Improvements in Switches for Electric Currents.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 14th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Switches for Electric Currents.
I, ERNEST FRANCIS MOY, of 20 Loraine Road, Holloway, in the County of
London, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My improvements relate to the switches used for making and breaking the
electrical connections in electric current circuits, and they are applicable to single
or multiple. pole switches.
For a single pole switch, I make a special flat bridge piece, of a triangular. form
in its general outline, with a modified triangular shaped orifice through the centra.
part of the bridge piece, and mount it at its apex upon a suitable pivot. The
pivot is secured to a suitable base, in a convenient manner, and the lower part of
the bridge piece is arranged to carry one or more contact pieces, and is capable of
a to and fro movement upon the arc of a circle. A stud is also mounted on the
base in such a way as to occupy a central position with reference to the bridge
piece, and passing through and extending above the orifice therein. This stud
carries a crank arm actuated by a key or handle on the upper part of the stud, and
it has a circular movement about, or nearly 108°.
When the switch is "off," (or contact broken), the crank arm lies in a position
nearly at right angles to a line passing through the centres of the pivot and the
stud; and the base line or bottom of the triangular orifice is closely parallel to
the side of the crank arm, so as to limit the motion of the arm in that direction.
The end of the arm bears against one side of the orifice, while the other side lies
closely to the stud or central part of the crank; consequently, the bridge piece
cannot move in either direction without rotating the crank arm in its determined
circular path, thus locking the bridge piece in the "off" position.
To put the switch "on," (or make contact), the key is turned in such a way as
to rotate the crank arm in its path of approximately 180°, and in doing so the
crank arm, bearing against the sides of the triangular orifice, carries the bridge
piece with it; the contact part moving upon the arc of a circle and establishing
electrical connection with a fixed contact piece. In this position, the end of the
crank arm bears against the opposite side of the orifice to that occupied by it in
the "off" position, thus similarly locking the bridge in the "on" position.
A strong spring is placed on the base of the pivot, and so connected therewith
and to the bridge piece that it tends to throw the latter out of contact when made.
The end of the crank arm, however, bearing end on against the corresponding side
of the orifice, effectually locks the bridge piece against this spring action, but
when the arm is turned in its circular path to a certain extent, bearing against the
opposite or releasing side of the orifice, the spring overcomes the frictional resistance
of the contacts, and the bridge piece is released with a quick break of the contacts:
thus obtaining the well known advantage of other quick break switches in breaking
the electric contacts suddenly.
The bridge piece may be made of metal or of a non-conducting material such
as vulcanite. If of the latter, one or more rubbing or contact pieces of metal, and
a metal triangular orifice piece are connected to the bridge piece. With either
material, the bridge piece can be made as a double break switch, and fuse

page_text: connections are sometimes combined with the bridge piece. When multiple pole
switches are required two or more single pole switches-as above described-are
coupled together with insulating material so as to be worked by a single crank arm
and its key; or two or more insulated contact pieces mounted on a bridge piece
working against a corresponding number of fixed contact pieces. It is to be
understood that the fixed contact pieces, as well as the moveable rubbing piece
or pieces of the bridge, are sometimes made with a spring action, and of brush
form or otherwise, as required; and that the actuating key is sometimes made
detachable.
Dated this 14th day of June 1893.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Switches for Electric Currents.
I, ERNEST FRANCIS MOY, of 20 Loraine Road, Holloway, in the County of
London, Electrical 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 improvements relate to switches used for making and breaking electrical
connections in electric current circuits, and they are applicable to single or multiple
pole switches.
In the further description of my invention, reference is made to the accompanying
drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a plan of two single pole switches, Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof
partly in section,
Fig. 3 is a plan and Fig. 4 a side elevation of a small switch, such as are used
in houses for controlling the circuits of from one to ten incandescent or glow
lamps; and Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 indicate details or modifications thereof.
Fig. 9 is a plan and Fig. 10 a side elevation of a double pole switch.
In the single pole switches (shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as forming part of a switch
board), a flat bridge piece a, of triangular form in general outline, is made with a
triangular shaped orifice having rounded corners, as shown. This is mounted at
its apex upon a suitable pivot 6 which is secured to a base c in any couvenient
manner. The lower part of the bridge piece a is provided with a contact tongue a¹
(capable of a pendulous motion on the pivot 6) which, with the remainder of the
bridge piece a, is intended in the case of Figs. 1 and 2 to be formed in metal.
rotatable stud or axle d is mounted on the base c in a central position with reference
to the bridge piece a, through the orifice of which it passes and extends above for
the reception of a key or handle; and the stud is formed with, or attached to, a
crank arm d' adapted to lie within and bear against the side of the triangular
orifice.
A
When the switch is "off" (or contact broken), as represented at A, Fig. 1 the
crank arm d¹ lies in a position nearly at right angles to a line passing through the
centres of the pivot band stud d, and the base line or bottom of the triangular
orifice is closely parallel to the side of the crank arm so as to limit the motion of
the arm in that direction. The end of the crank arm d¹ bears against one of the
inclined sides of the triangular orifice, while the other side of the orifice lies closely
to the stud or central boss of the crank arm. Consequently the bridge piece
cannot move in either direction without rotating the crank arm in its predetermined
semi-circular path, which has a range of nearly 180°; thus locking the bridge piece
in the "off" position.

page_text: To put the switch "on" (or make contact) the key or handle of the stud d is
turned so as to rotate the crank arm d (in its aforesaid path approximately 180°)
against the opposite side of the triangular orifice to that above mentioned, thus
carrying the bridge piece a with it in its pendulous motion upon the pivot b, the
contact tongue a' moving on the arc of a circle and establishing electrical connection
between the fixed contact e and the omnibus bar e' of the switch board; the contact e
being slit and adapted to spring. In this position the end of the crank arm bears
against the opposite side of the orifice to that occupied by it on the "off". position,
thus locking the bridge piece a in the "on" position, as shown at B, Fig. 1.
A strong spring fis placed around the pivot b and so conuected with the base
and the bridge piece a that it tends to throw the latter out of contact when made.
The end of the crank arm d¹ however, bearing end on against the corresponding
side of the triangular orifice effectually locks the bridge piece a against the afore-
said spring action, but when the crank arm is turned to a certain extent in its
semi-circular path and bearing against the releasing side of the orifice, the spring
overcomes the frictional resistance of the contacts, and the bridge piece is released
with a quick break. The form of the triangular orifice, and the position of the
crank arm therein, at the moment of the break, are such that no impedence is
offered to the pendulous motion of the bridge piece a in flying off, thus obtaining
the well known advantages of other quick breaking switches; while the position
of the crank arm within the triangular orifice at the " on or "off" position
effectually locks the bridge piece without the complication of parts now used for a
similar purpose in other lock switches.
"
The bridge piece a is made of metal, or of a non-conducting material such as
vulcanite fibre, ebonite or the like. If made of non-conducting material, a metal
triangular orifice plate a, and one or more contact tongues, a', of metal, are
secured to the non-conducting material a² to make up the complete bridge piece,
as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, (which indicates a double pole switch), and brushes
of thin copper plates are combined with the contact tongues a', a', to form
the moveable rubbing pieces against the fixed contacts e¹..
ولی
Fig. 5 is a plan of the bridge piece of the small switch shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6
is a modification thereof in the form of a disc slotted to make a cam, Fig. 7
indicates the underside of a handle carrying a pin out of the centre to act as
the crank arm, and Fig. 8 is an elevation showing the stud d, arm d¹ and
handle combined as suitable for the switch shown in Figs. 3 and 4.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is;-
1. A bridge piece for making and breaking contacts in electric current switches,
pivoted at one end, and having a triangular orifice, combined with a stud and crank
arm; situated within the said orifice and capable of imparting a pendulous move-
ment to the said bridge piece and locking the same at the extreme points of the
on and "off" positions, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and
described.
32
2. In a switch for electric currents a bridge piece, having a triangular orifice,
combined with and moveable upon a pivot, a stud or axle situated within the said
orifice and carrying a crank arm capable of partial rotation and actuating the said
bridge piece in a pendulous manner by pressure of the crank arm against two sides
of the triangular orifice, a contact tongue on the said bridge piece, terminal
contacts, and a spring adapted to release the bridge piece when unlocked by the
movement of the crank arm, combined substantially as and for the purpose herein
shown and described.
3. A quick break lock switch for electric currents, substantially as herein
described and shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
4. A quick break lock switch for electric currents, substantially as herein
described and shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

page_text: 5. A quick break lock switch for electric currents, substantially as herein
described and shown in Figs. 9 and. 10.
Dated;thịs 13th day, of March 1894.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.