US1494057A - Controller - Google Patents

Description

May 13, 1924.

1,494.057 A. J. BROWN CONTROLLER Filednec. s, 1920 gwg START/N6 i l i Patented May 13, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,494,057 PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR J. BROWN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO ALLIS-CHALMERS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

CONTROLLER.

Application filedDecember 3j 1920. Serial No. 427,990.

To all 'whom t may concern.:

Be it known that ARTHUR J. BRowN, a citizenof the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of `Milwaukee and State of LIVisconsin, has invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Controllers, of which the following` is a specification.

This invention relates `to vswitches or controllers. Itmay be applied in switchesfof the type having an off or neutral position and two operative positions and :particularly a first circuit-'closing position and a second circuit-closing position. In certain relations it becomes desirable toV prevent movement of a switch from its off position into its second circuit closing position unless the switch has been first moved into its first circuit closing position. One of the objects of this invention is the provision of means whereby the aforementioned result may be secured in a simple and efficient manner. Another object of the invention is the Vprovision of means whereby this result vmay be attained in connection with ordinary double-throw knife switches with little or no reconstruction of the switch itself. Other objects will appearlhereinafter as the description of the inventionproceeds.

The novel features of the invention will 30 appear from this specification and the accompanying drawings forming part thereof and disclosing one embodiment of said Ainvention and all these novel features are intended to be pointed out inthe claims.

In the drawin s Fig. 1 is aside lelevation of a switch mec anism embodying the Ainvention, the housing 'being broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mechanism `illustrated in Fig. 1, partsthereofibeing broken away.

The invention has been Yshown 4in the drawings as it may be applied in connection with a knife switch 1. The switchinay have vany desired number of'blades 2, only two blades being illustrated in Fig. 2, the rest of the switch .and housingparts Ibeing broken away. The blades 2.areppivoted in a desired manner and are adaptedfto'be swung up into engagement with the stationary conytact clips 3, (see Fig. v1) and down into engagement with the stationary contact clips 4. In case vthe switch is `used `for starting fmotors, the upperandlower.positions of the movable fmember may bewthe starting and running positions respectively in accordance with the legends on the drawing. The clips 3, 4 are mounted in anysuitable manner on a base board 5, which may be in turn supported directly on a vwall (not shown) or on an auxiliary base. The switch blades 2 are connected to operate in unison by means of the cross-bar 6 to which is fastened the handle 7, the latter extending through an opening 8 in the cover 9 of a housing l0.

The housing 10 is here shown ascarrying a pivot pin 11 which is preferably substantially in line with the axis of rotation of the blades 2. A movable member lever 12 is adapted to swing on the pivot'pin 11 and is associated for movement with the operating means of the switch by a disengageable connection between it and the crossbar 6. This disengageable connection comprises a tongue 13 at'the end of the lever 12 adapted to enter a recess 14 in the cross-bar 6. The lever 12 is provided with an extension 15 which when the lever 12, and therefor the operating mechanism of the switch, is in off positionmakes a positive angle with the horizontal. The extension 15 is provided with a longitudinal slot -16. An inertiamember, here shown as including a roll 17, and a pin 18 adapted tomove freely in slot 16. In order that the inertia-member may be better balanced, a roll19 may be provided atthe other end of the pin 18 on the other side of the extension 15.

A stop 20, herefshown as also mounted on the housing 10, is provided with a surface 2l substantially at right angles to the path of movement of ,theroll 17 when the operat ingmeans isiinoved .from the off to therunning or second operative position, that is, towards the yclips 4. The stop 20 is also provided with a surface 22 substantially concentric with the pivot pin 11. The surface 22 is some distance radially beyond the center of the roll 17 when `the operating ,means-is inits oif position.

A spring 23 is provided, one end 24 of which, .is fastened to the pin 11 and the other end 25 of which is disposed on the side of the lever 12 toward the vfirst 4operative position ofthe switch.

The clips 3 are `provided with terminals and connectors 26 which may be connected to any desired device as for example, an auto transformer. .heavy starting fuses or directly to the electrical supply lines, etc. The switch Vblades2 may be electrically connected by means of the terminals and connectors 27 to an electrical supply line for example, and the clips 4 may be electrically connected by means of the terminals and connectors 2,8 either directly to a motor or other translating device, or through fuses to such devices. It may be stated that as far as the novel features of the present invention are concerned the electrical connections to the device with which the invention is used are entirelyimmaterial.

The operation of the device disclosed is as follows:

If an operator attempts to move the lhandle 7 in a downward direction, that is, toward the clips 4 this motion will be soon arrested by engagement of the roll 17 with the surface 21 of the stop if these parts are not already in Contact, The operator may, however, move the handle 7 in an upward direction and fully into engagement with the clips 3. Inasmuch as the lever 12 and extension 15 move .With the movable switch. member the extention 15v will rotate 90 degrees or an amount proportional to the yangular movement of the handle 7, in a clock-wise direction. inasmuch as the slot 16 now makes a negative angle with the horizontal the inertia-member 17 will roll to the radially outer end of the slot 16. The spring '23 hasmeanwhile been wound up by the lever 12 and is preferably of such strength that very little effort will be necessary to pull the blades 2 out of 1 the clips 3. If now the operator quickly moves the operating handle in'a downward or counter clock-wise direction the inertiamember 17, being at a higher gravity potential level when the extension 15 again assumes a positive angle, will not have .time to roll to its position in Fig. `1 and will not have have reached the level of the surface 22 before it has passed the surface 21 in a counter clock-wise direction. lt will lbe seen that by the described motion the inertia-member is permitted to move out of the way of the stop at least a sufficient time to enable it to pass said stop, provided the motion from the first circuit closing position to the second position'is executed with sufficient rapidity, and this is of course desirable in case the switch mechanism is used for example, in starting motors. The spring 23 is designed to facilitate this rapidity of movement, but it is clear that the device would be operable without this spring.

Itl should be understood that it is not vdesired that the invention claimed be limited to the exact details of construction sho-wn and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent: I

1. In a switch having operating means having an off and a first and second operative position, a. member movable with said ope-rating means, a stop, an inertia-member movable with and with respect to said movable member to a position where it will engage said stop when said operating means kis moved from off' toward said second position, said inertia-member moving to a position with respect to said movable member out of the way of said stop when said operating means is moved to said first position whereby said operating means may be moved from said first position` to said p said second position, means having 1n' ertia movable with the movable element of said switch, and having a predetermined radius of movement when said element is moved from off' position toward said second position, a stop for engaging said inertia-means and preventing movement thereof to said second position and means whereby said inertia-means moves to a position of larger radius when said movable element is moved to said first position.

3. A switch having operating means having an off and a first and second operative position, a member movable with said operating means said member having a slot making a positive angle with the horizontal when said operating means is in off position, a stop, an inertia-member movable to a position in said slot where it will engage said stop when said operating means is moved toward said second operative position, said inertia-member being movable to a position in said slot out of the way of said stop when said operating means is moved to said first position, whereby said operating means may be moved from said rst position tosaid second position.

4. A switch having a pivoted movable element disposed in a substantially horizontal 0E position, a pivoted lever movable with said element, said lever being provided with a slot making a positive angle with the horizontal when said element is in off position, an inertia-member movable to an inner limiting position in said slot, a stop for engaging said inertia-member when in said inner position, whereby when said element is moved upwardly said inertia-member will move to an outer position out of the way of said stop.

5. In combination withta switch havin an olf position between a first and second operative position, means for preventing movement of the switch from ythe off position into said second position but permitting movement from said lirst position into said second position comprising means having inertia movable with the movable element of said switch, said means having a predetermined position when said movable element is in said off position, a stop for engaging said inertia-means if moved toward said second position, and means whereby said inertia-means is permitted to move bodily to a different position with respect to said movable element when said movable element is moved to said first position.

6. In combination with a switch of the type having an off and a first and second position and having a movable contact member operable by an insulating cross-bar, a

housing for said switch, means mounted on said housing for preventing movement of said switch into said second position without prior movement into said first position, and means including a disengageable connection between said means and said crossbar, whereby said switch may be bodily removed from said housing without disassembling said switch or any portion thereof.

7. In combination with a double throw knife switch of the type provided with ann ond operative position, a housing for said switch, means, including a lever pivoted to said housing substantially coaxial with the axis of rotation of said switch, for preventing movement of said switch into said second position, and a disengageable connection between said lever and said switch whereby said switch may be bodily removed from said housing without disassembling said switch or any portion thereof.

9. In combination with a pivoted switch of the type having an off and airst and second operative position, means for preventing movement of said switch into said second position without prior movement into said irst position, and a disengageable connection between a portion of said switch and a portion of said means one of said portions having a tongue cooperatingwith a recess in the other said portion whereby said means and said switch may be bodily separated without disassembling either said switch or said means.

l0. In combination with a double throw switch of the type having an oit position between a first and second position and having a movable contact member operable by an insulated cross-bar, a housing for said switch, means mounted within said housing for preventing movement of said switch into said second position without prior movement of said switch into said first position, and means including a disengageable connection between said means and said crossbar, whereby said switch may be bodily removed trom said housing without disassembling said switch or any portion thereof.

In testimony whereof, the signature of the inventor is aiixed hereto.

ARTHUR J. BROVN.

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