IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL SWITCHES AND REGULATING APPARATUS
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 17th May, 1886.
Complete Left, 3rd Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 5th Apr., 1887
I RALPH HENRY CHRISTOPHER NEVILE of Wellingore near Grantham in the
County of Lincoln Esquire do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL SWITCHES AND REGULATING APPARATUS to be as
follows:-
These improvemens consist first in an improved form of switch by which the
contact is shifted without breaking the circuit from one point to the next and at the
same time the two points are short circuited or connected together for an exceedingly
short space of time however slowly the controlling apparatus be moving—This is
obtained by the use of special form of a gravity contact. A controlling arm acts upon the
inside of a V shaped piece which is pivoted below its center of gravity this is
connected by a pin working in a slot or other suitable arrangement with another piece
also pivoted below its center of gravity and which carries the contact makers, in such
a way that the movement of the V piece does not affect the other piece until its center
of gravity has been moved past the vertical line through its point of support.
The
V piece is then free to fall over to the other extremity of its travel and does so
suddenly taking with it the other piece to which are attached the contact makers and in
this way the contact is completely shifted from one point to the next in the shortest
possible time however slowly the controlling arm or other apparatus controlling the
V piece may move-The contacts are made preferably by mercury but springs or
other suitable contrivances may also be used. Any number of these switches may be
grouped together in a circle or straight line and all the V pieces may be moved by
one arm acting either radially or moving parallel to itself according as they are
arranged in a circle or a straight line-The arm or controlling aparatus may be actuated
by hand or caused to move automatically. In the latter case I use clockwork or
similar apparatus unless a constantly moving shaft is available. In the case of clock-
work or similar apparatus I arrange it thus a shaft has upon it two pairs of wheels
each consisting of a spur wheel and bevel wheel either made in one or pinned together
these pairs of wheels are free to revolve upon the shaft but not to move in the direction
of its length.
Between the two bevel wheels and gearing into both of them are one or more
bevel wheels carried on an axis or on axes which is or are fixed at right angles to the
main shaft so that it cannot move radially without taking with it the main shaft-The
spur wheels are each of them geared to a train of clock work or similar apparatus-
When now one train is at rest its spur wheel is locked and if the other train moves and
thus causes its spur wheel to move it will cause the intermediate bevel wheel or wheels

page_text: to revolve and in so doing to turn radially round the main shaft and thus to carry it
round in one direction-If now this train stops and the other train is started in the
opposite direction the shaft will move in the other direction-This main shaft may be
provided with a radial arm to act upon the V pieces of the switches and in this case
they would be arranged around it in a circle or it might be provided with a screw
and the arm might be fixed into a nut and so or in some other suitable manner the
circular motion may be converted into rectilinear motion-The clock work or train of
wheels may be released and allowed to move by detents operated by any convenient
arrangement. For this purpose I use electromagnets to attract the detents and so
release the clockwork and the circuits of these magnets are closed by contact pieces
moved by a governor of any convenient description.
The governor may be either mechanical or electrical according to what may be
required of the apparatus-If it be desired to keep a constant electro-motive force by
means of the switch I in general use a bobbin wound with fine wire placed in shunt
circuit & within this bobbin is suspended an iron core either by a balance arrangement
or by a spring and to the core either directly or by any suitable arrangement is attached
an arm to actuate one or other of two contact pieces-When the electro motive force
is too great the bobbin draws the core further within it and closes one of the contacts
causing one train of wheels to start and so moving the switch which then either by
reducing number of battery cells in connection with it or by introducing resistances
or in any other convenient manner reduces the electromotive force until the core moves
back sufficiently to allow the contact to break and the clockwork to stop. If the Electro-
motive force is too low the core moves in the opposite direction closing the other
contact piece and moving the switch in the opposite direction-A clutch may be
introduced in the main shaft of the switch to allow it to be moved by hand when
desired and mechanical stops may be added to prevent the clockwork moving when
desired A stop or stops may also be introduced whereby the circuits actuating the
electromagnets are broken when the arm has moved all the switches provided so that
the clockwork is then stopped and no further movement in that direction takes place
but the other train is still in gear and capable of moving the switch in the reverse
direction.
When a shaft or motor running in one direction constantly is available I use another
arrangement instead of the clockwork-On a primary shaft I place 2 wheels either flat
or bevelled & either smooth or with V shaped teeth upon them-On a secondary
shaft at right angles to this I place another wheel nearly filling the space between
these two and I so support the shaft that this wheel may be moved in contact with
either one or other of the wheels on the primary shaft. The secondary shaft and its
wheel are driven constantly in one direction and the wheel is pressed into contact
with one or other of the wheels on the primary shaft by any suitable arrangement
acting upon the secondary shaft such as a solenoid core or Electromagnets acting either
directly or through the intervention of a lever or by means of a hydraulic or fluid
relay In another arrangement the secondary shaft revolves in a fixed position and
the wheels upon the primary shaft are carried upon a sleeve which is carried round by
the primary shaft but is capable of independent longtudinal motion-In this case the
lateral position of this sleeve is controlled in the same way as was above described for
the control of the secondary shaft-In either of these cases it will be seen that the
secondary shaft moving always in one direction will impart to the primary shaft
motion in either direction according to which wheel on the primary shaft is in contact
with that on the secondary shaft and the motion thus imparted to the primary shaft
may be conveyed to a switch or switches as above described in any convenient manner.
Either of these arrangements or the clockwork above described may be used for
controlling the movement of an ordinary switch if the speedy movement of the point
of contact from one point to another be not important.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Switches and Regulating Apparatus.
I, RALPH HENRY CHRISTOPHER NEVILE of Wellingore Hall in the county of
Lincoln Esquire 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 :-
The object of this invention is to improve electrical switches and apparatus and
consists first in an improved form of switch by which the contact is shifted without
breaking the circuit from one point to the next and at the same time the two points
are short circuited or connected together for an exceedingly short space of time
however slowly the controlling apparatus be moving. This is obtained by the use of a
special form of a gravity contact A controlling arm acts upon the inside of a V shaped
piece which is pivotted below its center of gravity this is connected by a pin working
in a slot or other suitable arrrangement with another piece also pivotted below its
center of gravity & which carries the contact makers in such a way that the
movement of the V piece does not affect the other piece until its center of gravity
has been moved past the vertical line through its point of support the V piece is then
free to fall over to the other extremity of its travel & does so suddenly taking with
it the other piece to which are attached the contact makers & in this way the
contact is completely shifted from one point to the next in the shortest possible time
however slowly the controlling arm or other apparatus may move, any number of
these switches may be grouped together in a circle or straight line and be acted upon
by an arm moving in a circle or in a straight line. The arm or controlling apparatus
In the latter case I use
may be actuated by hand or caused to move automatically.
clockwork or similar apparatus, unless a constantly moving shaft is available.
One method of carrying out my invention is described in the following statement
& its accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 represents a plan view of the switch with its automatic controlling apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a side view of the clockwork driving the radial arm, which moves the
V pieces of the switch.
Fig. 4 is a side view of the arrangement for controlling the clockwork train.
Fig. 5 is an end view of the same.
Fig. 6 is a front view of the switch.
Fig. 7 is an end view of the same.
Fig. 8 is a plan view of the same.
Fig. 9 shews a side view of the screw arrangement for actuating the V pieces.
Fig. 10 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 11 is a plan view of another arrangement to be used instead of the clockwork
train.
Fig. 12 is a side view of the same.
Fig. 13 is a plan view of a modification of the same.
Fig. 1 shews a number of my switches 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 arranged in a circular
form around the central shaft A which carries upon it a radial arm V. the switches

page_text: are each porovided with a V shaped piece C which is pivotted below its center of gravity
on the shaft D which is carried on suitable bearings E & F which spring from the
base G. The V shaped piece C is provided with a pin H which engages in a recess in
another piece I which carries the contact makers J, K, L, this is also pivotted below
its center of gravity on the shaft D. The pin H attached to the V shaped piece C
is so placed in the recess of piece I that its movement does not affect the contact
making piece I until the center of gravity of the V piece C has been moved past the
vertical line through its point of support. The V piece C is then free to fall over to
the other extremity of its traverse and does so suddenly and its pin H then causes the
contact making piece I to move with it & in this way the contact is completely
shifted from one point to the next in the shortest possible time however slowly the
controlling arm V, or controlling apparatus may move.
The contacts are made preferably by mercury which is carried in recesses M, N, O
in the base G, but springs or any other suitable arrangement may be used.
Any number of these switches may be grouped together in a circle & the arm or
controlling apparatus may be actuated by hand or caused to move automatically by
clockwork as shewn in Figs. 1 2 & 3. The main shaft A has upon it an epicyclic
train consisting of two pairs of wheels P, P¹ & Q, Q', each consisting of a spur
wheel & a bevil wheel pinned together, these wheels are free to turn upon the
shaft A but not to move in the direction of its length. Between the two bevil
wheels P&Q and gearing into them are two other bevil wheels R & S these wheels are
carried on axes T & U fixed at right angles to the main shaft A so that when they
move radially they must take the main shaft A with them. The spur wheels P & Q
are each of them geared into a train of clockwork (Fig. 3) when one train is at rest its
spur wheel P, or is locked & if the other train moves & so causes its spur wheel to
move and through it the intermediate bevil wheels revolve & in so doing to turn radially
round the main shaft A & thus carry it round in one direction. If now this train stops
& the other train is started the shaft. A will again move but in the opposite direction.
Fig. 3 shews a side view of the train of clockwork gearing into the epicyclic train
actuating the central shaft A P&Q are the two spur wheels to which are attached
the two bevil wheels P¹ & Q' these are free to turn on shaft A (which carries the
radial arm V which acts upon the V pieces) R & and S are two other bevil
wheels carried on axes T & U attached to shaft A & gearing into bevil wheels Pl & Q'
the spur wheel P gears into a spur wheel W on the driving barrel W₁ this spur
wheel gears into a pinion X on shaft X which also carries a spur wheel X" which
gears into a pinion Y on shaft Y' which also carries a spur wheel Y" which gears
into a pinion Z on shaft. Z which also carries the disc which is held or released
by the detent Z
It will be obvious that if the detent Z be held down upon the disc Z", the
disc will be prevented from revolving & consequently the train gearing from it
is at rest, but as soon as the detent Z is lifted up from the disc it releases
the clockwork train above described & this being geared into the epicyclic train on
shaft A causes it to be put in motion, there being two trains of clockwork each
gearing into the epicyclic train, one at the spur wheel P & one at Q it will be obvious
that if one detent Z be down & locking its train of gearing & the other detent Z
(Fig. 2) being released the central shaft A will be put in motion in one direction,
which direction is reversed if the detent Z be held down on the disc Z* & the other
detent released.
These detents Z & Z may be operated by any convenient arrangement on the
drawings Fig. 1 & 2 I shew electromagnets a, & b, to attract the detents & so release
the clockwork, above the magnets a, & b, are pivotted at c, & d, levers e, & f, which
carry at one end the detents Z & Z, the electromagnets a and b attract the
other end of lever, & so raise the detents Z & Z & so release the clockwork
train.
The circuits of these magnets are closed by contact pieces moved by a governor of
any convenient description which may be either mechanical or electrical, according to
what may be required of the apparatus if it be desired to keep a constant electro-

page_text: motive force by means of the switches, I in general use an arrangement shewn in
Figs. 4&5, g is a bobbin wound with fine wire & placed in shunt circuit & in
this bobbin an iron core h, is suspended from a balance i, the other end of which
carries a contact maker which rests upon one or other of the two contact pieces k
&, when the electromotive force is too great the bobbin g, draws the core h further
within it & closes one of the circuits causing one of the electro-magnets a or b (Fig.
1 & 2) to attract the lever & lift the detent which is attached to the other end of it,
this lifting of the detent causes one train of wheels to start & so moves the radial
arm V which acts upon the V pieces of the switches and either by reducing the
number of battery cells in connection or by introducing resistances or in any other
convenient manner reduce the electromotive force, until the core h, moves back
sufficiently to allow the contact to break & the clockwork to stop. If the electro-
motive force is too low the core h, moves in the opposite direction closing the other
contact piece & moving the switch in the opposite direction.
A clutch m (figs. 2 & 3) is introduced in the main shaft A of the switch to allow
it to be moved by hand when desired & a stop, n (figs. 1 & 2) is introduced so
that when the radial arni V has moved past all the switches provided, it presses
against the spring o, or, & breaks the circuit actuating the electromagnets a, or b,
so that the clockwork is then stopped & no farther movement in that direction takes
place but the other train is still in gear & capable of moving the switch in the
reverse direction.
The details of my improved switch are shewn in figs. 67 & 8, the ✓ shaped piece C
pivotted below its center of gravity on the shaft D which is carried on bearings E
&F which spring from the base G. The V shaped piece C is provided with a
pin H which engages in a recess H¹ in another piece I which carries the contact
makers J, K, L, this piece I is also pivotted below its center of gravity on shaft D,
when the V shaped piece C is moved its movement at first does not affect the contact
making piece I until the center of gravity of C has been passed through the vertical
line of its point of support but when it has so passed it falls suddenly over & the
pin H, engages with the side of recess H¹ & causes the contact making piece I to
partake of its quick movement & thus the contact is shifted completely from 'one
point to the next in the shortest possible time.
In figs. 9 & 10 I shew my arrangement of a screw for actuating the switches which
in this case are arranged in a straight line instead of the radial arm & circular
arrangement of the switches as shewn in Figs. 1 & 2. is the screw which is driven
from the main shaft A carrying the epicyclic train & actuated by the clockwork
train before described & shewn in Figs. 1 2 & 3, the screw is provided with a
nut, which as the screw rotates, traverses along it, the nut carries a striking piece $
which moves the V shaped pieces of the switch C when it comes in contact with it,
the direction in which the nut moves is dependent on the direction of motion of
shaft A through the clockwork train, which is actuated & controlled as described &
shewn in figs. 1 2 & 3.
In figs. 11 & 12 I shew my arrangement of a shaft running constantly in one
direction, to take the place of the clockwork above described. The primary shaft t,
carries two wheels 1, & v. and on a secondary shaft we, at right angles to shaft t,
is placed another wheel a nearly filling the space between the two wheels u & v.
The shaft w, is so supported that the wheel may be moved in contact with wheels u
or v. The movement of shaft w & its wheel is effected by a lever y, actuated
by the electromagnets &. It will be obvious that if the shaft w, runs con-
stantly in one direction, the movement of the wheel x engaging with wheel u, on
shaft t, causes that shaft to revolve in one direction, but if wheel is disengaged from
wheel & moved to engage with wheel e, the direction of motion of shaft i will be
reversed.
A worm on shaft t, engages with a worm wheel a¹, on shaft all which carries at
its other end a pinion which gears into a spur wheel c³, which may move the
switch.
;
Fig. 13 shews my modification of the above described method of actuating the

page_text: switches from a constantly running shaft, of one direction. In this arrangement the
shaft, carrying the wheel a is fixed & the wheels u, &, on shaft t, are carried
on a sleeve, this sleeve is keyed to shaft t, so as to revolve with it, but is free to
move longitudinally on it, the lateral position of the sleeve is controlled by the
electromagnets Z & Z' through the levers y & y & the motion is taken from
shaft t, by the gearing in a similar manner to those above described.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my invention
& in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not confine
myself to the exact form & arrangement described but it is obvious that many
details may be varied without departing from its general principle, but what I
specially claim is
1st. The improved form of switch substantially as described & shewn in Figs. 1
& 2 & in detail in Figs. 6 7 & 8.
2nd. The combined arrangement of switch & the driving & controlling arrange-
ment substantially as shewn and described in Figs. 1, 2 & 3.
3rd. The combined arrangement of governor for controlling the electromagnets
actuating the clockwork train & the switches, substantially as shewn & described.
4th. The combined arrangement of a screw & its gearing for moving the switches
arranged in a straight line substantially as shewn & described in figs. 9 & 10.
5th. The combined arrangement for moving the switches from a constantly running
shaft instead of clockwork substantially as described & shewn in figs. 11, 12 & 13.
Dated this Second day of February 1887