US536221A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

0. J. MILLER. ELECTRIC SWITCH.

No. 536,221. Patented Mar. 26, 1895.

.FIG.1.

Invent-or Charlasl Miller" 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. O. J. MILLER.

ELECTRIC SWITGH.

(No Model.)

v No. 536,221. Patented Mar. 26, 1895.

VII/l/I/l/A In/ven tm" lzaries LIZ filler by his Jitorzze '5- itiwssea' I UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. MILLER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SBEGIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No.536,221, dated March 28, 1895.

Application filed January 19, 1895; Serial Ho. 535,617- (No model.)

' citizen of the United States, residingin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented' Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct a knife switch in such a manner, that itwill have an instantaneous release from the con- .tact, and thus prevent arcing to a great extent.

My invention relates, also, to the construc-.

tion of the binding post.

' In the accompanying drawings:-Figure 1 is a front view of my improved knife switch. Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is alongitudinal section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4, is a view showing the first movement of the handle and spring under. tension. Fig. 5, is a View showing the knife released from the contact; and Figs. 6 and 7, are views of modifications of my invention.

A is the base of the switch, made of suitable non-conducting material.

B is one terminal, and O is the other minal.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the knife D is pivoted at b to the terminal B, and rests between two spring arms 0 c of the terminal 0, as shown in Fig. 3.

The knife in the present instance, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is made in three parts, socured together, two side plates (1 d, and a spacing block d, and mounted between the two side plates is a spring E, secured to the plates by a rivet or pin e.- The portion e of the spring is reduced, so that it will yield under pressure, and the end of this spring extends under the nose f of the handleF. This handle is pivoted at d to the knife D, and has a suitable stop f, so that the movement indicated in Fig. 4 will be limited. The first efiect of movement of the handle in the direction ofthe arrow, Fig. 2, is to place tension upon the spring-E, as indicated in Fig. 4, and to slightly move the knife in the arms ter- 0 c, and a continued movement from the po sition shown in Fig. 4:, will draw the knife from between the arms, and as the knife is drawn from between the arms, the spring will shown in Fig. 2, flush with the knife out of a the way, but when it is wished to "operate the knife, the handle can be moved as shown in Fig. 4, so that it can be properly grasped and then quickly drawn, and while its construc tion withoutthe spring will be much better than the ordinaryknife switch in which the handle is rigidly secured to the knife, I prefer to construct the switch with the spring, so that the movement of the knife will be accelerated. e j

It will be understood, that the spring may be arranged in adifierent manner from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. For instance the spring may be mounted on the handle, and extend over the knife, as shown in Fig. 6, gaining the same result, or a coiled spring may be substituted for the leaf springg and the knife may be pivoted to the terminal 0 instead of to the terminal B.

As shown in Fig. 7, the spring may be tapored, so that when it is at rest between the arms of the contact, it will expand the sides of the knife against the arms insuring a perfect contact, and as soon as pressure is applied to the spring, the sides will contract, allowing the knife to be quickly removed from the contact. Each terminal has a jaw i, pivoted at 2'', provided with a set screw 1?. Hence by placing the end of the wire between thejaws, and turningthe screw, the wire is firmly held to the terminal.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of the terminals,aknife pivoted at one end to one of said terminals, a handle pivoted to the opposite end of the knife, a spring carried by the knife, and extending under the handle, and a projection on the handle for placing tension upon the spring, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the terminals, a knife pivoted to one of said terminals, a spring mounted in the knife, a handle pivoted to the end of the knife, a stop on said handle for limiting its motion independent of the knife, and a spring so mounted between the handle and the knife, that the first movement of the handle will place tension upon the spring which is exerted to accelerate the movement of the knife as it is Withdrawn from the terminal.

3. The combination of the terminals, the pivoted knife having yielding side plates, a tapered spring adapted to pass between the side plates and to force them out against the contacts, and a pivoted handle acting to with-

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