US729503A - Electric switch. - Google Patents

Description

No. 729,503. PATENTED MAY 26, 1903.

I T. MULLER & c. 0. THOMPSON.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1pm.

10 KODBL.

[72 7/672 tors." MZWJJZZS. Taye/Vuller arm? I I fifiazZea 0. Hwy 9502a, 9 g; g 3 aewjzgorm UNITED STATES PATENT IPatented May 26, 1903.

OFFICE.

TAGE MULLER AND CHARLES O. THOMPSON, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,503, dated. May 26, 1903. Application filed November 19,1902." Serial No. 131,970; (No model.)

To all whom it may'ooncern: 7 Be it known that we, TAGE MULLER and CHARLES O. THOMPSON, citizens of the Uni ed States, and residents of New York,in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates generally to electric switches, and has more particularly reference to switches in which a fluid-pressure is utilized to open and close the same.

The object of our invention is to produce a switch in which the make-and-break action is practically instantaneous.

To this end our invention consists of the features of construction and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described.

lVe shall describe an electric switch embodying our invention, and afterward point out the novel features in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1. represents a sectional view through the sleeve in'which the fluid-actuated. member works, the ele-. ments located adjacent to the switch part e proper being shown in side elevation, the

switch being shown in its closed position. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of the parts located adjacent to the switch proper, as shown in Fig. 1, it beingshown in this instance, however, in its open position.

It will be understood, of course, that we do not limit ourselves to the exact construction shown herein, but that changes may be made 1 the reception of the pin h of the actuating within the scope of the claims.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different views.

A represents the sleeve in which the fiuid actuated member works. This sleeve is provided at its lower end with a threaded portion a, adapted to engage with the part b of the coupling B, adapted to support the inflatable diaphragm Q in a well-known manner by means of the contiguous flanges b on the parts I) and Z) of the said coupling. The part b is in communication with a source of supply of compressed air or other fluid which acts upon the diaphragm and by its fluctuations in pressure actuates the reciprocating fluidactuated member I). This member is com- 'A. The tension of the spring (1 is increased or decreased by means of the nut cl, which engages the thread a of the sleeve A. By this means the pressure at which the switch works is regulated. It will also be noticed that an adjustment can be obtained by means of the thread a engaging with the part b of the coupling B, the set-screws b being provided for the purpose of securing the said sleeve A in position after it has been adjusted.

Upon the upper end of the sleeve A is a platform E, through which the stem d protrudes, the said stem being made square in cross-section, so as to prevent it from turning when the parts are assembled or taken apart. Upon this platform there are located the stationary electrode F and the movable electrode G. Each of these electrodes is provided :with a binding-post, respectively, f and g, while they are properly insulated from each other bymeans of the piece of hard rubber e, The movable electrode G is in the form of an arm pivoted at one end at the point on the bracket 9 The movable electrode G is further provided with an adjustably-set slotted member 9 adapted to member H. The member 9 is adjusted by means of the screws g and g and the slot 12 shaped like a parallelogram with one side missing, thetwo longer sides if being pivoted on a bracket 71%. The upper end of the stem d carries an arm (1 extending toward and in between the two arms of the bracket h and beyond the point where the two arms h are pivoted on the said bracket h. On the outer end of said arm (Z there is fastened one end of a sprin I, the other end of which is fastened on the short sideh of the actuating member H. The arm (Z also acts as a This said actuating member H is made conveniently in the form of a framework 71 stop to limit the downward movement of the plunger with reference to the diaphragm.

It will now be understood that when the I switch is in its closed position, as shown in Fig.

1, and the air-pressure then increases sufficiently to operate the fluid-actuated member D, the same will rise, thereby carrying with it the arm d That end i of the spring I which is located beyond the point where the two arms h are pivoted and also below the said point will then be raised gradually with the stem (1 and the arm (Z W hen the said end t" is raised up to a point where it will be above the point where the two arms h are pivoted, the spring I, acting continuously in the direction of the said end L", will pull the frame 77, up, whereby the pin h will contact with the upper portion of the slot g, thus raising the movable electrode and breaking the circuit. It will be understood that the action of the spring I will move the frame 7L2 up or down according to the position of the end '2" with relation to the point where the arms h are pivoted, and it will further be understood that the action in either direction will be practically instantaneous the moment the said end 1 passes the point at which the arms h are pivoted in either direction. It is apparent that the end 2" must be located beyond the point where the arms h3 are pivoted in the horizontal plane or else it would not work. Undue action is prevented by the stop h, against which a portion of one of the arms 7L3 rests when in the open position.

The spring I will hold the movable electrode in its open position until the pressure decreases to a point where the end 1' passes below the pivotal center of the actuating member H, when the switch will be closed by the action of the spring and by gravity.

In Fig. 1 the plunger (1 is shown resting upon the diaphragm O. \Vhen the sleeve is adj usted with relation to the coupling B so that the plunger is out of contact with the diaphragm when the latter is collapsed, it will take a longer time before the said diaphragm operates the reciprocating member, and hence the period elapsing before the break occurs will be lengthened, or the switch will break at a higher pressure, as the pump which the switch controls would have a longer time to operate in. By reversing the adj ustment the opposite effect will of course be produced. From this it is evident that it is possible to regulate the pressure at which the switch will work at two points, viz: by regulating the tension of the coiled spring and by regulating the relative lowermost position of the plunger with regard to the diaphragm.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. In an electric switch, the combination with the movable electrode pivoted at one end, of a reciprocating fluid-actuated member, an actuating member for operating the movable electrode loosely pivoted, and a spring connected at one end with the actuating member, and at its other end with the reciprocating fluid-actuated member at a point beyond the pivotal center of the actuating member. a

2. In an electric switch, the combination with the movable electrode pivoted at one end, of a reciprocating fluid-actuated member, an actuating member for operating the movable electrode loosely pivoted, an arm carried by the reciprocating fluid-actuated member extending to a point beyond the pivotal center of the actuating member, and a spring connected at one end with the actuating member, and at its other end with the arm of the reciprocating fluid-actuated member at a point beyond the pivotal center of the said actuating member.

In an electric switch, the combination with the movable electrode pivoted at one end, of a reciprocating fluid-actuated member, an actuating member for operating the movable electrode loosely pivoted, a spring connected at one end with the actuating member, and at its other end with the reciprocating fluid-actuated member at a point beyond the pivotal center of the actuating member, a slot on the movable electrode, and a pin on the actuating member extending into the said slot.

4. In an electric switch, the combination with the movable electrode pivoted at one end, of a reciprocating fluid-actuated member, an actuating member for operating the movable electrode loosely pivoted, an arm carried by the reciprocating fiuid-actuated member extending to a point beyond the pivotal center of the actuating member, a spring connected at one end with the actuating member, and at its other end with the arm of the reciprocating fluid-actuated member at a,

point beyond the pivotal center of the said actuating member, a slot on the movable electrode, and a pin on the actuating member extending into the said slot.

5. In an electric switch, the combination with the movable electrode pivoted at one end, of a reciprocating fluid-actuated member, an actuating member for operating the movable electrode loosely pivoted, a spring connected at one end with the actuating member, and at its other end with the reciprocating fluidactuated member at a point beyond the pivotal center of the actuating member, an ad justablc member having a slot on the movable electrode, and a pin on the actuating member extending into the said slot.

6. In an electric switch, the combination with the movable electrode pivoted at one end, of a reciprocating fluid-actuated member, an actuating member for operating the movable electrode loosely pivoted, an arm carried by the reciprocating fluid-actuated member extending to a point beyond the pivotal center of the actuating member, a spring connected at one end with the actuating member, and its other end with the arm of the reciprocating fluid-actuated member at a point beyond the ICC pivotal center of the said actuating member, an adjustable member having a slot 011 the movable electrode, and a pin on the actuating member extending into the said slot.

7. In an electric switch, the combination with an inflatable diaphragm of a reciprocating member for operating the switch, adapted to be actuated by the diaphragm, and means for adjusting the position of the reciprocating member so as to be in contact or out of contact with the said diaphragm when the latter is collapsed, whereby the length of time necessary for the break is shortened or lengthened, thereby decreasing or increasing the pressure at which the switch breaks.

8. In an electric switch, the combination with an inflatable diaphragm, of a reciprocating member carrying means for operating the switch, adapted to be actuated by the diaphragm, and means for adjusting the position of the reciprocating member so as to be in contact or out of contact with the diaphragm when the latter is collapsed, whereby the time necessary for the break is shortened or lengthened, thereby varying the pressure at which the switch operates.

9. In an electric switch, the combination with an inflatable diaphragm of a coupling supporting said diaphragm, a reciprocating member, which operates the switch, adapted to be actuated by the diaphragm, a sleeve inclosing said reciprocating member, a spring acting on the reciprocating member in the direction of the diaphragm, a stop limiting the movement of the reciprocating member in the same direction, and threads on the coupling and sleeve whereby the said coupling and sleeve are attached to each other and whereby the position of the reciprocating member relative to the diaphragm is varied.

10. In an electric switch, the combination of asleeve, a fluid-actuated member adapted to work in said sleeve, a spring surrounding said fluid-actuated member to regulate the pressure of same, a loose sleeve having means for pressing upon the spring fitting loosely 011 the outside of the first-mentioned sleeve, and a nut having threaded engagement with the first-mentioned sleeve for regulating the position of the loosely-fitting sleeve.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 14th day of July, A. D. 1902.

TAGE MULLER. CHARLES O. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM R. DORMAN, AXEL V. BEEKER.

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