US2194311A - Switch operating mechanism - Google Patents

Description

MOTOR DRIVEN v. w. LEONARD 2,194,311 SWITCH PERATING MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 8, 1935 Inventor: Vincent W Leonard,

y is Attorney.

Patented Mar. 19, 194i) 11mm. ST

SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM Vincent W. Leonard, Saugus, Mesa, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Original application August 8, 1935, Serial No. 35,316. Divided and this application June 7, 1938, Serial No. 212,274

12 Claims (Cl. 20027) My invention relates to switch operating mechanism and more particularly to intermittent switch operating mechanisms used as timing mechanisms for traffic controllers. This application is a division of my application Serial No. 35,316, filed August 8, 1935. Y

- One object of my invention is to provide an improved adjustable mechanism to facilitate the adjustment of the periods between switch operations.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved adjusting mechanism to facilitate the adjustment of time periods between switch operations for a cycle of operations and simultaneously to provide a phas adjustment of an operating cycle relatively to other cycles in the same time switch or in similar switches in an interconnected system.

For a better understanding of my invention, 0 together with other and further objects thereof, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

I In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates a front View, partly in section, of my improved mechanism; Fig. 2 is a side view in section of the same device; Fig. 3 is a front view of a trafiic sig nal controller equipped with the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 4 is a side view of a switch actuating key.

Referring to the drawing in detail, Figs. 1 and 2 disclose a switch operating mechanism including a dial composed of a face plate In, a back plate II in the form of a ring, and intermediate spacing rings i2 and I3. These members are spaced from each other by Washers I l placed respectively betweeneach pair of adjacent members, and are held in assembled relation by rivets [5 equally spaced about the center of the face plate. The face plate is provided with a group of radialslots l? arranged near the periphery of the plate. These slots are equally spaced about the center of the plate, and in the d illustrated example, one hundred slots are pro- .vided and markings placed at each tenth slot. The face plate is further provided with a slot l8 and a sight opening H) which is in the shape of two intersecting circles, the points of intersection forming-indicator points for the sighting of the position of the face plate relatively to a core member 20. Y

The back plate i l of the dial is provided with radialslots Zlcorrespondingto the slots ii in the face plate. The intermediate spacing rings plates, respectively.

[2 and I3 are of a smaller diameter than the face plate and the back plate, thereby forming a groove, in the assembly, into which a helical spring 22, in the form of a-closed ring,'is sprung. The spacing rings l2 and I3 are provided with ,5 open ended slots 23 which are aligned with the slots I? and 2! of the face plate and back plates, respectively, but do not extend to the outer ends of the slots H and 2t in the face plate and back 110 The face plateifl is rotatably mounted on a I hollow shaft 25 and contiguous to the core member 20. This core member is rigidly attached to the hollow shaft 25, is provided with markings corresponding to the markings of the slots Min .15 the periphery of the face plate and may'there- .fore be termed a secondary dial. The faceplate,

which may for convenience be called the primary dial in order to distinguish it fromthe secondary dial, is held in contiguous relationship to. the ,20 secondary dial 29 by a helical spring-26 which surrounds the reduced end 21 of the hollow shaft 25 and is held under compression by a collar,2.8' attached to the reduced end 2? by a set screw 29. This frictional engagement of' the secondary 5 dial with the face plate is effected so that the" face plate may be movedangularly'relatively to the secondary 'dial, whenever it is desired to I change the relationship between the peripheral slots, on the face plate, and the secondary dial. 30 It is further desired to lock the face plate,jin the desired position, to the secondarydial 2!] to prevent relative movement during operation. Forthis reason, the secondary dial 20' is provided with peripheral serrations 3B which are aligned respectively with thevgraduation markings on the dial. The face plate is'provided with a knife edged lever 35 which projects through the slot it in the face plateand is pivoted upon a bracket 32 attached to the back; of 40 the dial assembly. The lever moves about a pivot pin 33 and isurged in a clockwise direction about this pivot pin by a spring .3 3. The spring urges this lever into contact'with the secondary dial 2i! and effects an engagement ,45 between the lever, which is at this point provided with a knife edge 35, and the serrations on the periphery of the secondary dial. When it is desired to change the relationship between the dial assembly and thecore, it is onlynecessary to move the lever 3i upwardly in its slot is to lift the knife edge 35 out of a serration 30 and turn. the dial assembly until the desired relationship is obtained The graduation markings on the secondary dial are easily visible v in place by a screw 42.

through the opening it, and the indicator point is lined up with the knife edge of the lever 3! and that radial slot ll on the face plate which is marked 0.

For the purpose of rotating the dial assembly, the hollow shaft is provided with a gear 3 rigidly attached to it, and the hollow shaft mounted for rotation upon a solid shaft 33. solid shaft in the illustrated example is attached to a panel 38 by having its reduced end projected through an opening in the panel until a collar on the shaft is in contact with the face of this panel. The end of the reduced portion 39 is then riveted over to hold rigidly this shaft perpendicularly to the face of the panel. The collar 40 is then a spacer for maintaining a spaced relationship between the gear 355 and the panel 38. To prevent the dial assembly from slipping ofi the end of the shaft, a washer 4! is attached to the other end of the shaft held The entire assembly is driven at a predetermined speed by a gear 43 on the end of the motor driven shaft '44 projecting through the panel 38. The exact relationship or the two gears 35 and Q3 and their respective shafts 3'!" and M is better illustrated in Fig. 3. The gears are of the same sizeand the driving gear is used to drive several dial assemblies.

Fig. 1, therefore, illustrates the driven shaft forward of andbelow the shaft ill. 44 is preferably operated by a synchronous motor. The speed of such motors is dependent upon the frequency of the alternating current supplied to it, and since it is possible to maintain constant frequency on a distribution system, the speed of such motors is predetermined and constant.

, In Figs. 2 and 3, I have illustrated switch mechanisms operable by the dial assembly above described. This switch mechanism comprises a .pair of contact springs 46 and 41 rigidly held on the face of the panel 38 by blocks 48 and MI. The free ends .of these contact arms project into slots 50 and 5! in a block 52. The

slots are so arranged that the spring arms are held in a position such that contacts '53 and .54 carried by .the spring-armsrespectively are held in an open circuit position. The lower contact arm 46 is provided with a finger attached to the arm by an insulating block 56, so that when during the operation of the dial mechanism, a key engages this operating finger, the lower contact 53 is raised into engagement with contact 54 to make a circuit through an operating coil 5'! indicated in dotted lines.

The dial mechanism above described operates the switch to -Jil by means of keys inserted in some of the radial slots. Figs. 2 and 4 illus-- trate side views of the operating keys which are inserted in the slots i'l'for the purpose of actuating the switch mechanisms mounted on the panel at. placed in the slot marked 0, and is, therefore, the reference key. It is not intended to'be moved, and is, therefore, provided with only a small head 65. It is a sheet metal key of sufficient length to project under the pair of contact arms 46 and M. It is provided with indentations 82 on its edges. "When the key is moved through the-slot I! in the face plate, it raises slightly the spring 22 which, when the key is in its proper positions, falls into the outer one of the indentations 62 and holdsthe key'in position. This key fit is a reference point for the positioning of a key 553 (see Figs. 1 and 4) The shaft cation of the dials.

The key at the top of Fig. 2 is corresponding to the key 60. Key 83 is pro vided with a larger head 64 so that it may be easily removed and replaced. Only one of these keys 93 is illustrated in Fig. 1, but any desired number may be used. The number of these keys 5 This key is provided with a rectangular head as which is large enough to enable an operator to change easily its position and to distinguish it from the keys 63. operate in the same manner as the keys Bland 63 to operate the first pair of contacts and operates the second pair of contacts once during each revolution of the dial. The instant of this actuation-is easily determined since the key is distinguished from the other keys-by its rectangular head. Each of the three keys 60, 53, and 85, therefore, operates the contacts 53-54 but only key 55 operates the second pair of contacts 6E561.

In Fig. 3 I have shown the front view of the panel 38 on which three of the above-described dial assemblies are provided, each being driven by the gear 43. Each of these dials may be ad justed relatively tothe others merely by lifting the lever 3i and turning the face plate relatively to the secondary dial 241, and in each plate, the keys will be spaced in accordance withthe desired timing'of switch operations. A cover in is provided to cover the contacts and the dials. Opena ings are provided to register with each dial mechanism so thatit may be visible when the cover is in closed position. Another opening H is provided in the cover to register with a dial 12'. used to indicate the time period for which the dial rotations are adjusted. In this figure, the cover 1!! is broken away to illustrate fully the switch contacts operated by one of the dials, and illustrates partly contacts operated by another dial. Each dial operates a similar set of contacts. The contacts may be arranged to close a circuit intermittently to any desired apparatus wherein the actuations must be accurately timed. Fig. 3 merely-illustrates 'one appli- In this illustration, the panel 38 is that of a traffic signal controller in which each dial is arranged to control traffic signals through a definite time sequence. The

The key$5 functions to so secondary dials are driven in a predetermined fixed relationship relatively to each other from the main drive shaft 44 through the interconnecting gears 43 and 3B. The markings on the primary dials and on the secondary dials correspond to each other and also correspond to other 4;;

Several 7o plication is a division, the relationship indicated between the primary and secondary dials of one controller also indicates the relationship between the various operating cycles in the system. Only one of the dials is effective at any one time and switching means are provided so that each dial may be selected to efiect operation of the signals.

The herein described mechanism is simple both in construction and operation. The dial is assembled of sheet metal members into which the key slots are readily stamped, and its mounting upon the shaft of the core member is readily accomplished by a simple friction device comprising the spring and collar. In operation the keys may be readily inserted in any desired one of the peripheral slots, and are tightly held therein by the spring in the groove. When these keys are placed in tie slots in order to obtain the desired cycle of operation, this dial may be turned relative to its secondary dial to adjust it in relation to any other dial in the system.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a switch actuating mechanism, the combination of a rotatable dial including a core member, a face plate angularly adjustable rela' tively to said core member and provided with radial slots, keys for operating switch members projecting through said slots, means in said dial for holding said keys in said slots, and means for locking said dial in any desired angular relation to said core member.

2. In a switch actuating mechanism, the C0111- oination of a rotatable dial including a face plate provided with radial slots, a groove in the periphery of said dial, keys for operating switch members projected through said slots and through said groove and a helical spring in said peripheral groove, the helices of said spring which reg ister with said slots, respectively, being lifted by each key as it is moved into position in said slot and being respectively held in engagement with said keys to hold the latter in their respective positions in the dial.

3. In a switch actuating of a face plate, radial slots in said face plate arranged near the periphery thereof. keys arranged in said slots at predetermined intervals and projecting through said face plate, means for holding said keys in said slots, a core member for said face plate, a shaft rigidly attached to said core member for rotating same, means for holding said face plate and said core member in frictional engagement so that these members may be readily rotated relatively to each other, and locking means for locking said face plate and said core member in any desired angular relation relatively to each other.

4. In a traffic signal controller, the combination of a rotatable shaft. a core member comprising a disk attached to said shaft, a second disk mounted upon said shaft androtatable relatively to said core member and provided with peripheral slots, a ring provided with slots corresponding to the slots in said disk member attached to and spaced from said disk member, keys projecting through corresponding pairs of slots in said ring and disk. a switch member in the path of said rotatable keys, and means for locking said. disk member in any one of a plurality of positions relatively to said core member.

5. In a traffic controller, the combination of a rotatable shaft, a core member comprising a disk mounted upon said shaft and rotatable therewith, a disk member mounted on said shaft and dial, the combination 3 rotatable relatively thereto and provided with peripheral slots, a ring attached to and spaced from said disk provided with slots corresponding to the slots in said disk, keys projecting through corresponding slots in said disk and said ring, means for locking said keys in said slots comprising-a helical spring mounted between said ring and said disk and engaging the outer edge of said keys, means for locking said disk in any one of a plurality of. positions relatively to said core member, and a switch mounted in the path of movement of said keys and intermittently operable thereby.

6. In a switch operating mechanism the combination of a rotatable shaft, a core member' having a diameter smaller than said disk in said first ring and being provided with open-ended slots corresponding to the lower portion of the slots in the disk in said first mentioned ring, keys projecting through corresponding slots in said disk and said intermediate rings, and a helical spring mounted between said ring and said first-mentioned ring, said spring resting on the peripheries of said intermediate rings and upon the outer edge of each of said keys to lock the same in position, means for locking said disk in any one of a plurality of positions relatively to said core member. and switch members mounted in the path of movement of said keys and inter mittently operable thereby.

'7. In a switch actuating mechanism, the combination of a primary dial, radial slots in said primary dial arranged near the periphery thereof, keys arranged in said slots at predetermined intervals and projecting through said primary dial, means for holding said keys in said slots, a secondary dial associated with said primary dial, a shaft rigidly attached to said secondary. dial for rotating it, means for holding said primary dial and said secondary dial in frictional engagement and in rotatable relation to each other, and locking means for locking said primary dial in any desired angular relationship to said secondary dial.

8. In a trafiic signal controller, the combination of. a rotatable shaft, a secondary dial comprising a disk attached to said shaft. a primary dial'mounted upon said shaft and rotatable relatively to said shaft and secondary dial and provided with peripheral slots, a ring provided with slots corresponding to the slots in said primary dial attached to and spaced from said primary dial, keys projecting through corresponding pairs of slots in said ring and in said primary dial, a switch member in the path of said rotatable keys, and means for locking said primary dial in any one of a plurality of positions relatively to said secondary dial.

9. In a trafiic signal controller, the combination of a. plurality of primary dials, a secondary dial. associated with each primary dial, means for adjusting each primary dial relatively to its secondary dial independently of the adjustment on he other primary dials, and means for driving said secondary dials in a predetermined fixed relationship relatively to each other.

10. In a traffic signal controller, the combination of a plurality of primary dials, a secondary dial associated with each primary dial, means for adjusting each primary dial relatively to its sec-- ondary dial independently of each other primary dial, a drive shaft for each secondary dial, a common drive shaft operated by said controller and a gear drive between said common drive shaft and said secondary dial shafts for driving said secondary dials in a predetermined fixed relationship relatively to each other.

11.' In a traffic signal controller, the combination of a drive shaft, a plurality of secondary dials, means for driving said secondary dials in .a predetermined fixed relation relatively to each other and relatively to said drive shaft and a primary dial associated with each secondary dial each of said primary dials being adjustable relatively to its associated secondary dial independently of the relative adjustment between the other of said primary and secondary dials on the controller.

12. In a traffic signal controller, the combination of va drive shaft, a plurality of secondary .5

dials, shafts for driving said secondary dials respectively, gears attached to said secondary dial shafts and to said main drive shaft respectively and in engaged relation with each other for driving said secondary dials in a predetermined 1U VINCENT W. LEONARD.

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