US3180998A - Low-voltage remote control system for interior lighting - Google Patents

Description

April 27, 1965 LOW- MASAKI ONARU 3,180,998 VOLTAGE REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR INTERIOR LIGHTING Filed Aug. 16, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet l April 27, 1965 MASAKI ONARU 3,180,998

LOW-VOLTAGE REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR INTERIOR LIGHTING Filed Aug. 16, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 1 FIG. 3 F/G. 5

0% y 2/0 539* i 58 223 224 203 x 2 2/7 q 22/4 a: 2/7 2/6 52222 209 April 27, 1965 Filed Aug. 16, 1960 MASAKI ONARU W-VOLTAGE REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR INTERIOR LIGHTING 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3,180,98 LOW-VOLTAGE REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR INTERIOR LIGHTING Masaki Onaru, Tsu-shi, Japan, assignor to Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd., Osaka, Japan, a corporation of apan Filed Aug. 16, 1960, Ser. No. 49,897 Claims priority, application Japan, Aug. 19, 1959, 34/46,175; Apr. 16, 1960, 35/21,777 Claims. (Cl. 307-38) The electric wiring system for incandescent and fluorescent lightings in commercial and industrial buildings has recently become highly complicated and also there is an increasing tendency to employ a power supply voltage of 200 volts or more for the purpose of enabling effective and efficient operation of such lighting systems. For direct operation at a voltage of the order of 100 or 200 volts, the arrangement of circuits is necessarily subject to certain limitations. Also, use of a power supply whose voltage is as high as 200 volts with respect to ground, involves an extraordinarily high degree of danger that the switch operator may be injured. To overcome such problems, remote control circuits are now in increasing use which employ a low-voltage supply for operating main lighting circuits.

There exists a remote control circuitry of this kind having a main on-off switch means for closing and opening the main circuits which means incorporates therein indicator lamps for indicating the closed or open state of the main circuits by the on or off state of the indicator lamps. With such lighting system, however, the number of indicator lamps is inevitably considerable since they are required to be installed one for each of operating circuits for respective loads. This not only is undesirable from standpoint of maintenance and inspection but the entire system is expensive. Meanwhile, remote control circuitry has also been proposed which employs a single indicator lamp, which, however, serves only to indicate the position of a selector switch.

The present invention has for its object to provide a low-voltage remote control system of the kind described which employs a single indicator lamp to indicate the closed or open state of respective loads.

According to the present invention, there is provided a low-voltage remote control system for interior lighting comprising a step-down transformer, a selector switch having a common terminal connected to one terminal of the secondary side of said step-down transformer, an indicator lamp having one terminal thereof connected to the common terminal of said selector switch, a contact plate arranged on the closing switch side of said selector switch, said indicator lamp having the other terminal thereof connected to said contact plate, and a relay including a main contact, an auxiliary contact, and a mechanism adapted to operate said main and auxiliary contacts synchronously, the other terminal of the secondary side of said step-down transformer being connected to said auxiliary contact of the relay.

Further according to a feature of the present invention, there is provided a selector switch for a remote control circuit of the kind described which comprises on-side and off-side terminals, a rotary disc, an operating plate, and a common contact carried by said operating plate at the bottom thereof, both said rotary disc and operating plate being coaxially arranged for rotation, said operating plate being fitted in said rotary disc for vertical movement relative thereto and adapted to be operated to rotate said rotary disc step-by-step through an angle as required when the operating plate is lifted or depressed thereby to place said common contact in contact with the on-side or oif-side terminals of the switch.

According to another feature of the present invention,

.there is provided a relay for a low-voltage remote control system of the kind described comprising a casing having a partition, an electromagnet mounted on the underside of said partition, a plunger having an engaging aperture at the upper extremity thereof and fitted in said electroma net for vertical movement, a stationary contact secured to said casing on one side thereof, a bearing plate secured to the casing on the other side thereof and carrying opposite spaced lugs, an inverted L-shaped operating lever and a U-shaped movable contact finger both pivotally mounted between said opposite lugs for tilting movement, an engaging lug extending from the horizontal leg of said inverted L-shaped operating lever, another engaging lug extending from the free extremity of said movable contact finger, a semi-circularly curved leaf spring having apertures at opposite ends, said engaging lugs extending through said respective apertures in the spring to hold the latter in curved restrained position, the engaging lug of the inverted L-shaped operating lever also extending through the engaging aperture in said plunger for connection therebetween, an insulator integrally connected with the vertical leg of said inverted L-shaped operating lever, a clearance aperture formed in the horizontal leg of said operating lever, a limiting lug extending from said bearing plate and fitted in said clearance aperture for limiting engagement therewith, a contact mounted on the underside of said partition, and movable contact fingers disposed on opposite sides of said contact, said insulator being tiltably arranged so that the free extremity thereof is located for movement between said movable contact fingers.

There is also provided according to the present invention a relay for a low-voltage remote control system of the kind described which is operable by a small electromagnetic attraction and adapted to operate simultaneously a main contact and an auxiliary contact of the rely.

To enable the invention to be clearly understood, embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a wiring diagram of the low-voltage remote control system for interiorplighting according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the selector switch arranged in the circuit shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the selector switch in the circuit shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line AA in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line B--B in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of a rotary disc 'of the switch shown in FIGURES 3 to 5 inclusive;

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the line CC in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of one of the relays arranged in the circuit shown in FIGURE 1 with its cover plate removed;

FIGURE 9 is a bottom plan view of the relay shown in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a vertical cross sectional view of the relay shown in FIGURE 8; and

FIGURE 11 is an exploded perspective view of some parts of the relay shown in FIGURE 8.

Description of the circuit Referring particularly to FIGURE 1, reference numeral 1 diagrammatically designates a selector switch having a common terminal 215 disposed centrally thereof and rotary contacting plates 216 and 200 mounted coaxially 203-203 fitted in the respective recesses.

204-204 are also fitted in said recesses 202-202 outwith the common terminal 215 for rotation concentrically plate 216 is arranged to slide over the contact plate 219 when the rotary contacting plate 216 and 200 is rotated. Reference numeral 7 designates a pair of contacts promain circuit while reference numeral 8 designates a pair of contacts provided on rotary contacting plate 200 between the common terminal 215 and the contact plate 219 for opening the main circuit. Reference numerals 217 designate on-side terminals disposed along the arc of rotation of the rotary contacting plate 216 in circumferentially spaced relation to each other, the number of the terminals corresponding to that of loads L in the main circuit. The terminals 217 are each connected through a closing contact 11 of the associated one of on-otf switches to the closing coil 128 of the associated one of relays R. Reference numerals 218 designate oil-side terminals displate 200 in circumferentially spaced relation to each other. The terminals 218 correspond in number to said terminals 217, each of the terminals 210 being connected nals 217, each of the terminals 218 being connected through the opening contact 14 of the associated one of the on-otf switches 10 to the opening coil 129 of the associated one of the relays R. Main and auxiliary contacts 16 and 122 of each of the relays R are arranged to operate synchronously in a manner so that, when the main contact 16 is closed, the auxiliary contact 122 is brought into contact with the opening coil 129 side of the relay R whereas, when the main contact 16 is opened, the auxiliary contact 122 is brought into contact with the closing coil 128 side of the relay R. Reference numeral 10 designates a step-down transformer.

Description of the selector switch in the circuit Referring now to FIGURES 3 through 7, reference switch 1 having diametrically opposite recesses 202-202 opening radially outwardly of the rotary disc with springs Smooth balls wardly of the respective springs 203-203 so that said smooth balls 204-204 partly extend beyond the periphery of the rotary disc 201. Also provided in the rotary disc 201 are recesses 205-205 extending at right angles to said recesses 202-202 and opening into a central bore 206 formed in the rotary disc 201 with springs 207-207 fitted inthe recesses 205-205. Smooth balls 200-208 are also fitted in the recesses 205-205 inwardly of said respective springs 207-207 in a manner so that the smooth balls 200-208 partly extend beyond the inner periphery of the central bore 206. Reference numeral 209 designates a casing of the selector switch with a plurality of steps 210 formed on theinside wall of the casing .vided on the rotary contacting plate 216 for closing the 209 in position opposite to the periphery of the rotary disc 201. It will be understood that,as the rotary disc 201 is rotated, the smooth balls 204-204 are shifted over said steps 210 in succession. Reference numeral 211 designates an operating platefitted in the central bore- 206 in the rotary disc 201 for vertical movement. The operating plate 211 has oneach side edge a recess 212 and two further recesses 213 and 214 disposed above and below said recess 212, respectively. It will be understood that, as the operating plate 211 is vertically moved, the smooth balls 208-208 enter the recesses 212, 213 and 214 in succession. A common terminal 215 is mounted on the operating plate 211 at the bottom thereof. Electrically connected to the terminal 215 is a rotary contacting plate 210 so as to rotate with the rota- .tion of the operating plate 211. Provided in opposite positions above and below the rotary contacting plate ails 200-200 enter the recesses 212-212, the rotary contacting plate 216 is not keptin contact with both the on-side terminals 217 and off-side terminals218. This means that both pairs of contacts 7 and 8 as shown in FIG. 1 and described above are opened.

When the operating plate 211 is pulled up and assumes the position thereof where the smooth balls 200-208.

enter the recesses 210-214 and then rotated-to the position thereof where the rotary contacting plate 216 may be contacted'with the desired on-side terminal 217, the rotary contacting plate 210 is brought into contact with on-sicle terminal 217. This means that in FIG. 1 the pair of contacts 7 is closed and the rotary contacting plate 210 is brought into'contact with the desired on-side terminal'217. I

Similarly, when the operating plate 211 is moved down and'assumes the position thereof wherethe smooth balls 208-200 enter the recesses 213-213 and then rotated to the position thereof Where the rotary contacting plate 210 may be contacted with the desired oil-side terminal v210, the rotary contacting plate 216 is brought into contact with said off-side terminal 210. V This means that in MG. 1 the pair of contacts 8 is closed and the rotary contacting plate 210 is brought into contact with the desired off-side terminal 210. V p V 7 Reference numeral 219 designates an auxiliary contact plate for the indicator lamp; 220 a contacting slider plate for same; and 221 an auxiliary plate of the rotary con- .tact plate 216. Reference numeral 222 designates a spring fitted in an opening 223 formed in the operating plate 211. The spring 222 abut-s at the upper end against a top cover 224- of the rotary disc 20 1 and at the bottom end against the bottom 225 of the central bore 206 of the rotary disc 201.

Referring to FIGURES 8 through 10, reference numeral designates a casing of the relay R having a partition wall 100 to the underside ofwhich is secured an electromagnct 10-3. Fitted in the electrom a-gnet 103 for vertical movement is a plunger 102- having an engaging aperture 101 at the upper end thereof. A stationary con tact 106 is secured to the casing 10-5011 one side thereof, while a bearing plate is secured to the casing on the other side thereof and has spaced lugs 107 extending from the bearing plate. An inverted Lela-sped operating lever and a U-shaped movable contact finger 100 are pivotally mounted between the lugs 107 for tilting movement. The operating lever 108 has an engaging lug 1112 extending outwardly from the'hor-izontal leg 1110f the operating lever 100, and the movable contact tfinger 100 has an engaging lug 11 lextending inwardly from the free extremity 113 of the contact finger 109. The two engaging lugs 1 12 and 114 are received by and in engagement With apertures 110-110 formed in a semi-circularly curved leaf spring 115 at the opposite ends thereof. The engaging lug 11-2 of the operating lever 10% is also received by the engaging aperture 101 formed in the plunger 102 for engaging connection therebetween. An insulator 110 is integrally secured to the vertical leg 117 of the operating lever 108. :Formed'in the horizontal leg 111 of the operating lever is a clearance aperture 119 for receiving and engaging a limiting lug 120 extending from the bearing plate 110 as shown in FIGURE 11. The insulaltor 118 is pivotally mounted so that the free extremity .121 thereof is movable between movable contact fingers The electromagnet 103 comprises a solenoid 126 and closing and opening coils 128 and 129 in the solenoid 126 with an insulating partition 127 interposed between the coils. The plunger 102 fitted in this electromagnet for vertical movement has an iron core 130 as shown.

Referring further to the drawings, reference numeral 131 designates a movable contact mounted on the free extremity 113 of the movable contact finger 109. For tiltably mounting the movable contact finger 109 so that the movable contact 132 thereon may be brought into contact with the stationary contact 105, a pin 134 is provided which is received in apertures 133 formed in spaced support flanges 132 which in turn are formed at the opposite extremity of the movable contact finger 109 on opposite sides thereof. Reference numerals 135-135 designate pin-receiving apertures formed in the lugs 107- 107 of the bearing plate 110; and 136-136 further pinreceiving apertures formed by bent end portions of the horizontal leg 111 of the operating lever 108. Numerals 137 and 138 design-ate movable contacts mounted on the free extremity of the respective movable contact fingers 124 and 1.25; and numerals 139, 140 terminals provided at the root portion of the respective movable contact fingers 124 and 125. Numeral 141 design-ates a cover plate for the relay R.

Operation of the circuit Description will now be made of the operation of the circuit control system of the present invention.

The rotary contact plates 216 and 200 of the selector switch 1 are rotated so that the rotary contact plate 216 may be selectively placed in contact with the contact 217 corresponding to a load L as required. The relay R is shown in FIGURE 1 in position with its main contact 16 opened and the auxiliary contact 122 in contact with the closing coil 128 side of the relay. In this position, when the contacts 7 of the selector switch 1 for closing the main circuits are closed, a circuit is completed which contains the secondary coil of the step-down transformer 18, the common terminal 215 of the selector switch 1, the rotary contact plate 216, the closing coil 128 of the relay R, and the auxiliary contact 122 of the relay R. The current which flows through the closing coil of the relay R acts to close the main contact thereby to switch on the required load L. Since the auxiliary contact 122 of the relay is adapted to operate synchronously with the main contact 16, the auxiliary contact 122 is reversed to contact the opening coil 129 side at the same time when the main contact 16 is closed. At this time, a circuit is completed which contains the secondary coil of the step-down transformer 18, the common terminal 215 of the selector switch 1, the indicator lamp 6, the contact plate 210, the rotary contact plate 200, the opening coil 129 of the relay R, and the auxiliary contact 122 of the relay R so that the indicator lamp 6 is switched on to indicate that the main circuit is closed to energize the load L.

Further, when the contacts 8 of the selector switch 1 for opening the main circuit are closed, the indicator lamp 6 is short-'circuited while completing a circuit including the secondary .coil of the st-ep-down transformer 18, the common terminal 215 of the selector switch 1, the rotary contact plate 200, the contact plate 219, the opening coil 129 of the relay R, and the auxiliary contact 122 of the relay R so that the main contact 16 of the relay R is opened and at the same time the auxiliary contact 122 is reversed to contact the closing coil 128 side of the relay R to switch off the indicator lamp 6.

It will be apparent that the operation as described above may also be effected by the operation of the respective on-otf switches 10.

Effects of the circuit to the selector switch to indicate the open or closed state of loads in the main circuit by observing said indicator lamp which is on or off as the case may be, and the necessity to provide a plurality of indicator lamps for respective operating circuits for loads in the main circuit is eliminated. Such use of a single indicator lamp simplifies the circuitry, and which is highly desirable from the standpoints of maintenance and inspection of such circuitry.

Operation of the selector switch Description will now be made of the operation of the selector switch with reference to FIGURES 3 through 7. As the operating plate 211 is rotated, the rotary disc 201 is also rotated simultaneously. The rotation of the rotary disc 201 causes the smooth balls 204-204 to rotate sliding step-by-step over the steps 210 formed on the casing 209 of the switch. As the rotary disc 201 is rotated through a required angle into position to select a desired load not shown in these figures, the smooth balls 204-204 enter the steps 210 corresponding to the position of the rotary disc 201 to hold the latter in that position.

With the rotary disc 201 brought into the above position, the operating plate 211 is drawn upwardly to cause the smooth balls 208-208 which have previously been in the recesses 212-212 in the operating plate 211 to fit into the recesses 214-214 thereby to hold the operating plate 211 in the upwardly drawn position. Consequently, the rotary contact plate 216 which has previously been located intermediate the on-side terminals 217 and the oilside terminals 218 is allowed to contact the on-side terminals 217 selectively to close the circuit for the desired load. It will be understood that, when the operating plate 211 is drawn upwardly as described above, the spring 222 which is engaged at the top by the top cover 224 is compressed to urge the operating plate 211 downwardly to its original position, but the smooth balls 208-208 received in the recesses 204-204 act to hold the operating plate 211 in its upwardly drawn position.

To open the circuit for any desired load which has previously been closed, the operating plate 211 is depressed downwardly now to cause the smooth balls 208-208 to enter the recesses 214-214 so that the rotary contact plate 216 is brought into contact with the associated offside terminal 218 to open the circuit for the desired load. On this occasion, the spring 222 which is engaged at the lower end by the bottom 225 of the central bore 206 in the rotary plate 201 is compressed to urge the operating plate 211 upwardly, but the smooth balls 208-208 which are received in the recesses 214-214 act to hold the operating plate 211 in its downwardly depressed position.

Efiects 0f the selector switch unit thereby reducing the space required for installing the entire mechanism while simplifying the wiring therefor. Thus, according to the present invention, it will be appreciated that a selector switch for a remote control system which is adapted to effect switching on and off of loads simply by an operation including drawing up and depressing down an operating plate may be provided most economically.

Operation of the relays Description will now be made in detail of the operation of the relays shown in FIGURES 8 to 11.

First, assume that a current flows through the closing coil 128 of the electromagnet 103 and the plunger 102 is moved downward by the attraction of the electromagnet 103 into position as shown in FIGURE 10. In this case, as the opening coil 129 of the electromagnet 103 is energized, the plunger 102 is attracted by the opening coil 129 of said electromagnet 103, and at the same time the operating lever 108, which is connected with the engaging aperture 101 in the plunger 102 is forced upwardly to tilt as a whole around the pin 134 as a fulcrumrthereby to -lift one end of the semi-circular spring 115 with the en-' gaging lug of said operating lever 108 so that the spring acts to swing the movable contact finger 1% connected with the other end of the semi-circular spring 115 downwardly about the pin 134 as a fulcrum to move the movable contact 131 away from the stationary contact 1% thereby to open the main contact 16. The tilting of the operating lever 1118 at the same time causes the free extremity 121 of the insulator 118 secured to the vertical leg 117 of the operating lever 198 to press against the movable contact finger 124 to move the movable contact 137 thereon away from the contact 122 thereby to open'the auxiliary contact (that is, to interrupt the current flowing through the opening coil 129) so that the main 16 and auxiliary 122 contacts may be opened simultaneously. Where the closing coil 128 of the electromagnet 103 is energized, the plunger 1112 is moved downward together with the extremity of the operating lever 11)? so that the semi-circular spring 105 acts to reverse the movable contact finger 1119 to place the movable contact 131 in contact with the stationary contact 106 to close the main contact 16 while at the same time causing the free extremity 121 of the insulator 118 secured to the operating lever 108 to' press against the movable contact finger 125 to move the movable contact 138 carried thereon away firom the auxiliary contact 122'so as to open the latter, thereby interrupt- 7 ing the current flowing through the closing coil 128.

Efiects of the relays As seen from the foregoing, according to the present mvention, vertical movement of the plunger 102 is utilized to impart tilting movement to the operating lever 163 ent invention, the main 16 and auxiliary 122 contacts V are synchronously operated to open so as to prevent constant energization of the electromagnet 1153 thereby to save electric power consumption as far as possible while markedly increasing the service life of the relays. In addition, since the operating lever 1138 is pivotally mounted on the pin 134, the tilting operation of the lever is smooth eliminating the need of any substantial force 7 for effecting vertical movement of the plunger 162. As

a result the electromagnet 1113 may be made not only compact but quick and reliable in operation. A further practical advantage of the relays is that the main contact part may be made simple in construction,

What is claimed is:

1. A selector switch mechanism for remotely controllin'g'a plurality of main circuits respectively containing loads therein; said mechanism comprising: a plurality of relays respectively for corresponding main circuits each having a main contact, an on-coil and an otf-coil operable to alternately energize the main contact to close and open the main circuit, each of said coils including a terminal, a controlling power line, and an auxiliary contact for connecting one terminal of said controlling power line with a terminal of said ou-coil and said off-coil, said main contact and said auxiliary contact being operable synchronously such that when said main contact is closed said auxiliary contact is brought into contact with the terminal of said off-coil and when the main contact is opened the auxiliary contact is brought into contact with the terminal of said on-coil, said relay further comprising a casing having a partition, an electromagnet mounted on the underside of said partition, a plunger having an engaging aperture at the upper extremity thereof and fitted in said electromagnet for vertical movement, a stationary contact sec ed to said casing on one side thereof, a bearing plate secured to the casing on the other side thereof and carrying opposite spaced lugs, an inverted L-shaped operating lever and a U-shaped movable contact finger both pivotally mounted between said opposite lugs for tilting movement, an engaging lug extending from the horizontal leg of said inverted L-shaped operating lever, another engaging lug extending from the free extremity of said movable contact finger, a semi-circularly curved leaf spring having apertures at opposite ends, said engaging lugs extending through said respective apertures in said spring to hold the latter in strained curved position, said engaging lug of said inverted L-shaped operating lever also extending through the engaging aperture in said plunger for connection therebetween, an insulator integrally connected with the vertical lug of said inverted L-shaped operating lever, a clearance aperture formed in the horizontal leg of said operating lever, a limiting lug extending from said bearing plate and fitted in said clearance aperture for limiting engagement, 'a contact mounted on the underside of said partition, and movable contact fingers disposed on opposite sides of said contact, said insulator being tiltably arranged so that the free extremity thereof is located between said movable contact fingers; and a single central switch having a contact plate, common terminal connected to another terminal of said controlling power line, a single indicator lamp having one terminal thereof connected to the common terminal and another terminal connected tosaid contact plate, a series of on-side terminals each connected to a terminal of a corresponding one of said on-coils, a series of off-side terminals each connected to a terminal of a corresponding one of said oil-coils, an on-side rotary contacting plate and off-side rotary contacting plate both manually rotatably diametrically simultaneously operable, a normally open switch in said on-side contacting plate, a normally open switch in said off-side contacting plate, said on-side contacting plate being arranged to shift contactingly over said on-side terminals and the common terminal to electrically connect one of said on-side terminals to'the common terminal through said normally open switch in the on-side contacting plate, said off-side rotary contacting plate being arranged to shift contactingly over said oil-side terminals and said contact plate to electrically directly connect one of said off-side terminals to said common terminal through said normally open switch in said oil-side contacting plate.

2. A selector switch mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said central switch further'comprising a rotary disc,'an operating plate, and a common contact carried by said operating plate at the bottom thereof, both said rotary disc and said operating plate being coaxially arranged for rotation, said operating platebeing fitted in said rotary disc for vertical movement relative thereto and adapted to be operated to rotate said rotary ,disc step by step through an angleas required when the operating plate is lifted or depressed thereby to place said common contact selectively in contact with said on-side and said oil-side terminals of said switch.

3. A relay means comprising a main contact, an .on-coil and an oil-coil operable to alternately energize the main contact to close and open the main circuit, each of said coils including a terminal, a controlling power line, and an auxiliary contact for connecting one terminal of said controlling power line with a terminal of said on-coil and said oil-coil, said main contact and said auxiliary contact being operable synchronously such that when said main contact is closed said auxiliary contact is brought into contact with the terminal of said off-coil andv when the main contact is opened the auxiliary contact is brought into contact with the terminal of said on-coil, said relay further comprising a casing having a partition, an electromagnet mounted on the underside of said partition, a plunger having an engaging aperture at the upper extremity thereof and fitted in said electromagnet for vertical movement, a stationary contact secured to said cas ing on one side thereof, a bearing plate secured to the casing on the other side thereof and carrying opposite spaced lugs, an inverted L-shaped operating lever and a U-shaped movable contact finger both pivotally mounted between said opposite lugs for tilting movement, an engaging lug extending from the horizontal leg of said inverted L-shaped operating lever, another engaging lug extending from the free extremity of said movable contact finger, a semi-circularly curved leaf spring having apertures at opposite ends, said engaging lugs extending through said respective apertures in said spring to hold the latter in strained curved position, said engaging lug of said inverted L-shaped operating lever also extending through the engaging aperture in said plunger for connection therebetween, an insulator integrally connected with the vertical leg of said inverted L-shaped operating lever, a clearance aperture formed in the horizontal leg of said operating lever, a limiting lug extending from said bearing plate and fitted in said clearance aperture for limiting engagement, a contact mounted on the underside of said partition, and movable contact fingers disposed on opposite sides of said contact, said insulator being tiltably arranged so that the free extremity thereof is located between said movable contact fingers.

4-. A switch for operation With a plurality of relays each including an on-side coil having a terminal and an oif-side coil having a terminal comprising, a contact plate, a common terminal connected to a power line, a single indicator lamp having one terminal thereof connected to the common terminal and another terminal connected to said contact plate, a series of on-side terminals each connected to a terminal of a corresponding one of said oncoils, a series of oifside terminals each connected to a terminal of a corresponding one of said off-coils, an onside rotary contacting plate and off-side rotary contacting plate both manually rotatably diametrically simultaneously operable, a normally open switch in said on-side contacting plate, a normally open switch in said off-side contacting plate, said on-side contacting plate being arranged to shift contactingly over said on-side terminals and the common terminal to electrically connect one of said on-side terminals to the common terminal through said normally open switch in the on -side contacting plate, said ofi-side rotary contacting plate being arranged to shift contactingly over said off-side terminals and said contact plate to electrically directly connect one of said off-side terminals to said common terminal through said normally open switch in said off-side contacting plate.

5. The switch of claim 4 further comprising a rotary disc, an operating plate, and a common contact carried by said operating plate at the bottom thereof, both said rotary disc and said operating plate being coaxially arranged for rotation, said operating plate being fitted in said rotary disc for vertical movement relative thereto and adapted to be operated to rotate said rotary disc step by step through an angle as required when the operating plate is lifted or depressed thereby to place said common contact selectively in contact with said on-side and said off-side terminals of said switch.

Reterenees Cited hy the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,237,705 4/41 Kohl 20087 2,324,844 7/43 Hutt 3071 14 X 2,326,760 8/43 Clare 20087 2,576,394 11/51 Frei et al. 2009 2,734,953 2/56 Jenkins et al. 200-4 2,846,528 8/58 Burrell 200--4 2,897,308 7/59 Fergus 20087 OTHER REFERENCES General Electric Company pamphlet Remote Control Wiring Systems, received in Division 26 on February 11, 1952, and directing attention to pages l6, l7 and 18 thereof, and the Square D Company pamphlet entitled Low Voltage Control, received in Division 26 on May 5, 1949, to which attention is invited to pages 10-12.

RALPH D. BLAKESLEE, Acting Primary Examiner.

MILTON O. HIRSHFIELD, LLOYD MCCOLLUM,

Examiners.

Claims (1)

1. A SELECTOR SWITCH MECHANISM FOR REMOTELY CONTROLLING A PLURALITY OF MAIN CIRCUITS RESPECTIVELY CONTAINING LOADS THEREIN; SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF RELAYS RESPECTIVELY FOR CORRESPONDING MAIN CIRCUITS EACH HAVING A MAIN CONTACT, AN ON-COIL AND AN OFF-COIL OPERABLE TO ALTERNATELY ENERGIZE THE MAIN CONTACT TO CLOSE AND OPEN THE MAIN CIRCUIT, EACH OF SAID COILS INCLUDING A TERMINAL, A CONTROLLING POWER LINE, AND AN AUXILIARY CONTACT FOR CONNECTING ONE TERMINAL OF SAID CONTROLLING POWER LINE WITH A TERMINAL OF SAID ON-COIL AND SAID OFF-COIL, SAID MAIN CONTACT AND SAID AUXILIARY CONTACT BEING OPERABLE SYNCHRONOUSLY SUCH THAT WHEN SAID MAIN CONTACT IS CLOSED SAID AUXILIARY CONTACT IS BROUGHT INTO CONTACT WITH THE TERMINAL OF SAID OFF-COIL AND WHEN THE MAIN CONTACT IS OPENED THE AUXILIARY CONTACT IS BROUGHT INTO CONTACT WITH THE TERMINAL OF SAID ON-COIL, SAID RELAY FURTHER COMPRISING A CASING HAVING A PARTITION, AN ELECTROMAGNET MOUNTED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID PARTITION, A PLUNGER HAVING AN ENGAGING APERTURE AT THE UPPER EXTREMITY THEREOF AND FITTED IN SAID ELECTROMAGNET FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT, A STATIONARY CONTACT SECURED TO SAID CASING ON ONE SIDE THEREOF, A BEARING PLATE SECURED TO THE CASING ON THE OTHER SIDE THEREOF AND CARRYING OPPOSITE SPACED LUGS, AN INVERTED L-SHAPED OPERATING LEVER AND A U-SHAPED MOVABLE CONTACT FINGER BOTH PIVOTALLY MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID OPPOSITE LUGS FOR TILTING MOVEMENT, AN ENGAGING LUG EXTENDING FROM THE HORIZONTAL LEG OF SAID INVERTED L-SHAPED OPERATING LEVER, ANOTHER ENGAGING LUG EXTENDING FROM THE FREE EXTREMITY OF SAID MOVABLE CONTACT FINGER, A SEMI-CIRCULARLY CURVED LEAF SPRING HAVING APERTURES AT OPPOSITE ENDS, SAID ENGAGING LUGS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID RESPECTIVE APERTURES IN SAID SPRING TO HOLD THE LATTER IN STRAINED CURVED POSITION, SAID ENGAGING LUG OF SAID INVERTED L-SHAPED OPERATING LEVER ALSO EXTENDING THROUGH THE ENGAGING APERTURE IN SAID PLUNGER FOR CONNECTION THEREBETWEEN, AN INSULATOR INTEGRALLY CONNECTED WITH THE VERTIAL LUG OF SAID INVERTED L-SHAPED OPERATING LEVER, A CLEARANCE APERTURE FORMED IN THE HORIZONTAL LEG OF SAID OPERATING LEVER, A LIMITING LUG EXTENDING FROM SAID BEARING PLATE AND FITTED IN SAID CLEARANCE APERTURE FOR LIMITING ENGAGEMENT, A CONTACT MOUNTED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID PARTITION, AND MOVABLE CONTACT FINGERS DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CONTACT, SAID INSULATOR BEING TILTABLY ARRANGED SO THAT THE FREE EXTREMITY THEREOF IS LOCATED BETWEEN SAID MOVABLE CONTACT FINGERS; AND A SINGLE CENTRAL SWITCH HAVING A CONTACT PLATE, COMMON TERMINAL CONNECTED TO ANOTHER TERMINAL OF SAID CONTROLLING POWER LINE, A SINGLE INDICATOR LAMP HAVING ONE TERMINAL THEREOF CONNECTED TO THE COMMON TERMINAL AND ANOTHER TERMINAL CONNECTED TO SAID CONTACT PLATE, A SERIES OF ON-SIDE TERMINALS EACH CONNECTED TO A TERMINAL OF A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID ON-COILS, A SERIES OF OFF-SIDE TERMINALS EACH CONNECTED TO A TERMINAL OF A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID OFF-COILS, AN ON-SIDE ROTARY CONTACTING PLATE AND OFF-SIDE ROTARY CONTACTING PLATE BOTH MANUALLY ROTATABLY DIAMETRICALLY SIMULTANEOUSLY OPERABLE, A NORMALLY OPEN SWITCH IN SAID ON-SIDE CONTACTING PLATE, A NORMALLY OPEN SWITCH IN SAID OFF-SIDE CONTACTING PLATE, SAID ON-SIDE CONTACTING PLATE BEING ARRANGED TO SHIFT CONTACTINGLY OVER SAID ON-SIDE TERMINALS AND THE COMMON TERMINAL TO ELECTRICALLY CONNECT ONE OF SAID ON-SIDE TERMINALS TO THE COMMON TERMINAL THROUGH SAID NORMALLY OPEN SWITCH IN THE ON-SIDE CONTACTING PLATE, SAID OFF-SIDE ROTARY CONTACTING PLATE BEING ARRANGED TO SHIFT CONTACTINGLY OVER SAID OFF-SIDE TERMINALS AND SAID CONTACT PLATE TO ELECTRICALLY DIRECTLY CONNECT ONE OF SAID OFF-SIDE TERMINALS TO SAID COMMON TERMINAL THROUGH SAID NORMALLY OPEN SWITCH IN SAID OFF-SIDE CONTACT PLATE.

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