US426049A - James p - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

No. 426,049. v Patented Apr. 22, 1890. I

Fic l. [A

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES I. NORTON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE DETROIT ELECTRICAL IVORIIS, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,049, dated April 22, 1890.

Application filed February 20, 1890. Serial No. 341,202. (No model.

T0 to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .IAMEs P. NORTON, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing atDet1roit,\Vayiie county, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric switches or devices for completing, changing, breaking, or otherwise affecting or controlling electric circuits, its object being to provide a simple, cheap, and effective means whereby an electric circuit may be controlled, and whereby a quick or snapping action may be obtained, so that when the switch is turned by skilled or unskilled persons, especially in breaking the circuit, the movement will be so quick as to practically prevent the formation of arcs at the terminals.

To these ends my invention consists in a switch constructed substantially as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the ac companying drawings, which illustrate one form of my invention applied to an ordinary make-and-break-circuit switch.

Figure 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 a vertical section, of the same.

It is well known that when a circuit is broken, especially one carrying currents of great strength, there is likely to be formed an electric are between the separating-contacts, which is injurious to the contacts themselves and liable to cause other damage. To avoid this objection means have been provided whereby when the contacts are separated they shall be separated quickly, as under the force of a spring or other device, which shall operate so rapidly as to practically prevent the formation of the are.

It is also well known that in completing the circuit in order to prevent the interposition of resistance in the circuit or the destruction of the contacts the contacts must be brought positively together, and devices have been proposed heretofore for accomplishing this result and rendering it practically automatic. \Vhile this has been accomplished, the means for its accomplishment have been more or less complex, being expensive to manufacture, liable to get out of order, and subject to other objections. My invention accomplishes these desirable ends, and at the same time can be embodied in a structure which is exceedingly simple, cheap in manufacture, and not liable to derangement in use. I have shown it applied in the present instance to an ordinary make-and-break switch, although of course it will be understood that it may be applied to many and various kinds and forms of switches without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Mounted 011 a suitable base A, of some ininsulatiu g material, are the two terminals B B of an electric circuit. These terminals may be of any well-known or desirable form, they being shown in the present instance as consisting of segmental plates of metal secured to the base and adapted to be connected to the ends of the circuit, and having a free end or extension I), preferablybent at an angle and having a slight degree of resiliency. These plates are arranged at practically diametrically-opposite sides of the base-piece. Centrally mounted between these terminals is a basepiece C,having secured thereto in any suitable way, as by means of a screw (Z, a cam D. The cam in the present instance is shown as being oval-shaped, having itslonger and its shorter axes crossing each other atpractically right angles. Mounted so as to embrace this cam is a movable switch-arm E, shown in the form of an elliptic spring consisting of the two semi-elliptic springplates e e, secured together at their ends and provided with or having formed integral with one of the plates the contacts F. In the construction shown each of the semi-elliptic springs is provided with a contact F, formed at one end and bent at practically right angles to the spring, and this is the preferred construction, although other forms maybe used. This elliptic spring maybe held in place in any suitable way and operated by any suitable means, as a thumbnut, or otherwise; but in the form shown I provide a handle II, secured to a plate G, which is mounted on or attached to one of the semi-elliptic springs, as c. This plate G is slotted, as at g, to permit its movement with relation to the screw or fastening de Vice (7.

In the present construction I have shown mounted on the base A a ring I, having a slot 1', through which the plate G extends, and this slot may be used to limit and control the extent of movement of the plate and handle. In this construction it will be seen that the cam may be arranged in various positions with relation to the spring switch-arm, so as to cause it to automatically move to or from various points.

As arranged in the drawings, the cam is so related to the springarm that when the switch is closed, as indicated by the dotted lines, the springs press upon the cam nearly in line with its longest axis, but slightly beyond this axis, so that the tendency of the pressure between the cam and springs is to hold the contacts together. When, however, the contacts are moved to a slight degree, so as to cause the spring to rotate a short distance around the periphery of the cam, the tendency of the force exerted between the cam and springs is to quickly and surely throw the switch-arm into the position shown in full lines, where the longer axes of the cam and of the elliptic spring are nearly parallel.

It will be readily understood that when the long axes of the cam and of the springs are at practically right angles the springs are under the greatest tension, and when the short axes of the cam and of the springs are parallel they are under the least stress. So, as before stated, by varying these relations the automatic action maybe caused to take place at any desired point with relation to the contacts.

It will thus be seen that by the use of a sim- H ple cam and an elliptic spring and suitable means for turning the same an efficient sn apswitch is produced.

That I claim as my invention is 1. In an electric switch, a cam and an elliptic spring, embracing the cam, and co-operating contacts controlled by the spring and cam, substantially as described.

2. In an electric switch, a fixed cam and an elliptic spring embracing the cam, contacts carried by the spring, and fixed contacts engaged by the moving contacts, and means for moving the spring, substantially as described.

3. In an electric switch, a fixed cam, an elliptic spring surrounding the cam, contacts secured to the ends of the spring, arranged to engage fixed contacts to complete the circuit, and a handle attached to the spring for moving the same, substantially as described.

4:. In an electric switch, a cam, a spring consisting of two semi-elliptic members secured together, and a handle for operating the spring connected to one of the members, and co-operating contacts engaging with the contacts carried by said spring by the movement of the handle, substantially as described. 5. In an electric switch, a fixed cam, a spring consisting of two semi-elliptic members secured together, contacts carried by each member, an arm secured to one of the members, having a slot and a screw passing through the slot for holding the spring in place, and fixed contacts co-operating with the moving contacts, substantially as described.

6. An electric switch consisting of a basepiece having two terminals provided with upturned ends, a fixed cam secured to the basepiece, an elliptic spring surrounding the cam and carrying terminals to engage with the fixed terminals, and a handle for operating the spring, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES P. NORTON.

Witnesses:

CHAs. BRUNDAGE, FRANK B. RAE.

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