US3211847A

US3211847A - R-f matrix switch line with integral stub disconnect

Info

Publication number: US3211847A
Application number: US309702A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick W Johnson
Original assignee: Collins Radio Co
Current assignee: Collins Radio Co
Priority date: 1963-09-18
Filing date: 1963-09-18
Publication date: 1965-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 1982-10-12

Description

Oct. 12, 1965 F. w JOHNSON 3,211,847

H-l" MATRIX SWITCH L-JNH Wl'l'll INTEGRAL STUD IHSGONNI'JUI Film] Supt. 18, 1065 2 Shouts-Shout l INVI N'H )R.

FREDERICK W. JOHNSON BY 7' I A T TORNE Y Oct. 12, 1965 F. w. JOHNSON R-F MATRIX SWITCH LINE WITH INTEGRAL STUB DISGONNECT Filed Sept. 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 w Ii w w .rx 2 2 k w INVENTOR.

FREDERICK w JOHNSON ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,211,847 R-F MATRIX SWITCH LINE WITH INTEGRAL STUB DISCGNNEQT Frederick W. Johnson, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, assignor to Collins Radio Company, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 21 corporation of Iowa Filed Sept. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 309,702 7 Claims. '(Cl. 200-) This invention relates in general to coaxial wave guide switches, and in particular to a bayonet-type switch which is capable of connecting crossing wave guides while simultaneously disconnecting unused stubs of the wave guides.

It is oftentimes desirable to connect a first wave guide to a second wave guide. At times matrices comprising a first plurality of wave guides lying in a first plane are to be selectively connected to one of a second plurality of wave guides lying in a second plane. It is desirable to prevent radiation and spurious responses to disconnect the unused stub portions of the wave guides after the connections are made.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a bayonet-type switch in which the unused portions of the wave guides are disconnected when the switch is closed.

Further objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description and claims when read in view of the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of two matrices of wave guides lying in different planes which cross adjacent each other and which are to be selectively connected by bayonet switches according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 illustrates one of the bayonet switches of this invention with the switch in the closed position;

FIGURE 3 illustrates one of the bayonet switches according to this invention with the switch in the open position, and;

FIGURE 4 illustrates a partial cutaway view of a bayonet switch according to this invention in the closed position.

FIGURE 1 illustrates a base plate which supports a holding plate 11 formed with horizontal grooves 12 in which are mounted a plurality of square wave guides 13. The wave guides 13 are formed with outer conductors 14 and inner conductors 16. The wave guides fit in grooves 12. A number of vertical grooves 17 are formed in holding plate 11, and a second plurality of square wave guides 18 are received in them. The wave guides 18 comprise outer conductors 19 and center conductors 21. The holding plate 11 may be made of conducting material so as to electrically connect the outer conductors 14 to the outer conductors 19.

A pair of

guide plates

22 and 23 are also supported by plate 10 and slidably support plungers 24 which are provided with suitable knobs 26. A conducting bayonet member 27 is connected to the plunger 24 as best shown in FIGURE 2. The end of the bayonet 27 is sharpened to form a point 28.

The center conductors 16 are formed of a plurality of sections 29 which are receivable between

jaws

31 and 32. Likewise, the vertical wave guides consist of a plurality of sections 33 connected to

jaws

34 and 36. The ends 35 are received between

Contact points

37 and 38, respectively, which are attached to the

jaws

34 and 36. Likewise, the ends 30 of members 29 are clamped by

contact points

39 and 41 which are attached to the

jaws

31 and 32, respectively. The bayonet 27

forces jaws

34 and 36, and 31 and 32 apart by passing through crescent-

shaped members

42 and 43 attached to

jaws

36 and 34, respectively, and crescent-

shaped members

44 and 46 attached to

jaws

31 and 32, respectively. Thus, in the closed position with the bayonet 27 in engagement with

crescent members

42, 43, 44 and 46, electrical contact is made between the

center conductors

16 and 21. The stub portions of the center conductors are disengaged from the center conductors due to the opening of

jaws

31 and 32, and 34 and 36.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the switch in the open position with the bayonet 27 removed from engagement with the

center conductors

16 and 21. It is to be noted that the

jaws

34 and 36 make electrical contact with the end 35 of the next portion 33, and the

jaws

31 and 32 make electrical contact with the end 30 of the next adjacent section 29 of the center conductor 16.

FIGURE 4 is a partial cutway view illustrating a plunger 24 which is connected to the bayonet 27 which has been moved to the closed position by depressing the knob 26. The bayonet 27 forces jaws 34 and 36 apart and makes electrical contact between

jaws

31 and 32 and jaws 34 and 36. Jaws 31 and 32 have been simultaneously forced apart. It is to be noted that the center conductors are held in predetermined space relationship with the

external conductors

14 and 19 by

insulating spacer blocks

51 and 52.

Thus, when the plungers 27 are out of

wave guides

13 and 18 no cross connection is made. Electrical continuity exists in all of the horizontal wave guides, and there is no connection between a horizontal and a vertical wave guide. However, when one of the plungers 34 is moved to the left relative to the figures, the bayonet 27 makes an electrical connection between the

center conductors

16 and 21 at the point corresponding to the particular plunger moved. Simultaneously, the

center conductors

16 and 21 are broken at the contact point so that the unused stubs are electrically disconnected from the circuit. Thus, electrical continuity exists between one of the wave guides 13 and one of the wave guides 18 at the point of the depressed plunger.

It is seen that this invention provides a simple and effective switch for coaxial wave guides and although it has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is not to be so limited, as changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A switch comprising a first electrical conductor having a pair of jaws between which are received a second electrical conductor, a third electrical conductor lying in a different plane from the first two conductors and formed with a pair of jaws, a fourth conductor receivable between the jaws of the third conductor, means supporting said conductors, and a conducting plunger supported by the supporting means and movable into engagement with the jaws of the first and third conductors to electricity connect them together while simultaneously spreading the jaws so as to electrically disconnect the first conductor from the second conductor and the third conductor from the fourth conductor.

2. A switch comprising supporting means insulatingly supporting a first pair of conductors in axial alignment with each other and with one of said conductors formed with a first pair of jaws which grasp the end of the other conductor, a second pair of conductors insulatingly supported by said supporting member and lying in the same plane and with one of the second pair of conductors formed with a second pair of jaws between which the other of said pair of conductors is receivable, a conducting plunger supported by said supporting member and movable from a first position out of engagement with the jaws of the conductors to a second position into engagement with the jaws of said conductors so that said plunger makes electrical contact between said first and second pairs of jaws while simultaneously spreading said pairs of jaws.

3. A plurality of bayonet switches comprising a first plurality of conductors lying in a first plane, a supporting member supporting said plurality of conductors, a second plurality of conductors lying in a second plane and supported by said supporting member closely adjacent the first plurality of conductors, a plurality of bayonet switches insertable through openings in the supporting member, a plurality of jaws formed in the first plurality of conductors which grasp portions of the conductors, a second plurality of jaws forming a part of the second plurality of conductors for grasping portions of the second conductors and said bayonet switches movable between the first and second jaws to electrically connect said first and second plurality of conductors while simultaneously forcing the jaws apart.

4. In apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said first and second plurality .of conductors comprise the center conductors of coaxial wave guides in which the outer conductors of said coavial wave guides are electrically connected together and the inner conductors of said coaxial wave guides are insulatingly supported by the outer conductors.

5. In apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said first and second plurality of jaws have inner portions and crescent-shaped members are attached to said inner portions to form camming surfaces for the bayonet switches.

6. In apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the bayonet switches are formed with sharp points so as to engage camming surfaces of the crescent-shaped member to open the jaws.

7. In apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said first and second plurality of jaws have inner portions and crescent-shaped members are attached to said inner portions to form camming surfaces for the bayonet switches and wherein the bayonet switches are formed with sharp points so as to engage camming surfaces of said crescentshaped members to open said jaws.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,175,179 3/65 Trump 33918 KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Primary Examiner.

Claims

3. A PLURALITY OF BAYONET SWITCHES COMPRISING A FIRST PLURALITY OF CONDUCTORS LYING IN A FIRST LANE, A SUPPORTING MEMBER SUPPORTING SAID PLURALITY OF CONDUCTORS, A SECOND PLURALITY OF CONDUCTORS LYING IN A SECOND PLANE AND SUPPORTED BY SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER CLOSELY ADJACENT THE FIRST PLURALITY OF CONDUCTORS, A PLURALITY OF BAYONET SWITCHES INSERTABLE THROUGH OPENINGS IN THE SUPPORTING MEMBER, A PLURALITY OF JAWS FORMED IN THE FIRST PLURALITY OF CONDUCTORS WHICH GRASP PORTIONS OF THE CONDUCTORS, A SECOND PLURALITY OF JAWS FORMING A PART OF THE SECOND PLURALITY OF CONDUCTORS FOR GRASPING PORTIONS OF THE SECOND CONDUCTORS AND SAID BAYONET SWITCHES MOVABLE BE-