Electric switch mechanism

Jan. 1,1935. j sachs 1,986,221

ELECTRIC SWITCH MECHANISM/ Filed July 30, 1932

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Patented Jan. 1, 1935

1,986,221

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

1,986,221

ELECTRIC SWITCH MECHANISM Joseph Sachs, West Hartford, Conn. Application July 30, 1932, Serial No. 626,683 9 Claims. (Cl. 200—50)

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken along the line 6—6 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents as an entirety a switch enclosing box which may be of any usual or preferred shape and size. The box 5 is provided with a front cover 2 which is shown as being hinged at the left side. In Fig. 1 the cover 2 is shown partly open, but it is normally held closed by a spring latch 3 projecting through a slot 4. 10

Carried by the box is a switch operating means which is partly within the box but which nevertheless includes an exterior operating handle 5. Movement of the handle 5 is limited by means cf stops 6 and 7 carried by the side wall of the 15 box 1. The portion of the operating means within the box preferably comprises a cranked spindle or bail 8 mounted for rotation about a transverse axis. The handle 5 may be rigidly connected with the spindle 8 if desired, but I prefer 20 and have shown a quick-make-and-break mechanism interposed between the said handle and the said spindle.

Inasmuch as the invention does not involve any details of switch construction I have omitted 25 from the drawing any showing of the switch proper. It will be understood that the operating mechanism as illustrated is adapted for use with any switch capable of being operated by means of a cranked spindle such as the spindle 8. 30

As already stated I prefer to provide a quickmake-and-break mechanism interposed between the handle 5 and the spindle 8. Such a mechanism will now be described. Rotatably mounted in an aperture in the right side wall of the box 35 1 is a bearing disc 9 peripherally flanged to engage the outer surface of the said wall. The right end of the spindle 8 is pivotally mounted in a central bearing aperture in the disc 9. The handle 5 is secured to the said disc 9 by means 40 of bolts 10, 10. Rotatably mounted on the disc 9 within the box is an intermediate member 11 having inward extending lugs 12 and 13 thereon. These lugs are located at opposite sides of the crank portion of the spindle 8 and are adapted 45 to engage the said crank portion to actuate the spindle. Secured to the said disc 9 at the inner face thereof is a plate 14, this plate preferably being held by the same screws 10, 10 which hold the handle. The ends of the plate 14 overlap 50 the intermediate member 11 to hold it in place, and one end of the plate projects between the two lugs 12 and 13 so as to be adapted to engage either of them.

A suitable mechanism is provided for moving 5/

The invention relates particularly to an interlocking mechanism adapted to normally hold the cover of the switch box closed when the switch and the switch operating mechanism are in 5 closed-circuit positions and to prevent the movement of the switch and the switch operating mechanism from closed-circuit position to opencircuit position when the cover of the box is open. ...

The principal object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of this general class which is very simple in construction and capable of being manufactured at small cost. Mechanisms of this class have heretofore ordinarily involved 15 several relatively movable parts, but in accordance with the invention I am enabled to accomplish all of the required functions by means of only one movable part additional to the movable cover and the movable switch operating mecha20 nism. ,_Ί

While the invention is not necessarily so limited it is particularly applicable to a switch having a quick-make-and-break mechanism of the type which includes an intermediate member 25 having separate lost-motion connections with a switch operating member and with an exterior handle. The intermediate member is preferably interlocked with the before-mentioned unitary interlocking latch and for effecting a snap action 30 of the intermediate member there is preferably provided an over-the-center spring having associated supporting and guiding parts of novel and advantageous construction.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown 35 the embodiment of the invention which I now deem preferable, but it will be understood that the drawing is intended for illustrative purposes only and is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims 40 forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a switch enclosing box carrying switch mechanism embodying 45 the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the switch mechanism, this view being taken from the interior of the box looking toward the right and the cover being shown in 50 section.

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 2, but with the cover open and with the parts of the mechanism in different positions.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken 55 along the line 5—5 of Fig. 3.

1,986,231 the intermediate member 11 with a snap action to either of its extreme positions and this means is preferably an over-the-center spring device. Pivotally connected at 15 with an ear projecting . 5 radially from the intermediate member 11 and pivotally connected at 16 with the box side wall is a telescopic spring support. Preferably the spring support comprises a rod 17 having a head 18 at its pivot end adapted to serve as a spring 10 abutment. The rod 17 is preferably formed from sheet metal and is swedged into partly cylindrical form as indicated by the cross sectional view in Fig. 6. The rod 17 extends into a tubular member 19 and is longitudinally movable there15 in. The said member 19 is connected with an angular sheet metal member 20 slotted at 21 to receive a headed pivot stud 16. Surrounding the rod 17 and the tubular member 19 is a coil compression spring 22, this spring abutting at 20 one end against the angle member 20 and at the other end against the head 18 on the rod 17.

It will be evident that the member 20 is held in engagement with the stud 16 by the action of the spring 22, and it will also be evident that, 25 by moving the members 19 and 20 downward in opposition to the spring, the said member 20 may be disengaged from the stud 16, such disengagement being made possible by the open slot 21. When disengaged from the stud all parts 30 of the spring mechanism may be readily disconnected from each other. Thus the spring mechanism may be readily assembled or disassembled without the use of special tools. This construction not only facilitates the original assembly, 35 but it also makes it possible to quickly and easily replace a broken spring.

Fig. 2 shows the closed-switch position of the parts, the handle 5 being in its upper position in engagement or approximately in engagement 40 with the stop 7. To move the switch to openswitch position the handle is moved downward, thus causing the lower end of the plate 14 to engage the lug 12 and move the intermediate member 11 in the clockwise direction. This com45 presses the spring 22 until the pivot axis at 15 reaches and passes the dead-center position. Thereupon the spring acts to complete the movement of the intermediate member, causing it to ·- move to the position shown in Fig. 3. At or 50 about the time that the dead-center position is • reached the lug 13 engages the spindle 8 and the said spindle and the switch connected therewith are moved by the intermediate member with a snap action to the open-switch position shown 55 in Fig. 3.

When the movement is reversed the end of the plate 14 engages the lug 13 to move the intermediate member 11 in the counter-clockwise direction, this continuing until the dead-center 60 position is reached and passed. Thereupon the spring again acts and the lug 12, being in engagement with the spindle 8, carries the spindle and the switch with a snap action to the closedswitch position.

For effecting interlocking between the switch operating means and the cover 2 there is provided a unitary interlocking member or latch 23 which is preferably pivoted at 24 for movement about a fixed axis. A spring 25 tends to 70 move the latch 23 in the clockwise direction and the movement of the latch is limited by means of a pin 26 projecting into an arcuate slot 27 in the latch. Carried by the cover 2 in fixed relation thereto is a locking lug 28 so positioned 75 that its path of opening movement is obstructed by the hook portion 29 of the latch 23 when the latch is in its operative position as shown by dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 2.

Also carried by the cover 2 in fixed relation thereto is an element 30 adapted to engage a 5 transversely projecting lug 31 on the latch 23. As a matter of structural convenience the locking lug 28 and the said element 30 may be formed as parts of the same piece of metal riveted or otherwise secured to the cover as clearly 10 shown in Fig. 1. The relation of the parts is such that, when the cover 2 is fully closed the element 30 engages the lug 31 to hold the latch 23 in its inoperative position as shown by full lines in Fig. 2. If the switch operating means 15 is in it closed-switch position as shown in Fig. 2, any attempted opening of the cover serves merely to permit the latch 23 to move to its operative position as shown by dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 2. In this position the hook portion 20 29 is in the path of opening movement of the lug 28 and the cover cannot be opened.

The switch operating means and the latch are provided with interengaging elements serving to hold the latch in its inoperative position 25 when the operating means is in open-switch position and serving to prevent movement of the operating means from open-switch position to closed-switch position when the latch is in operative position. These interengaging elements 39 as shown comprise a projection rigidly connected with the intermediate member 11, such projection preferably comprising two spaced fingers 32 and 33. The said interengaging elements also comprise a finger 34 on the latch. .35

When the switch operating means is in its open-switch position as shown in Fig. 3 the finger 32 engages a shoulder on the latch 23 to hold the latch in its inoperative position. With the latch in this position the cover 2 can be 40 freely opened or closed.

While the cover remains open the, switch operating means cannot be moved to its closed switch position. If an attempt is made to so move it the finger 32 releases the latch 23 and 45 the latch immediately moves to its operative position as shown in Fig. 4, carrying the finger 34 into the space between the fingers 32 and 33. The finger 33 engages the said finger 34 and prevents any further movement of the switch ₆₀operating means.

When the cover is fully closed the element 30 holds the latch 23 in its inoperative position as already described. When the latch is thus held in its inoperative position by the element 30, ₆₅rather than by the finger 32, the switch operating means can be freely moved without being in any way obstructed by the latch 23.

I have described the normal and ordinarily intended operation of the interlocking mecha- go nism. It is frequently desirable, however, for an inspector or other authorized person to obtain access to the switch without moving it to its open-circuit position. In order that this may be accomplished the side wall of the box is _β5provided at 35 with a slot into which the locking-lug 28 may project when the cover is in closed position. A space is provided between the lug 28 and the bottom of the slot and the person desiring to open the cover may insert a screw 70 driver or other convenient tool into this space. The tool thus inserted will serve to hold the latch 23 in its inoperative position and thus make possible the opening of the cover 2.

It is also sometimes desirable for the inspector 7.5

1,888,221 or other authorized person to operate the switch with the cover open so that he can observe the functioning thereof. This may be accomplished simply by manually holding the latch 23 in its 5, inoperative, position as shown in Fig. 3. If the switch is thus closed with the cover open, the cover can thereafter be closed as the inclined outer surface of the hook portion 29 enables the latch to be momentarily moved to permit 10 the lug 28 to pass.