US710270A

US710270A - Electric switch.

Info

Publication number: US710270A
Application number: US4418401A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick Hagger Headley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1901-01-21
Filing date: 1901-01-21
Publication date: 1902-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 1919-09-30

Description

No. 710,270. C Patented sept. a0, |902. F. tt. HEADLEY.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

(Applieatn med Jan. 21, 1901.)

ma Model.)

UNITED STATES FREDERICK I-IAGGER HEADLEY, OF ST. AUSTELL, ENGLAND..

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 710,270, dated September 30, 1902. Application filed January 2l, 1901. Serial No. 44,184. No model.)

A vented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric switches, and has for its object the provision of a simple and improved quick-break double-pole switch of the construction hereinafter described.

My invention is characterized by simplicity of action and construction, in the ease with which the mechanical parts of the switch can be detached from the switchboard, and in the arrangement that the whole of the working parts of the switch, in which term is included all parts except the terminal contactblocks and the connecting bridge-pieces, are.

insulated from the electric circuit.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a plan of a switch constructed and arranged according to my invention, the switch being in its closed position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, the switch being in its closed position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the switch in its open position. Y I

A switch constructed according to my invention consists of two pivoted levers l 2, each ofwhich carries a switch-bridge or connecting-piece 3 4, preferably of'copper laminac, adapted to make or break one of the leads of an electric circuit. The two levers 1 2 are geared together by suitable means, preferably by means of teeth-cut segments forming the shorter arms of said levers, the longer arms being arranged to carry the connecting bridge-pieces 3 4. Said levers l 2 are connected together by means of a spring 5 of suitable strength attached at either end to pins 6 6, projecting from the levers 1 2. When the switch is closed, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, the moment of the force exerted by the spring about the pivots of the levers is practically zero on account' of the line of action of said forces passingthrough or in close proximity to the center of the pivots of the levers. Consequently the switch will remain in its closed position until the handle 7 is operated, when the abutments 8 on the lower part of the handle abutting against the outer tooth 9 of the toothed segment ofthe lever 2 causes said segment to rotate about its pivot. The rotation of this segment consequently causes the toothed segment of the lever 1 to rotate an equal amount by means of the toothed gearing, and consequently both levers rotate about their pivots and cause their respective bridge-pieces to rise. As the bridge-pieces rise the moments of the forces exerted by the spring continually increase, and finally shortly before the bridge-pieces break contact with the circuit-terminals 10 11 l2 13 the spring overcomes the resistance of friction and produces asudden rotation of the levers about their pivots and a consequent quick break of the circuit at both sets of terminals. The `handle? is carried loosely by the pivot of the lever 2, and the abutment 8 is of such a size that it is possible for the lever 2 to move forward on the spring, causing the sudden break without the handle being moved simultaneously. Consequentlythe quick break is independent of the rate at which the handle is moved over.

The method by which the bridge-pieces 3 4 are carried by the levers 1 2 is shown in the drawings, each bridge-piece being separated from its lever, preferably by means of mica.

A switch constructed according to my invention possesses the advantage that the mechanical parts of the switch-that is to say, all parts except the connecting bridge-piecesare entirely insulated from the electric circuit which the switch controls. Further, it will be noted that the whole of the parts of the switch can be readily detached from the switchboard by unscrewing the nut 14, which, coacting with the bolt 15, normally secures the mechanical parts of the switch on the switchboard.

I may so construct my switch that the mechanical parts and the connecting bridgepieces carried by them are mounted on aseparate switchboard from the board carrying the circuit-terminal blocks. Further, I may employ a hand-wheel instead of a lever-handle, as shown in the drawings.

What I claim is- 1. An electric switch consisting of the combination of a base-board, four circuit-terminals arranged thereon, two pivots mounted IOO thereon, two levers pivoted on said two pivots, one arm of each lever being in the form of a toot-hed segment which is adapted to engage with the toothed segment on the other lever, connecting bridge -pieces carried by and insulated from the other arms of the levers, said connecting bridge pieces being adapted to make and break contact with the four circuit terminals, a handle loosely mounted on one of the pivots of one of the pivoted levers and provided with abutments which when the handle is operatedl engage with said pivoted lever, lost motion between the handle and said pivoted lever being able to occur, and a spring attached at its two ends to the two pivotcd levers in such a way that when the switch is closed the springisinoperative, being on a dead-center, but when the switch is being opened by means of the handle the spring aetuates the levers and produces quick breaks at the circuit-terminals and finally maintains the pivoted levers in their open position, substantially as described.

2. An electric switch consisting of the conbination of a base-board, four circuit-terminals arranged thereon, two pivots mounted thereon, two levers pivoted on said two pivots, one arm of each lever being in the form of a toothed segment which is adapted to engage with the toothed segment on the other lever, connecting bridge-pieces carried by and insulated from the other arms of the levers, said connecting bridge-pieces being adapted to make and break contact with the four circnitterminals, a handle loosely mounted on one of the pivots of one of the pivoted levers and provided with abutments which when the handle is operated engage with said pivoted lever, lost motion between the handle and said pivoted lever being' able to occur, a spring attached at its two ends to the two pivoted levers in such a Way that when the switch is closed the spring is inoperative, being on a dead-center, but when the switch is being opened by means of the handle the spring actuates the levers and prodnces quick breaks at the circuit-terminals and finally maintains the pivoted levers in their open position, and a releasing-nut and a bolt coacting therewith by the removal of which all the purely mechanical parts can be readily detached from the base-plate, substantially' as described.

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

FREDERICK HAGGER. HEADLEY.

Witnesses:

CLEMENT LEAN, HERBERT A. litIAiest-IALL.y