US3578926A - Snap switch - Google Patents

Snap switch Download PDF

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Publication number
US3578926A
US3578926A US882080A US3578926DA US3578926A US 3578926 A US3578926 A US 3578926A US 882080 A US882080 A US 882080A US 3578926D A US3578926D A US 3578926DA US 3578926 A US3578926 A US 3578926A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
blade
housing
tension members
tongue
projecting
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US882080A
Inventor
George Obermann
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Eaton Corp
Original Assignee
Controls Company of America
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Controls Company of America filed Critical Controls Company of America
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3578926A publication Critical patent/US3578926A/en
Assigned to CONTROLS COMPANY OF AMERICA, 9655 W. SORENG AVENUE, SCHILLER PARK, IL., A CORP. OF DE. reassignment CONTROLS COMPANY OF AMERICA, 9655 W. SORENG AVENUE, SCHILLER PARK, IL., A CORP. OF DE. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: SINGER COMPANY, THE
Assigned to EATON CORPORATION, A CORP. OF OH. reassignment EATON CORPORATION, A CORP. OF OH. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: CONTROLS COMPANY OF AMERICA
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
    • H01H1/14—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting
    • H01H1/18—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with subsequent sliding
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/02—Details
    • H01H13/26—Snap-action arrangements depending upon deformation of elastic members
    • H01H13/36—Snap-action arrangements depending upon deformation of elastic members using flexing of blade springs
    • H01H13/40—Blade spring with at least one snap-acting leg and at least one separate contact-carrying or contact-actuating leg
    • H01H13/42—Blade spring with at least one snap-acting leg and at least one separate contact-carrying or contact-actuating leg having three legs

Definitions

  • FIG. I is a vertical view with one side of the case removed.
  • FIG. 2 is a plan view of the blade and its support.
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the blade per se.
  • the housing supports two fixed terminals l2, l4 respectively provided with silvered contacts l6, 18. Also mounted in the housing is a fixed terminal which includes a support member 22, the' upper end of which is received in a cooperatrelative to the housing and, of course, relative to the contacts 16 and 18.
  • the support member 22 is provided with laterally projecting pivot cars 24 upon which the blade pivot arms 26 are mounted.
  • the pivot arms are integral with and bent down from the blade member 28, the actuated end of which (the left end in the drawings) has a crosspiece acted upon by the balllike end of plunger 30.
  • the side rails 32 of the blade 28 pass on either side of the support member 22 and at the moving end (the right end) are joined by a crosspiece upon which the blade contact 34 is mounted.
  • the compressed, bowed tongue 36 extends from the contact end of the blade back towards the support member and is pivoted in a suitable notch in the support member.
  • the side rails normally lie above the pivot point of torque 36.
  • the rails are in tension.
  • the tongue and arms 26 are in compression. This results in a force on the pivot arms 26 tending to move the arms upwardly or clockwise about pivot 24, moving the plunger to its uppermost position.
  • the tongue being under compression, exerts a force tending to move the free or contact end of the blade upwardly and thus holding the blade contact 34 against the upper fixed contact 18.
  • the plunger 30 is depressed, the actuated end of the blade moves down about pivot 24 and the rails move past the plane of the pivot of tongue 36.
  • the rails will cause the force developed by the compressed tongue to move the blade contact 34 away from the upper contact and down to the lower contact with a snap action.
  • the rails never move below the pivot 24 so the force on the plunger is always upward and .the switch must be held in the actuated position.
  • the torque must be bowed more and this causes a wiping action between the moving contact and the fixed contact which acts to break any weld.
  • Pivots 24 are formed in stamping the support member. The positioning of the support member in the housing insures accurate location of the pivot. Arms 26 operate in unison to eliminate or minimize any twisting tendency of the actu'ated end of the blade. There are but eight parts in the entire assembly. Assembly is very simple.
  • a snap switch comprising:
  • a support member mounted in the housing and including projecting ears
  • an overcenter blade including a compression tongue and spaced tension members, said tension members being interconnected at opposite ends,
  • said tongue being integral with the contact end of the blade and projecting toward and being pivoted on said support
  • a plunger in the housing acting on said actuated end to move the tension members relative to the tongue pivot whereby the free end of the blade moves between said preselected positions with a snap action.
  • a snap switch according to claim 1 in which the preselected positions are determined by contacts carried by terminals fixed in and projecting from the housing.
  • a snap switch according to claim 3 in which the support is integral with a terminal fixed in and projecting from the housing.

Abstract

The compressed tongue of the switch blade is pivoted on the fixed support member while the side rails are under tension. The actuated end of the blade has integral pivot arms bent at 90* from the plane of the blade and pivoted on ears projecting from the support member. When the plunger is depressed, the side rails pass the pivot point of the tongue and cause the contact carrying end of the blade to snap downwardly. The construction affords considerable overtravel with no adverse effect on contact pressure. The switch provides a high degree of contact wiping.

Description

United States Patent lnventor George Obermann Niles, 11].
Dec. 4, 1969 May 18, 1971 Controls Company of America Melrose Park, Ill.
App]. No. Filed Patented Assignee SNAP SWITCH 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.
US. Cl 200/67 Int. Cl H01h 13/36 Field of Search 200/67 (D), 67; 74/100 (P) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1951 Van Ryan et al. 200/67D(UX) 2,571,453 10/1951 Jackson ..200/67D(UX) Primary Examiner-David Smith, Jr.
Attorneys-John W. Michael, Gerrit D. Foster, Bayard H.
Michael, Paul R. Puerner, Joseph A. Gemignani, Andrew 0. Riteris, Daniel VanDyke and Spencer B. Michael ABSTRACT: The compressed tongue of the switch blade is pivoted on the fixed support member while the side tails are under tension. The actuated end of the blade has integral pivot arms bent at 90 from the plane of the blade and pivoted on ears projecting from the support member. When the plunger is depressed, the side rails pass the pivot point of the tongue and cause the contact carrying end of the blade to snap downwardly. The construction affords considerable overtravel with no adverse effect on contact pressure. The switch provides a high degree of contact wiping.
Patented May 18, 1971 3,578,926
/mb7w SNAP swrrcn BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This general type of switch has been known for its long life, high reliability, high contact wiping, siderable overtravel. The closest prior art would be Kaminky U.S. Pat. No. 2,486,033 but that construction, while successful, had more parts and was considerably more difficult to assemble than the present design.
' SUMMARY OF INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. I is a vertical view with one side of the case removed. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the blade and its support. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the blade per se.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The housing supports two fixed terminals l2, l4 respectively provided with silvered contacts l6, 18. Also mounted in the housing is a fixed terminal which includes a support member 22, the' upper end of which is received in a cooperatrelative to the housing and, of course, relative to the contacts 16 and 18. The support member 22 is provided with laterally projecting pivot cars 24 upon which the blade pivot arms 26 are mounted. The pivot arms are integral with and bent down from the blade member 28, the actuated end of which (the left end in the drawings) has a crosspiece acted upon by the balllike end of plunger 30. The side rails 32 of the blade 28 pass on either side of the support member 22 and at the moving end (the right end) are joined by a crosspiece upon which the blade contact 34 is mounted. The compressed, bowed tongue 36 extends from the contact end of the blade back towards the support member and is pivoted in a suitable notch in the support member.
As can be seen in the drawings, the side rails normally lie above the pivot point of torque 36. The rails are in tension. The tongue and arms 26 are in compression. This results in a force on the pivot arms 26 tending to move the arms upwardly or clockwise about pivot 24, moving the plunger to its uppermost position. Also, the tongue, being under compression, exerts a force tending to move the free or contact end of the blade upwardly and thus holding the blade contact 34 against the upper fixed contact 18. As the plunger 30 is depressed, the actuated end of the blade moves down about pivot 24 and the rails move past the plane of the pivot of tongue 36. Once past and provision of coning slot in the interior of the housing to locate the member the centerline, the rails will cause the force developed by the compressed tongue to move the blade contact 34 away from the upper contact and down to the lower contact with a snap action. The rails never move below the pivot 24 so the force on the plunger is always upward and .the switch must be held in the actuated position. As the rails go towards the overcenter position, the torque must be bowed more and this causes a wiping action between the moving contact and the fixed contact which acts to break any weld.
Since the pivot anns are integral with the blade, the distance between the arm pivot point (24) and the actuating point can be accurately controlled. Pivots 24 are formed in stamping the support member. The positioning of the support member in the housing insures accurate location of the pivot. Arms 26 operate in unison to eliminate or minimize any twisting tendency of the actu'ated end of the blade. There are but eight parts in the entire assembly. Assembly is very simple.
After the rails pass over center as the plunger IS depressed,
considerable further movement (overtravel) can occur without any adverse effect on contact pressure, the contact pressure being developed by the compressed tongue. The switch will, of course, always tend to return to the illustrated position.
Greater accuracy is possible than in the prior art while realizing lower costs and high reliability.
Iclaim:
l. A snap switch comprising:
a housing,
a support member mounted in the housing and including projecting ears,
an overcenter blade including a compression tongue and spaced tension members, said tension members being interconnected at opposite ends,
a contact carried at one of the interconnected ends of the tension members and being free to move between preselected positions with a snap action, the other interconnected ends of the tension members being the actuated end of the blade,
said tongue being integral with the contact end of the blade and projecting toward and being pivoted on said support,
arms integral with the actuated end of the blade and being bent down at about to the plane of the blade and projecting from the blade end parallel to the tension members with holes pivotally mounted on said support ears, said arms being in compression and functioning in unison as a rigid beam pivotally supporting said blade, and
a plunger in the housing acting on said actuated end to move the tension members relative to the tongue pivot whereby the free end of the blade moves between said preselected positions with a snap action.
2. A snap switch according to claim 1 in which the preselected positions are determined by contacts carried by terminals fixed in and projecting from the housing.
3. A snap switch according to claim 3 in which the support is integral with a terminal fixed in and projecting from the housing.

Claims (3)

1. A snap switch comprising: a housing, a support member mounted in the housing and including projecting ears, an overcenter blade including a compression tongue and spaced tension members, said tension members being interconnected at opposite ends, a contact carried at one of the interconnected ends of the tension members and being free to move between preselected positions with a snap action, the other interconnected ends of the tension members being the actuated end of the blade, said tongue being integral with the contact end of the blade and projecting toward and being pivoted on said support, arms integral with the actuated end of the blade and being bent down at about 90* to the plane of the blade and projecting from the blade end parallel to the tension members with holes pivotally mounted on said support ears, said arms being in compression and functioning in unison as a rigid beam pivotally supporting said blade, and a plunger in the housing acting on said actuated end to move the tension members relative to the tongue pivot whereby the free end of the blade moves between said preselected positions with a snap action.
2. A snap switch according to claim 1 in which the preselected positions are determined by contacts carried by terminals fixed in and projecting from the housing.
3. A snap switch according to claim 3 in which the support is integral with a terminal fixed in and projecting from the housing.
US882080A 1969-12-04 1969-12-04 Snap switch Expired - Lifetime US3578926A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US88208069A 1969-12-04 1969-12-04

Publications (1)

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US3578926A true US3578926A (en) 1971-05-18

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US882080A Expired - Lifetime US3578926A (en) 1969-12-04 1969-12-04 Snap switch

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US (1) US3578926A (en)
DE (1) DE7040848U (en)
FR (1) FR2072376A5 (en)
GB (1) GB1260990A (en)

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3809834A (en) * 1972-04-17 1974-05-07 Robertshaw Controls Co Snap switch construction and snap blade therefor or the like
JPS4964762U (en) * 1972-09-14 1974-06-06
JPS49126566U (en) * 1973-02-28 1974-10-30
JPS49126565U (en) * 1973-02-28 1974-10-30
JPS49127769U (en) * 1973-03-02 1974-11-01
JPS49141974U (en) * 1973-04-10 1974-12-06
JPS50152178U (en) * 1974-06-03 1975-12-17
US4130747A (en) * 1977-10-12 1978-12-19 Mcgill Manufacturing Company, Inc. Miniature overtravel snap action switch with pivotal cam mounting for the switch blade
US4224488A (en) * 1977-07-13 1980-09-23 Ranco Incorporated Electrical switch devices
US4362910A (en) * 1980-12-31 1982-12-07 Ark-Les Corporation Electrical switch
US4471182A (en) * 1983-03-10 1984-09-11 The Singer Company Single pole make make switch and pressure switch using same
WO2008125636A1 (en) * 2007-04-12 2008-10-23 Zf Friedrichshafen Ag Electric switch

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3436967C2 (en) * 1984-10-09 1986-11-20 Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co KG, 5880 Lüdenscheid Electrical snap switch
DE3515721A1 (en) * 1984-10-09 1986-11-06 Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co KG, 5880 Lüdenscheid Electrical snap-action switch

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2565790A (en) * 1948-09-27 1951-08-28 Mcgraw Electric Co Snap switch
US2571453A (en) * 1948-05-10 1951-10-16 Cyril Kieft And Company Ltd Electric switch

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2571453A (en) * 1948-05-10 1951-10-16 Cyril Kieft And Company Ltd Electric switch
US2565790A (en) * 1948-09-27 1951-08-28 Mcgraw Electric Co Snap switch

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3809834A (en) * 1972-04-17 1974-05-07 Robertshaw Controls Co Snap switch construction and snap blade therefor or the like
JPS5555461Y2 (en) * 1972-09-14 1980-12-22
JPS4964762U (en) * 1972-09-14 1974-06-06
JPS5617855Y2 (en) * 1973-02-28 1981-04-25
JPS49126566U (en) * 1973-02-28 1974-10-30
JPS5443333Y2 (en) * 1973-02-28 1979-12-14
JPS49126565U (en) * 1973-02-28 1974-10-30
JPS49127769U (en) * 1973-03-02 1974-11-01
JPS49141974U (en) * 1973-04-10 1974-12-06
JPS5443336Y2 (en) * 1973-04-10 1979-12-14
JPS50152178U (en) * 1974-06-03 1975-12-17
US4224488A (en) * 1977-07-13 1980-09-23 Ranco Incorporated Electrical switch devices
US4130747A (en) * 1977-10-12 1978-12-19 Mcgill Manufacturing Company, Inc. Miniature overtravel snap action switch with pivotal cam mounting for the switch blade
US4362910A (en) * 1980-12-31 1982-12-07 Ark-Les Corporation Electrical switch
US4471182A (en) * 1983-03-10 1984-09-11 The Singer Company Single pole make make switch and pressure switch using same
WO2008125636A1 (en) * 2007-04-12 2008-10-23 Zf Friedrichshafen Ag Electric switch
US20100084250A1 (en) * 2007-04-12 2010-04-08 Zf Friedrichshafen Ag Electric switch
US7932475B2 (en) 2007-04-12 2011-04-26 Zf Friedrichshafen Ag Electric switch

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1260990A (en) 1972-01-19
DE7040848U (en) 1971-02-18
FR2072376A5 (en) 1971-09-24

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: CONTROLS COMPANY OF AMERICA, 9655 W. SORENG AVENUE

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:SINGER COMPANY, THE;REEL/FRAME:004505/0515

Effective date: 19860110

AS Assignment

Owner name: EATON CORPORATION, EATON CENTER, 1111 SUPERIOR AVE

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:CONTROLS COMPANY OF AMERICA;REEL/FRAME:004614/0433

Effective date: 19861002