US837634A - Electric switch. - Google Patents

Description

No. 837,634. PATENTE'D DEG. 4, V1906.

- G. P. MGDONNELL.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9, 1905 inuanlior:

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GEGRGE P. h/CDONNELL, `Uli S'L'LQUlS,li/HSSOURL ASSIGNORTO AMERCAN ELEClltlU CMPANY, Ol? EASTORANGE, NEW JER- l?. Still-TCH are. ser/,esa

Specification o' Letters atent.

Patented Dec. 4, 1906.

Application filed November 9,1905. serial No. 235,537..

To all w22/om, t may concern:

Be it known that l, GEORGE l?. MCDON- NELL, a citizen of the United ISta-tes, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a cerforming part of this speciiication, inwhich-- Figure i is a plan view or" a device embodying the vteatures-ot my invention' Fig. 2 is a front elevation oi the device shown in Figh l. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line X of l. Fig. 4i is a detail view showing in side elevation one of the disks carrying the controlling means, and Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 4l. i

y rlhis invention relates to electrical switches, and particularly to switches used electrical display-signs.

My invention iis herein shown as embodied in a switch tor controlling the illrunination oi' an electrical display-sign in which the difierent characters composing the sign are illuminated in a certain sequence.

@ne object of my invention is to provide a switch having adjustable controlling means :lor varying the time which the ycharacters of the sign are illuminated and also the length of time for which they remain illuminated. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch in which the l rushes will not be subjected to useless wear, thereby prolonging its period of usefulness and insuring its controlling the illumination of the characters at just the roper time.

rihe devicev herein shown, which represents the preferred form oi my invention, comprises a switch having adjustable controlling means moving in a circular path and cooperatingY with brushes which move out ot engagement with. said controlliugnmeans for breaking the circuits which illuminate the characters of the sign. Said device is constructed to control the illumination olA a sign made up of flour characters--such, ior eX- ample, the letters S O A P --and the controlling means is sol arrangedthat the letter S will iirst be illuminated, then the letters 0, A, and progressively,'

and then all of the letters will be extinguished simultaneously. It should be understood, however, that this same idea could be embodied in a switch for use in a sign made up of a different number "of characters and 1n which the sequence of illumination 1s dll*- `ferent.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates a b ase provided at its opposite ends with bears f ings 3 and 5 for a shaft 4, the bearing 5 also being,- provided with journals 7 for a crossshait 6. Fastened to the shaft 4 is a wormgear 8, which meshes with a worm l0 on a cross-shaft 6, said shaft being provided with a grooved pulley l2, that is driven by means ci a belt, (not shown,) whereby rote y move- .ment is. imparted to the shaft 4:. iAdjustably secured to the shaft 4, preferably by means of set-screws 14, are a plurality of disks 16, 16', 162, and 163, each'having a' circular groove lthat receives Ithe controlling means comprising laterally-projecting Iblocks 18, 18, 182, and 183 adjustably held in position by screws,- 19. (See Fig. 5.) These controlling-blocks are adapted to cooperate with brushes 20, 2 0', 202, and 2G, consisting` o'll llat springs, preferably formed ot brass, and being in contact with bindingposts 22, 22', 222, and 223, each ci' which receives a negative wire that leads to the illuminating; means of one of the letters of the sign.` The binding-posts and vbrushes are mounted on .blocks 24, which are insulated from the base'2 by insulating material, as shown in Fig. 3, and the position of each brush relatively to its controlling-blocks can '1 be varied by a screw 26, that is threaded into an upwardly-projecting arm ,on the block. Cooperating with the disk 16 brush 19, similar in construction vto the brushes previously described. and being in contact with the binding-post 21, which receives a positive wire leading from the illuminating means for the letters and through a source of electric energy, the brush 19E beingy always in engagen'ient with the disk 16. T he disk 16 is provided with four controlling-blocks adjusted together to form a segment, the

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dish 16 with three blocks, the disk '162 with two blocks, and the disk 163 with one block, so that when the shaft l revolves in the direction of thearrew in Fig. 3 the eoiitrolling,r` blocks on the disk 16 will cooperate with the brush 2O 'to close the eireuit for the letter US," said bleek sind brush remaining in engagement while the bloeks on the other disks engage the brushes progressively. The blocks on the disks are so arrzmffed that the controlling means on :ill the disiez will pass out oi engagement with the brushes at the same time7 whereby the eireuit for each letter is broken :it the sinne time to extinguish ill/ol" the letters simultaneously, the brushes then assuming their normal position out oll engagement with the controllingy ineens, as shown in dotted lines in Figi. I5.

One desirable 'feature of e construction such :is that deserilied is that the brushes are in engagement with their cooper-ting Controlling-blocks only when the eirenii is tlosed, so thzit the)r are not subjected to nnneeessnry weer :nid their period oi' Vusefulness is accordingly prolonged. lnithermore :is the controlling ineens ol the switch consists of zi plurality of adjustable blocks the sequence in which the letters :ire illuminated can be Varied it will and also the time l'or which each letter remains illumimited.

Having' thus described thtl inventionvliat is desired to beseeured by Letters Patent is-P l. l device ol the Character deseribed, comprisingr :i rotary disk proi'ided in one? ol' its side lnees with n Circular slot, n. eontrolling member ronsistiner oi :i segmentalshnped bloeit mounted in sind slot and ridjustsbly held in position, and :L brush coperiitingr with seid bloeit; substantially es described.

A de'Viee oi the ehtn'neter described, comprising4 zi rotary disk provided in one ol' its side lleves with :L eireulnr slot, :i controlling` member eonsisting' oll n` plurnlity ol segnn ntiil-sliepml bloelt's :idjustnbly mounted in the slotl in sind dish :ind projectingl laterally therefrom, :i brush. eonsistiner ol` :i` lint spring eooperii'ling with said eontrolling member, and ni udite-:telde rew extending through said spring` to control its position relatively te the controlling member; substantially :is deseriberl.

in Vteslimon)r iif'liereol' l hereunto :iiiix my signature.y in the presenf-e ol two witnesses, this lst defy' of Nmenlber, i905.

GEORG-E l). ).le'l'ONNELL.

llfitnesses:

luv ic-Lts li. CHURCH, Grimme Brummen.,

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