Improvements in Electrical Switches.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements in Electrical Switches.
1 HERBERT WILLIAM EDLAN of 64 Abingdon Villas Kensington in the County of
Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an undetachable electrical plug switch, and it has for its
object to ensure certainty of action, that is to say, to avoid the risk of loose contact to
which such switches as at present made are liable. To this end my Invention consists
in the combination with the plug of a toggle device which acts in such a manner as to
positively maintain the plug in either of its extreme positions. This may be effected
by making the plug serve as the centre joint of two or more toggle levers, the other
ends of said levers being jointed or pivoted to springs which have a constant tendency
to press inwards towards each other and forcibly throw the plug or centre joint out
of line with the outer ends of the toggle levers; or the toggle levers may be made in
two parts arranged to slide one over the other and provided with a spring which tends
to elongate the levers; or a straight flat spring may be substituted for the jointed
toggle levers, the said spring being confined within the box or casing in
nanner that it is normally curved out of the straight line, and passing through the
stem of the plug.
such
1. W. EDIN
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, Loudon,
Patent Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Electrical Switches.
1, HERBERT WILLIAM EDLIN of 44 Leathwaite Road Clapham in the County of
Surrey late of Abingdon Villas Kensington in the County of Middlesex Electrician
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 relates to an undetachable electrical plug switch and it has for
its object to avoid sparking and ensure certainty of action by avoiding the risk of loose
contact to which such switches as at present made are liable. To this end my Inven-
tion consists in the combination with the plug of rigid toggles which positively
maintain the plug in either of its extreme positions by the action of a spring or
springs.
This may be effected by making the plug serve as the centre joint of two or more
rigid toggle levers the other ends of the said levers being jointed pivoted or otherwise
connected to a spring or springs which have or has a constant tendency to press
inwards and forcibly throw the plug or centre joint out of the line in which the outer
ends of the toggle levers are situated or the toggle levers may be made in two parts
arranged to slide one over the other and provided with a spring which tends to
elongate the levers. The Invention is capable of variation within certain limits and in
order that its scope may be well understood 1 will explain with reference to the
accompanying drawings several arrangements or modifications constructed in
accordance with my Invention.
Figures and represent respectively in vertical Section and plan, one modifica-
tion of an Electrical Switch constructed according to my Invention and Figure 3 is a
plan of the bottom of the case. The remaining figures illustrate modifications which
will be hereinafter referred to. Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, A is the case of the
switch to which is secured by serewing thereinto the bottom B, which is provided with
terminal plates, contact between which plates is made by a plug D, extending from
near the bottom B through the top of the case A. The bottom portion d of the plug
is of a conical form for the purpose hereinafter described. EE are toggles, one end
of which engage a groove in the plug D. their outer ends being connected to blade
springs F. secured to the inside of the casing A, by the screws f.
The current from the circuit enters the switch (as shewn in Figure 3) by the leads
G G2, one of which (G.) is connected to the terminal plate C, by a binding screw g.
whilst the other lead G is connected in a similar manner to the other terminal plate C³.
The circuit is completed by depressing the plug D, so as to cause the conical end d,
thereof to make contact between the two plates and the plug is maintained in the
depressed position under the action of the springs F and toggles E. To break contact,
it is simply necessary to elevate the plug D, against the power of the springs F, into
the position shewn by dotted lines in Figure 1 in which position it will be maintained
by the toggles E and springs F. It will thus be seen that in whichever of these two
positions the plug is placed, it will be securely maintained therein by the said toggles
and springs, the action of which also prevents it from assuming any intermediate
position.

page_text: Figures 4 and 5 represent a Sectional elevation and an underside view of a modifi-
cation, in which spiral springs E are employed in place of blade springs as in the first
modification, the outer ends of the toggles being fitted to slide in guides H, fifted to
or formed on a ring 1, fixed in the casing A, in which guides the ends of the toggles
work, as the plug D,is being moved from the one position to the other position, for the
purpose of making and breaking contact with the terminal plates C. C as herein before
described.
Figures 6 and 7 are similar views to Figures 4 and 5 but shewing an arrangement
in which instead of the inner ends of the toggles working in a groove in the plug D
two pairs of toggles are employed pivotted at their inner ends to the plug D whilst
their opposite or outer ends are connected together by spiral springs F the said outer
ends being fitted to slide in guides Has hereinbefore described. Figures 8 and 9 are
similar views to Figures 4 and 5 in which each toggle consists of two parts E El
connected together so as to be capable of extending and contracting telescopically
under the action of a spring F the part E being guided in its movements by passing
through a hole at and working in a slot at in the part E.
Figures 10, and 11 are sectional views at right angles to each other and figure 12
an underside view of another modification in which the inner ends of the toggles E are
connected to lugs H fixed in the interior of the case A, the outer ends of the said
toggles being connected together by springs F and to hooks K fitted to slide in guides
formed on the plug D.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is: -
First. In an electrical switch the combination of rigid toggles and a spring or
springs substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
Second. The several combinations and arrangements of parts constituting the
electrical switches hereinbefore described and respectively illustrated in Figures 1 and
2 Figures 4 and 5 Figures 6 and 7 Figures 8 and 9 and Figures 10. 11. and 12 of the
accompanying drawings.
זוד'TT1
TANTEN
J. H
LIV.L
Agent.