Improvements in and relating to Electric Switches.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 15th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Electric Switches.
I, ALBERT AUGUSTUS GOLDSTON, of Post Office Buildings, Middlesborough, in the
County of York, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to electric switches which are applicable for use in series
lighting for cutting out any lamp or series of lamps, or vice versa, in a series circuit,
or for introducing or cutting out a motor or other device from such a circuit.
In carrying out my invention I employ an oscillating switch lever which is mounted
upon suitable brackets and adapted to make contact with one or the other pair of
two pairs of contacts arranged adjacent to the ends of the said lever.
The switch lever is composed of vulcanite or other insulating material having
secured to its sides, plates adapted to make contact with the pole pieces, but which
are out of electrical contact with each other. The said lever is also provided with a
handle for operating it.
. The pairs of contacts are arranged to spring more or less towards the lever so as
to ensure good contact when the lever is depressed between them; one pair of contacts
has attached to it the terminals of the lamp or other device required to be introduced
in-series with the permanent contacts at the sides, whilst the contacts of the other
pair are in electrical connection with each other so that when the lever is depressed
between them, what I term a short circuit will be formed for the current. The main
line circuit is attached to the brackets carrying the lever so that by placing the said
lever in contact with one:or. the other pair of contacts the current can be caused to
pass through the lamps or other device in the introduced circuit or through the short
circuit.
The contacts are so arranged relatively to the lever that at no time during the oscilla-
tion of the lever is, the latter. out of contact with both pairs of contacts, whereby
sparking is to a great extent avoided.
By this arrangement it will be obvious that upon the lever being rocked over in
one direction, the lamp, motor or other device is put in circuit in series with the
permanent contacts and main line and upon reversing the motion of the lever, the
lamp, motor or other device is first short circuited or shunted and by a continuation
of the movement in the same direction the end of the rocking lever which is being
raised is then entirely removed from contact with the introduced lamp circuit.
In some cases when the switch is employed for introducing a current of high
electro-motive force into a circuit of great resistance I employ in place of the short
circuit herein before described an adjustable resistance which has preferably combined
with it an Ampere meter.. After the switch is thrown partly over so that the current
can pass through the introduced circuit and before the current is cut out of the
adjustable resistance I gradually increase the resistance on the adjustable side of the
switch and so cause the current to take the path of the introduced circuit. The switch
can then be thrown entirely over without the sparking which would otherwise take
place at the leaving contacts. By this arrangement I am also enabled to ascertain
whether a circuit is in order before introducing a current into the same.
The lever may be in the form of an eccentric or of any other desirable shape,
and springs may be arranged to facilitate its movement from one position to the
other.

page_text: I sometimes modify the apparatus by employing two levers, connected together so
as to be operated simultaneously the said two levers serving in lieu of the single lever
with two side strips.
Dated the 12th dow of Anvil 1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Electric Switches.
I, ALBERT AUGUSTUS GOLDSTON, of Post Office Buildings, Middlesborough, in the
county of York, 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 invention relates to electric switches which are applicable for use in series
lighting, for cutting out any lamp or series of lamps, or vice versa, in a series circuit,
or for introducing or cutting out a motor or other device from such a circuit, and it
comprises the improvements hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved switch.
Figure 2 is an end view, and
Figure 3 is a plan.
Figure 4 is a view similar to figure 1, but showing the switch lever in a different
position.
Figures 5 and 6 are right and left handed views respectively of the switch as shown
in figure 4.
In carrying out my invention I employ an oscillating switch lever a which is
mounted upon brackets 6, 61 secured to a suitable insulating base-plate, and adapted
to work in conjunction with two pairs of contacts c, c, d, d arranged adjacent to the
ends of the said lever.
The switch lever a is composed of vulcanized fibre, hard wood or other insulating
material to the sides of which are attached metal plates or conducting pieces e, el
but which are out of electrical contact with each other. The said lever is provided
with a handle f for operating it.
The pairs of contacts are constructed to spring more or less inwards, or towards
each other as shown in figure 5, so that as the lever is forced between the contacts
the latter will spring as shown in figure 6, and thus ensure good contact, and the
lever is so arranged relatively to the contacts that before it is out of electrical
connection with one pair it is in electrical connection with the other pair as shown
in figures 1 and 2, and consequently the continuity of the series circuit is never broken.
The main line circuit which is indicated by the letter g in figure 3 is connected to
the brackets b, 61; and the pair of contacts c, c¹ has attached to it the terminals of
the circuit of the lamp or other device required to be introduced in series with the
permanent contacts b, b' and main line 9; whilst the contacts d, d' are placed in
electrical connection with each other, for instance, by the wire i, so that when the
switch lever a is depressed between them what I term a short circuit will be formed
for the current, in relation to any device in the circuit h.
With the construction herein before described it will be understood that so long as
the lever a is between the contacts d, d¹ the current passes from the line g through
the bracket b, plate e, contact d, short circuit i, contact d', plate e¹ and bracket 6' to
line or vice versa. If it is desired to introduce the circuit h the switch lever is
moved so as to make contact with the contacts c, c¹ in which case the current
passes from the line, through the bracket b, plate e, switch c, circuit h, switch c³,
plate and bracket 6' back to line, or vice versa.

page_text: A very great advantage of my switch is that any part of a series circuit cut out
thereby is entirely out of electrical contact with any part of the switch in circuit;
and moreover as the ends or terminals of such cut out part of the circuit are entirely
open and free, such portion of a circuit can be tested whilst the main circuit
current is on. Any "earth connections or "grounds can thus be first removed
"
from the main circuit and then tested for location.
"
I also use my switch for putting either an arc lamp or an incandescence lamp
into circuit in series, each lamp being connected to one of the two pairs of contacts,
so that when the lever is depressed into either pair the current is passed either
through the arc lamp or the incandescence lamp. This application is especially useful
in cases where after a certain time the light of an arc lamp is more powerful than is
needed as
an incandescence lamp can then be substituted without altering any
connections in the circuit.
In some cases when the switch is employed for introducing a current of high
electro motive force into a circuit of great resistance I place in the short circuit
hereinbefore described an adjustable resistance which has preferably combined with it
an Ampere meter. After the switch is thrown partly over so that the current can
pass at the same time through both the introduced circuit and the adjustable
resistance I gradually increase the resistance on the adjustable side of the switch and
so cause the current to take the path of the introduced circuit. The switch can then
be thrown entirely over without the sparking which would otherwise take place at the
leaving contacts. By this arrangement I am also enabled to ascertain whether a circuit
is in order before introducing a current into the same, and thus avoid a rupture
occurring in the continuity of the series circuit should there be no continuity of the
circuit h.
Instead of using a lever of the kind described I may use a lever of the form of
an eccentric or of any other desirable shape, and springs may be arranged to facilitate
its movement from one position to the other.
I can also, if desirable, employ two levers connected together so as to be operated
simultaneously, the said two lovers serving in lieu of the single lever with two
side strips.
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. In an electrical switch, the combination of a switch-lever provided with two
conducting pieces insulated from each other and adapted to be permanently connected
to the main circuit, and two pairs of contacts, one of which pairs is designed to be
connected with the terminals of the circuit to be introduced while the other pair
is in electrical connection, all arranged and operating substantially as described.
"
2. An electrical switch adapted to cause the main line current to pass through an
"introduced circuit or through a short circuit, the arrangement being such that
when the current is passing through the short circuit the terminals of the "introduced"
circuit will be out of electrical contact with the switch or with themselves, sub-
stantially as described.
3. The manufacture and use of the improved electrical switch hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.