US3360626A - Switching-selecting device - Google Patents

Switching-selecting device Download PDF

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Publication number
US3360626A
US3360626A US468071A US46807165A US3360626A US 3360626 A US3360626 A US 3360626A US 468071 A US468071 A US 468071A US 46807165 A US46807165 A US 46807165A US 3360626 A US3360626 A US 3360626A
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Prior art keywords
connection
bar
contact
spring
selection
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Expired - Lifetime
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US468071A
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English (en)
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Vazquez Charles
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International Standard Electric Corp
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International Standard Electric Corp
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H67/00—Electrically-operated selector switches
    • H01H67/22—Switches without multi-position wipers
    • H01H67/26—Co-ordinate-type selector switches not having relays at cross-points but involving mechanical movement, e.g. cross-bar switch, code-bar switch

Definitions

  • SWITCHING-SELECTING DEVICE Filed June 29, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 26, 1967 c.
  • VAZQUEZ I SWiTCHING-SELECTING DEVICE Filed June 29, 19 65 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Ofi ice 3,360,626 SWITCHING-SELECTING DEVICE Charles Vazquez, Paris, France, assignor to International Standard Electric Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 29, 1965, Ser. No. 468,071 Claims priority, application France, July 2, 1964, 980,444, Patent 1,408,337 17 Claims. (Cl.
  • a crossbar switch has a coordinate array of coiled finger spring contact elements, each having one end fixed and the other end free to move.
  • the mechanical actuator for selectively moving each coiled spring contact element includes a selection bow for pushing the finger spring into a captured position on the other, or connection bar, member.
  • the connection bar member is then actuated to pull the captured finger spring against a stationary contact where it is held in place between pincers-like jaws formed by cooperation of the connection bar member and the stationary contact.
  • the connection bar is released, the incers-like jaws open to release the coiled finger spring.
  • This invention relates to switching and selecting devices of an electromechanical nature and particularly to improvements in crossbar electromechanical switching units.
  • a selection bar is operated first, this operation having the effect of placing the as sociated selecting fingers into a position facing the insulating guides of the sets of mobile contact springs from the corresponding level.
  • the operation of a connection bar then, at the crossing of both bars, drives the mobile contact springs onto the fixed contacts with which they get into contact. This shifting is due to setting into position the selecting fingers, by the selection bar, between the connection bar and the insulating guide of the selected set of springs.
  • a primary purpose of the present invention is to design a switching-selecting device not necessitating any middle piece for the establishing of a connection between a set of mobile contacts and a set of fixed contacts.
  • the present invention puts to profitable use the elastic deformation possibilities of mobile contact springs constituted as is described in United States patent application, Ser. No. 457,028, filed on May 19, 1965 and since abandoned in favor of a now pending continuation application Ser. No. 626,579, filed on Mar. 28, 1967 in the name of Charles Vazquez and entitled, Contact Elements.
  • Each one of these contact elements, fixed by one of its ends, possesses identical elastic constants in all directions along planes passing through its longitudinal axis.
  • One of the features of the invention concerns a switching-selecting device constituted by the combination of two mobile control pieces, of one or several elastic mobile contact elements, and of a corresponding number of fixed contacts.
  • the mobile con-tact elements are placed, when the device is in rest condition, under the dependence of the first piece or selection piece; and are placed, when the said piece is shifted, under the dependence of the second control piece or connection piece; the shifting of the said connection piece having then for effect to drive the said mobile contact elements until they get into contact with the corresponding fixed contacts.
  • the selection condition is realized by the fiexion of the contact elements into a first direction, the connection being made then by the fiexion of the said elements into another direction.
  • Each contact element will itself contribute to the selection mechanism in contrast to the devices already known in which auxiliary parts are necessary.
  • the properties of the contact elements used are such that it is possible to give to each mobile control piece of the device any shifting direction, the only necessary condition being that the said pieces should be mobile in two different directions.
  • Another feature of the invention concerns the shifting of each of the two control pieces of the device as per a motion of translation, the trajectories defined by these two motions can either be orthogonal or may form any angle between them.
  • another feature of the invention is to provide the shifting of the first control piece or selection piece according to a motion of translation and the shifting of the second piece or connection piece according to a motion of rotation.
  • another feature of the invention is to provide the shifting of the select on piece according to a motion of rotation and the shifting of the connection piece according to a motion of translation.
  • the selection piece must include as many housings as there are mobile contact elements to control. It is necessary, in order to ensure correct guidance of these contact elements, to provide means for making sure that they obtain a Well determined rest position.
  • Another feature of the invention concerns the fixing, by one of its ends, of each mobile contact element so that the said contact element forms a certain angle with the perpendicular raised at the fixing point of the said element and in a well determined direction, so that the elasticity of the contact element always urges the said element to rest against a well defined point of its housing inside the selection piece.
  • connection piece may comprise, upon one of its longitudinal sides, housings such as slots, so that the contact elements, driven by the selection piece, may effectively be placed under its dependence.
  • housings such as slots
  • Another feature of the invention is to provide, inside one of the longitudinal sides of each connection piece and for each contact element, a first notch, on the one hand, meant to receive the contact element to be placed under dependence of the connection piece which is then in rest condition, and, on the other hand, a second notch meant to serve as clearance to the said contact element when the connection piece happens to be already in operating position.
  • the distance between the axes of both notches corresponds to the shifting length of a connection piece, so that, in operating position of said piece, the second notch occupies the same position that the first notch occupied at rest position and the contact element may freely shift when the associated selection piece is operated.
  • connection piece The connection between a mobile contact element and a fixed contact is established and maintained by the connection piece in operating position. Although a slight pressure exerted upon the contact elements by the said connection piece is suffieient mechanical restraint to ensure its holding, it may be useful to provide means for increasing the holding security of those contact elements in their connection position.
  • a notch is provided on the fixed contact piece so that in operating position of a connection piece the selected mobile contact element, entered partly into the said notch, will not clear away from its notch in the connection piece.
  • This notch may advantageously have the form of a V which enables, in addition to its locking function, to obtain a double electric contact between the mobile contact element and the fixed contact piece.
  • Another feature of the invention is to create, at the side of each notch of a connection piece-against which a contact element restsan inclination towards the inside of the said notch so as to prevent the clearing of the said contact element when the connection piece is in operating position.
  • FIGS. 1-9 wherein:
  • FIG. 1 is a large scale perspective view to enable the viewer to understand the operating principle of a device in conformity with the present invention and is intentionally limited to the selection and connection of a single contact element;
  • FIGS. 25 are plan views of the device in FIG. 1, and are, respectively, in rest condition (FIG. 2), in selection condition (FIG. 3), in connection condition (FIG. 4) and in connection condition after the restoring to rest condition of the selection piece (FIG. 5);
  • FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an example of the profile of a fixed contact clement
  • FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an example of the profile of notches made in the connection piece
  • FIG. 8 is a simplified plan view of a switching-selecting device meant for establishing simultaneously the selection and the switching of two contact elements
  • FIG. 9 is a plan view of an alternative of the switching-selecting device.
  • FIG. 1 represents a perspective view in large scale, of a switching-selecting device in conformity with the present invention.
  • the contact spring 1 is an elastic element that can be put out in many shapes, and it is constituted in the present invention by a metal wire of circular section and good electrical conductivity. Nevertheless, this contact-spring may present itself in different forms as described in the previously referred to now pending US. patent application, Ser. No. 626,579 filed on Mar. 28, 1967, entitled Contact Elements.
  • the contact spring 1 is an elastic element that can be put out in many shapes, and it is constituted in the present invention by a metal wire of circular section and good electrical conductivity. Nevertheless, this contact-spring may present itself in different forms as described in the previously referred to now pending US. patent application, Ser. No. 626,579 filed on Mar. 28, 1967, entitled Contact Elements.
  • the contact spring 1 is an elastic element that can be put out in many shapes, and it is constituted in the present invention by a metal wire of circular section and good electrical conduct
  • spring 1 lower end of spring 1 is held in adequate manner by a support 2.
  • the electric contact takes place between a higher part of spring 1 and contact piece 3 which has a fixed position and can be connected onto any electric control circuit.
  • This contact piece may have different forms such as those shown by the examples of embodiments included in the French patent mentioned above.
  • the selection piece 4 which is to be called selection bar in the present description, can be shifted-under action of an electromechanic control, not represented the figure-according to a translation movement as indicated by arrow F1.
  • an appropriate system restores bar 4 in the direction of the arrow F4 up to the rest position indicated by FIG. 1.
  • This bar 4 comprises a cutaway 5 which has been realized in such a way that its two edges are in contact with spring 1, the latter getting to rest inside the angle formed by the said cutaway; this arrangement enabling to guide and to define the rest position of the spring.
  • the spring rests well against both sides of the angle of the cutaway the spring is given an inclination in the appropriate direction byfixing it, in support 2, not perpendicularly but slightly slantw'ise.
  • connection piece 6- which will be called connection baris shifted as per a translation movement perpendicular to the one of bar 4; this direction is indicated by the arrow F2.
  • the connection bar 6 has a notch 7 situated opposite spring 1; the size of this notch is such that the spring 1 may be housed in it without any difficulty while still allowing to it only a fair tolerance.
  • FIG. 2 represents a plan view of the various elements in their rest position, just as they appear in the perspective view of FIG. 1.
  • the selection bar 4 has been driven onto the left in the direction of the arrow F1 under action of an electromechanical mechanism which is not part of the figure.
  • the spring 1 is located inside the angle of the notch in bar 4, must follow this movement, which results in an elastic deformation since its lower end is fixed inside an immovable support 2.
  • the travelling distance of the selection bar is provided so that the spring 1 will get to rest into the inside of notch 7.
  • the shifting of the connection bar 6 in the direction shown by the arrow P2 of FIGS. 1 and 4 is commanded.
  • connection is realized and the metallic continuity which results between elements 1 and 3 enables to establish an electric command. If the shifting of spring 1 is being considered, it will be seen that it has effected a movement at right angles which is shown by the arrow F3 in the figure.
  • bar 6 effects a movement in the direction of arrow F5 in FIGS. 1 and 4.
  • spring 1 is no longer wedged against contact piece 3, it is released; and, as its diameter is smaller than notch 7, nothing opposes its return to the position it occupied in FIGS. 1 and 2; this return move ment is of course due to the elasticity of spring 1.
  • FIG. 8 there is shown, in simplified form, a device enabling the selection and the connection to be done of two contact elements at the same time. It is evident that this quantity of two is non-limiting and that the description which follows is also good for a larger number of contact elements. Likewise, only two selection bars 8 and 9 and two connection bars 11 and 12 are shown in the figure; but the number would usually be larger without changing the principle of operation of the system.
  • the selection bars 8, 9 comprise openings 19, each one helping to the guiding of a spring 1 housed as shown in FIG. 1, that is to say inside an angle of the opening.
  • the connection bars 11 and 12 have, facing each selection bar, two notches such as 13, 14 or 13', 14', for every spring 1 to be operated. In the case considered in FIG. 8, two contact are established at every connection operation.
  • only one contact piece 3 has been illustrated in the figure, but evidently there exist in fact as many pieces 3 as there are springs 1.
  • the contact pieces 3, the selection bars 8, 9 and the connection bar 11, 12 are situated respectively in three planes, parallel to one another.
  • All the contact springs 1 housed in the openings 10 of the selection bar 8 are therefore driven onto the left as compared to the figure, and are housed in the corresponding notches 13, 13 and 33, 33' of the respective connection bars 11 and 12. It will be assumed that the connection bar 12 is then operated in the direction of the arrow F7. The only two springs 1 driven by this movement are those which have been put into place inside the two notches 13, 13' by the selection bar 8. The connection bar brings therefore the springs 1, each one against a contact piece 3, and holds them wedged in that position until instant of its release. The selection bar 8 can then be released, it accomplishes a return movement in opposite direction to the arrow F6 and restores into rest condition.
  • notches 14 intervene, the function of which will be to enable the operating of the selection bars when a connection bar is already in operating position.
  • the distance between centers of notches 13 and 14 43 and 44' corresponds exactly to the shifting length of the connection bar.
  • the notches 14, 14', 24 and 24' have in fact taken the place of the notches 13, 13, 23, 23' which maintain the connection between the springs 1 and the contact pieces 3.
  • the shifting of the selection bars and of the connection bars is rectilinear; there results an orthogonal movement of the spring submitted to these two shiftingsthe directions of which are perpendicular one in relation of the other.
  • this movement is not absolutely indispensable, the only condition to be fulfilled being to make the spring undergo two trajectories that could be rectilinear or circular.
  • FIG. 9 shows an example of an embodiment in which the selection movement is made as per a rectilinear trajectoxy, the connection being effected as per a circular trajectory.
  • the selection bar 15 is similar to the bars already described in FIG. 8.
  • the springs 1 engage into notches located on the circumference of a disc 18.
  • the connection is commanded: it results into a rotation movement of disc 18 round its axle 19a movement whose direction is shown by arrow F8.
  • the length of the arc distance thus travelled is provided so as to have the springs 1 come to hit against the contact pieces such as 3; it is worth noting that only one of these pieces 3 has been shown in the figure, in order to avoid overburdening the drawing.
  • the discs 18 are superposed, and, in the space separating them, one or several selection bars are arranged radially. In the same way-as described for FIG. 8-the notches 17, 17' enable the operating of other selection bars when the apparatus has already a connection disc in operating position. In assuming therefore that the disc 18 is engaged in action, all the notches it comprises on its circumference will have shifted by an arc distance which is equal to the distance between centers separating two consecutive notches 16 and 17.
  • the notches 17, 17when the disc is in connection position are at the same spot that the notches 16, 16 occupy when disc 18 is in rest position.
  • the springs 1 will be driven into the notches 16, 16' or 17, 17' which are situated facing them, inside the connection discs; but into notches 16, 16' if the discs are in rest position, and into notches 17, 17' if the discs are in connection position.
  • FIGS. 8 and 9 represent notches or contact pieces of simple form. However, it is certain that profiles such as the one in FIG. 6 for the contact pieces, or in FIG. 7 for the notches, can be realized without having to change the operating principle of the switch-selecting device illustrated by the FIGS. 8 and 9.
  • the invention may be summarized briefly by stating that it relates to a switching-selecting device made up of a combination of two mobile control pieces, of one or several elastic mobile contact elements and of a corresponding number of fixed contacts.
  • the mobile contact elements When the device is at rest position, the mobile contact elements are placed under the dependence of the first piece or selection piece and are brought, when there is shifting of this piece, under the dependence of the second control piece or connection piece. The shifting of this connection piece has then as effect to drive the mobile contact elements until they get into contact with the corresponding fixed contacts.
  • a switching-selecting device comprising:
  • a mobile contact spring having one end supported by a fixed support and having a free end movable about the one end
  • a pair of mechanical actuating members positioned adacent said mobile contact spring for exerting a pair of spring moving forces on said mobile contact one of said actuating members being a selection bar for initially deflecting the free end of the mobile contact spring in a first direction
  • the other of said actuating members being a connection bar for thereafter deflecting the free end of the mobile contact spring in a second direction
  • said combined deflections serving to cause the free end of the mobile contact spring to engage a selected one of said contacts.
  • a switching-selecting device substantially as claimed in claim 1 in which the mobile contact spring has substantially a circular cross section.
  • said set of contacts each have a notched contacting surface for engaging said mobile contact spring.
  • a switching-selecting device substantially as claimed in claim 1 in which said selection bar provides circular motion to the free end of the mobile contact spring as viewed from the free end of the spring.
  • a switching-selecting device substantially as claimed in claim 1, in which:
  • said other actuating member includes a disk-like member mounted to rotate about an axis extending perpendicularly through the center of said disk, and means on the circumferential edge of said disk for deflecting the free end of the mobile contact spring in said second direction, whereby;
  • connection bar provides circular motion to the free end of the mobile contact spring as viewed from the free end of the spring.
  • a switching-selecting device substantially as claimed in claim 1, in which:
  • connection bar serves in conjunction with the selected one of said contacts to hold the mobile contact spring securely in engagement with the selected contact and to permit release of said selection bar.
  • a switching-selecting device substantially as claimed in claim 1 in which:
  • connection bar includes a notched contacting surface to engage said free end of the mobile contact spring.
  • a switching-selecting device substantially as claimed in claim 1, in which:
  • connection bar includes first and second notches capable of receiving the mobile contact spring.
  • a switching-selecting device substantially as claimed in claim 8 in which:
  • the first notch is positioned to receive the mobile contact spring when the connection bar is in a rest condition
  • the second not-ch is positioned to receive the mobile contact spring when the connection bar is in an operating condition.
  • a switching-selecting device comprising:
  • one of said actuating members being a selection bar having a housing for initially deflecting the free and of a selected mobile contact element in a first direction
  • the other of said actuating members being a connection bar for thereafter deflecting the free end of the selected mobile contact element in a second direction to drive it into make position with a corresponding fixed contact
  • connection bar means associated with said connection bar to receive another mobile contact element, upon actuation of a selection bar, while said connection bar holds said contacts in make position, whereby the positions of the remaining contact elements may be altered independently of the position of the connection bar.
  • each connection bar includes two possible housings for each mobile contact, the first housing is positioned to receive the contact element to be placed under control of this connection bar while said bar is rest condition,
  • the second housing is positioned to serve as clearance to a contact element when the connection bar is in an operated position
  • the second housing occupies the same position that the first housing occupied at rest position and a contact element may freely shift when the associated selection bar is operated, thereby making it possible to make other selections while holding simultaneously several cross points in operated position.
  • a switching-selecting device as claimed in claim 10 in which each of the actuating members of the device is switched by a motion of translation, the trajectories defined by these two motions forming any angle between them.
  • each mobile contact element is fastened at one end to a fixed support in such a way that the said contact element forms a selected angle in a particular direction with a line perpendicular to the fixed support at the fixing point of the said element, whereby,
  • the elasticity of the contact element always urges the said element to rest against a well defined point of the housing in the selection bar.
  • a switching-selecting device as claimed in claim 10 the shifting of the selection bar takes place according to a motion of rotation and the shifting of the connection bar according to a motion of translation.

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US468071A 1964-07-02 1965-06-29 Switching-selecting device Expired - Lifetime US3360626A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR980444A FR1408337A (fr) 1964-07-02 1964-07-02 Dispositif commutateur-sélecteur

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US3360626A true US3360626A (en) 1967-12-26

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US468071A Expired - Lifetime US3360626A (en) 1964-07-02 1965-06-29 Switching-selecting device

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US (1) US3360626A (es)
BE (1) BE666281A (es)
CH (1) CH434383A (es)
DE (1) DE1562267B1 (es)
DK (1) DK123128B (es)
ES (1) ES314708A1 (es)
FI (1) FI44808C (es)
FR (1) FR1408337A (es)
GB (1) GB1124932A (es)
NL (1) NL150608B (es)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3529113A (en) * 1966-10-20 1970-09-15 Int Standard Electric Corp Miniature crossbar switch with flexible tape selecting means and mechanical latch
US3530269A (en) * 1967-08-31 1970-09-22 Pierre M Lucas Crossbar crosspoint matrix with vibration damping means
US3643053A (en) * 1970-04-29 1972-02-15 Int Standard Electric Corp Crossbar switch with prestressed mobile contact spring and perpendicular first and second shifting means

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2456893A (en) * 1946-04-11 1948-12-21 Trans Lux Corp Switching arrangement for selectors

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1005565B (de) * 1956-06-07 1957-04-04 Siemens Ag Kontaktvorrichtung fuer Koordinatenwaehler
DE1077724B (de) * 1958-09-05 1960-03-17 Siemens Ag Anordnung zur Kontaktgabe zwischen zwei Vielfachfeldern fuer Fernmeldeanlagen, insbesondere fuer Koordinatenschalter in Fernsprechanlagen
DE1080622B (de) * 1958-10-14 1960-04-28 Siemens Ag Kontakteinrichtung zur wahlweisen Kontaktgabe zwischen zwei sich kreuzenden Vielfach-feldern fuer Koordinateneinzelschalter in Fernmelde-, insbesondere Fernsprech-anlagen

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2456893A (en) * 1946-04-11 1948-12-21 Trans Lux Corp Switching arrangement for selectors

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3529113A (en) * 1966-10-20 1970-09-15 Int Standard Electric Corp Miniature crossbar switch with flexible tape selecting means and mechanical latch
US3530269A (en) * 1967-08-31 1970-09-22 Pierre M Lucas Crossbar crosspoint matrix with vibration damping means
US3643053A (en) * 1970-04-29 1972-02-15 Int Standard Electric Corp Crossbar switch with prestressed mobile contact spring and perpendicular first and second shifting means

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL150608B (nl) 1976-08-16
FI44808B (es) 1971-09-30
DE1562267B1 (de) 1970-11-26
DK123128B (da) 1972-05-15
FR1408337A (fr) 1965-08-13
CH434383A (fr) 1967-04-30
NL6508589A (es) 1966-01-03
BE666281A (es) 1966-01-03
ES314708A1 (es) 1966-02-01
FI44808C (fi) 1972-01-10
GB1124932A (en) 1968-08-21

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