Means for opening and closing circuits

Aug. 20, 1935. c. v. bates 2,012,153

MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING CIRCUITS

Filed Oct. 12, 1932

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Patented Aug. 20, 1935

2,012,153

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,012,153 MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING CIRCUITS

Clifford V. Bates, Chicago, Hl.

Application October 12, 1932, Serial No. 637,407

Claimr (Cl. 200—98)

My invention relates to improvements in means for opening and closing circuits of the type in which the movable contacts are sealed in a tube or receptacle from which most of the air has 5 been exhausted to eliminate corrosion of said contacts and render the operation of the device dependable throughout long periods of use.

In devices of this character as proposed heretofore, one of the sealed-in contacts is usually 10 a vibrating strip and is caused to vibrate or oscillate to open and close the circuit by means of an electro-magnet or electro-magnets mounted in fixed position outside of the tube. The use of electro-magnets requires contacts in the cir15 cults of the same to permit the current to flow to energize the magnet, to interrupt the current, or to cause a reversal of flow, and thus the difficulty arising from the use of circuit opening contacts exposed to air is not avoided but there is 20 merely a change in the location of said contacts.

My improvement contemplates the use of a movable, permanent magnet in the tube an another magnet, preferably permanent, outside the 2S same, whereby when said outer magnet is moved mechanically or electrically, it moves the enclosed magnet and thus opens and closes the circuit without any auxiliary outside contacts.

The general object of the invention, therefore, 80 is to provide means for operating a sealed-in contact maker and breaker by means of cooperating permanent magnets inside and outside the tube whereby auxiliary contacts exposed to the air are avoided.

Another object is to provide a device of this character for opening and closing a circuit at desired intervals, the operation of which shall be unaffected by vibration, such for example as that of an automobile or aeroplane.

An additional object is to provide a device of this character for opening and closing a circuit at desired intervals, which is more positive in its movements than those proposed heretofore.

A further object is to provide a device of this 45 character which is adapted for use as part of a clock movement, a thermostat control or in any other relation where very light delicate parts are desirable and where dependability of operation is essential.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from a consideration of the following descriptive matter.

Several embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing to illustrate some M of its applications.

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the mechanism partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the pivoted circuit controlling member;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a modified structure 6 operating with a snap action;

Fig. 4 is a similar view with the parts in another position; and

Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, of a modified form of tube and enclosed parts. 10

The mechanism selected for illustration may be assembled on any suitable support (0, the tube 11 being held thereon in any approved manner. Said tube contains relatively movable circuit controlling contacts 12 and 13, the former U of which is preferably fixed and the latter is movable to engage and disengage the other fixed contact, and thereby open and close the circuit. Said movable contact may be mounted in various ways, as, for example, by being pivoted, as 20 illustrated in Fig. 2. In this arrangement, it may constitute part of a sheet metal frame 14 having suitable lugs 15 and 16 thereon to hold it firmly against a permanent magnet, having trunnions 18 thereon received in openings in 26 arms 19 on a stationary sheet metal support 29. Thus said bar is adapted to turn about a pivotal axis which is located between the ends of said bar, although it may be otherwise located. By virtue of the pivotal mounting, the magnet and 30 the frame carried thereby may oscillate readily to cause the contacts 11 and 12 to engage and disengage each other. These contacts may be made of any suitable non-corroding metal or alloy. 35

The parts within the tube are electrically connected with the external circuit by leading-in wires 21, 22, sealed in the glass in a well known manner. Most of the air is exhausted from the tube prior to the sealing operation or any inert 40 gas or gases may be introduced therein as may be desired.

The external circuit may include a battery 23, or other suitable source of current, and a magnet 24, energized and deenergized by the closing and 45 opening of the contacts within the tube. The magnet terminals are connected through conductor 25 to one of the tube terminals and through conductor 26 to ground or a metallic return circuit to the battery. 60

The magnet includes a frame 27, the lower end of which 28 constitutes a pivot on which the armature 29 may turn. In the position shown in Fig. 1, the armature engages one pole of the magnet, the spring 30 tending to draw said arma- 65

2,012,163 ture away from said magnet pole. The armature, or an extension of it, is provided with a link 31 which rocks a cup-shaped member 32 or seat about a pivot 33, said seat being adapted to hold 6 a permanent magnet 34.

The up and down movement of the armature may be communicated to any suitable mechanism which it is desired to operate. For example, said armature may have a pawl 35 attached there10 to, which, on its downward movement rotates a ratchet wheel 36 with a step by step movement, the latter being mounted on a shaft 37 which may be part of a clockwork mechanism or any other gear train or mechanical device.

The poles of the enclosed and the external magnet are marked in the drawing to indicate that like poles are adjacent each other whereby a rocking motion of the lower and outside magnet 34 back and forth about its pivot 33 will repel the 20 lower end of the pivotally mounted magnet 17 inside the tube and will thus throw said enclosed magnet back and forth to cause the contacts 12 and 13 to open and close the circuit.

In the position shown, the circuit has just been 25 opened within the tube, the outside magnet having swung to the left to the limit of its throw and repelled the lower end of the enclosed magnet to the right to the limit of its throw, the circuit having been opened by a quick movement of the 30 pivoted contact member as soon as the outside magnet in its throw to the left passes what may be called the dead center with reference to the enclosed magnet. The spring 30 is now free to contract and swing the outer end of the armature 35 downwardly, thus causing the ratchet wheel 30 to rotate and at the same time rocking the outside magnet from its left hand position to its right hand dotted line position. After it passes beyond the dead center, it repels the lower end of the 4θ enclosed magnet, thus rocking the latter and closing the circuit, whereupon the magnet 24 is energized instantaneously, attracts its armature, and the pawl is thrown open quickly to the position shown in Fig. 1, ready to make a repetition of the cycle of operations.

The magnet 34 may be turned end to end so as to bring unlike poles of the two magnets near each other, although for many purposes the repulsion effect is the better of the two as it _Q0 causes the enclosed magnet to operate with a snap action.

The instrument as illustrated in Fig. 1 is capable of withstanding considerable vibration without affecting the dependability of its operation. 55 However, with the circuit closed and the armature moving downwardly under the influence of the spring, there may be a certain inertia to be overcome in the ratchet wheel 36 and the mechanism driven thereby, with the result that the 60 swinging movement of the magnet 34 from the left to the right may require an appreciable interval of time, and as it approaches the dead center, or after it reaches the same, excessive vibration of said magnet and of all the parts 65 mounted on the panel i 0 may result in vibration of the movable contact 13 against the fixed contact 12. To provide for a dependable operation in cases of excessive vibration, such, for example, as in cases of clocks used in aeroplanes, I provide 70 for a quick snap action of the outside actuating magnet, to eliminate any possibility of the action just described.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate suitable mechanism for accomplishing the snap action. The same refer75 ence characters have been applied to the tube, the electro-magnet and associated parts, where they are substantially the same as those previously described. The operating magnet 34 is carried on a rotatable disc 40, the latter being biased, in the direction indicated by the arrow, · by spring 41. In this position, rotation of said disc is prevented by engagement of a spring detent 42 with a notch in the disc. Said detent is drawn aside by the cam projection 43 on the armature 29 as the latter is drawn downwardly by 10 the spring 30. Thus, when the circuit is opened and the electro-magnet 24 is deenergized, the disc is released and the spring 41 throws it through a partial rotation, thus throwing the magnet 34 quickly from one extreme position to 1* the other, and likewise causing the enclosed magnet to move quickly from one extreme position to the other. The outer end of the armature carries a link 44 having a slot 45 at its lower end to receive a pin 46 on said disc whereby the return 20 movement of said armature lifts said link and restores the disc 40 to initial position against the action of the spring 41 where it is held by the spring detent 42 until the cycle of operation is repeated. The upward movement of the arma- 20 ture is instantaneous and throws the outside magnet back to initial position very abruptly, thus operating the enclosed magnet also with t. snap action.

In both forms of the device thus far described, 30 it will be seen that the circuit of the electromagnet 24 has no exposed contacts whatever, the only contacts being those enclosed in the sealedin container which may be made of glass or any other suitable material. 35

In Fig 5 I have shown a modification wherein a liquid contact is used, as for example mercury. The tube 48 is preferably held in fixed position and has a downward extension 49 which receives a small amount of mercury 50 into which dips the pivoted contact 51 which is actuated by the enclosed magnet 52. The operating magnet 53 outside of the tube may be pivoted or otherwise movable, to rock the enclosed magnet back and forth about its pivot. In this 45 figure the magnets are shown as having unlike poles adjacent each other to attract each other rather than to repel, to illustrate that either arrangement may be employed. The dotted line positions show the two magnets in circuit ¢0 opening position. As shown, the rocking movement of the enclosed magnet 52 is ample to open the circuit abruptly when the contact 51 is suddenly lifted from the mercury and there is no danger of vibration maintaining an intermittent 55 contact. With the mechanical arrangement shown in Fig. 1, the pivotal movement of the enclosed magnet is quite limited and the arrangement of the two magnets, more or less in alignment, is such that the repelling action is preferable to the reverse arrangement wherein the adjacent poles attract each other. In the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 where the actuating magnet moves with a quick snap action the presenta- θ_ tion of unlike poles is preferable although either arrangement may be employed.