US3492451A

US3492451A - Fluid operated electrical switch utilizing a detent positioning means

Info

Publication number: US3492451A
Application number: US665137A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank V Ponterio
Original assignee: Sperry Rand Corp
Current assignee: Sperry Corp
Priority date: 1967-09-01
Filing date: 1967-09-01
Publication date: 1970-01-27
Anticipated expiration: 1987-01-27

Description

Jan. 27, 1970 F. v. PONTERIO 3,492,451

FLUID OPERATED ELECTRICAL SWITCH UTILIZING A DETENT POSITIONING MEANS Filed Sept. 1, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l 4/ m1- /7 Z4 x -4 r 2/ T 1 2 a 7"? /f. /44 yy 42 JEJA- ,7

Jan. 27, 1970 F. v. PONTERIO 3,492,451 FLUID OPERATED ELECTRICAL SWITCH UTILIZING A DETENT POSITIONING MEANS Filed Sept. 1, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. W6 F/PA/VA/ 1 pan/raw United States Patent 3,492,451 FLUID OPERATED ELECTRICAL SWITCH UTILIZ- ING A DETENT POSITIONING MEANS Frank V. Ponterio, Staten Island, N.Y., assignor to Sperry Rand Corporation, Ford Instrument Company Division,

Long Island City, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 1, 1967, Ser. No. 665,137 Int. Cl. H01h 35/40, 3/00, 9/00 U.S. Cl. zoo-81.9 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The instant invention relates to electrical switches and more particularly relates to a switch that is operated in response to the momentary application of a fluid jet.

For the most part, fluid operated miniature switches of the prior art are of the piston or diaphragm types. Such prior art switches are pressure operated and require the continuous application of pressure in order to maintain the switch actuated. For missile safing and arming applications, switches are often required to operate during the boost phase and remain actuated until the end of flight. As applied to prior art piston and diaphragm type switches, this requirement imposes both size and weight penalties on the fiuidic power supply in that a continuous fluid flow is required to maintain continuous pressure.

The instant invention overcomes the disadvantages above noted by providing a fluid operated switch that is actuated by momentary gas flow and is mechanically latched in the actuated position. Fluid power is not required to maintain the switch in its actuated position.

Accordingly, a primary object of the instant invention is to provide a novel construction for a miniature fluid operated switch.

Another object is to provide a switch of this type that is capable of operation in high acceleration environments.

Still another object is to provide a switch of this type that is mechanically latched in the actuated position.

A further object is to provide a switch of this type that is operated by the momentary application of a fluid actuating signal to effect a permanent change of state.

These, as well as other objects of this invention will become readily apparent after reading the following description of the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURES 1 and 1A are longitudinal cross-sections taken through the respective lines 1-1 and 1A1A looking in the directions of the

respective arrows

1, 1 and 1A, 1A, and illustrating a fluid operated latching switch constructed in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view partially in section of the movable structure of the switch of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the bearing race of the switch of FIGURE 1 having detent formation therein.

FIGURE 4 is a View similar to FIGURE 1 showing another embodiment of the instant invention.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing still another embodiment of the instant invention.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the rotary switch member of FIGURE 5 (looking in the direction of arrows 66 of FIGURE 5) together with fragmentary portions of additional switch elements to show the positions thereof relative to the rotary element.

Now referring to the figures and more particularly to FIGURES 1 through 3. Switch device 10 includes annular housing 11 closed at the bottom and open at the top. Lower thrust bearing race 12 is fixedly secured to the bottom wall of housing 11 and supports four ball bearings 14 maintained in a circular array by ring-like retainer 14a. In turn, bearings 14 support upper bearing race 15.

Race 15 is fixedly secured to and concentric with axial entension 16 of turbine member 17. Disk-like spring 20, retained by ring 19, provides a closure for the upper end of housing 11 and, acting through thrust bearing 18, exerts a downward force on member 17. Electrical contactor ring 21 is concentrically mounted on axial extension 16 and secured to the lower surface of member 17 with insulating ring 22 being interposed between upper bearing race 15 and contactor 21.

As will hereinafter be explained, contactor 21 provides means for bridging spaced

contacts

24, 25 fixedly mounted to the lower end of housing 11 on

insulators

26, 27, respectively. Terminals 34, 35, extending through

insulating bushings

29, 28, respectively, in the side of housing 11, engage

stationary contacts

24, 25 respectively, and provide means for making external circuit connections to switch device 10.

Jet forming nozzles

30, 31 extend through apertures in the side of housing 11 and are positioned to direct jets of fluid against the concave surfaces of turbine buckets or blades 40, 41, respectively, of number 17 to impart angular movement to member 17 and the other ele ments, including contactor 21 and upper bearing race 15, secured thereto.

As best seen in FIGURE 3, the limits of axial movement for turbine member 17 are established by so-called zero detents 38 and operating detents 39 formed at the bottom of annular raceway 42 in the upper surface of lower bearing race 12.

Detents

38, 39 are formed by drilling axially extended holes in member 12. There are four zero detents 38 with equal angular spacings therebetween each pair of adjacent zero detents 38, there is an operating detent 39.

With the elements of switch device 10 in the positions shown in FIGURE 1, each ball bearing 14 is located by an individual zero detent 38. Bearings 14 and zero detents 38 are so proportioned that bearings 14 maintain a sufficient separation between bearing

races

12, 15 so that a space 43 exists between contactor 21 and

stationary contacts

24, 25 and switch device 10 is open.

Application of high pressure fluid to

nozzles

30, 31 creates jets which impinge on turbine blades 40, 41 cansing clockwise rotation of member 17. Suflicient axial force is exerted by spring 20 so that the friction between bearing

races

12, 15 and ball bearings 14 cause the latter to leave zero detents 38 and roll along raceway 42 until entering operating detents 39. By this time the forces of the jets issuing from

nozzles

30, 31 exert little, if any, force tending to rotate turbine member 17. Further, ball bearings 14 and operating detents 39 are so proportioned that upper bearing race 15 moves axially toward lower bearing race 14 with contactor 21 engaging

stationary contacts

24, 25. Contact pressure is supplied by spring 20.

Thus, it is seen that the momentary application of high pressure fluid to

jet forming nozzles

30, 31 causes rotorassembly 15, 17, 21 to pivot until spherical bearings 14 drop into operating detents 39 at which time spring 20 moves

rotor assembly

15, 17, 21 axially to drive contactor ring 21 into electrical engagement with

stationary contacts

24, 25 to close switch and the cooperation of spherical bearings 14 and operating detents 39 maintains switch 10 closed when fluid pressure is no longer applied at

nozzles

30, 31.

Rotor assembly

15, 17, 21 is essentially a balanced structure so that even though spring exerts relatively little force switch 10 will not accidently open or close.

The embodiment of the instant invention illustrated in FIGURE 4 is similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 3, the essential diflerence being that the embodiment of FIGURES 1 through 3 includes a thrust bearing while the embodiment of FIGURE 4 includes a radical bearing, the latter permitting greater axial movement of the rotor assembly consisting of the turbine member and elements secured thereto.

More particularly, switch device 50 of FIGURE 4 includes annular housing 51 closed at the bottom and open at the top. Outer bearing race 52, disposed within housing 51, is fixedly secured to the side wall of housing 51. A plurality of ball bearings 54, only two of which are shown in FIGURE 4, are interposed between outer and inner bearing

races

52, 53.

Inner bearing race 53 is fixedly secured to turbine member 55 which carries contactor ring 56 insulated from inner bearing race 53 by ring 57. Spring disk 58 provides a closure at the upper end of housing 51 and, acting through thrust bearing 59, exerts a downwardly directed axial force on turbine member 55. Nozzles 60, and 61 extend through the side of housing 51 to direct fluid jets against the blade formations of turbine member 55 to cause rotation of the latter.

Spaced contacts 62 (only one of which is illustrated in FIGURE 4) are mounted to insulators 63 secured to an internal ledger in the side wall of housing 11. Each of the contacts 62 is connected to an individual switch terminal 64 by a lead extending through an insulating insert 66 in the side wall of housing 51.

Operating detents 67 are formed by slots extending axially and downward from raceway 68 in the interior surface of outer race member 52. Zero detents (not shown) are formed in a manner similar to operating detents 67. As in the case of the detents formed in raceway of FIGURE 3, the zero detents for the embodiment of FIGURE 4 are much smaller than operating detents 67.

The elements of FIGURE 4 are shown in the positions occupied when bearings 54 are not in either zero or operating detents. Just as in the embodiment of FIG- URES 1 through 3, with bearings 54 in the zero detents, switch is open in that contactor ring 56 is spaced from contacts 62. When turbine is pivoted to a position wherein bearings 54 are aligned with operating detents 67, spring 58 forces bearings 54 downward into operating detents 67 and drives contactor ring 56 into firm engagement with spaced contacts 62 to close switch 50.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 5 and 6, fluid bearing means are provided to support the rotor assembly during pivotal motion thereof. That is, switch of FIGURE 5 is provided with annular housing 101 closed at the top by disk spring 102 and having a centrally located fluid inlet 103 at the lower end thereof. Rotor assembly 10S, consisting of contact carrying disk 106 and turbine member 107, is mounted within housing 101 and is urged downwardly by spring 102 with thrust bearing 108 interposed between rotor assembly and disk 102. Assembly 105 is normally maintained in the axial position shown in that disk 106 is supported by stationary contacts 109 at the inner ends of each

terminal member

110a, 110b, 110e, 110d extending through insulating bushings 111 in the side wall of housing 101.

Jet forming nozzles 112 extend through the side wall of housing 101 and direct fluid jets toward turbine blades 107a, formed in the edge of turbine member 107, for rotation of rotor 105. Such rotation is limited through 4 engagement of radical extension 107b of turbine member 107 with stop 101D projecting inwardly from the side wall of housing 101.

In the zero position shown for rotor assembly 105, diametrically extending contactor strip 120, with the lower surface of contact carrier 106, engages the contacts at the inner ends of

terminal members

110a and 11% to close the circuit there between. With rotor assembly 105 rotated to the operating position (with extension 107b engaged by stop 10112) contactor cugages the contacts at the inner ends of

termnial members

110a and 110d.

Switch 100 is operated by applying fluid under pressure through inlet 103 with such fluid flowing through the narrow space near the lower edge of turbine member 107 and exhausting through apertures (not shown) in housing 101. Such fluid flow raises rotor assembly 105 and provides a fluid bearing thereof.

Thereafter, fluid under pressure is introduced at nozzle 112 to form fluid jets directed into turbine blades 107a to rotate rotor 105 until extension 1071) engages stop Means are provided to defeat the fluid bearmg when extension 107b engages stop 101b. Such means COIISIStS OII cutouts 126 in housing 101 and cutouts 127 in turbine member 107. When

cutouts

126, 127 are misaligned, as in FIGURE 6, fluid entering housing chamber 128 is eflective to provide a fluid bearing for rotor assembly 105. However, when assembly 105 is rotated to the POSI- tion wherein extension 107b engages stop 101b, cutouts 127 are aligned with cutouts 126 and cooperates therewith to provide relatively large outlets for the fluid in chamber 128 so that the fluid bearing collapses. Spring 102 is then free to move rotor assembly 105 axially in a downward direction bringing contactor 120 into engagement with the contacts of terminal members 1100 and 110d.

Although not shown in FIGURES 5 and. 6, detent means may be provided to positively maintain rotor assembly 105 in the zero and operating positions thereof. Such detent means may include extensions of rotor assembly 105 which are received by appropriately positioned recesses in housing 101 when assembly 105 is at the zero and operating positions respectively.

It should now be apparent to those skilled in the art that switches 10, 50 and 100 may have normally closed contacts that are open when the respective switches are actuated. In the cases of

switches

10 and 50 the provision of normally closed switches will require greater fluid jet forces to pivot the rotor assemblies.

Thus, it is seen that the invention provides switch constructions in which a contactor carrying rotor is actuated by the momentary application of fluid jets with latch means maintaining the switch actuated after the jets are inactivated.

Although there has been described a preferred embodiment of this novel invention, many variations and modifications will now be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege or property is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A switch device including a relatively stationary first structure; a second structure; mounting means mounting said second structure for movement generally in a plane between a first and a second position relative to said first structure, and limited movement transverse to said plane when said second structure is in said second position; said second structure including fluid jet producing means positioned to direct impingement of a fluid jet upon said second structure to move said second structure from said first to said second position; cooperating contact means having portions mounted to said first and said second structures, respectively; said contact means being open when said second structure is in one of said positions and being closed when said second structure is in the other of said positions; biasing means exerting force on said second structure in a direction transverse to said plane; and latch means for maintaining said second structure in said second position after a fluid jet from said jet producing means ceases to impinge upon said second structure.

2. A switch device as set forth in claim 1 in which said mounting means includes a fluid bearing means.

3. A switch device as set forth in claim 2 in which said mounting means defines an axis about which said second structure pivots in moving between said positions; said mounting means permitting limited axial movement of said second structure; said biasing means urging said second structure in an axial direction.

4. A switch device including a relatively stationary first structure; a second structure; mounting means mounting said second structure for movement between a first and a second position relative to said first structure; said first structure including fluid jet producing means positioned to direct impingement of a fluid jet upon said second structure to move said second structure from said first to said second position; cooperating contact means having portions mounted to said first and said second structures, respectively; said contact means being open when said second structure is in one of said positions and being closed when said second structure is in the other of said positions; and latch means for maintaining said second structure in said second position after a fluid jet from said jet producing means ceases to impinge upon said second structure; a bearing assembly comprising first and second races and mechanical bearing elements disposed between said races; said first and second races comprising portions of said first and second structures, respectively; said second structure comprising an impeller section positioned in alignment with said jet producing means when said second structure is in said first position; said mounting means defining an axis about which said second structure pivots in moving betwen said positions.

5. A switch device as set forth in claim 4 in which said device also includes biasing means urging said second structure in an axial direction; said latch means comprising a detent means-positioned to receive said bearing elements when said second structure is at a predetermined angular position; said detent means constructed to permit limited movement of said second structure in said axial direction under urging by said biasing means when said second structure is in said predetermined angular position.

6. A switch device as set forth in claim 5 also including another detent means to receive said bearing elements when said second structure is in said first position.

7. A switch device as set forth in claim 5 in which said bearing elements constitute means axially spacing said races.

8. A switch device as set forth in claim 5 in which said bearing elements constitute means radially spacing said races. 7

9. A switch device as set forth in claim 7 in which said bearing elements are spherical and said detent means comprises depressions in one of said races.

10. A switch device as set forth in claim 9 in which said axis is located approximately as the center of said second structure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 442,385 12/1890 Neu 20081.9 2,826,754 3/1958 Carigan 200-81.9 2,862,076 11/1958 Bonner ZOO-81.9 3,226,505 12/1965 Lucas et al. 20081.9 3,239,623 3/1966 Clason ZOO-81.9 3,352,388 11/1967 Leiber ZOO-61.46 X 3,371,176 2/1968 Leeds.

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner R. A. VANDERHYE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 200-166