US2497416A - Switch lockout mechanism - Google Patents

Description

6 7 M M w T. E 7 W m 9 V O 4 m N 9- fiW A F e r Y W a B m 1 M i. F. PECKHAM SWITCH LOCKOUT MECHANISM Filed May 22,. 1946 Feb. 14, 1950 Patented Feb. 14, 1950 OFFICE SWITCH LOCKOUT MECHANISM Isidore F. Peckham, Chicago, 111., assignor to Donald P. Mossman, Sr.

Application May 22, 1946, Serial N 0. 671.453

1 Claim.

My invention relates to a switch lockout mechanism that is so arranged that when one, plunger, push button or switch lever is moved to active position other like devices of a bank of such plungers, push buttons or switch levers are locked against movement. Such mechanisms are also sometimes referred to as selector mechanisms. It is the purpose of my invention to provide a novel mechanism of this character that utilizes simple readily obtainable parts and is inexpensive to construct 01' repair and that has a long useful life with little wear on the moving parts.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a mechanism of this character using lockout members that can turn or roll in a tube so as to present fresh surfaces to the lever or plunger part, spacing being obtained to fit the particular mounting conditions by using a variety of sizes of lockout members in combination. Because of the nature of the lookout members, the necessity for wedge-shaped or pointed edges on the switch lever etc. is avoided.

The nature and advantages of my invention will appear more fully from the following description and the accompany drawings. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and description are illustrative of a preferred embodiment only and are not to be considered as limiting the invention except insofar as it is limited by the claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a bank of lever switches and the lookout mechanism;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front face view of the bank of switches;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary end view of the bank of switches;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a view like Figure 5 but showing the parts in a different position.

Referring now to the drawings, my invention is shown as applied to a bank of lever switches wherein a mounting plate ID has a row of switch frames H, l2, l3 secured thereto by screws I4. The switches carry spring contacts l5 which are operated by rollers l6 and IT. The rollers l6 and I! are rotatably secured upon an actuator I 8 that is pivoted in the frame ll by a shaft 19 and spaced from the sides of the frame by spacers 20. The actuator projects through the frame of the switch and through the mounting plate l0 placed between the actuators l8.

and has a handle 2!. The actuator I8 is held in adjusted position by a detent mechanism com prising a spring pressed roller 22 and teeth 23. The roller is mounted in a bar 24 that is suitably secured in the switch frame. The switch mechanism just described is a well known one. By moving the handle 2! right or left from the position shown in Figure 2, the spring contacts are caused to make or break electrical circuits. Since my invention is concerned only with the locking of the actuator l8 so that only one of the switches may be in actuated position at a time, the switch mechanism will not be further described.

My invention is embodied in certain parts that are applied to the mounting plate It) and arranged to cooperate with the actuators l8. It is believed to be evident that it is not limited to the type of switch shown but that it may be applied wherever this particular lockout action is needed. A plurality of brackets 25 secure a plurality of tubes 26, 2'1, 28 and 29, to the mounting plate 10. The tubes 26 and 29 have their ends closed by plugs 30 and 3|. The tubes 21 and 28 are The actuators have apertures through them as indicated at 32 so that when the handles 2| are in the positions shown in Figure 2, the apertures 32 align with the tubes to provide a continuous open passage between the plugs 36 and 3|. If one of the handles 2i is moved out of this neutral position, however, the actuator then forms a barrier across the passage.

In order to prevent more than one actuator from being moved out of neutral position at a time, I fill the tubes with a multiplicity of balls 33 of a size to roll freely in the tubes, but to fit rather closely therein. These balls may be, for example, slightly imperfect ball bearings that occur in the manufacture of ball bearings. These seconds, or rejects, of the ball bearing manufacturers are entirely suitable for my purpose.

If the tube length is such that a number of balls will fill the tube with just enough space left to receive an actuator barrier at one point, I use nothing but the balls. In cases where the spacing of the switches is such that this cannot be done, then I use pieces 34 and 35 of rods of a size to turn and slide freely in the tubes as spacers. These pieces can be cut to exactly the right length. They are spaced from the actuators in all cases by a ball on each Side of the actuator. The aperture in the actuator is defined by walls that are rounded as shown so that a ball in the aperture can be rolled out of the position position way when the actuator is moved to take the aperture therein out of alignment with the tubes.

In operation it is necessary to bring all actuators to neutral position before any one of them can be moved to active position. Movement of an actuator to or from active position is easily accomplished because of the fact that the balls can roll or turn easily as they are moved lengthwise of the tubes by the pressure of the actuator that is being moved to active position. The halls will also shove any of the spacer rods or washers lengthwise oi the tube. The device lends itself readily to lubrication because ,of'the balls in the tubes. The device has the advantage too that movement of the actuator "may: be=rotary or sliding and in any direction across the tubes. Also the switch actuator partv can'be readily adopted without any change other than providing an aperture to align with the tubes when the v actuator is in the locked out position.

It is believed that the nature and advantages i my invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing description. 7

Having thus described my invention I claim: A lockout mechanism for banks of instrumentalities such as switches having movable actuator elements arranged in spaced relation-wherebythe actuator elements may be locked in one by movement of one element to another until that element is returned to the non-lock position, said mechanism comprising a mounting base for said instrumentalities, a series of tube sections mounted on said base in end to end relation such sections having the actuator elements extending transversely between them and the elements each comprising a disk pivoted upon an axis offset to one side of the line of said sections and substantially filling the space between adjacent sections, said 'disk having an aperture for alignment with the tube section in one position of the element whereby to form a continuous passage through the sections and ball members mounted in said passage and free to roll therein for permitting an actuator element to moveuntil its aperture is out of alignment with the passage.

ISIDORE F. PECKHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain July 10, 1930

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