US461298A

US461298A - Electric switch

Info

Publication number: US461298A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1891-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 1908-10-13

Description

(No Model.)

S. P. VAN NORT.

BLEGTRIG SWITCH.

No. 461,298. Patented Oct. 13,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STERLING P. VAN NORT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,298, dated October 13, 1891.

Application filed November 21, 1890. Serial No. 372,202. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STERLING 1. VAN NORT, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Switches, 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 consists of a double-circuit switch. The novel features will be set forth in the claims.

The Object of my invention is to provide an apparatus whereby motors, lamps, or other electric loads can be switched from one electric circuit to another without opening or crossing the said circuits or otherwise interfering with the proper operation of the circuits or electric apparatus connected therewith. It is possible that the switch with slight modifications may be used for other plirposes than is here specified, such as throwing a dynamo from one circuit to another, the.

Figure I is a plan view of the switch. Fig. II is a perspective view of the handle-socket. Fig. III is a perspective view of one of the combined standards and binding-posts. Fig. IV is a detail perspective view of an arc plate. Fig. V is a detail perspective view showing the contact portions of the switch-levers and the arc plate all in contact. Fig. V1 is a perspective view of the contact portions of the switch-levers out of contact. Fig. VII is a longitudinal section at VII VII, Fig. I, looking toward the switch-levers.

The necessity which led me to the invention of this switch was the need of an apparatus by which one or more motors or are lamps could be thrown from a day to a night circuit, or vice versa, and each circuit be properly closed when the motors or lamps were withdrawn from it. The switch, as it is shown, was designed for use on arc-light or constant-current circuits.

1 is a base-block to which the attachments are made. This block may be placed horizontally or in other position. In the description the block 1 is assumed to be horizontal.

2 2 and 3 3 are similar levers, of brass or other metal, which swing on their respective posts 1 and 5. The posts 4 and levers 2 are in one electric circuit 6, and the posts 5 and levers 3 are in another electric circuit 7, the conducting wires of the circuits being connected to the posts +1 and 5, respectively. The binding-posts are shown at (3 and 7, respectively. The conducting wires or loop 8 running to motors or lamps are connected to the binding-posts 9, which also form standards in which turn the metal gudgeons 10 11 of the eccentrics 12 and 13. The eccentrics are of brass or other conducting material, and are connected in movement by a non-conducting block or shaft 14:.

On one of the gudgeons, as 10, is a collar 15, held in place by a pin or set-screw 16 and carrying a bracket l7,t.o which is secured the wooden or other non-conducting handle or lever 18, by which the eccentrics may be turned through about one-half a rotation to bring the eccentrics in contact with heels 2 or 3 of the levers 2 or 3. 'lhelevers 2 and 3 are similar in construction, so that a description of the pair of levers 2 will apply equally to the levers 19 are contacts or contact portions of the levers which are stepped together so as to have a rubbing contact and act as stops on each other. As the eccentrics 12 13 act on the heels 2 the contacts 19 are drawn apart into the position seen in Fig. 1, so that the current in circuit (3 which has been short-circuited through the contacts 19 of the levers 2 when the contacts were together, is switched through the eccentrics to the motor or lamp circuit 8.

The levers have projections 20, to which are connected springs 21, that force the levers toward each other, making close contact between them and the eccentrics, or bringing them into contact with each other when the heels 2 or 3, as the case may be, are relieved from the pressure of the eccentrics, the circuits 6 or 7, as the case may be.are short-circuited through the contacts 19.

22 are insulated springs, one for each pair of levers, the spring being fixed at one end and carrying at the free end a metal contact or are block 23, which the contacts 19 touch as they approach each other. The purpose of the spring are block is to save the contacts 19 by drawing the arcs on the back side or other suitable part of the levers away from the contacts 19 as they separate a short distance or as they approach near together. The springs 22, it will be seen, are arranged out of the path of the current so that they are not subjected to the deteriorating influence of the latter.

The operation of the switch is as follows: Suppose the eccentrics 12 and 13 to be in a central position and out of contact with either of the heels 2 3, both pairs of levers 2 and 3- will be in the position shown at 3 in Fig. I, and the circuits 6 and 7 will be short-circnited through the levers. If we wish to throw the load which is connected to the binding-posts 9 into either circuit, the handle 18 is thrown toward that side, in so doing the eccentrics 12a11d13 on either end of the insulating block or shaft 14 coming in contact with the heels 2 or 3, as the case maybe, and forcing them back and opening the contacts 19, causing the current to flow through the eccentrics 1.2 and 13, thence through the binding-posts 9 to motors or lamps. As the contacts 19 separate the spring 22 keeps the block in contact with the levers fora short distance, and after the levers separate from each other the electric arcs are formed at a distance from the contacts 19 and against the arc plate, thus saving the contacts which would otherwise be burned by the arc and the smooth parts destroyed. \Vhen the contacts 19 come totogether again in closing the circuits, any are which may be formed will be between the block 23 and the adjacent parts of the levers, as before, all sparking or arcs being drawn to the springblock' (which is easily and cheaply renewed,) the contacts 19 being preserved from injury.

If it is desired to switch the load from circuit 9 to circuit 7, the handle 18 is thrown to the light, in which the operation of the switch is as follows: \Vhen the handle 18 moves toward a central position,the levers 2 approach each other, striking the block23 and forcing it back until the ends 19 of the levers come together, forming a short circuit (3 and cut ting out the load 8 before the eccentrics 12 13 break connection between the load and circuit 6. Further motion of the handle in the same direction separates the eccentrics 12 13 from the heels 2, and circuit 6 before the eccentrics come in contact with the heels 3" of the levers 3 and circuit 7, thus preventing a cross in the circuits. Further motion of the lever 18 forces the contacts 19 of the levers 3 asunder, and introduces the load into the circuit 7 through the binding-posts 9, eccentrics 12 13, heels 3, and binding-posts 7.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of an electric conductor connected with a lamp or other load and with ends 8 in connection with two revoluble metal eccentrics on the same shaft insulated from each other, two levers in an electric circuit having contacts 19 at their free ends, and parts 2, adapted to receive the impact of the eccentrics, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of two metal eccentrics upon the same shaft insulated from each other and connected, respectively, to the ends of a conducting-wire connected with a lamp, motor, or other load, and two pairs of levers in two separate electric circuits, respectively, and having contacts 19 at the free ends, and parts 2 and 3, adapted to receive the impact of the eccentrics, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, in an electric switch, of the two pairs of circuit-breakinglevers 2 and 3, with contacts 19 at their free ends, the two electric circuits 6 and 7, connected, passing through the levers and contacts, and conducting-eccentrics insulated from each other and connected with the opposite ends of the loadwire 8 and adapted for contact with and action on the pairs of levers 2 and 3, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In an electric switclnthe combination of two separable contact-levers in an electric circuit, an arc block, and a spring on which said block is mounted, said spring being located out of the path of the electric circuit and arranged to draw an arc on each lever, substantially as set forth.

STERLING l. V AN NORT.

In presence of- E. S. KNIGHT, Tnos. KNfeI-rr.