US977664A - Controlling means for electric circuits. - Google Patents

Description

J. K. LUX.

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR ELECTRIC omcm'rs.

APPLIOAIION FILED APB.26, 1906. Patented Deep/6 2 BHHETSBHEET 1.

J. K.- LUX.

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 26, 1906.

Patented Dec. 6, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L Q'V ENTOR 0M 4. I v

WITNESSES 1+ awu.

J'ULIUS K. LUX, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 6, 1910.

Application filed April 26, 1906. Serial No. 313,836.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J U'LIt s K. LUx, a citizen of the United States, residing-at St.

Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controlling Means for Electric Circuits.

My invention relates to improvements in electric switches, and it consists in the constructions, combinations, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide an electric switch operating with a minimum of friction, and which is capable of actuation with a quick, snap action with a minimum of shock.

A further object of my invention is to pro-' vide an electric switch capable of being brought to a position of eflicient contact by a relativelysmall actuating force, and which shall be durable and inexpensive in construction.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part oft-his application and in which similar reference symbols indicate corresponding parts in the several views: Figure 1, illustrates my invention embodied in a doublebrcak snap switch; Fig. 2, is a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3, is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the switch in open position. Figs. 4 and are detailed views of a portion of the mechanism, partly broken away. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the coil spring showing the housing in section.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a base. preferably formed of suitable insulating material, and carrying fixed contacts B and C, provided with bindin posts B and C for attaching, the ends E C of conil actors.

A support D, carried by the base A, provides bearings for the several movable elements of the device. Movable contacts G and l are journaled at G in the support D,

and provided with a bearing for rotatably.

receiving a trunnion screw M, which latter is jonrnaled in the bearing D. The screw Mk is provided with threads for engaging a threaded opgning in the operating handle E, to rigidly secure. said handle thereto.

A spur-"toothed element L is arranged on the operating means E in operative engagement with a spur gear K. The gear K is secured to a double-crank shaft F, F, F, which crank isjournaled at F and F in the support D,-and constitutes a tensioning gieans for a plurality of actuating springs A plate H, provided with a stiffening flange H is shown secured to the movable contacts G, I, and provided at its rear portion with an upwardly extending flange G and with a downwardly extending flange G The actuating spring...J is connected to the crank F and to the downwardly extending flange G and the spring J is similarly connected to the crank F and the upwardly extending flange G Fig. 1 shows said connection of the spring J to its flange GK located above the connection of the spring J to its flange G and also at a less distance from the pivotal support of the movable contact than is such connection of the spring J to its flange G By this construction, the tension of the spring J decreases more rapidly than that of the spring J during the opening swing of the movable contact, and the tension of the spring J is wholly relieved before the movable contact reaches the end of its opening swing, thus producing a greater aggregate tension or force in closing the switch than in opening the same. This arrangement of the actuating springs enables the spring J to be made sufficiently strong and heavy to insure an efiicient closing of the switch, without producing an excessive shock in the opening swing of the movable contact. The frictional engagement of the movable contact with the fixed contacts B and C constitutes a yielding resistance which acts to able contact forgiving it an initial movement. Suitable stops D, D are provided for'limiting the opening and closing movement of the operating handle E.

A conductor N is. secured by a binding post N to a support N, which carries a housing N for a flexible conductor N'of in N and conductor N resilient material similar to that shown in my pending application No. 327,159, filed July 21, 1906.

I have shown the flexible conductor N coiled in the housing N* and having one end secured in electrical circuit with said hous- The other end of said coiled conductor is shown extending in the axis of the pivotal support of the movable contact, and having its end portion formed radially for attachment to a binding screw N on said movable contact. This arrangement of the flexible contact obviates frictional rubbing and danger of entanglement thereof during the swing of the movable contact.

The flexible contact can be so arranged that it will be free from stress when the binding screw N is substantially at the mid portion of its travel. This arrangement insures an equal but opposite stress in the coil of the flexible conductor for the two extreme positions of the movable contact, and causes the conductor to constitute a resilient means acting to accelerate the movement of the movable contact during the initial portion of its swing andto retard such movement during the latter portion of its swing; this retarding action during the latter portion of the swing provides a yielding resistance, which acts as a buffer for preventing shock to the moving parts of the device. In such construction, the work exerted by the flexible conductor on the movable contact for accelerating the movement or" the latter during-the initial portion of its swing is restored in, said conductor during the action thereof in retardin the motion of the movable contact in the atter portion of its swing; the algebraic sum of such accelerating and retarding work during'a complete swing of the movable contact being equal to zero. The flexible conductor N thus acts on both swin of the movable contact to accelerate its initial movement and to constitute a yielding bufl'er at the end of the spring movement the said portions operate to return the handle E and the conveyer F, to their open or closed positions as the case may be. In other words m" and m prevent E and F from sticking'or dwelling at the dead center of the spring movement. The said portions m and m are preferably incident to the opening movement.

made integral; they assist the snap opening and closing of the device respectively; and the latter is more easily compressed than the former. I

The part m" yieldingly actuates or accelerates the movable contact during only a part'of the sna movement of the latter and the sprin J rst co-ac'ts with the spring m and t ereatter completes the opening movement unassisted. By this means the movable contact will have no radual or part opening movement but ony a complete snap opening movement. The part m engages the part M after a prearranged movement of the operating handle; the former is laced under increasing stress as the part JE nears the dead center, and the parts are so adjusted and proportioned that when m is fully compressed the energy stored therein starts the cooperative contacts apart with a quick snap movement andv preferably irres ective of the opening power of the spring The spring-J meanwhile is brought into position to co-act with m and to complete the opening movement.-' It will be noted however that the yielding art m could snap the contacts apart and reak the circuit. The portions m contact before touching the part M and when the said parts touch their combined yielding powers are applied to M I Other features are that the power of the spring J to snap the cooperative contacts apart may be decreased so as to reduce the opening shock while not lessening the arc rest-rictlng snap movement. Or the yield ing means N may be made stronger or less easily compressed so as to decrease the shock 01' both of the last two mentioned features may be used to open the device with reduced shock.

From the above description, it will be seen that my invention provides an eflicient sary strains and operating with a minimum of friction.

form of electric switch free from unneces- I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory construction, but-,obviously, changes could be made.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device ofthe character described,

cooperative fixed and movable contacts, op-

said movable contact, during a portion of its movement. 5

2. In a device of'the character described,

the combination "offixed and movable contacts, operating means including a yielding starter for imt ally starting the movable contact from its extreme positions and reemcee silient means carried by said operating means for actuating said movable contact during a portion only of its movement, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the character described, 7

the combination of fixed and movable contacts, means for actuating said movable'contact with a quick, snap act-ion, and a flexible conductor. so attached to the movable contact that it will be free from stress at the mid portion of the travel of said movable contact, substantially as described.

4. In a device ofthe character described,

the combination of fixed and movable con during another portion of such travel, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of fixed and movable contacts, yielding means for actuating said movable contacts with a quick, snap action, and a flexible conductor secured to said movable contact for augmenting the force of said yielding means during the initial portion of the movement of the movable contact'and' opposing? the action of said yielding means during the latter portion'of the movement of said movable contact, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the character described,

the combination of fixed and movable contacts, means including a yielding starter for actuating said movable contact with a quick,

contact, yielding actuating means for swing ing said movable'jcontact'on its pivotal support with a quick, snap action, and a flexible conductor attached tosaid movable contact at a distance from said-pivotal support, and formed to bring its axis in line with the axis of the pivotal support,substantially as described. p

. 8. In a device of the character described,

-. the combination of fixed and movable contacts', a pivotal support for said movable a quick, snap-action, and'av flexible conductor of resilient material connected to said movable contact for augmenting the forceof said actuating means during the initial portion of-the opening and closing swings of the movable contact, substantially as described.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of fixed and movable contacts, a pivotal support for said movable I 'contact, actuating means for swinging said movable contact on its pivotal support with a quick, snap action, and a flexible conductor of resilient material connected-to said movable contact-to augment the force of said actuating means during the initial portion of the swing of the movable contact and to constitute a yielding bufier for said movable contact during the latter portion of its swing, substantially as described.

10. In a device of the character described,

the combination of fixed and movable contacts, a pivotal support for said movable contact, operating means constructed to engage said movable contact in its extreme positions for shifting the latter therefrom, and a flexible conductor of resilientmaterial connected to said movable contact to augment the action of said operating means duringthe initial portion of the swing of the movablecontact and to constitute a yielding bufi'er for said movable contact during the latter portion of its swing, substantially as described. l

11. In a-device of the characterdescribed,

the combination of fixed and movable contacts, a pivotal support" for said movable contact,yielding actuating means for swinging said movable'contact on its pivotal support with a quick, snap action, operating means constructed toengage said movable contact in its extreme positionsfor shifting the latter therefrom, and a flexible conductor of resilent material connectedto the movable contact for accelerating the movement of said movable contact during the initial portion of its swing and retarding such movement during the latter portion of its swing, substantially as described.

12. In a device of the character described, the'combination of fixed and movable contacts, a pivotal support for said 'movable contact, yielding actuating means including a yielding starter'for swinging said movable contact on its pivotal support with a quick,

snap action, and resilient means for 'accelfor. tensioning said several springs to produce a greater aggregate tension there1n-130' during the closing movement of the contact than in the opening movement thereof, substantially as described.

14. In a device of the character described, the combination of fixed and movable contacts, a pivotal support for said movable contact, yielding actuating means for swinging said movable contact on its pivotal support, and resilient means connected to said movable contact to augment the force of said actuating means during the initial portion of the swing of the movable contact and to constitute a yielding butter for said movable contact during the latter portion of its swing, said parts being positioned to exert a greater force on the movable contact during its swing to closed position than on its swing to open position, substantially as described.

15. In a device of the character described,

the combination of fixed and movable contacts, a pivotal support for said movable contact, a movable spring actuator, a plurality of actuating springs connected to the said movable contact and actuator, and operating means for moving said actuator to bring all of said springs into action during the entire swing of the movable contact to closed position and to maintain only a portion of said springs in action'during the complete swing of the movable contact to open position, substantially as described.

17. in a device of the character described. the combination of fixed and movable contaots, a pivotal support for said movable contact, a housing arranged axially to said pivotal support, and a coiled flexible eonductor within said housing and connected to said movable contact, substantially as described.

'18. in a device of the character described, the combination of fixed and movable contacts, a pivotal support for said movable substantially as described.

19. In a controllin means for electric circuits, a support,'an electrical contact carried thereby, a cooperative movable contact, and means for operating the same,said means comprising an element for yieldingly actuating themovable contact during a predetermined moven'ient thereof, and an element for yieldinglv actuating said movable contact duringionly portion of such predetermined movement. I

20. In a controllingmeans for electric circuits, a support, an-l'electrical contact carried thereby, a cooperative movable contact, and means for operating the same, said means comprising arr element for yieldingly actuatingjthe movable contact during a predetermined"movement thereof, and an element impelled (by the said operating means for yieldingly actuating the said movable contact through a portion of such predetermined movemcnt.

21. In a circuit controlling device, a suitable support, an electrical contact carried thereby, a movable contact adapted to cooperate with the first-mentioned contact, yielding actuating means )ermanently connected with the said movabe contact, energizing means with which thd said yielding actuating means is also permanently connected, said yieldingly connected parts having relative movement whereby the cooperative contacts are urged together and apart with quick snap actions, and yielding means intormissively connecting the said energizing means with the said movable contact and accelerating the initial portion of the movement of the latter.

22. In a circuit controlling device, a suitable support, an electrical contact carried thereby, a movable contact adaptedv to coop erate. with the first-mentioned contact, yielding actuating means operatively connected with the said movable contact, energizing means with which the said yielding actuating means is also operatively connected, said yieldingly connected parts having a movement whereby the cooperative contacts are urged together and apart with quick snap actions, and yielding means initially urging the cooperativecontacts apart during a prearranged portion of the opening movement thereof.

23. In a circuit controlling device, a suitable support, an electrical contact carried thereby, a movable contact adapted to cooperate with the first-mentioned contact, yielding actuating means operatively connected with the said movable contact, energizing means with which the said yielding actuating means is also .operativcly connected, said yieldingly connected parts having a relative movement whereby the cotiperative contacts are urged together and apart with quick snap actions, and supplemental yielding erate with the first-mentioned contact, a

plurality of yielding actuating means permanently connected with the said movable contact, energizing means with which the said yielding actuating means is also permanently connected, said yieldingly connected parts having relative movement whereby thecooperative contacts are urged together and apart with quick snap-actions, and yielding means intermissively urging the movable contact so that a pre-arranged plurality of said yielding actuating means initially accelerate the movable contact and less than the said plurality of yielding means accelerate the movable contact during succeeding stages of its movement.

25. In a circuit controlling device, a suitable support, an electrical contact carried there by, a rocking contact adapted to cooperate with the first-mentioned contact, yielding actuating. means operatively connected .with the said rocking contact, energizing or tensioning means Witll'WlliCh the said yield ing actuating means is also operatively con nected, said yielding connections effecting a movement with greater yielding stress at the dead center than in the closed position of the device to urge the cooperative contacts together and apart with quick snap actions, and supplemental yielding means ur ing'the said tensioning means away from he dead center of the opening movement and toward the normal closed position of such tensioning means whereby the arts are prevented from 40 dwelling near the ead-center ofthe spring movement. April 26, 1906.

' JULIUS K. LUX.

Witnesses:

SIGMUND J. BLocK, J N0. M. CONWAY.

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