US761533A - Spring-clip. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTBD MAY. 31, 19o4.j

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APPLICATION FILED 00T 17 1903 N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES y retented Meg-.31, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

' i SPRING-CLIP.

SPECIFICATION forming part ef Lettere Patent No. 761,533, dated Mey 31,1904. l Application filed October 17, 1903. Serial No. 177,460. (No model.) i

To a/ZZ whom t Wray concern;I

Be it known that I, JOHN S. MCKE, a'citi- Zen of the United States of America, residing at Pittsburg, in theA county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Spring-Clips, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawlngs.

Thisinvention relates to certain new and useful improvements in spring-clips, such as are used in connection with switches, circuitbreakers,` and otherdevice's used for openingl and closing electric circuits; and the invention is particularly designed to be employed in connection with that lform of switch, circuit-breaker, or other analogous device using two or more blades at each pole.

The object of the present invention is to provide means for eliminating the danger of blistering the middle clip or,V inside contactsurface of the blade at the time of breaking the circuit, which blistering frequently prevents the rengagement of the blade with its clip or contact.

With the use of laminated blades in switches. circuit-breakers, and the like it frequently thereby formed causes the blistering or beading of the middle clips in such a manner as to prevent the reengagement of the blades with their clips.

. It is the object of my present invention to so construct these clips that in event of any' blistering or beading taking place the same will be on the outside clips or contacts, but

will not interfere with the rengaging of the blades with their clips or contacts.

Briefly described,l my invention comprises a construction which causes the arc when formed to be between the blades and the outside clips or contacts, and this result may be accomplished in either of two ways-that is,

ence is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein like numerals of reference indicatelike parts throughout the several views, in 'which- Figure l is a detail plan View of the ordinary form of switch employing laminated blades. Fig. 2 is a like view of the ordinary form of circuit-breaker employing laminated blades.

Fig. 3 is an end view of a switch, showing the laminated blades in cross-section and employed in connection with my improved spring clips or contacts. Fig. 4 is an end view of a circuitbreaker employed in connection with my improved spring clips or contacts. Fig. 5 is an elevation of one of the spring-clips, showing the laminated blades in cross-section, illustrating how the blades have passed out'of engagement with the middle clips before passing out of engagement with the outside clips. Fig. 6 is an elevation of a part of acircuitbreaker, illustrating the same principle. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a modified form of construction, showing the middle blades of the pole of less width than the outside blades. Fig. 8' is a sectional view of the same construction, illustrating how the middle blades pass outof engagement with the middle clips prior'to the outer blades leaving engagement with their clips or contacts.

My invention resides entirely in the provision of novel means for the preventing of the arc being formed between the laminated blades and the inside clips or contacts, and I may accomplish this result by making the middle spring clips or contacts 1 of shorter length than the outside clips or contacts 2, as illustrated in connection with the switch shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 5.

It is to be understood that the invention is applicable only to that" form of switch, circuit-breaker, or analogous device employing laminated blades for each pole, and, as illustrated in Fig. 5, it is to be observed that the laminated blades 3 have entirely passed out of contact with the middle clips or contacts l tween blades and clips l is broken no arc will be formed between the said blades and the said middle clips or contacts l, said arc being formed entirely between the outside clips 2 and the blades 3. This arcing between the blades and the clips has a tendency to blister the clips, often forming' a bead thereon of suflcient size to prevent the reentry of the blades into engagement with the clips. With my improved construction, however, if this bead is formed it is'on the outside clips 2 and no obstruction is presented to the blades reengagingwith thevmiddle clips 1, and by reason of the bead being formed on the outside clips these are free to spring outwardly, as may be required or necessary to force the blades into their engaging position.

In Figs. 2, 4:, 6 I show the same principle in connection with a circuit-breaker wherein the middle clips 5 are made considerably shorter than the outside clips 6, the laminated blades 7 passing out of engagement with the inside clips 5 prior to their passing out of engagement with the outside clips 6. 251

In Figs. 7 and 8 I show a modified form of construction by means of which the same result may be obtained, the clips 8 being of the same length, but the outside blades 9 of each pole being of greater width than the intermediate blades l0. Consequently as the device is operated to break the circuit the blades lO pass out of engagement with the intermediate or middle clips prior to the passing of blades 9 out of engagement with the outside clips, thus causing any arcing which may be done to ble between the outside blades and the outside c ips.

Itis to'be noted that by the elimination of the possibility of the central clip burning the blades of the switch or other device may be placed much closer together than in the ordinary construction, enabling me to make a neater, smaller, and stronger switch. lVith the shortening of the middle clips or contacts or the varying in the width of the blades in accordance with the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8 it is to be observed that not only is the danger of blistering the middle clips eliminated, but also the danger of blistering the inner contacting surfaces of the blades, as these contact-points are free before linal contact is broken on th'e outside clip, and the resultant burning or arcing on the outside clips is not detrimental to the circuit being again closed, as is the case where the clips are all of the same height or the blades of a uniform width.

It will be obvious that various slight changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An electric switch containing a switchblade comprising two parallel blades, and acooperating clip consisting of two outer parts and shorter central contact part.

2. An electric switch having laminated switch-blades and spring-contacts, said switchblades and said contacts constitutingseparable contact members the inner sections oi one el said members having less contact-surface than the outer sections of the same.

3. A switch or analogous device composed of two members one movable in relation to the other, one of said members being provided. with contact parts composed of central laminac and outside laminze the other member having blades adapted to enter between said laminated contact parts, the contacting surfaces at both sides of one of said members being in advance of the contacting surfaces at the middle of the same.

In testimony whereot` I aiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. MCKEE.

Witnesses:

A. M. WILSON, E. E. POTTER.

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