 54.

Slot 100 is formed in side 59 with its long axis extending between

longitudinal walls

58a and 58b, and spaced therefrom. When lever 90 is pivotally supported on base 54, the blade actuating section 94 of the lever extends into cavity 58 through slot 100. Actuating section 94 includes a shoulder 106 having an outer wall which faces toward wall 58a and, as shown in FIG. 3, is normally spaced from but adjacent to movable contact arm 76 when the operating arm 92 of lever 90 is undepressed. Shoulder 106 engages arm 76 to open the

contacts

78, 80 of the switch A when lever 90 is pivoted in a clockwise direction of rotation (viewing FIG. 4) from its undepressed position. Section 94 also includes shoulder 108 which faces in the opposite direction from shoulder 106, as shown in FIG. 3, to normally engage movable contact arm 82 for maintaining the

contacts

84, 88 of switch B in their closed position. Shoulder 108 disengages arm 82 to allow

contacts

84, 88 of switch 8 to open when lever 90 is pivoted in a clockwise direction of rotation (viewing FIG. 4) from its undepressed position.

In the illustrated switch, the shoulder 108 form part of a wall for keyhole-shaped slot 110 that also includes another wall formed by a part of shoulder 112 on the other side thereof. The shoulder 112 serves to provide positive opening of the

contacts

84, 88. Thus, for example, in the event that

contacts

84, 88 of switch B become welded together, when lever 90 is operated from its normal position (FIG. 3) to its depressed position (FIG. 2), shoulder 112 exerts a positive actuating force upon the underside of arm 82 to open the

contacts

84, 88.

For biasing lever 90 to its normal or undepressed position,'as shown in FIG. 4, a coiled compression spring 114 is provided. Spring 114 has one of its ends surrounding projection 116 formed on the outer surface of base 54. The other endof the spring 114 surrounds a projection 118 formed on operating arm 92. Spring 114 runs in compression between the outer surface of inner side 59 of base 54 and the operating arm 92 of lever 90 to resiliently urge the actuating section 94 of the lever in a counterclockwise direction of rotation (viewing FIG. 4), to the position where it is shown in FIG. 3. With the lever in its normal position, as shown in FIG. 3, the contacts 78, 80 (FIG. 2) of switch A are allowed to close due to the resilient biasing of arm 76 and the

contacts

84, 88 of switch B are maintained in closure in opposition to the resilient biasing force of blade 82 by engagement of shoulder 108 of the lever with the blade 82.

It will now, therefore, be seen that the bell-crank lever 90 of my improved switch assembly is simplified in construction and capable of efficiently operating two switches. The effect its efficiency of operation, lever 90 is pivotally integrated into the switch base 54 and actuating section 94 of the lever is swingable about an axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axes of the

movable contact arms

76, 82. More particularly, the longitudinal axes of the

movable contact arms

76 and 82 are arranged in a plane parallel to inner side 59 of base 54 (FIG. 4). The lever 90 is disposed in a second plane perpendicular to the plane in which the longitudinal axes of the

movable contact blades

76 and 82 are located. (See FIGS. 3 and 4.) With such an arrangement, the blade actuating section 94 of the actuating lever 90 engages the fiat surfaces of

arms

76 and 82 in an effective abrupt stroking fashion to readily and positively operate the movable contact blades of the switches A and B in an efiicient manner. The distance between free end 92a (FIG. 4) of lever arm 92 and the pivotal axis of the lever, and the distance between

shoulders

106, 108 and the pivotal axis of the lever, are in such a ratio as to provide a desirable lever ratio for operating the contact arms. The

shoulders

106 and 108 of the lever 90 thus directly engage the

movable contact blades

76 and 82 to provide a relatively high contact operating force which is applied thereto between the supported and free ends of the blade.

In the illustrated switch assembly 36, to spring load the

movable contact arms

76 and 82 and impart resilient biasing forces thereto, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cantilevered movable body sections of these arms (i.e., the sections of the blades extending away from their supporting terminals) are appropriately turned away from each other by small angles when they are positioned in the switch. Thus, the movable part of arm 76 is bent at a small angle toward wall 58a to impart an internal biasing stress to arm 76 which normally urges contact 78 toward contact 80. The movable part of arm 82 is bent at a small angle from its supporting terminal toward wall 58b to impart an internal biasing stress to arm 82 which normally urges contact 84 toward contact 86.

To control the pivotal movement of lever 90 in base 54 and thus also to limit the stressing of the movable contact arms of the switch by the lever, the ends 100a and 1001; (FIG. 3) of slot 100 are arranged to engage the adjacent opposite sides of blade actuating section 94 of the lever. Thus, for example, when lever 90 is pivoted in a clockwise direction of rotation (viewing FIG. 4), the side of lever section 94 which includes shoulder 106 engages end 100a of the slot 100 to limit the pivoting motion of the lever in that particular direction.

Turning now to an explanation of the operation of the improved switch assembly 36 of the present invention when used on the illustrated single phase induction motor, attention is directed to FIG. 1. When the motor 10 is at standstill, push-collar 50 of the speed responsive mechanism 38 will reside in its extended position (i.e., toward the left, as indicated by broken lines in FIG. 1). The push-collar 50 thereupon engages the free end 92a of arm 92 and urges arm 92 into the dotted position where it is shown in FIG. 1, against the biasing force of spring 114. This is the depressed position for switch 36. Shoulder 106 of lever 90 then engages the movable contact blade 76 (as shown in FIG. 2) to hold the movable contact 78 out of engagement with fixed contact 80. The contacts 78 and of switch A may be connected to a circuit external of the motor such as the aforementioned heating circuit of an appliance, such circuit being deenergized by disengagement of the contacts when the motor 10 is in this condition. Shoulder 108 of the lever is then disengaged from movable contact blade 82, allowing the resilient biasing of blade 82 to effect closure of the

contacts

84, 86 of switch B. Closure of contacts 84, 86 (which may be considered as the starting circuit contacts) energizes a starting circuit for the motor 10 which is connected across terminals 70, 71. The starting winding 34 is thereupon energized in the well-known manner in conjunction with main winding 32 to start up the motor.

As the speed of the motor increases beyond a predetermined value, push-collar 50 is moved axially along shaft 16 to the retracted position (shown in solid in FIG. 1) by the centrifugal weights 40, which overcome the bias of tension springs 46. As the push-collar 50 moves axially toward the right in FIG. 1 to its retracted position, it disengages lever 90 and spring 114 urges arm 92 back to its normal or undepressed position (as shown in solid inFIG. 1). Shoulder 106 is thereupon pivoted in a counterclockwise direction (viewing FIG. 4) out of engagement with movable contact arm 76. The biasing force of arm 76 then closes the

contacts

78, 80 of switch A. The aforementioned circuit, such as a heating circuit of an appliance, which is connected across terminals 68, 69 is then energized. As lever 92 is pivoted back to its normal position by spring 114, shoulder 108 moves into engagement with movable contact blade 82 (FIG. 3) and overcomes its resilient biasing force to actuate

contacts

84, 88 of switch B to their closed position. The contacts 84, 88 (which may be considered as the running circuit contacts) control a running circuit which is connected to terminals 71, 72 of the switch.

In the illustrated switch, the spacing between shoulder 1.06 of lever 90, and arm 76, when the switch is in the undepressed position (FIG. 3), is such that when the lever arm 92 is then depressed, the starting

circuit contacts

84, 86 are closed before

contacts

78, 80 are opened.

It will now, therefore, be seen that the present invention provides a new and improved lever operated switching assembly which may be readily and accessibly mounted to the exterior of a motor frame. This switching assembly may be easily removed in its entirety or as a unit from the motor without disassembling the motor itself in any way. It will further be understood that I have provided an integral switching unit removably mountable on a motor frame and including an L-shaped lever which acts between a speed responsive mechanism ofthe motor and the movable arms of the switch to expeditiously actuate a plurality of switches. The switch of this invention may be easily assembled together and the completed unit may be assembled and disassembled from the motor frame by a simple operation. The switch assembly of this invention is also readily adapted for use with standard centrifugal actuating devices.

While in accordance with the patent statutes, I have described what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from my invention, and I therefore aim in the following claims to cover all such equivalent variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a motor having a stator carrying winding means; the combination comprising a rotor secured to rotate with a shaft about a rotational axis; a motor frame having end frame means rotatably supporting an end of the shaft for relative rotation with the stator, said end frame means including wall means having an exterior side remote from the stator, an interior side facing the stator, and an opening entirely therethrough communicating between the exterior and interior sides thereof; a motor speed responsive switch actuating device within said motor frame formed with an axially movable element supported between said end frame means and said rotor; and an integral switch assembly for controlling the circuit of the winding means in response to the axial position of said axially movable element; said integral switch assembly removably mounted as a unit by said end frame means, and comprising a housing having a first portion positioned at the opening facing in a direction generally away from the stator and being accessible through the opening from the exterior side of said wall means, said housing further having a second portion facing toward the stator; first contact means supported in said housing; second contact means, including at least one movable arm, supported in said housing for selective movement generally toward and away from the rotational axis of the shaft and being movy geable with said first (:Onlact means; lever means comprising an operating arm and a switch actuating section connecting said axially movable element and movable switch arm together; said second portion of the integral switch assembly housing having means pivotally mounting said lever means intermediate said operating arm and said switch actuating section; said operating arm projecting between the interior side of said wall means and the stator toward said axially movable element, with said operating arm being engageable by said axially movable element and being movably responsive to the axial position thereof; and said switch actuating section projecting from the means pivotally mounting said lever means in a direction generally away from the stator into movable engagement with the movable arm of said second contact means to open and close said first and second contact means relative to one another, whereby the contact means of said integral switch assembly are actuated and effectively controlled by the operation of the pivoted lever means in response to the axial position of the axially movable element of the speed responsive device thereby controlling the circuit of the motor winding means. i

2. A multiple switch assembly comprising a base, at least first and second movable contact arms supported in spaced apart relationship in said base, said arms being of thin resilient blade construction having their longitudinal axes projecting in the same general direction, contact means including at least two contacts disposed for respective engagement with said first and second arms thereby to provide first and second switches, and a lever pivotally connected to said base for actuating said arms, said lever extending in a plane transverse to said longitudinal axes and having a contact arm actuating section pivoting into selective engagement with each of said arms to operate said switches, said contact arm actuating section including a slot accommodating a part of one of said movable contact arms, with the slot having first and second spaced apart walls movably engageable with the one movable contact arm for operating said one arm, said actuating section further including at least a third wall movably engageable with the other movable contact arm, whereby said arm actuating section operates the first and second switches as the lever pivots relative to the base.

3. A multiple switch assembly comprising an insulating base, first and second movable contact arms mounted in cantilever fashion within said base, said arms being of thin resilient blade construction and positioned in spaced apart relation with their respective longitudinal axes projecting in the same general direction, a first fixed contact engageable with said first arm thereby to provide a first switch, second and third fixed contacts respectively on opposite sides of said second arm for alternative engagement therewith to provide a second switch, a pivoted lever connected to said base for actuating said movable arms, said lever including a switch actuating section of generally planar construction, with said lever extending and being movable in a plane substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis, and first and second shoulders formed on said switch actuating section of said lever for pivotal movement in said plane to selectively engage said first and second blades to actuate said switches.

4. A multiple switch assembly comprising an insulating base with a recess formed therein, first and second elongated movable contact arms mounted in cantilever fashion to said base within said recess by attachment of terminal ends of the arms to said base with the ends opposite the terminal ends being free for movement, said arms being of thin resilient blade construction and said arms being in overlying spaced relationship with their respective longi tudinal axes projecting in the same general direction, a first fixed contact disposed in said recess for engagement with the free end of said first arm thereby to provide a first switch, second and third fixed contacts disposed on opposite sides of said second arm within said recess for alternative engagement with the free end of said second arm thereby to provide a second switch, a pivoted L-shaped lever supported on said base for limited rotary movement for actuating said arms, said lever being of generally planar, single piece, construction and extending in a plane in transverse relationship to said longitudinal axes, said lever comprising a switch actuating section and an operating arm with the arm and section in generally perpendicular relationship, the actuating section of said lever extending within said recess in said base and including first and second shoulders facing in opposite directions in said recess for movement in said plane to selectively engage said first and second arms respectively between the terminal and free ends thereof, the operating arm of said lever extending outwardly from the recess of said base and being pivoted by the exertion of an external force thereupon to actuate both said switches by pivotal movement of said shoulders.

5. In a motor, a motor frame, having an opening therethrough, a slidable switch actuator responsive to motor speed disposed within said frame, and an integral switch assembly including an insulating housing removably fastened to said frame in the frame opening from the outside thereof, first and second movable contact arms supported by said housing in overlying relationship in said housing, said arms being of thin resilient blade construction and having their longitudinal axes in a first plane, first and second fixed contacts supported in said housing, said first and said second fixed contacts respectively engageable with said first and second arms to provide first and second switches, a pivoted lever supported on said housing for actuating said switches, said lever being supported on said housing in transverse relationship to said first plane and including a contact actuating section extending into said housing and selectively engageable with each of said movable contact arms to operate said switches, said lever having an operating section extending outwardly from said switch housing and into the frame of said motor for actuating engagement by said slidable actuator, whereby said integral switch assembly is readily assemblable on said motor frame from the exterior thereof and the movable contact arms of said switch are efiiciently directly actuated by said lever by the actuating engagement of said lever and said speed responsive actuator.

6. In a motor, a motor frame having an opening therethrough, a motor speed responsive switch actuating device disposed within said frame, and an integrated switch assembly including an insulating housing fastened to said frame at the opening from the outside thereof, movable contact means supported in said housing, fixed contact means supported in said housing and engageable with said movable contact means, and a pivoted lever supported on said housing, said lever being of L-shaped configuration and including a contact actuating section and an operating arm, said contact actuating section being in substantially perpendicular relationship to said operating arm, said contact actuating section extending into said housing and engageable with said movable contact means, said operating arm extending outwardly from said switch housing and transversely to the axis of rotation of the motor from the frame opening into the frame of said motor for actuating engagement by said speed responsive device, whereby said integral switch assembly is assemblable on said motor frame from the exterior thereof and said pivoted lever is engaged by said speed responsive device for directly actuating said movable contact means of said switch.

7. In a motor, a motor frame formed with an opening therethrough, a motor speed responsive switch actuating device within said frame, and an integral switch assembly including an insulating base fastened to said frame from the outside thereof, said base having a cavity formed therein which opens outwardly from the frame of said motor at the frame opening, movable contact means supported in said cavity, fixed contact means supported in said cavity for engagement with said movable contact means, a cover fastened to said base to close said cavity from the exterior of said motor, terminal means extending outwardly from said cover establishing external connections to the fixed and movable contact means of said switch assembly accessible from the motor exterior at the frame opening, and a pivoted lever supported on said base, said lever including a contact actuating section extending into said cavity for engagement with said movable contact means and an operating arm extending outwardly from said switch base and into the frame of said motor for engagement with said speed responsive device, whereby said integral switch assembly is assemblable on said motor frame from the exterior thereof and said pivoted lever is engaged by said speed responsive device to directly actuate said movable contact means of said switch assembly.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,359,899 10/44 Conant ZOO- 2,394,283 2/46 Yost 20080 2,410,998 11/46 Reavis 20080 X 2,505,712 4/50 Jaeschke 200153 X 2,517,259 8/50 Tschumi 2005 2,596,440 5/52 Sampson 200-l X 2,877,323 3/59 Naher 200159 2,903,531 9/59 Winter 200153 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner. ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Examiner.

Claims

2. A MULTIPLE SWITCH ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A BASE,AT LEAST FIRST AND SECOND MOVABLE CONTACT ARMS SUPPORTED IN SPACED APART RELATIONSHIP IN SAID BASE, SAID ARMS BEING OF THIN RESILIENT BLADE CONSTRUCTION HAVING THEIR LONGITUDINAL AXES PROJECTING IN THE SAME GENERAL DIRECTION, CONTACT MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST TWO CONTACTS DISPOSED FOR RESPECTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND ARMS THEREBY TO PROVIDE FIRST AND SECOND SWITCHES, AND A LEVER PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID BASE FOR ACTUATING SAID ARMS, SAID LEVERL EXTENDING IN A PLANE TRANSVERSE TO SAID LONGITUDIANL AXES AND HAVING A CONTACT ARM ACTUATING SECTION PIVOTING INTO SELECTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OF SAID ARMS TO OPERATE SAID SWITCHES, SAID CONTACTG ARM ACTUATING SECTION INCLUDING A SLOT ACCOMMODATING A PART OF ONE OF SAID MOVABELE CONTACT ARMS, WITH THE SLOT HAVING FIRST AND SECOND SPACED APART WALLS MOVABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE ONE MOVABEL CONTACT ARM FOR OPERATING SAID ONE ARM, SAID ACTUATING SECTION FURTHER INCLUDING AT LEAST A THIRD WALL MOVABLEY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE OTHER MOVABLE CONTACT ARM, WHEREBY SAID ARM ACTUATING SECTION OPERATES THE FIRST AND SECOND SWITCHES AS THE LEVER PIVOTS RELATIVE TO THE BASE.