US1515531A - Timer - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 111, 1924. I

H. C. WILBER' TIMER Filed Jan. 31. 1923 INVENTOR M 6. W453 BY 4% A TTORNEYS Patented Nov. 11, 1924.

UNITED STATES HAROLD C, WILBER, OF T'USGOLA, ILLINOIS.

TIMER.

Application filed January 31, 1923. Serial No. 616,164.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARoLD C. Winona, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Tuscola', in the county of Douglas and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Timer, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in circuit controlling apparatus and has particular reference to a timer for automobile en 'nes.

n object of the invention is to provide improved means for preventing the accumulation of dirt and other foreign substances on the stationary contact segments of the timer.

Another object is to clean the stationary contacts of a timing apparatus by a device which is controlled by the speed of movement of the movable contact to intermittently engage said stationary contacts.

A further object is the provision of a contact cleaning device which may be readily incorporated in timers of a well. known type without materially altering the construe tion thereof.

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detail de scription, when taken in connection with the acompanying drawing, which illustrates a preferred form of the inventive idea.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of a timer of well known construction showing the invention applied thereto; and

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the attachment embodying the features of the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the numeral 3 indicates a shell or casing of a timer of well known con-- struction and including the binding posts 4 having electrical connection with the contact segments 5 arranged about the inner periphcry of the casing and suitably insulated from each other. The timer further includes a shaft 6 having a plate 7 at one end to which is pivotally connected intermediate its ends an arm 8 carrying at one end a suitable con tact device 9, which is held in engagement with the contact segments 5 by the coil spring 10 connected to said plate 7 and the opposite end of the arm 8.

In carrying out the present invention, the plate 7 is provided, at a point substantially opposite that to which the arm 8 is pivoted,

with an extension 11 having a bifurcated outer end in which a substantially arcuate brush carrying arm 12 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends. One end of the arm 12 has attached thereto but insulated thercfrom a brush 18 having a cleaning edge 14 thereof adapted for engagement with the various contact segments 5 to clean the same as the shaft 6 is rotated.

The opposite end 15 of the arm 12 is enlarged or weighted and is connected to the plate 7 by means of a coil spring 16 which tends to draw the weighted end 15 inwardly against the centrifugal force produced by the rotation of the shaft 6 so as to yieldingly maintain the brush 13 in engagement with the contact segments 5. It is desirable that the brush 13 be moved out of engagement with said contact segments when the shaft 6 is exceeding a predetermined speed of r0- tation, such as for instance one hundred revolutions per minute. The tension of the spring- 16 is accordingly regulated so that when the speed of said shaft and consequently of the contact device 9 increases be yond a predetermined point the centrifugal force occasioned by the rotation of the shaft will overcome the action of the weighted end 15 and spring 16 and move the arm 12 about its pivot to disengage the brush 13 from the contact segments 5. IVhen the speed of rotation of the shaft again decreases below the predetermined point, it will be obvious that the arm 12 will again be moved about its pivot and the brush l3 engaged with said contact segments in which position any dirt or other foreign substances will be removed from said segments, thus maintaining the efliciency thereof in the operation of the timer.

What is claimed is:

1. In a timer, a plurality of contacting segments, a contact device electrically associated therewith and movable relative thereto, and means movable with said contact device and engageable with said segments to clean the same only when the movement of said device is below a predetermined speed.

2. In a timer, a plurality of contacting segments, a contact device electrically associated therewith and movable relative there to, a brush carrying member movable with said contact device, a brush carried by said inember and engageable with said segments to clean the same as Said device is moved,

and means for yieldingly maintaining); said brush in engagement with said segments until the movement of said device exceeds a predetermined speed.

3. In a timer, a plurality oit contacting segments, a contact devi-ire electrically associated therewith and. movable relative thereto and means controlled by said contact device and engageahle with said segments to clean the same only when the movement of said device is below a predetermined speed.

4. In a timer, a plurality of contacting: segments. a contact device electrically assoeiated With said segments and rotatable with respect thereto, a brushcarrying arm rotatable with said contact device having a pivotal movement With respect thereto, a brush carried by said arm and engageable with said contaetin segments to clean the same as said contact device is rotated, and means connected to the other end of said arm for yieldingly maintaining said brush in engagement With said segments until the rotation of said Contact device exceeds a predetermined speed.

HAROLD C. ILE-ER.

Images