US3356812A

US3356812A - Mercury type electrical switch

Info

Publication number: US3356812A
Application number: US487657A
Authority: US
Inventors: Moschetta Joseph; Moschetta Benjamin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-09-16
Filing date: 1965-09-16
Publication date: 1967-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 1984-12-05

Description

1967 J. MOSCHETTA ETAL 3,

MERCURY TYPE ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Sept. 16, 1965 FIGURE 2 FIGURE I FIGURE 3 hvvzwom JdsiPH Mo scHE rrA AND BEAM/MUN MoscHE 77 United States Patent 3,356,812 MERCURY TYPE ELECTRICAL SWITCH Joseph Moschetta, 535 Dixie Drive, 15235, and Benjamin Moschetta, 1440 Abers Creek Road, 15239, both of Pittsburgh, Pa.

Filed Sept. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 487,657 2 Claims. (Cl. 200-152) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An electrical contacting device in which an enclosure for the moving electrical contact is formed by a male cone and a female cone having their respective bases located in close proximity to one another, the apex of the female cone serving as a bowl for the moving electrical contact.

This invention relates to a mercury type electrical switch. More specifically it relates to a change from the tubular type mercury switch commonly in use. However, this is not to be construed as an idea to supplant the presently used switch.

Presently used mercury switches, while adequate for their intended uses, can only operate along linear planes whether to make or break a circuit. That is, if the switch is moved in order to make or break a circuit it will function electrically faster or slower depending on the direction in which it is moved. This is because of the contact arrangement in some cases and the tubular construction.

The present invention is directed to a universal type switch such that movement in any direction of the switch from its original plane causes operation equally in any direction. This being the case, the switch has many uses at the present time for which, to the best knowledge of the inventors, no device of a comparable nature exists.

One object of this invention is to permit an electrical contact to move in any direction (360) from its point of origin to break an electrical circuit.

A further object of this invention is to permit an electrical contact to move in any direction (360") to make an electrical circuit.

A further object of this invention is to control or govern the breaking of an electrical circuit by means of a path both circular and conical in shape.

A further object of this invention is to control, as in the above, the breaking of an electrical circuit more precisely by means of an adjustable contact.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of both sections not quite in the applied position;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the inside of the upper section;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the inside of the lower section.

In this description references will be made to all of the drawings. FIGURE 1 shows the complete switch, section 11 and section 22. The sections are shown apart from each other for descriptive purposes. In this case both sections are made of transparent plastic in order to observe the mercury, however, any suitable non-conductor could have been used. The plan view, FIGURE 2 and FIGURE 3 show the switch to be circular. Then from FIGURE 1 it can be seen that when the switch is assembled it will be cylindrical in shape. However, at the inside end of section 11 is a male cone as shown in FIG- URE 1. At the inside end of section 22 is a female cone also shown in FIGURE 1. Imbedded in section 11 and at the base of the male cone is an iron wire 11a formed in a circle. This iron wire is conductor 11a. Where conductor 11a completes the circle it turns at a right angle and goes through and out section 11. The extended portion of conductor 11a outside of section 11 acts as a terminal to which a wire can be fastened. In the center and through section 11 is threaded a screw extending about /2 beyond the outside of section 11. The extended portion allows for adjusting screw 11b in and out of the mercury M and also for securing a nut 11c and a washer 11d for purposes of locking the same. Screw 11b, will now be termed conductor 11b. The combination of conductor 11b, nut 11c, and washer 11d also serve as a binding post. The apex of the female cone as shown in FIGURE 1 serves as a reservoir for the mercury M, the moving contact. It will be noted that the female cone does not terminate in a true apex but tapers so that a binder head screw can be inserted through a hole at this point.

Obviously, when the mercury M is placed in the reservoir it makes contact with the 7 screw which is now termed screw 22b. At the base of the female cone of section 22 and somewhat similar to conductor 11a is an iron wire 22a. It is imbedded in the plastic to about one half its cross sectional area, the exposed portion being the contacted surface. This wire now becomes conductor 22a and where it completes the circle it turns at a right angle and passes through section 22 the extended portion acting as a binding post. A sufiicient number of threads to secure a bracket for mounting the switch are left on screw 22b. This completes the component description of the switch.

The following is a description of the switch in its operation of closing a circuit. Mercury M is placed in the reservoir in the sufficient quantity to bridge conductor 11a and conductor 22a when necessary. Section 11 and section 22 are fused together by using a solvent or suitable adhesive on the meeting edges of section 11 and section 22. For this example the extended portion of conductor 22a is connected to conductor 22b. A metal bracket suitable for mounting the switch on a power lawn mower, is made with proper holes, with one end fastened under washer 22c and the other end fastened at a convenient place on the mower. The bracket also serves as an electrical conductor from the switch to the metal of the mower. It is apparent that the switch be mounted in the same plane as the mower to function properly. A wire is connected from the extended end of conductor 11a to the top of the spark plug. The apparatus is now ready for operation. The engine is started and the mower is then manuevered around a lawn. While pushed along terrain that is not too hilly the action of the mower is the same as any other device of this type, However, should the mower encounter an embankment whose angle is greater than the angle of the section 22 female cone, the path in this case for the mercury M, the mercury will start to flow out of the reservoir. If this angle of the terrain continues or becomes greater the mercury M will continue to flow out of its reservoir and will reach the area of conductor 11a and conductor 22a. Mercury M will then bridge conductor 11a and conductor 22a causing the lawn mower engine to stall because of the shunting of the high tension circuit to ground. To start the engine the lawn mower must be placed in a more favorable position. This is to allow the mercury M to flow away from the area of conductor 11a and conductor 22a and toward the reservoir. Should the mower encounter an embankment steep enough to cause it to overturn or upset the engine would stall and remain stalled until it is righted. It can be seen here that if the mower is deliberately turned over for any reason, accidental starting of the engine is impossible. This is another feature of the switch. Because the mercury M can bridge the conductor 11a and conductor 22a over a complete circle the switch can be tilted or upset in any direction and function as described as 3 above. It must be recognized that the pool of mercury M is in sufficient quantity to bridge the gap between conductors 11a and 22a when the switch is tilted so that the mercury M flows in that part of the switch.

The following describes the operation of the device as a circuit breaking switch using conductor 11b and conductor 22b. A power lawn mower is used in this case as was used in the previous description. However, it will be the primary side of the ignition system that will be controlled and consequently the switch will be connected in this circuit. For this example conductors 11a and 22a are not involved and have no connections to conductors 22a or 11a respectively. A wire is secured to conductor 11b by means of nut 11c and washer 11d. This wire is connected to the hot side of the primary so as to form a series circuit, in conjunction with the metal bracket, as mentioned in the previous case. This entire circuitry is made possible by the metal bracket being secured to the switch through screw 22b which in turn is contacted by conductor 11]) which is the adjustable conductor. Conductor 1112 can be adjusted up or down depending on what angle is desired to break the circuit. However, conductor 11b must contact the mercury M to begin the operation, Just as in the previous experiment the engine of the lawn mower is started and the machine is manuevered over a lawn. As long as the terrain encountered is not steep enough to allow a sufficient amount of mercury M to flow out of the reservoir to break the circuit the engine will not stall. Should a part of the terrain encountered then be steep enough to permit the mercury M to flow out of its reservoir where conductors 11b and 22b are in electrical contact with each, the circuit is broken and the engine will then stall.

It will be recognized that the slope of the female cone in section 22 will determine at what angle the switch is to operate. Although the slope of the male cone and the slope of the female cone appear to parallel one another this does not have to be necessarily so. This factor depends on the angles chosen to allow the switch to function. In addition the switch can be used as a single pole double throw switch by using all of the

conductors

11a, 11b, 22b and 22a. We may conclude from the above that either sections may serve as the top of the switch.

Various other modifications may be made in the arrangement, size, proportions and shapes of the illustrative embodiments shown and in substitutions of elements from one embodiment to another without departing from the scope of our inventionv Having thus fully described our invention and the manner in which it is to be practiced, we claim:

1. An electrical contacting device comprising a body in which a conical slot fully circumferential is formed by a male and female cone, apex of said female cone serving as a bowl for a moving electrical contact, said male and female cones having bases located in close proximity to one another to form a circumferential enclosure, said enclosure having two conducting rings spaced apart, and having terminations outside of the said body, where electrical connections can be made for circuit wiring, said conducting rings when engaged by said moving electrical conductor which will move from said bowl when said body is tilted in any direction and moved to a point where first of said rings is engaged by moving electrical conductor and any further tilting aiiording the second of said rings to be also engaged, this action causing an electrical circuit to exist because of the connections outside of said body and any further tilting toward the inverted position through globular direction will allow said circuit to be continued until and if position of said body is returned by globular action to such a point Where said conducting rings are no longer engaged by said electrical moving conductor.

2. A device such as described in claim 1, comprising an exact duplication of the structure in claim 1 with the addition of two contacts, one in and through the apex of the said female cone and extending outside of the said body to act as a terminal for an electrical circuit, said terminal in said female cone having contact surface in apex of said female cone in which is also placed a moving electrical conductor, said terminal of said female cone having threads and being secured to said body by suitable hardware, a second contact in and through the apex of the said male cone and extending outside of said body to act as the second terminal of an electrical circuit is also threaded and secured to said body by suitable hardware, and in addition, is adjustable, this adjustment to be made on the outside of said body, said adjustment is used to vary angle of operation of said device by screwing said contact further in or further out of said moving electrical conductor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,056,150 10/ 1936 Anguish et al 20061.47 2,192,262 3/1940 Griesdieck 200-152 X 2,201,754 5/1940 Worth 200-152 X 2,490,785 12/ 1949 De Vany 200-61.47 2,655,579 10/1953 Burroughs 200-61.47 X 2,692,652 10/1954 Wilson 20061.47 X 2,792,478 5/1957 Ackerman 200152 2,794,084 5/ 1957 Segoni 200l52 X 3,034,097 5/ 1962 English et al 200-61.4 X

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner. H. H OHAUSER, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. AN ELECTRICAL CONTACTING DEVICE COMPRISING A BODY IN WHICH A CONICAL SLOT FULLY CIRCUMFERENTIAL IS FORMED BY A MALE AND FEMALE CONE, APEX OF SAID FEMALE CONE SERVING AS A BOWL FOR A MOVING ELECTRICAL CONTACT, SAID MALE AND FEMALE CONES HAVING BASES LOCATED IN CLOSED PROXIMITY TO ONE ANOTHER TO FORM A CIRCUMFERENTIAL ENCLOSURE, SAID ENCLOSURE HAVING TWO CONDUCTING RINGS SPACED APART, AND HAVING TERMINATIONS OUTSIDE OF THE SAID BODY, WHERE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS CAN BE MADE FOR CIRCUIT WIRING, SAID CONDUCTING RINGS WHEN ENGAGED BY SAID MOVING ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR WHICH WILL MOVE FROM SAID BOWL WHEN SAID BODY IS TILTED IN ANY DIRECTION AND MOVED TO A POINT WHERE FIRST OF SAID RINGS IS ENGAGED BY MOVING ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR AND ANY FURTHER TILTING AFFORDING THE SECOND OF SAID RINGS TO BE ALSO ENGAGED, THIS ACTION CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT TO EXIST BECAUSE OF THE CONNECTIONS OUTSIDE OF SAID BODY AND ANY FURTHER TILTING TOWARD THE INVERTED POSITION THROUGH GLOBULAR DIRECTION WILL ALLOW SAID CIRCUIT TO BE CONTINUED UNITL AND IT POSITION OF SAID BODY IS RETURNED BY GLOBULAR ACTION OF SUCH A POINT WHERE SAID CONDUCTING RINGS ARE NO LONGER ENGAGED BY SAID ELECTRICAL MOVING CONDUCTOR.