Improvements in Electric Switches for Operating Electrical Indicators or Signals.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1893
Improvements in Electric Switches for Operating Electrical
Indicators or Signals.
I HUGH REID of Belmont Springburn Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
"
My invention is to obtain by simple means electrical contacts for a sufficient
duration only for completing one or more electric circuits, so as to operate electrical
"out and in or other indicators and signals suitable for time checking purposes,
or for communicating by signals between different places. In applying my invention
to the working of an "out and in" indicator, requiring reversing currents, I have
fixed to a frame or board, a sliding bolt which is in constant contact either directly
or indirectly, with one of the wires in an electrical circuit, and this bolt is so
arranged that when passed along its slide or path some part of it shall make an
electrical contact for a certain period only with one of two insulated or separated
metallic plates or rubbing pieces placed on either side of, or in themselves
constituting a moveable pendulum or tumbler, by which contact the electrical
circuit is completed, and the pendulum after having made the contact is allowed to
regain its original position by the action of gravity or by the aid of a spring.
In passing in the opposite direction the sliding bolt forms a contact with the
metallic plate on the opposite side of the pendulum so as to complete the other
electrical circuit. The direction in which the bolt is moved along its path will
always determine the particular plate with which contact can be made. These metallic
plates are each connected by wires or other conductors with the indicators so that,
as desired the current shall pass through the different magnetic coils in the
indicators according to the direction in which the bolt is passed along its path.
The frame or board to which the apparatus is fixed may be of metal, glass, wood
or other suitable material, the sliding bolt may take the form of a pin, lever, or
crank, and the moving pendulum may be in the form of a tumbler or of a
crosshead.
The arrangement with the sliding bolt and tumbler may be placed in any position
relative to and at any convenient distance from the indicators or indicator, and the
electrical current may be obtained from a battery or may be generated in any other
convenient manner.
This invention may be applied in various manners and for different purposes, the
object being to obtain by improved means the completion of electrical circuits and
reversing currents, with intermediate and ultimate disconnections by means of a
sliding bolt or lever which touches alternately as it passes and repasses along its
path, two insulated or separated metallic plates forming part of a swinging
pendulum, tumbler or sliding crosshead. And in order that my invention may be
fully understood and readily carried into effect, I will describe the accompanying
6 sheets of drawings, reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figures 1 and 2, on each of the 6 sheets of accompanying drawings represent in
elevation and plan a portion of a board or frame, to which is attached the apparatus
for obtaining electrical contacts, disconnections and reversing currents.
On Sheet 1, F is a portion of a metallic plate or frame to which the apparatus
is attached. P is a slot or path cut out of plate F. B is a sliding bolt which
is free to be moved by hand from end to end of path P.
E3 is a metallic wire covered with insulating material and connected with the
plate F, and for electrical purposes the bolt B, which is always touching the
plate F, with an electric battery, and the magnetic coils of an indicator.

page_text: Tis a pendulum or tumbler which is free to swing on the centre pin C.
S is a separating insulating material such as valcanite, forming the centre of the
pendulum T.
.
R 1 and R 2 are two rubbing plates fixed to the sides of the pendulum T, and
each kept in metallic connection with one of the two magnetic coils in an indicator
by means of the insulated wires, E1 and E2 respectively.
L is a piece of lead or other heavy material inserted into the end of the
pendulum T, to give additional weight and to increase its resistance to any move-
ment tending to push it away from its vertical position.
W is a washer of insulating material which keeps the pendulum T, at a sufficient
distance from the plate F.
In applying the apparatus shown on Figure 1, Sheet 1, to the working of an
" out and in electrical indicator the plate F may be of any convenient size and
may contain one or more such apparatus as shown on Figure 1, according to the
number of persons whose time of passing in and out from their work it is intended
to indicate, at one or more places situated at some distance from the plate F.
"
"
It is understood that as each person passes to and from his work he will with
his hand move the bolt B from one end of the path P to the other, according as it
is determined which end of the path shall indicate "out and which "in
respectively. Thus in Figure 1, Sheet 1, if the right hand side O represents
"out," and the left hand side I represents "in," then when the person comes in he
will move the bolt B from right to left with his hand, and in so doing the pin at
the back of the bolt will make a contact for a certain period only, with the
rubbing plate R 2 on the pendulum T which is free to swing on its centre pin C ;
thus the circuit by way of the wire E 2, through one of the magnetic coils in the
indicator, then through an electric battery and back to the plate F is completed,
and a corresponding movement to the movement of the bolt will take place in the
indicator. As the bolt B passes the pendulum T, the latter falls by the action of
gravity to its vertical position. When the person goes out from his work he will
move the bolt B from the left side I of the path P, to the right side O with his
hand and in so doing the pin at the back of the bolt will make a contact for a
certain period only with the rubbing plate R1 on the pendulum T; thus the
circuit by way of the wire E 1, through the other magnetic coil in the indicator,
then through the electric battery and back to the plate F is completed and a
corresponding movement to the movement of the bolt will take place in the
indicator. As the bolt B passes the pendulum T, the latter falls by the action of
gravity to its vertical position. When the bolt is at either end O or I the circuit
is not complete and consequently battery power is not being used except when the
bolt is actually in contact with the tumbler T.
In Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 2, my improvements are shown applied to an apparatus
in which the frame F may be made of wood, glass, or other non-conducting
material while the link F 1 containing the path P, in which the bolt
travels is of
metal; the link F1 being connected with the other links on the frame F and
also with the battery by the wire E 3. The resistance of the pendulum T, necessary
to secure good contacts is obtained in this case by the spring A bearing against
the insulated washers W 2 and W 3.
In Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 3, my improvements are shown applied to an apparatus
in which the frame F may be of wood, glass, or other non-conducting material
while a metallic lever L is used in place of a bolt and to this is attached the
conducting wire E3. In this case the spring A is fixed at one end in the holder H
which is attached to the frame F.
In Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 4, my improvements are shown applied to an
apparatus in which the centre pin and the tumble T, are fixed below the
path P, of the bolt B, and the insulating or separating material S, has a piece
of lead L inserted to increase the resistance offered to the passage of the
bolt B.
In Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 5, my improvements are shown applied to an

page_text: apparatus in which the tumbler T is placed in a horizontal position and the
resistance necessary to obtain a sufficient contact is obtained by a flat spring A,
which is fixed in the holders H, which again are attached to a board of wood Fi
placed in rear of the metal plate F.
In Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 6, my improvements are shown applied to an
apparatus in which a crosshead T, is employed in place of a tumbler or pendulum.
This crosshead which is made of insulating material has rubbing plates R 1 and R 2
fixed at either end, and these rubbing plates are in constant metallic contact by
means of the side springs A and A. 1, with the two slidebars R 3 and R 4, along
which the crosshead is moved by the bolt B when the latter is moved along the
path P.
As the bolt B moves from the point O to I, contact is inaintained between
the pin at the back of the bolt and the rubbing plate R 1, and contact will be made
with R2 when the bolt is passing from position I to position O. When the
bolt B reaches either end of the path P the bolt is allowed to drop down the step
in the frame F and the electrical circuit is thus broken. The slide bars carrying
the crosshead are insulated from each other by insulating material S, and from
the frame F by being fixed to a strip of some non-conducting material S 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. Improved means of operating electrical indicators and signals, by the use and
application of a sliding bolt or lever in combination with a tumbler, pendulum or
crosshead, fitted with two insulated metallic plates substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. The several combinations and arrangements of parts for obtaining electrical
contacts, disconnections and reversing currents for operating electrical indicators
and signals substantially as herein before described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
1000
HUGH REID.