US414966A - Mechanical cut-out - Google Patents

Description

(N0 Model.)

J. W. BATTERSHALL.

MECHANICAL GUT-OUT.

No. 414,966. Patented Nov. 12, 1889.

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UNITED STATES.

PAT NT OFFICE.

JOSEPH \V. BA'ITERSIIALL, OF ATTLEBOROUGII, )IASSACHUSE'MS.

MECHANICAL CUT-OUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,966, dated November 12, 1889.

Application filed May 4, 1889. Serial No. 309,555. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J osnrn W. BATTER- SHALL, of Attleborougl1,in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Out-Outs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention has reference to an improve ment in an electrical switch or cut-out used for connectingand disconnecting parts of an electric circuit.

The invention is particularly designed for electric circuits using currents for electric lighting or electric power, but is applicable to all electric circuits where portions of the circuit are required to be cut out at times.

The invention consists in the peculiar and novel construction by which four insulated metallic sections, eachprovided with a binding-post, are held in contact with two metallic segments insulated from each other, which form the bridge between the two pairs of the four sections, and which by a partial revolution will change the direction of the current without breaking contact, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

In electric switches or cut-outs as heretofore constructed in cutting in a loop of the circuit or an instrument there is an interval of timebetween the breaking and making of the circuit, which interval, however short, is liable to produce a spark when the conductors carry currents of 'high tension, as in electric lighting and in conveying electric energy for power. The dangers from such sparks to the cut-out and the liability of fire are well known.

The object of this invention is to prevent such sparks and the breaking of the circuit in the cutting out or the cutting in of a loop,

and to this purpose my improved cut-out or switch is made so that in cutting out the loop of, the circuit the main circuit is first shortcircuited, and this short-circuitin g is increased until the switch contact-surface exceeds the conducting capacity of the circuit-Wires before the contact with the loop is broken. In the same manner, when the loop is cut in,the contact-surface in the switch on the direct circuit is diminished, the contact with the loop of the circuit is made, and the contact-surface gradually changed, so that the resistance through the loop is diminished until the short circuit is broken.

Figure 1 is a top View of my improved cutout, partly shown in broken lines. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same, showing the operating-levers and the spring by which the cutout is securely held in two opposite Positions. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the device on a line through the center.

I11 the drawings similar numbers of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.

The device is shown as mounted on the base 4, made, preferably, of wood or other suitable material of low conductivity. The base 4 is formed with the projections 5. In the base 4 is formed the circular cavity 6. Secured to the base and projecting upward in the cavity 6 are the pins 7. The disk 8, made of non conducting material, rests on the spring 9, so that it has vertical motion. The disk 8 is held against rotary motion by the pins 7. ing a hole in the center and provided with radial sprin g-arms. An ordinary coiled spring or springs may be used in place thereof.

On the disk 8, of insulating material, the four metal sections l0, 11, 12, and 13 are secured so as to be insulated from each other, the spaces It, 15, 16, and 17 separating the metal sections. The metal sections 10, 11,12, and 13 are each-provided with the upward projecting edge 18. These projections form a circular rim, in which the disk 19 turns with the bridge-segments 20, which are secured to the insulated disk 19. The sections 10,11, 12, and 13 are provided with the projections 21, in which the clamp-screws 22 are threaded, by which the conductor- wires 23, 24, 25, and 26 are secured by passing the end of the wires through a hole and fastening the same by screwing the binding-screw onto the wire, and thus secure the contact with the metal sections 10, ll, 12, and 13. The projecting rims 18 of these sections maybe omitted, and any of the well-known forms of binding-posts may be used to secure the conductor-wires to the sections.

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27 is a central post made round the greater part of its length, so as to turn in the base 4 and insulating-disk 8, and square near its up: per end, where it passes through the insulating-disk 1.9, and is provided with a square projection at its lower end, where it is secured to the lever 28 by a screw.

The thumb screw 29 engages with the threaded upper end of the post 27, and serves to hold the segmental bridge-pieces in contact with the sections 10, 11, 12, and 13. The spring 9 allows for any slight inequality and holds the metal of the sections and bridgesegments in yielding spring-pressed contact, regulated by the thumb-screw 29.

In equipments for electric lighting or the transmission of electric power it is important .that the switch or cut-out shall be moved quickly and be locked in the cut-out and cutin position. For this purpose the lever 28is provided with the gear 34, meshing with the gear 35 on the hand-lever 30, pivoted at 31. The levers 28 and 30 are connected by means of the two ends of the coiled spring 32, the strain exerted by which holds the end of the lever 28 in contact with one or the other of the stops 33.

The operation of my improved switch and cut-out is as follows: Let us consider, for the purpose of illustration, that the conduct-orwire 23, connected with section 10, and the conductor-wire 26, connected with section 13, form part of the main circuit, and that the conductor-wire 24, connected with section 11, and the conductor-wire 25, connected with section 12, are the ends of a loop connecting with a lamp or series of electric lamps or machines or a branch loop used for any purpose. The switch or cut-out, as shownin Fig. 1, with the bridge-segments 20 in the position shown in broken lines, connects the loop 24 25 with the main circuit 23 26, and the connection is one presenting a very large contact-surface far in excess of the conducting capacity of the conductor-wires. When, now, the post 27 is turned by the use of the levers 28-and 30, the bridge-segments 2O slide on the sections. The forward end of each segment in the direction of its motion will pass beyond the conditions, will receive the electric current, 5 5

is short-circuited from the conductor to the conductor 26, and this short circuit improves by the gradual increase of the surfaces in contact until the ends of the bridge-segments reach the ends of the sections and the cut-out -is-completed,when the spaces 15 1.7 intervene between the bridge-segments 20 20 and the sections 11 12 and 10 13.

By the use of the connected levers 28 and 30 and the spring 32 the cutting in or out of the loop is performed quickly and with certainty, the position of the parts being firmly locked by means of the spring 32 and the stops 33.

Ilavin thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with the base 4 and disk 8, of the pins 7, the spring 9, the terminal sections 10, 11, 12, and 13, the disk 19, the bridge-segments 20, the post 27, and the clamp-nut 29, constructed to form a spring pressed frictional contact of the bridge-seg- .ments with the terminal sections and connect or disconnect the loop and main circuit by the partial rotation of the bridge-segments, as described.

2. In an electric switch or cut-out consisting of terminal metal segments and bridgesegments constructed to rotate in contact with the terminal sections, the levers 28 and 30, geared to operate together, the spring 32, and stops constructed to hold the bridgesegments in the position required, as described.

The combination, with the terminal sections 10 11 12 13, the disk 19, and bridge-sections 20, of the post 27, the levers 28 and 30,

and the spring 32, as described.

JOSEPH WV. BAT ERSHALL.

Vitnesses:

NELLIE A. Coornn, JOHN T. BATES.

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