US843902A

US843902A - Multiple electric switch.

Info

Publication number: US843902A
Application number: US32984106A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herman J S Lewis
Original assignee: JOHN H DALE
Current assignee: JOHN H DALE
Priority date: 1906-08-09
Filing date: 1906-08-09
Publication date: 1907-02-12
Anticipated expiration: 1924-02-12

Description

UNITED STATES ITENT OFFICE..

`HERMAN J. S. LEWIS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOE 'EO JOHN H. DALE, OF

NEW Yorin, N. Y.

MULTIPLE ELECTRIC SWBTCHL,

Application filed August 9,

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANJ. S. Lewis, citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multi-y ple Electric Switch, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a multiple switch for incandescent lamps and other electrical appliances where it is desired to switch any vide the simplicity of operation wh.

desired number of circuits into and out of action. l

lThe principal object of the invention is toy provide a switch which is adapted by the rotary movement of a single part toL move a number of switch-levers successively into circuit-closing relation. I further aim to release all of the switch-levers simultaneously when desired, and, nally, to have both the circuit-closing and circuit-opening movements take place very quickly tor each switch-lever, so that the circuits are broken abruptly and dangerous or destructive arcs prevented.

With these'and other objects in view the invention consists, in the combination of parts and features of construction hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view with part of the casing broken away, showinga multiple switch embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direct'ionof the arrow. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the switch-levers in circuit-closing relation. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line i 4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is a view from the right-hand side in Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view,

and Fig. 7 is a detail view, showing the spiral 4 spring which is utilized in the construction.

For the purposes of private dwellings it is ordinarily impracticable 'to have switchboards and panel-boards to control the various circuits.v The knife-blade switch is, however, best adapted for controlling circuits where there is considerable aniperage, since it makes good sliding contact with' low resistance, has a widethrow to separate the parts, and is capable of moving quickly. order to retain all of the advantages c 4 ,c knife-blade switch and at the same time Specification of Letters Patent.

natented Feb. 12, 190?.

1906. Serial llo 329,841.

necessary in a dwelling, I inclose a number of Yspecially-constructsd knife blade switches within an insulating-bor; and have a cam operated by' an ordinary button Jfor moving the various kniice-blade switches Vexactly as they'were directly manipulated by a skilled electrician.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like parts arel designated by the same reference-sign, l indicates the box of housing` oi porcelain or insulating material, which may be opened at one side 2 to receive the switch and mechanism.

3 indicates a base which is inset in the open side 2 oiQ the boi: and which may be secured in place by bolts e, passed through the box and base.

'ihe knife-blade switches are designated 5, all pivoted at a central point 6 to standards 7 on the base 8.

8 and 9 indicate contact-plates for both ends of the imite-bl ade switches. rihese plates are disposed in rows on the base 3, so as to lie 4in the path of the switch-levers 5.y

i0 and il indicate terminal clips respectively connected to the plates 8 and 9 from which any desired circuit-connections may be made. dournaled on an aids in proz" -ity to switcl evers 5 there is provided a cam in the lorm oiF a block oi' insulating mat with a cylindrical and cut-away portici. adapte-l to move the various switch-levers. rilhis cam or rotary block i2 is loose on a spindie i3, but is constrained against longitudinal rn `vement by certain parts hereinafter desc e l. 'ille spindle and block l2 are, however, capable of being clutched together by a l5 on the spindle, which may enter notches l5 in a small collar i6, fixed to the block. r@he spindle is normally impelled into t is clutching relation by a spring l? fit one end of the spindle opposite the clutch l5 there is a sleeve i8 with a milled button i9 and r1- 'ch is spil-ned to the spindle 2i mdicates a ratchet-wheel on the-sleeve which is consti1 led against reverse movement by a spring-pand 22 l 'n this means rotarily in one i9; but the the cam or block 12 may be turned by the The cam or block is formed differently at different Zones or sections along its length corresponding to the various switch-levers 5. .The form corresponding to the first switch-lever of the series is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In the practical construction a cylindrical surface 27- is interrupted by' a notch 28, having one substantially radial wall 29, at the outside edge of which. is arounded protuberance 30. Each of the switch-levers 5 carries a pivoted finger 31, which is capable of certain limited movement. In the construction shown the movement is limited by a portion. 32 of the fmger which moves in contact with the surfaces 33 and 34 of the switch-lever. The relation is such that the point 35 of the finger is capable of moving into opposite tangential directions on the surface 27 of the cam or block 12. The second,l third, and fourth switch-levers have pivoted .fingers in all respects similar to the finger 3l of the first lever 5. 'Ihe cam or block 12 also has zones or sections for the respective switchlevers, which are exactly like the first section, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, except that the notch 28 is Wider in the case of each successive switch-lever of the series. The walls of the notches for the second, third, and fourth switch-levers are` designated by dotted lines in Figs. .2 and 3. l

36 indicates springs connected to the various switchlevers and which normally impel them into circuit-closing relation and in a direction to bear the finger 31 against the cam or block 12.

The operation is as follows: I will imagine all of the switch-levers to be in vcircuit-opening relation, as shown in Fig. 2, and that it is desired to close the circuit of the fourth switch-lever. For this purpose the button 19 is turned in the direction permitted by the ratchet 21, which has the efl'ect of turning the cam or block 12 in the 'direction of the arrow in Fig. 2. After a certain distance of movement the protuberance 30A1 comes into contact with the finger 35 of the fourth lever of the series. rlhe first effect of this protuberance is to swing the pivoted finger 31 toward the right in Fig. 2, after which the pivoted finger drops into the notch 284, corresponding to the fourth switch-lever. rl`he fourth circuit is now closed and the third, second, and first switch-levers are thereafter successively tripped into action. The relation of parts just after the last switch-lever has moved is shown in Fig. 3. It will be seen that the finger 31 is so directed that it acts as a detent and drops freely past the radial wall 29 of the notch. This is by reason of the fact that it has been previously moved into such relation by its engagement withthe protuberance 30. All of the switch.- levers are now in circuit-closing relation. The switch-levers are all moved into circuitopening relation at the same time by depressing the spindle 13 inward. For this purpose the end of the spindle projects beyond the button 19, as shown at 37, Where it may be provided with any suitable insulatingbutton of ornamental character. When the spindle is depressed inward, the clutch 15 15 is released and the spring 23 impels the spring or block 12 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3. The rst effect of this rotation is to swing the pivoted finger 31 of the first switch-lever 5 back'into the relation shown in Fig. 2'. Thereafter the surface 38 of this finger acts as a cam-surface, so that the same is depressed by the rotation of the block 12 and theswitch-lever is pressed into circuit-opening relation. By the time the block 12 is returned to its initial position all of the switch-levers will have been so impelled to open their respective circuits. It will be observed that since the return motion of the block 12 is a spring-impelled movement the opening of the circuits at all of the switch-levers will be very rapid.

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Thus I secure the separate manipulation of 1 all the switch-levers and an abrupt movement in their.circu1t-closing and circuitopening action all by the manipulation of a single button and a release-spindle. An additional feature of the arrangement is that it is impossible to manipulate the button 19 so as not to get an abrupt movement for closing the circuits and an abrupt movement for opening them.

In practice the various contact-plat es 8 are separated by insular' ing-part it ions 40, which are conveniently made of porcelain integrally with the base 3. The terminals 10 are also separated by insulating-partitions 41. hs many of these insulating-partitions may be provided as required g but it is ordinarily sufficient for all practical requirements to provide merely the ones above mentioned.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a n' ul'liple electric switch, a plurality of pivoted switch-levers, springs for impelling said levers normally into circuit-closing relation, and a cam having a reverse movenient; for actuating the switches into circuitopening and circuit-closing relation respectively.

2. In a multiple electric switch, a plurality ling said levers normally into circuit-closing relation, and a cam having a reverse movement for actuating the switches simultaneously into circuit-opening and successively into circuit-closing relation.

3. In a multiple electric switch, a rotarilymounted insulating cam, a plurality of switch-levers in the path of said cam and adapted to be tripped into circuit-closing relation thereby, and means for irnpelling said cam to have an abrupt rotary movement whereby said levers are moved into circuitopening relation.

` 4. In a multiple electric switch, a plurality of knife-blade switch-levers adapted to clcse a plurality of independent circuits, a button for moving said levers into circuit-closing relation by an abrupt movementand another depressible button for moving them into circuit-opening relation by 'an abrupt movement.

5. In a multiple electric switch, a switchlever having a pivoted inger thereon and a cam arranged to act upon said finger, whereby the same acts as a detent to release the switch-lever, and has a cam-surface to reposition said lever' by reverse movement ot said cam.

6. In a multiple electric switch, a springimpelled switch-lever, a finger on said switchlever, a cam in the path of said finger and arranged to move the same in a direction to trip the switch-lever into action and reposition said lever by reverse movement of said cam. y

7. In a multiple electric swit ch, a plurality of switch-levers e'ach having a pivoted finger thereon, a cam moving in the path of said ingers to successively trip the switch-levers into circuit-closing relation, and means for abruptly rotating the said cam in the reverse direction whereby said levers are repositioned in 'circuit-opening. relation.

8. In a multiple electric switch, a plurality of 'switch-levers, a cam spring-impelled in one direction and acting on said switch-lcvers to move them into circuit-opening relation by such rotation, and means for rotating said cam in the other direction when desired, whereby the switch-levers are successively tripped into circuit-closing relation.

9. In a multiple electric swit ch', a plurality of switch-levers, a button for moving said switch-levers successively into circuit-closing relation by continued rotation of said button, and separate depressible means for simultaneously moving the switch-levers into circuit-opening relation.

10. In a multiple electric switch, a plurality of switch-levers spring-impelled into circuit-closing relation, a button arranged to trip said levers successively into circuit-closing relation by continued rotation of said button and separate depressible means for `impelling all of the switch-levers abruptly into circuit-opening relation.

11.v In a multiple electric switch, a plurality ot switch-levers spring-impelled into circuit-closing relation, means for tripping the' levers successively into such relation, and a separate spring connected to impel the switch-levers into circuit-opening relation when released.

12. In a multiple electric switch, a lurality of switch-levers spring-inipelled into circuit-closing relation, a butt-on arranged to trip said levers successively into such relation, a spring forirnpelling said levers into circuit-opening relation, and a spindle coaxial with said button and adapted to release said last-mentioned spring whereby the levers are simultaneously moved into circuitopening relation.

13. In a multiple electric switch, a spindle capable orn movement in one direction, a cam on said spindle, and spring-impelled in the other direction, a clutch for connecting said spindle and cam, switch-levers in the path of said cam, and means for releasing said clutch.

14. In aA multiple electric switch, a plurality of switch-levers, springs for impelling the levers into circuit-closing relation, means for tripping the levers into such relation, and means for impelling the switch-levers into circuit-opening relation by an abrupt movement against the tension of said springs.

15. In a multiple electric switch, a spindle capable of longitudinal movement, a sleeve splined thereon and capable of rotary movement in one direction, a cam on said spindle, and spring-impelled in one direction, a clutch connecting said spindle and cam and pivoted switch-levers in the path of said cam.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HERMAN J. S. LEWIS.

Witnesses:

WALDO M. CHAPrN, WM. M. STOCKBRIDGE.

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