US482936A - X h hope electric - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) A. WRIGHT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH AND CASE.

No. 482,936. Patented Sept. 20, 1892.

azmqzw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS WRIGHT, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE HOPE ELECTRIC APPLIANCE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH AND CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 482,936, dated September 20, 1892.

Application filed May 31,1892. Serial No. 434,882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS WRIGHT, of the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches and Cases for Containing and Protecting the Same; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in electric switches and cases for containing and protecting the same, being an improvement on the switch shown and described in United States Letters Patent- No. 468,125, granted to me February 2, 1892.

The object of this invention is to produce an electric switch in which the movement of a lever in one direction slightly past the center will call into action a spring or springs to carry the shaft on which the contact-block is secured to its farthest point of rotation in that direction and to positively switch the current from one set of contact-posts to the other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotatable contact-block for electric switches which shall be more compact in shape and more durable and certain in operation.

The further object of this invention is to provide a durable case in which the switch and its operating mechanism may be contained and fully protected from the weather.

The invention consists in the combination, with the shaft carrying the contact-block, of an arm pivoted by links to guide-blocks or guide -links suitably pivoted, these guide links or blocks being drawn together by a spring or springs to force the contact-block positively to the farthest point of rotation in the direction in which movement past the center has commenced.

The invention also consists in the peculiar construction of the rotating contact-block provided with expansible contact-plates and the combination therewith of suitable contact-posts adapted to be connected thereby.

The invention further consists in the peculiar case for containing and protecting the switching and operating mechanism, as well as other novel features of construction and combination of parts, which will hereinafter be more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 represents a front view of the casing and the contact block and posts contained therein, the cover of the case being removed. Fig. 2 represents a vertical sectional view of the case, the electric switch contained therein, and the mechanism for op erating the switch. Fig. 3 represents a back view of the case, the back being removed to show the improved switch-operating mechanism.

Similar numbers and letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.

In the drawings, 5 indicates a case having a hinged cover 6, into the edge of which a packing '7 is inserted. The bottom and sides of the case are furnished with the inlets 8 8, which may be cast in part with the same, or may be formed of insulating material and inserted therein. The sides have also the securing-lips 9 9, through holes in which screws may be driven. The bottom of the case has a depending plate 10, and at the upper portion of the case is formed the hollow hood 11, adapted to protect the operating mechanism and to allow of the free upward movement of the same. Extending from this hood is a securing-lip 12. The back of the case is formed by the plate 13, shaped to fit the inner edges of the same and having at its lower end the securing-lip 1a and the curved flange 15, which partially closes the space between the edge of the plate 10 and the back plate 13, leaving a narrow slot, through which the operatinglever extends. The inner surfaces of the case are furnished on the sides with the supporting and securing lugs 16 and 17 and the top and bottom with the ledges 18.

The switching mechanism is secured to a plate orblock 19, of slate or other suitable insulating material, which is fastened in place by screws or bolts passing through the lugs 17. At suitable points on this plate are secured the contact -posts and 21, carrying contact-plates, to which wires extending into the case may be connected. The center of the plate 19 is perforated, and a hearing is inserted in the perforation, and journaled in this hearing is a shaft 22. The rotative contact-block 23 is formed, substantially in the shape shown, of insulating material and is secured to the outer end of the shaft 22 by small bolts, the ends of which are fastened in a flange, with which this end of the shaft is provided, and in the plate 24. The contact-block 23 is also furnished with the expansible contact- plates 25 and 26, by each of which a connection is formed between two of the contact-plates on the posts 20 and 21, the expansibility of the plates being assisted by the coiled springs 27, partially contained in sockets in the edge of the block 23.

The rear end of the shaft 22 is rigidly secured to the lever 28, by which the rotation of the switch-block is ordinarily commenced, the lower portion of this lever extending through the slot left between the flange 15 and the plate 10.

The lever 28 has an extension 29, and to the end of this extension is pivoted the link 30, the upper end of which is pivoted to the link 31, this in turn being pivoted to a stud secured to the back of the intermediate partition or plate 19. The pivot extending through the ends of the links 30 and 31 is also sometimes secured to a guide-block movable in a guide 32, which is secured to the back of the plate 19 or to the inner surface of the hood 11.

At a distance on thelever 28 from the point where the shaft 22 is secured equal to the length of the extension 29 is pivoted a link 34, which is in turn pivoted to the link 33, that being pivoted to a stud on the rear face of the plate 19. To the pivots a, connecting the links 30 and 31, and 1), connecting those marked 33 and 34, are secured the ends of the coiled spring 35, the tension of which tends to continually draw these pivots A and B to ward the center. By dispensing with the links 33 and 34 and securing the lower end of the coiled spring 35 to the stud 36 on the lever I have practically the same operating mechanism and also gain space at the lower end of the case.

\Vhen the switch is to be of small size and the spring 35 is not too strong, I sometimes shorten the lever 28 to a point immediately beyond the pivot, securing the link 31L thereto, and operate the contact-block by means of the handle 37, secured to the plate 2-l in the forward portion of the case. By this means I am able to dispense with the slot through which the lever 28 extends and better protect the operating mechanism.

It is apparent that the slide 32 may be omitted, if desired; or, when the lever 28 is shortened and the handle 37 is used, the link Sat may be pivoted to the upper surface of the lever and the pivot b be provided with a block sliding in a similar guide.

\Vhen the lever 28 is moved past the center, the spring 35 will be elongated and by its subsequent contraction will draw the lever over to the side of the box opposite to that from which motion was commenced. The contactblock 23 will also be rotated and the expansible plates 25 will switch the circuit from the posts 20 to those marked 21., or vice versa.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a switching device, the combination, with the case 5, having the cover (3 hinged thereto, a depending plate 10, an upwardlyextending hood 11, a back 13, having the flange 15, and the lugs 16 and 17, extending from the inner surface of the case, of the partition or plate 19, formed of insulating material, and a switching device carried on said plate, as described.

2. In an electric switching device, the combination, with contact-posts and a rotatable block carrying contact plates, of a lever adapted to rotate said block, links pivoted to said lever, other links pivoted to the free ends of the first-mentioned links and to stationary studs, and a spring adapted to exert an inward pressure on the ends of the first-mentioned links, as described.

3. In an electric switching device, the combination, with posts carrying contacts, a block carrying connecting-plates, and a shaft suitably journaled, to which said block is secured, of the lever 28, secured to said shaft andhaving the extension 25), a link 30, pivoted to said extension, a link 31, pivoted to the free end of the link 30 and to a stationary stud, the link 34;, pivoted to the lever, a link 33, pivoted to said link and to a stationary stud, and a spring 35, secured at its ends to the pivots A and B, as described.

4. In an electric switch, the combination, with a base, contact-posts secured thereto, a shaft journaled in a perforation in said base, a block having connection plates secured to said shaft, and a handle 37 for rotating the same, of a lever secured to said shaft at the end opposite the block, double links pivoted to the ends of said lever and to stationary studs, and means for exerting a contracting strain on the pivots connecting each pair of links, as described.

5. The combination, with the case 5, having a hinged cover, a depending plate 10, an upwardly-extending hood 11, a back 13, having the flange 15, and the lugs 16 and 17, extending from the inner surface of the case, of the insulating-partition 19, a switching device secured thereto and operated by a shaft journaled in a perforation in said partition, a lever 28, secured to the end of said shaft, an extension 29 on said lever, a link 30, pivoted to said extension, a second link 31, pivoted to IIO the link 30 and to a stud on the partition, In witness whereof I have hereunto set my the link 34:, pivoted. to the lever 28, the link hand. 33, pivoted to the link 34: and to a stud on the partition and the spring 35, the ends of which AUGUSTUS WRIGHT 5 are secured to the pivots connecting the links WVitnesses:

30 and 31 and 33 and 34, as and for the pur- HENRY J. MILLER,

pose described. M. F. BLIGH.

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