US989133A - Selector mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

A. P. DIXON. SELECTOR MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION mum JAN. 20, 1908.

989,1 33. Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. F. DIXON.

SELECTOR MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20. 1908.

Patented Apr. 11,1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J I J 1 M; w 0 1 1 o A. P. DIXGN.

SELECTOR MECHANISM.

APPLICATION IILED 3111.20, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

A. F. DIXON.

SELECTOR MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED mmzo, 1908.

t 989,133. Patented Apr. 11,1911.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

'movement determining the distance which AMOS F. DIXON, OF NEW :ZQRK, Iii. Y.,.ASSIG"NQB TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMEEAN'LY', 351

CHICAGO, ELLINGES, A CQRPOBJATZON OF ILLINOIS.

snrincros.

Specification of i'i etters Patent.

ECHAEHEE'L Iratented Apr. lit,

application filed January 20, 1,308. fierial No. GAL-55)}.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, Amos F. DIXON, citizen of the United States, residing at Neva brush or simi r connector is driven a predetermined distance to move the connector in position to make a desired connection.

My invention consists in a combined selecting and driving mechanism, in which theselecting member thereof is moved, preferably step-by-step, from its normal .or initial position, and, after being thus moved and connected with the source of power which also operates the driving mechanism, is carried back, preferably by a single movement,

to its initial position, the extent of its return the driving mechanism moves the carrier. In accordance with my invention, instead of the traveling brush being: moved step-bystep to the desired point by the direct action of a magnet or magnets which respond. to'

the selecting impulses, such magnets merely .act to advance comparatively light mechanism, the extent of movement of which determines the distance of travel of the brush, whereupon power is applied from another source to move the brush directly to the predetermined point. Thus but little mechani cal work is required of the magnets which respond to the selecting impulses.

The several features of my invention may be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a section justwithin one of the supporting si'de frames, the position of such frame'being indicated in dotted lines, and the operating mechanism being shown in side elevation; Fig. 2 is a similar View of the opposite side of the mechanism; Fig. 3 is an end elevationyFig. 4 is a vertical sec tion through the clutch mechanism; Figs.

5, 6 and 7 are detail views of different parts frames 'Z, 8.

prise Contact brushes 1 mountedupon a vcrtically movable slide rod or carrier 2, so as to travel over and make engagement with stationary contact terminals 3. The rod 2 is secured to a cord d which passes over a pulley 5. Said pulley is threaded upon a shaft 6, mounted at its ends in the side (See Fig. 3.) Said pulley normally rests against a stop 50, and, by

threading on shaft 6, said pulley is, by its rotation in winding up the cord moved a slight distance longitudinally of the shaft away from engagement with the stop 56.

The pulley 5 is provided with teeth which mesh with a pinion 9, which in turn meshes with the teeth of a gear wheel 10, carried upon a collar 11, (see Figs. 3'and 4:) said collar also carrying a ratchet wheel 12. The

collar 11 is loosely mounted, preferably on a hub 13 forming part of a clutchmagnet,

which is adapted to connect the gear wheel 10 With a rotating shaft 18, as will be hereinafter described. It will be observed that the weight of the carrier 2 normally returns,

it to its lowered position, and hence a hold ing pawl 14 (Fig. 7) 15 provided, which cooperates with the ratchet 12 to retain the carrier in its operated position. The pawl 1 L is.normall 1 held out of en a ement with the teeth of theratchet 12 by the armature 15 of a holding magnet 16, mounted in any suitable manner upon the upper part of the frame 8'. When the armature 15 is at tracted, the holding pawl 14.- is thrown into engagement with the ratchet 12. (See Fig. 7). The armature 15 may also control a group of contact springs 17, in the usual manner Mounted loosely on the shaft 18 is a hollow shaft or collar 19 which carries a pinion 20 andialratchet wheel 21, by means of which said bllar is adapted to be rotated. The teeth of a reciprocatory rack, (Figs. 5 and 6) preferably in. the form of a pivotally mounted segmental rack 22, mesh with the Thesegmental rack 22is rotatably inounthuh of said rack step nnignci- 0 pawl 29 rests against a stop and. held out i of engagement with said ratchet Wheels. l /hen the armature is attracted, as shown in Fig. 5. one branch of the compound pawl engages with the ratchet and steps it one tooth, at the and oi which movement the other branch of the pawl ei'igages the ratchet 27 and prevents further movement ol: the parts for Shilili operation oi the armature.

An impulse current in the magnet 3i thus 7 serves by the system 01'. gears 3118i described.

to advance the gear oy a'. comparatively long step. The rack 22 niay also be advancetl by an impulse of current in the shortstop magnet 32, the armature 33 of which carries-a pawl 3 L, adapted, when. the armature is actuated, to engage he ratchet- Wheel 21 and step it forward one tooth, and, through the pinion 20, give u short step to the rack 25?. ll; Will he holed that the mag rats 31 and. 32 step the rack or selecting inen'iber in the some u ection the connection being such that the ifOllflQl' produces a long step and the latter a short step as, for example, ten of the short slog-s may be equal to one of the long steps. The long and the short step of the member would then correspond or he proportional to the distance of travel of the brush carrier over ten, and. over one, respectively, of the line terminals. The iii-matures oi the magnets 31., 3:2, may control the opening and closing of Contact springs 33, 34: in case this be found necessary.

The collar 19 is preferably provided with drag Wheel having teeth on its pe riphery with which a spring pressed drag engages and thereby prevents a too free rotation of said collar.

Secured on the collar 19 to rotate therewith is a disk 37, forming the armature or movable member of a magnetic clutch. Said disk is provided, with one or more extensions or lugs 38 extending perpentlicular y to the clisl' iron the cireiunference the (N 1 The free entl of said lug provided with a pin 39 projecting in front of a svries of holes 40 near "the rim of the Wheel ll he, e liar 19 is capable a slight longitudinal movement on the shaft 18, but is normally held by the thrust of the spring 4i, l) in suca position that the pins 39 do not I many enter the holes 20. I

A friction disk 4:2, preferably of brass or other non-magnetic material is mounted rotate "with the shalt l8 Said disk i mounted. before the pole faces of a magnet inclosetl in a casing It will be under ..1te directions.

stood that the release device, 1H1 m l open the circuit through tin co'. magnetic clutch; ll he he into frictional engagement wil L11 ilisli thus causing he collar 1') null the pinion 20 carried th reby to rotate with the shaft 1. The httraction of the dish 3? causes the pins Bil on. the cinil of the lugs 38 to enter the holes 40in the Wheel ll), thus coupling said gear Wheel to the shaft 18 vthrough the ilirietionally engaging disks 37, lib 'ihe shaft 1E5 rotates in a direction to wincl the cord on the pulley and thus elevate the carrier or roll :5. tlherel'ore by llie energ'zation oi the coils of the elccironiagne clutch, the cord l is wound on lho pulley 5, while the direction of rotation of the pinion 20 by the shaft 18 is such that (he segmental ruck is returned i0 iis' initial position,

operates the the Since,

as hereinhei'ore sigi'iezl to control, by ni ht of circuits, the ll it is obvious that the 252 to its position agai t i" i stop will throw open the magnetic clutch, 'stonnecting the uinion 20 and the gear it) i om rotar movement with the shaft lb. it is apparent, therefore, that the rel stance the carrier 2 is moyetl is (lcpeinlein upon the distance the seg gmental raclt is sh pped from its initial )ositiOn. As before stated, a holding pawl 1 prevents the ncght oi the carrier returning the same to its normal position until said pawl has been removed from engagement with the rutihet 12 by tho (leiinm'gization of the holding magnet. such lee/nergisca-tion being controlled in any suitable manneix fii'iel'ly stalctl, the operation of the met-luv nisin will in {,iKilijlzzl he as follows: The holding magnet ll? will first he energized to attract its ainmlm'e l5, allowing the pawl iello cn n ge llie rai -hut l2 and ly llm actuaiiou of the coulai-i rlhl'llllf ll". establishing. ii llcsireili such cu'z'uil' conditions as may he new xi' x' lo llic lm'thei. operation oi the other parts. The stepping magnet 31 will now he euz -rgim-xl and fahrmigh the agency of pawl $2.) and ratchet 25% n 'ill a liv a long step \l1]l(f(. the segmental rock -9 l For o; :h n'npulse of current corresponding to a uistancu of travel over ten terminals by the carrier J. 'e-hc stepping" u'zu nct Ill may next hr open will aml through the terminal by ino carrier The rack constiu segmental iacli seams v I tuting the selecting mechanism being thus set, the clutch magnet may then be excited, whereby the constantly rotating shaft 18 is coupled to drive the pulley 5 to raise the carrier rod 2 to a predetermined point. At the same time the shaft 18 returns the rack to its initial position, whereupon said rack operates the clutch release spring 26,

which may be arranged-to open the circuit of the magnetic clutch. The traveling brush 1 has thus been removed to the re quired point and stopped. W hen it is desired to restore the brush carrying rod 2 to its normal position, the holding magnet 16 is denergized, whereupon the holding pawl 14 is withdrawm-and the Weight oi said rod causes the cord at to unwind from the pulley ,5, said pulley being operatively connected with the loosely mounted gear wheel 10.

I claim:

1. In a selector switch, the combination with a movable switch member,'o f a select ing member, selectively controlled electrical means for advancing said selecting member, and driving mechanism arranged to return said selecting member to its initial position and to drive said movable switch member a distance predetermined by the extent of movement of said selecting member.

2. In a selector, the combination with a movable selecting member, of a brush carrier arranged to travel over line terminals, means for advancing said selecting member a distance from its normal position corresponding to the desired travel of the brush carrier over said line terminals, and motor mechanism arranged to'return said selecting member to its normal position and to advance said brush carrier a distance corresponding to the distance of return travel of the movable selecting member.

3J1n a selector, the combination with a movable selecting member, of a brush carrier arranged to travel over line terminals, means for advancing said selecting member a distance from normal corresponding to the distance of travel of the brush carrier over ten of said line terminals, means for advancing the movable member a distance from.

normal corresponding to 'the distance of travel oi: the brush carrier over one terminal, and motor mechan sm for returning said selecting member to normal and for advancing the brush carrier a distance corresponding to the distance of travel of the movable selecting member from its advanced to its normal position.

in a selector, the combination With a movable selecting member, of a brush carrier arranged to travel over line terminals,

electrically controlled means for advancingv said selecting inember step-by-step a distance fromats normal position correspondto the l'lftsired traveler said brash, carrier over said line terminals, motor mechanism arranged to return said selecting memher to its normal position and to advance said brush carrier, means for operatively connecting said mot-or mechanism to said selecting member and to said brush carrier, and means operated by said selecting member upon its return to its initial position to disconnect said selecting member and said brush carrier from the motor mechanism, whereby the distance of advance travel of said brush carrier corresponds to the distance of the return travel of the selecting member.

5. A selector switch comprising electrical means adapted to respond to selecting impulses, a step-by-step selecting member actuated by said means, a movable brush carrier, motor mechanism adapted to move said brush carrier and to return said selecting member to its initial position, means for simultaneously bringing said motor mechanism into operative relation with said carrier and said selecting member, and means operated by said selecting member upon its return to its initial position to arrest the iovement of said brush carrier at the point predetermined by the extent of the return movement of said selecting member.

6. In a selector switch,- the combination with a movable switch member, of a step by-step selecting member, an electromagnet arranged in its response to selecting im-' pulses to advance said selecting member by long steps, a second electromagnet for advancing said selecting member by shortsteps, motor mechanism adapted to drive said movable switch member and to return said selecting member to its initial position, means for simultaneously bringing said motor mechanism into operative relation with said carrier and said selecting member, and a switch arranged to be operated by said selecting member when the latter is in its initial position, for disconnecting said motor mechanism from said carrier and said selecting member.

7. In a selector, the con'ibination with a movable switch member, of step-by-step selecting mechanism, electromagnetic means for advancing said selecting mechanism, continuously-acting motor mechanism, a magnetic clutch, means actuated by said clutch for operatively connecting said motor mechanism to said switch member to drive the same, means actuated by said clutch for.

with a movable switch member, of a rack,

a pinion cooperating therewitaselectivelv controlled electromagnetic means for ad vaneing said rack, and driving mechanism arrange to operate said pinion to return said rack to its initial position, and to drive said movable switch member a distance pre determined by the extent of the return move ment of said rack.

9. In a selector switch, the combination with a movable switch member, 0? a. rack, a pinion cooperating therewith, an elcctr magnet adapted to respoml to selecting impulses, mechanism operated by said electrt magnet for at'lvz'incing said raclc step-bystep, motor mechanism adapted to move said brush carrier and to operate said pinion to restore said rack to its'initial posit-ion, means for simultaneously bringing said motor mechanism into operative relation with said carrier and id pinion, and means operated by said rack upon its return to its initial position to arrest the movement of said movable switch membe at the point: predetermined by the extent of the return movement of said rack.

it). In a selector switch, the combination with a movable switch member, of a rack, a pinion cooperating therewith, an electromagnet arranged in response to selecting impulses to advance said raclr by long steps, a second electromagnct for similarly advancing said rack by short steps, motor mecha nism adapted to move said brush carrier and to operate said pinion to restore said rack to its initial position, means for simultaneously bringing said motor mechanism into operative relation with said carrier and said pin ion, and means operated by said rack upon its return to its initial position to arrest. the

movement of said movable switch member at the point. predetermim d by the extent of the return movement of said rack.

11. In a selector, the C()l'i1l)ll'l2ttl0ll with a movable switch member, of a rack, a pinion cooperating therewith, electromagnetic means for advancing said rack a predetermined distance, continuously-acting motor mechanism, a magnetic clutch, means actuated' by said clutch for opcratively connccting said motor mechanism to said pinion to restore said rack to its initial position, moans actuated by the connection of said pinion with said motor meclmnism to operat'ively connect said motor mechanism to said switch member to drive the same,and means op -rated by said rack in its initial position for dctlnergizing said magi'ietic clutch.

l2. In a selector, the coml'iii'iatitm with a movable switch member, of a constantly rotating' shaft, driving gear adapted to be operated by said shalt to move said switch member, a pivotally mounted scr'u'icntal rack, a pinion cotiperating therewith, said pinion being loosely mounted on said rotating shat't, an cltartron'iagnet, pawl and ratchet mccl'ianisi'n operated thereby for adl l l l t i vancing said rack by long steps, second eicctromagnet, pawl and ratchet mechanism operated thereby for advancing said rack by short steps, said rack in its advance rotating said pinion in a direction reverse to the direction of rotation of said shaft, an electromagnetic clutch for coupling said pinion and said drivinggear to said rotating shaft, and a clutch releasing switch arranged to be operated by said rack upon its return to its initial position.

i 123. In a. selector, the combination with a movable switch member, of a rotating shaft, driving pea r adapted to be operated by said shalt to drive said switch member, selecting mechanism for determining the travel of said switch i'nember, electromagnetic.means for setting said selecting mechanism, restoring gear adapted to be operated by said shaft to return said selecting mechanism to its initial position, clutch mechanism for connecting said driving gear and said restoring gear to said rotating shaft, and clutch releasing mechanism operated by said. selecting mechanism upon its return to its initial position. r14. in a selector, the combination with movable switch member, of a. constantly rotating shaft, driving gear adapted to be operated by said shaft to drive said switch member, step-bystcp selecting mechanism, electromagnetic means for stepping said selecting mechanism. restoring gear adapted to return said selecting mechanism to its initial position, an electromagnetic clutch tor connecting said driving gear and said restoring gear to said. rotating shaft, and a clutch releasing switch arranged to be opened by said so voting mechanism upon its return to its initial position.

15. in a selector, the combination with a movable switch member, or a constantly rotatinpshaft, driving gear at apted to be operated by said shaft to more said switch member, reciprocally mounted selecting mechanism, an elcctromagnet, pawl and ratchet; mechanism operated thereby for advancing said selecting mechanism by long steps, a second clcctromagnct, pawl and ratchet mechanism operated thereby for advancing said selecting mcchanism by short steps, restoring gear engaging with said lectingmechanism and lttlflpl'tjtl by its actuation to return said selecting," mechanism to its initial position, an electromagnetic clutch for connecting said driving gear and said re storing gear to said constantly rotating shall, a clutch releasing switch arranged to be operated by said stzlecting mechanism upon its return to its initial position, a holdiup magnet, and a holding pawl controlled thereby for maintaining said movable switch member in the position to which it moved by said driving gear.

16. in a selector, the combination with a BEE,

movable switch 'inember, of selective mechanism, selectively controlled electromagnetic means for advancing said selecting mechanism, a constantly rotating shaft, a loosely mounted driving gear for moving said switch member,v restoring gear loosely mounted on said shaft for returning said selecting mechanism tovits initial position, clutch mechanism forsimultaneously connecting said loosely mounted gears with said rotating shaft, and a clutch release member arranged to be operated upon the returnof said selecting mechanism to its initial po sition. I

17. in a selector, the combination "with a movable switch membeiyof selecting mechanism, selectively controlled electromagnetic means for advancing said selecting mecha nism, a constantly rotating shaft, a loosely mounted driving gear for moving said switch member, restoring gear loosely mounted on said shaft for returning said selecting mechanism to its initial --position, an electromagnetic clutch adapted when energized to secure one of said gears to said rotating shaft, a connecting member adapted when said clutch is energized to operatively connect said gears, and a clutch release member. arranged to be operated upon the return of said selecting mechanism to its initial position.

18. in a selector, the combination with a movable switch member, of a constantly rotating shaft, a loosely mounted driving gear adapted to be operated by said shaft to move said switch member, reciprocatingselecting mechanism, electromagnetic means for ad-. vancing said selecting mechanism, restoring gear loosely mounted on said shaft and' adapted to be connected with said shaft to return said selecting mechanism to its ini-' tial position, an electromagnetic clutch adaptediwhen energized to couple said restoring gear to said rotating shaft, means operated when said restoring gear is coupled to said shaft to also couple said driving gear to'saidshaft, and 'a clutch releasing switch arranged to be-opened by said selecting mechanism upon its return to its initial position.

19. In a selector, the combination with a movable switch member, of a constantly rotating shaft, aloosely mounteddrivinggear arranged tobe operatively connected to said shaft to move said switch member,.a pinion loosely mounted on said shaft, a rack 00- operating with said pinion, selectively controlled electromagnetic means for stepping said rack and pinion, said pinion being rotated therebyin a direction reverse-to the ro tation of said shaft, clutch mechanism adapted when operatedto simultaneouslyconnect said pinion and said driving gear to said rotatingshaft, and a clutch release member arranged to be operated upon the return of said rack to its initial position.

20. In a selector, the combination with a movable switch member, of a constantly rotating shaft, a loosely mounted driving gear arranged to be operatively connected to said shaft to move said switch member, a pinion ated in the engagement of said pinion with said shaft for operatively connecting said driving gear to said shaft, and a clutch releasing switch arranged'to be opened by said rack upon its return to its initial position.

21. In a selector," the combination with a movableswitchmember, of a constantly rotating shaft,'-a loosely mounted'driving gear arranged to be operatively connected to said shaft to-move said switch member,a pinion loosely mounted on said shaft, a rack cooperating with said pinion, selectively controlled electromagnetic means for stepping said rack and pinion, said. pinion being rotated thereby in a directionreverse to the rotation of said shaft, a disk carried by said pinion, an electromagnetic clutch for coupling said pinion to said shaft, said disk forming the armature of said electromag netic clutch, an extension of said disk adapted when said clutch is energized to engage said driving gear and operatively connect it to said pinion and there y to said shaft, and a clutch releasing switch arranged to be opened by said rack upon its return to its initial position,

22; In a selector, the combination with a movable switch member, of a constantly rotating shaft, driving gear adapted to be operated by said shaft to move said switch member, a pivotally mounted segmental rack, apinion cooperating therewith, said -pinion' being loosely mounted on said ro-' tating shaft, an electromagnet, pawl and ratchet mechanism operated thereby for advancing said raeltby long steps, a second electromagnet, pawl and ratchet mechanism operated thereby for advancing said rack by short steps, said rack in its advance rotating said pinion in a direction reverse to the direction of rotation of saidshaft, a

disk carried by said pinion, an electromagnetic clutch for coupling said pinion to said shaft, said disk forming the armature of said electromagnetic clutch, an extension of said disk adapted when said clutch is energized to engage said drivinggear and operatively connect it-to said pinion andthereby to said shaft, and a clutch releasing switch me; 11s controlled arranged he openecl by said its return to its initial position.

in c selector, the combination with e. rotating shaft, of a gem loosely mounted on said she-it, a driving wheel, :1 switch .ieinber dri n Hereby. an electromagnetic clutch for ioupl reek upon L 131' said to said shei't, .f seio. clutch for operly connecting said driving wheel to said to move said swtcl'i member, and means for releasing said clutch upon the movement of said gees a predetermined clisfence.

The combination with rotating sheft, pinion, melt cooperating therewith, s We mechanism for advancing saicl rack :1 predetermined distance, a driving gear, i member driven thereby, a clutch for c0upling said pinizin to said shaft, said pinion being driven thereby in a direction to return said rock to its initial position, means operated when said pinion is coupled to said shaft for cperetivelv connecting said driving gear to said rotating shaft, and clutch ielezisc inechni'iisin operated by said rock upon its return to its initial position.

In a selector the combination with s.

movable switch member, of a continuously rotating power shalt. EL switch opcretino shaft in al neinent with said power shaft, jurn'gziposecl friction disks carried by the respective shafts, one s "l clisksbeing of magnetic material, a lcsl-electi'oma not mounted concentric win the axis of shafts, said, magnet having an annular pole p o adeotecl to attract disk of mag netic material and drew it into engagement with the other (lisl: to cause the switcn operating shaft to be driven from said power shaft, and means controlled by said switch operating shaft controlling the leenergization of said electron'isgnet.

26. in {L selector, the combination with e.- jmcvable selecting member, of a. movable switch member, means for advancing sui l selecting member a distance from its normal position, corresponding to the desired travel of said switch member, a continuously rotating power shaft, a longitudinally slionble switch-operating she/it in alinement wi l1 said power shaft, a disk of magnetic ineterisl 08.11l0l by said slidable shaft, 2L juxtaposed friction clisl: carried by said power shaft, a cylindrical electroznzignet mounted concentric with the axis of said shafts, said magnet having an annular pole piece adapted to attract said disk of magnetic material and draw it into engagement with the other disk to cause the switch operating shaft to be driven from said power shaft, fear driven by switch operating shaft for returning said selecting member to its initial position, and 2: clutch releasingswitch arranged in be opeieted by said selecting membeiuupon its return to its initial position; whereby the movable switch member is advanced during the excitation of said magnet a distance pee; ile'terininecl by said selecting n'ieniber.

ln witness whereof, E hereunto subscribe my mune this fifteenth day of January,

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