US842624A - Commutator. - Google Patents

Description

No. 842,624. PATENTED JAN. 29, 1907. A. F. CARVER & J. N. STOUT. OOMMUTATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25. 1905.

TO AMERICAN INVENTIONS COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPO- RATION OF NEW JERSEY.

COMMUTATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Jan. 29, 1907.

Application filed November 25,1905. seen in. 289,061.

To ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALLEN F. CARVER and Janna N. 55th citizens of the United States, an of he borough of a 5 hattan 5. St oi" New 1 I a speciiicati tes to conumitetors,a more particularly tr commutator in W1. the make and break of the controlling-circuit is efl'ected by the separation of the contactpoints in a line directly toward and away from each other, the object being to secure a prompt make and break and prevent burning I out 01 the contact-points by sparking.

A practical embodiment of our invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in w iich- Figure 1 is a plan view of the commutator, showing it connected up to a translating device, the latter, as well as the generator, motor, and condensenbeing shown conventionally. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a vertical section in the plane of. the line A A, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a vertical section in the plane of the line B B, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a vertical section in the plane of the line C C, Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a ver tical section in the plane of the line D D, Fig. c 1 and Fig. 8 is a vertical section in the plane of the line E E, Fig. 1.

The generator is shown conventionally at 1, a condenser at 2, a motor at 3, and a translating device, in the present instance a series of coils suitable for the operation of an electric tool-driver, at 4.

The commutator is supported upon a suit able frame, in the present instance a pair of legs 5 and 6,'surmounted by a table 7, which may be made in en erposed half-sections for convenience in dril mg half-sockets in the adjacent faces of the sections for the mounting of the contact making and breaking plungers to be hereinafter explained. The table 7 is provided with a central opening 8, and in the opposite ends of the table there are mounted contact making and breaking plungers, in the present instance two plungers in each end, the lungers in one end being de noted by 9 and 10 and those'in the opposite end by 11 and 12. These plungers are mounted in pairs upon the opposite sides of a cam-shaft 13, mounted in suitable bearings carried by the table 7, the said shaft being actuated by the motor 3. The cams carried by the. shaft 13 for actuating the plungers are in the nature of mutilated snail-cams, the ec- 1 portion of the cam beginning upon .11 abrupt slant ii 11 the concentric port on or" the vain and Lt urinating by an T client, as is common with snail-cams The can for operating the plungers i1 and 1.1 is denoted by 1 1-, and the cam for operzitting the plungers 10 and 12 is denoted by 15. hose cams are each carried by the shaft 13, and their abrupt faces are located a quadrants distance apart, so that each will operate a contact-plunger twice during its revolution-t. e., the cam 14 will operate the plunger 9 and at the next half-revolution will operate the plunger 11, while the cam 15 will operate the plunger 10 a quartenrcvolution alter the operation of the plunger 9 by the cam 14-, and after the cam 15 has completed a half-revolution it will operate the plunger 12, which will be operated a quarter-revolution after the plunger 11 has been operated by the cam 14.

The plungers9 1O 11 12areeach held yieldingly in contact with its operating-cam and disk by means of bar-springs 16, (see Fig. 8,) the said springs being fixed at their lower ends to bars 17 18, secured to the legs 5 and 6, while their upper ends partially embrace the plungers and engage abutments 19 on the plungers. The springs for the several plungers are quite similar in their construction and arrangement, and we have indicatedby symbol one only, 16, (shown in Fig. 8,) as sprung back by the action of the cam 14 to force the plunger 9 into engagement with its contact-piece. The several plungers are provided with platinum tips for immediate contact with their contactpiece, and the contactpieces which coact with the plungers are in the nature of fiat spring-arms 20, arranged in airs with their free ends opposite the outer ends of the several plungers, two such springarms being located on each side of the commutator and secured at their lower ends to bars 21 22 of suitable insulating materialas, for example, vegetable fiber. The said bars 21 and 22 are conveniently held in position by means of screws 23 24, which extend through the legs 5 and bars 17 18, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 1, and have on their outer ends adjust- IOC.

ing-nuts 25 26, two for each end of each of the bars 21 22, for the purpose of adjusting the bars 21 22, and'hence the spring arm-contacts 20 carried thereby, to the exact position required with respect to the ends of the contact-plungers 9 10,

To make the, breaking of the contact more abrupt and instantaneous than it would be by the gradual withdrawal of the end of the plunger from the spring-arm while the latter was permitted to follow it back to its normal position, we provide steps 27 28,1vhichmey be thin sheets of vegetable fiber made fast to the top of the table 7 at its opposite ends and projecting over the ends of the table to points slightly in advance of the positions which the spring-arms 20 would normally assume and in the path of the free ends ofthe arms, so that the free end of the arm 2(1- as it recedes when the plun er is allowed to drop oil the abrupt face oi the cam will under itsown spring tension follow the plunger up tothe point where the end of the arm 20 strikes the ston, at which moment it willbe instantanee ous y arrested and will be under such velocity that the plunger will have its contact-points separated from the springerm at that instant very quickly and sharply, doing away with any dwell whatsoever, thus obviating, far as may be, tendency to sparking. Provision is also made for reducing the spark by connecting the contact-pieces 29 with a con, denser shown conventionally at 2, which is brought into electrical communication a suitable interval before the break bet cen the plunger and the contact piece 26 actually, takes place. 0

The operation of the condenser coupled with means for 'commutating the current controlled by the plungersz. 6., in order-to re- .lieve the contact at the endof the plunger from carrying the entire body of the. current for operating the translating device, whatever it may be, save only for a short. interval,

just before the current is to be broken, we rovide commutator drums or disks capab e of receiving broad brushes, and these .are so timed with respect to the cams for operating the plungers that they will" close contact through the coils of the translating device, and so provide for the free flow or" current up to a point just before the circuit. is to be broken, when the commutator drums or disks will be thrown out of use, throwing the whole .current through the plunger and the yielding contact-piece 20 to bebroken by the drop of the ,plunger. To accomplish the above, the shaft 13, which carries the cams l4. and 151501 operating the plungers, is extended, a commution 01 ta-tor disk or drum 29, provided. with'conducting:- mat'erial 30, occu ying a small porperiphery, (see 7,) the remaining; portion of its periphery being of insulated The disk or drum 29 hasbearing thereon brushes 31 32, fixed to suitable blocks of insulating materiel 33 34, respectively, the latter held in position by bars 35 36, set in sition which-it would assumewhen the parts are denoted'by 50, 51, 52, and 53.

engaging the periphery 01" a drum or d mounted to rotate with the disk 29 and 1 ing by the contact therewith oi aplatc 40 of conducting material on the disk to throw the condenser into circuit and hold it in el i'irical communication after the brushes and 32 have left th conducting section of the drum. or disl z and have become insulated.

The drum or disk commutator composed of the sections 29 and 39, with their brushes, intended to coact with the plungers '3 and I}. and the circuit controlled thereby, while similar commutator composed of the drum or disk section ll and the drum or dish section 39, the former engaged bybrushes 4.3 and 44- see Fig. 3) and the latter by branches &5 46,. (see Fig. 4,) coacts with the plungers l0 andl2.

The disk 39, in addition to its conductingplates for coasting with thebranches 45 and 46, has also a ring 47 of conductingmaterial which ispre'ierably integral with the plates, the said ring being; engaged by a brush 48 in constant electrical connection with the condenser 2' through a wire .To illustrate the operation of the commutator, we have chosen a series of coils which. have been-found desirable to use in connection with an electric tool-driver, and this we have noted ihereinabove as the translating device 4:. V7 e have indicated in the space surrounded-by these coils a driveriin the po of the commutator are in the position shown inthe several figures. For purposes of explanation'the coils of the trenslatingdevice Theiwire leading'froin thevenerator 1 to the motoris denoted by 54. T e branchwire leading from the wire 54 to one pole of the coil 53 is denotediby 5 5, and in'this branch wire there is indicated a switch 56 for the purpose of throwing the translating deviceinto and out (if-operation. The opposite pole of the-coil 53 is connected by a wire 57 with the brush 31, wh1ch when the conducting-plate 30 1s 1n contact with the brush transmits current to the shaft 13, and hence to the-frame of the machine. Awire 58 leads from: the opposite pole of the generator 1 to the opposite pole of,the

-motor 3, andiabranch wire 59 leads to-the frame of the machine to com lete the circuit brush 43, the opposite commutator to complete the circuit'through the brush Awire 63 connects one pole of the coil Siwith the wire 55, the opposite which coacts with the plunger 10. in like manner the brushes 31 and 43 are connected with the spring-arms which coact with the plungers 1i and 12 by means of branch wires 68 and 69, respectively. One pole of the condenser 2 is connected by a wire 70 with the wire 58, leading to the generator, and also by means of the branch wire 59 is at all times in'lectrical contact with the frame ofthe machine. The opposite pole of the con denser 2 is connected by a wire 49 with the brush 48 in contact with the conductingring 47. It is to be here noted that connection with the several yielding arms 9 10 1 1 12 is made through the same wires by both the branches of the bifurcated brushes when the respective branches are in contact with the conducting-plates on the drums or disks.

Assuming the motor 3 to be in operation, the switch closed, and the driver (denoted by 71) in the position indicated within the coils, the cam 14 has at this moment pressed the plunger 9 into engagement with the contactpiece 20, thus completing the circuit through thecoil 51 and forcing the driver to the left to deliver its blow. As the shaft 13 continues to rotate, the plunger 9 will suddenly drop off the abrupt face of the'cam 14, making the quick break between its outer end and the contactiece 20, and the spark will be reduced by t e contact of the brush 38 with the conducting material 40 on the drum or disk 39, which has electrical connection with the condenser until after the break has been made. Shortly after the drop of the plunger 9 the plungerJO will be operated by the cam 15, and connection will be made through the coil 52 and branch wire 61 with the demagnetizing-coil 50, simultaneously releasing the driver, and by means of the coil 52 starting its return movement. This will quickly be followed by the action of the cam 14 on the plunger 11, which will in turn energize the coil 53 and complete the return movement of the driver, and momentarily after the circuit is broken through the coil 53 by the drop of the plunger 1 1 over the face of the cam 14 the cam 15 will engage the plunger 12 and energize again the coil 52 for starting the driver on its advance movement,

I -and this will be followed by the action of the cam 14 on the plunger 9, completing circuit through the driving-coil 51 for moving the driver toward its work. The action of the brushes 31 and 32 Will conformclosely to the action of the cam 14; but these brushes will slide off the conducting material on the disk 29 just before thebreak occurs by the falling of the plunger ofi'the abrupt face of the cam 14, thus throwing the entire current at and just before the break is made through the yielding contact-piece and the plunger. In the same manner the brushes 43 and 44 coact with the cam 15 and the plungers 10 and 12 operated thereby to help carry the current up to the moment just before the break is tobe made.

it is noted that the condenser 2, having one pole at all times in electrical connection with a ring on the shaft 13, is brought into action by a branch of the current-carrying brush and retained in electrical connection with the yielding contact-arm until after the break has beenmade, thereby reducing the spark on each of the circuit makers and breakers as the circuit is broken.

What we claim is- 1. In a commutator, the combination with a yielding contact-piece and a circuit maker and breaker arranged to move toward and away from the contact-piece, of means for actuating the circuit maker and breaker and a stop for arresting the yielding contact-piece on its return movement.

2. In a commutator, a supporting plate or table, plungers mounted in the plate or table to reciprocate longitudinally, a rotary cam mounted between the adjacent ends of the plungers for operating the plungers in one direction, springs for operating the plungers in the opposite direction and yielding contactpieces in position to engage the opposite ends of the plungcrs when the plungers are forced outwardly by the cam.

3. In a commutator, a supporting plate or table having a hollow center, plungers mounted in the plate with their adjacent ends projecting into the hollow space at the center of the plate or table, a rotary cam mounted in the said hollow space between the adjacent ends of the plungers for operating the plungers in one direction, springs for operating the plungers in the opposite direction, yielding contact-(pieces in osition to engage the opposite en s of the p ungers and stops for arresting the yielding contactpieces on their return movements.

4. The combination with a translating device including an electromagnetic coil, of a commutator comprising a contact-piece in circuit with the coil, a reciprocating circuit maker and breaker for enga ing the contactpiece, means for operating t e circuit maker and breaker, a condenser electrically connected with the contact-piece and means for establishing communication with the condenser to reduce the spark at the moment of breaking circuit through the electi omagnetic coil.

5,, The combination with a translating device including several electromagnetic coils, of a commutator comprising several contactpieces in circuit with the coils, reciprocating kit contactpieces and means for operating the circuit makers and breakers, a condenser electrically connected with the several contact-pieces and means for establishing communication with the condenser to reduce the s ark at the moment of breaking circuit t irough the several coils.

6. The combination with a translating device including several coils, of a commutator comprising contact-pieces in circuit with the coils, means for making and breaking circuit through the contact-pieces, and auxiliary circuitmakers and breakers in circuit with the contact-pieces and coils,-for assisting in carrying the current through the coils.

7. The combination with a translating device including several coils, of a commutator comprising contact-pieces in circuit with the coils, reciprocating circuit making and breaking devices arranged to coact with the con-- tact-pieces, means for operating the said cir-' cuit' makers and breakers and rotary commutators in circuit with the coils'and contact-pieces for assisting in carrying the current through the coils, the relation between the rotary commutators and the contactpieces with their reciprocating circuit-makers and breakers beingsuch that a circuit will be broken by the rotary commutator prior. to the breaking of the circuit by the contactpiece and its coacting circuit maker and breaker.

8. The combination Witha rotary disk or eeaesc 3 disk or drum provi ed with conducting material on a portion of its periphery, of a bi furcated brush, one branch of which is in engagement with one of the disks or drums and another branch with the other diskor drum, a condenser in electrical communication with one of said disks and a translating device in circuit with the other of said disks and means for rotating the disks.

9. The combination with a commutator including a rotary shaft, companion. disks mounted on the shaft and provided with con ducting material on a part of their periphery, brushes common to the companion disks, a disk or drum provided with conducting meterial throughout its entire periphery and-a brush in engagement with said disk, of a condenser in electrical communication with said last nameol brush and with one of the companion disks and a translating device in circuit with the other of said companion disks. in testimony that we claim the foregoing I as our invention we have signed our names, in presence of two witnesses, this 21st day of November, 1905.

ALLEN F. CARVER. JAMES N. STUUT.

Witnesses:

Fn'snrrl. HAYNES, Hm m THEME.

Images