US815825A - Electric switch. - Google Patents

Description

No. 815,825. PATENTED MAR. 20, 1906. E. M. HEWLETT. ELEGTRIG SWITCH. APPLIIGATIGN mum JULY 2 1904.

1 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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I *IOI ll 0 N 1Q! Witnesses: Inventor 5m Edward m. Hewlett,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IEDWARD M. HEWLETT, OF SOHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 20, 1906.

Application filed July 27, 1904. Serial No.'218,344.

- To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD M. HEWLETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric switches, and has particular reference to double-throw switches adapted to make and break circuit under oil-and especially desi ned for handling currents of high potentia and large amperage.

The general object of the invention is to provide a switch for this purpose which shall e simpleand compact in structure and effective in operation and so arranged that its various parts are readily accessible for inspection or repair.

In the present application I have disclosed one embodiment of my invention in which I arran e the switch-contacts so that they project ownward from a suitable horizontal support into an oil-bath which is contained .with said support.

in an oil receptacle removably connected The fixed contacts are arranged insets of three per phase, and cooperating therewith are three movable bridging contacts, which hang from the horizontal support so as to lie below the fixed contacts and so as to swing into en agementtherewith to complete the circuit etween the center contacts and either trio of outside contacts, according to the direction of movement of the operating mechanism. Motion is transmitted to the movable contacts by means of connecting links which are connected at their lower ends to said contacts and at their upper ends to cranks mounted upon the horizontal support and operatively. connected with a manually-actuated lever. When the hand-lever is actuated, the cranks are rocked and the connecting-links pull'upward on the movable switch element and rock it into either one or the other of its closed positions. In order to obtain correspondence between the movement of the switch and theoperat-' of the connecting-links. By this organization the lateral movement of the cranks is transmitted to the upper end of the connecting-links, which are thereby rocked about their fulcra to give the movable element of the switch a positive lateral movement. In this way there is exact correspondence between the movements of the cranks and the movable switch element, so that like movements of the operating-lever will always establish like circuit connections.

- The invention consists of a novel organization, together with certain novel features and combinations, which will be more fully understood upon reference to the following detailed description of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawin s.

In the said drawin s, Figure 1 is a side e evation of a double-throw multipolar switch constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 2 is a detailed view illustrating the temporary fulcrum by which direction is given to the movement of the movable element of the switch. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the switch-contacts, parts being shown broken away and in section. Fig. 4 is a lan view of the movable switch element, i ustrating certain of the connecting parts and the barriers in section on a lane indicated by the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is asectional elevation of one of the contacts shown in Fig. 3, the plane of section' being indicated by'the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Referring in detail to the drawings, Fig. l designates a switchboard or other suitable support upon which the switch is adapted to be mounted. To the rear of the switchboard 10 is firmly bolted or otherwise secured a horizontally-disposed supporting-frame 11, which is carried in part y standards 12, located at itsrear and adapted to rest at their lower ends upon the'gfloor or other suitable support. The horizontal frame 11 carries a plurality of circuit-terminals 13 14 15, which are arranged in. sets of three er phase, as clearly illustrated, with the di erent phases separated b suitable barriers 16, which are hung from t e under side of the frame 11 and suitably spaced b means of tubular washers 17, held together bolts 18, passing through their centers in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3; Cooperating with the fixed contacts 13 14 15 are a plurality of bridging contacts 19, which are hung so as to swing into posi tion to bridge either the contacts 13 and 14 or the contacts 14' and 15. The bridging contacts 19 are mounted upon and insulated from a horizontally disposed supportingframe 20, which is hun ,by means of a plurality of links 21 to the%ower ends of the depending side walls 22, which are secured at their upper ends to the under side of the supporting-frame 11. Referring particularly to the movable element of the switch, the frame 20, which carries the,bridging contacts19, comprises side members 23, through whose ends extend the transverse bolts 24, which also pass through the lower ends of the supporting-links 21, as' clearly shown in Fig; 3.

Insulators are equally spaced upon the rods 24, and each is provided with an exterior annular groove 27', which is designed to receive one end of a bridging contact. These contacts are provided with concave bearingsurfaces at their opposite ends, which rest in the grooves-27, and they are held in place by cooperating clamping members or straps 28,

which are connected thereto by screws 29v By reason of the location of the depending portions of the side walls 22 midway between the center contact '14 and the outside contacts 13 and 15, respectively, thebridging contacts 19 may be readily swung into either of their circuit-closing positions. All of the contacts, together with the side walls 22 and I the depending barriers 16 and other connecti'ng. parts, are surrounded by an oil-can 30,

which is removably secured to the under side of the supporting-frame 11 in any preferred manner, as by the bolts 26. When this V switch is set up for operation, the receptacle 30 is filled with oil until all of the contacts,

' are submerged. The lower ends of the bar riers 16 extend into close proximity to the.

transverse rods 24 of the movable contactcarryin frame 20 and into thespace be tween the insulators25 upon which the contacts 19 are located. The lower ends of the barriers are also curved concentrically with the path of movement of the rods 24, so that they maintain a close relation with said rods throughout the entire movement of the.

is obtained with a minimum size of oil-can 30.

V In order to rock the movable switch element into its closed positions, operating-links 31 are provided. These links are pivoted at their lower ends to the side members 23 of. the contact-supporting frame 20 and at their. u ei ends to the cranks 32, which are suits 'a y journaled in the verticallyextending webs 33 of the supporting-frame 11. Motion=- siasas is transmitted to the cranks 32 from the operating-lever 34 through the agency of connecting-links 35, cranks 36, and a link 37. Suitable sprin -pressed latches 38 are located on the. front or the board 10 and are adapted to engagepins 39 on the operating-lever to hold the switch closed whenever said lever has been properly thrown. A spring-returned pin 40 extends down through the handle 11 on ,the operating-lever 34 into proximity to the pins 39 and is adapted to be pressed against the outer end of the latches 38- to release them from the pins 39 whenever it is desired to move the operating-lever from either closed position.

From the above it will be seen that with the switch open whenever the operating-lever 34 is moved, the cranks 32 will be rocked. to pull upon the contact carrying frame 20 through the connecting-links 31. Assuming that the switch, parts are in the 'position shown in Fig. 1, if the operating-lever 34 is pushed upward the cranks '32 will he rocked forward and willpuil upward upon the links 31 and the contacts 19 will be: drawn upward into engagement with the contacts 13 and 1 1 or the contacts 1 1 and 15, according to the direction in which said contacts are moved atthe time the cranks 32 begin to pull upward. it

will be apparent that until some means is pro vided for positively producing this movement given movendent oi the operatinglever 34 -.would result in closing the circuit sometimes between the; contacts 13 and 1e and at other ,times hetweenthe contacts 1-4: and. 15. F or I the purpose of obtaining the necessary certainty ofaction between the switch parts a temporary fulcrum is providedfior each of the links 31;. The desired lever movement is obtained by the actionoi a pinor projection on the link'31 engaging cooperating prcjea tions 4301i the J-inner face of the depending walls 22.I The rojections 42 are located intermediate of tile lengths of the links 31, so

that an initial movement of the cranks 32 in the forward direction will always force the contacts 19 rearward, while a rearward movement of thee-ranks 32-will always produce a forward'nwvement'of the contacts.

It willbe apparent that the projections 42 and 13 remain in engagement only for a very short time, but ion ugh to. determine the direction go fflrnoveirl of the movable element of tast er hler this direction is determined thefjli ease to operate as levers and simply c 111116 theirhinction of drawing upward uponthe frame 29.

From'the above itwillbe' apparent that I have devised a double-throw switch which is very compact and siinple inconstruction.

Itwillal so be apparent that inany alterations and modifications can be made in the -struc- .tur,eand mechanism disclosed without departing from the spirit and scope of my in iiention TI therefore do not wish "to he iii YOU reg

ited to the specific matter disclosed, but aim to cover by the terms of the appended claims all such alterations and modifications.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A double-tinowelectric switch having its movable element swung from a suitable support, operating means acting to draws'aid element toward said support to rock it into its closed positions, and directive means associated therewith for positively starting-said element in a direction corresponding to. the direction of movement of' the operating means. 2. A double-throw electric switch having its movable element swung from a horizontal support, operating means acting to draw said element upward, andmeans associated therewitlrfor giving a lateral direction to said movement corresponding to the direction of movement of the operating means. i

3.A double-throw electric switch having its movable. elementswung from. a suitable support, an operating-crank mounted adja* cent thereto, a link connecting said crank and movable element and operative to draw said element toward said support into either of its closed positions, and means for giving a transverse movement to said elementcorresponding to the initial movement of the crank;

4. A double-throw electric switch having .its movable element swung from a suitable support, anoperating crank mounted adj acent thereto, a link connecting said crank and movable element and operating to draw said element toward said support into eitherof its closed positions, and means comprising a temporary fulcrum for giving a transverse movement to said element corresponding to i the initial movement of the crank.

5. A double-throw electric switch having its movable element swung from a suitable support, link connected with said element and arranged to draw it toward said support to close the switch, a temporary fulcrum for the link, and means for'sl'ightly rocking said link about its fulcrum so as to give direction to the'movement of the movable switch element.

6, A double-throw electric switch having its movable element supported by links, an operatingdever, an operating-link connected to said element and actuated by said lever to draw said element in the direction of said links, and means for rocking said element off "dead-center to insure a switch movement,

in correspondence with the movement of the operating-lever.

7. A double-throw electric switch having its movable element supported by links, an operatingdever, an operating-link connected to said element and actuated by said lever to draw said element against the thrust of said links, a temporary fulcrum for said operating-link, and means actuated by the operat ing-lever to rock said operating-link aboutits fulcrum to carry the movable element off dead-center to one side or the other accord ing to the direction of movement of the operating-lever.

8. A double -throw electric switch, comprising a horizontally-disposed support, fixed contacts projecting from theunder side thereof, movable contacts hung from said support and free to swing in opposite directions mto circuit-closing positions, one or more operating-cranks located above said movable contacts, an operating-lever for rocking said cranks, one or more links connecting said cranks and said movable contacts, lugs on said links, and fired lugs located so as to be engaged by the lugs. on said links at the beginning of the closing movement and thereby rock the movable contacts in a direction corresponding with the movement of the operating-lever. 9'. A doublethrow electric switch, comprising a suitable su port, fixed contacts thereon, a swinging rame hung by links from said support, coeperating contacts carried'thereby, and'means for swinging said frame'into either switch-closing position.

10. A double throw electric switch, comprising a horizontally disposed supportingplate, fixed contacts thereon, a swinging frame hungby links from said plate, cooperating contacts carried thereby, and means for swinging said frame'so as to bring said contacts into either circuit-closing position.

"11. double-throw electric switch, comprising a horizontalsupport, the fixed contacts projecting therefrom, and coepcrating contacts hung y links from said support so as to swing into engagement with the center andv either of the extreme fixed contacts.

.12. An electric switch, comprising a hori-,-

'zontally-disposed support, fixed contacts de pending from the under side thereof, a hori, zontal frame carrying cooperating contacts, link connections between said frame and said support, and means for swinging said frame so as to close the switch.

13. An electric switch comprising a horizontal support, fixed contacts dependin from the under side thereof, a horizonta frame hung from said support, cooperating contacts carried thereby, means for swinging said frame and contacts into circuit-closin position, and an oil-receptacle secured to said support and completely surrounding the switch-contacts.

14, An electric switch, comprising a suitable supporting'lplate, a plurality of sets of fixed contacts t ereon, a swinging frame carried by said plate, aplurality of parallel brid ing contacts mounted thereon and suitabl y insulated from each other and said frame, and

.means for swinging said frame and contacts into circuit-closing position.

15. An electric switch, comprising a suit-

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