Improved Means or use in Operating Successively Two or More Electrical Switches or Sets of Switches.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 1st Nov., 1897-Accepted, 29th Jan., 1898
Improved Means or use in Operating Successively Two or More
Electrical Switches or Sets of Switches.
I, THOMAS HUGH PARKER, of the Manor House, Tettenhall, near Wolverhampton,
in the County of Stafford, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to operate in succession two or more switches or
sets of switches by a single movement, in a given direction, in a manner more
convenient than has heretofore been the case; and the more especial purpose
of the invention is to enable an electro-motor to be started, regulated, stopped, and
reversed, by means of a single handle only, so as to avoid the need for using as is
customary three or more handles for this purpose.
For the sake of simplicity and clearness, I will describe the invention more
especially in its application to the purpose of starting, regulating, stopping and
reversing, a shunt wound electro-motor.
The main feature of the invention consists in the adaptation of the principle
embodied in the lever and roller escapement, as used in watches and clocks, for
the purpose of operating, and locking an electric switch. A central spindle has the
starting handle or hand-wheel fixed thereto, and carries also a pair of discs or
rollers each having a semi circular notch or gap formed in its edge and each
carrying a pin or stud which projects from one of its side faces. Two levers,
each having a longer and shorter arm, are mounted upon fixed axes which are
some distance outwards from the peripheries of the discs; and the axes are con-
veniently situated at opposite sides of the central spindle. The outer ends of the
longer arms of the levers are each formed with a bifurcated portion formed of
two outwardly curved fingers one or other of which is moved, as the spindle is
turned, by one of the studs or pins which are carried by the discs, according to
the direction in which the spindle is turned; and each lever is also formed with a
portion which, by coming against the edge of a disc, is prevented from moving
in one direction, but which when the notch or gap of such disc is brought
opposite to it can enter the notch or gap and be then moved, by one of the studs
or pins pressing against one of the curved fingers aforesaid, in the direction in
which it is previously prevented from moving. The shorter arm of one of the
levers is connected, by means of wooden or vulcanite rods, with the switches by
means of which the shunt coil are put into and cut out of circuit, and the
shorter arm of the other lever is similarly connected with the switches which
put into circuit and cut out the armature coils. The central spindle, aforesaid,
carries also a Rheostat arm, which moves, as the spindle is turned, and thus cuts
out resistance which is placed in the armature circuit to prevent too great a rush
of current in starting. The relative positions of the parts of the apparatus are
such that, assuming the armature coils are switched off and the shunt coils also,

page_text: the movement of the spindle in a direction to start the motor first causes the pin
or stud carried by one of the discs to move the lever which operates the switches
for the shunt coils and to thereby put the shunt coils into circuit, and the portion
of the lever which enters the notch or gap of the disc is moved out therefrom by
one side of the gap, and the lever is prevented from moving back again by a
portion of it coming against the edge of the disc. As the spindle is continued to
be turned, the pin carried by the other disc moves the lever which operates the
armature switches, and thus puts the armature into circuit; and this lever also
is prevented from moving back by a portion of it coming into contact with the
edge of the corresponding disc. As the spindle continues to be turned, the
Rheostat arm cuts out, in succession, as much of the resistance as is desired;
and, if the spindle is turned sufficiently, all the resistance is cut out. To stop
the motor, the spindle is, of course, turned in the reverse direction, with the
effect that the Rheostat arm first brings into the armature circuit successive
increments of resistance. After all the resistance has been thus brought in, the con-
tinued movement of the spindle in the same direction moves the lever which
operates the armature switches back again, and the armature coils are thus cut
out of circuit, the lever being moved, first by the stud and then by the side of
the notch in the disc, into such position that it is prevented, by a portion of it
bearing against the edge of the disc, from moving in a direction to switch on the
current again. The motor will then come to a stop. If it is desired to cut out
the shunt coils, also, the turning back of the spindle is continued until the arm
which operates the switches for the shunt coils is moved back again into its
original position, with the result that the shunt coils are cut out of circuit, and
the lever is brought into position so that it is prevented, by a part thereof
coming against the edge of the corresponding disc, from moving in a direction
to put the shunt coils into circuit again. To adapt the apparatus for use also
in reversing a motor, a duplicate set of arms, discs and Rheostat arm, is
employed. When the movement of the motor in one direction of rotation has
been stopped by the reversal of the spindle carrying the discs, if the spindle
continues to be reversed it operates the duplicate set of levers and Rheostat arm
and starts the motor in the reverse direction by reversing the direction of the
current in the armature circuit.
It will readily be seen that apparatus of the character above described may be
employed generally for successively operating two or more switches or sets of
switches.
In lieu of operating the levers each by means of a disc carrying a stud or pin
formed with a notch or gap as above described, the levers may be operated by
sliding bars or plates each carrying a stud or pin and formed with a notch or
gap; and the Rheostat arm may be moved in a straight path as the bars or
plates are moved. Such an arrangement, however, is not considered to be so
convenient as that in which the turning movement is employed.
Dated this 30th day of January 1897.
Improved Means for use in Operating Successively Two or More
Electrical Switches or Sets of Switches.
I, THOMAS HUGH PARKER, of the Manor House, Tettenhall, near Wolverhampton,
in the County of Stafford, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of

page_text: 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 operate in succession two or more switches or
sets of switches by a single movement, in a given direction, in a manner more
convenient than has heretofore been the case; and the more especial purpose"
of the invention is to enable an electro-motor to be started, stopped and reversed,
by means of a single handle only, so as to avoid the need for using as is customary
three or more handles for this purpose.
The main feature of the invention consists in the adaptation of the principle
embodied in the lever and roller escapement, as used in watches and clocks, for
the purpose of operating and locking an electric switch.
A central spindle has the starting handle or hand wheel fixed thereto, and
carries also a roller or disc or two or more rollers or discs having, or each having, a
semi-circular notch or gap formed in its edge and carrying, or each carrying, a
stud or pin which projects from one of its side faces. In connection with such
disc, or each disc, a lever or arm is mounted upon a fixed axis which is some
distance outwards from the periphery of the disc. An end of this lever is formed
with a bifurcated portion which is formed of two outwardly-curved fingers one
or other of which is moved, as the spindle is turned, by the stud which is carried
by the disc or by the corresponding disc, according to the direction in which the
spindle is turned; and the same end of the lever also formed with an abutment
which, by coming against the edge of the disc, is prevented from moving in one
direction, but which when the notch or gap of the disc is brought opposite to it
can enter the notch or gap and be then moved, by the stud pressing against one
of the curved fingers aforesaid, in the direction in which it is previously prevented
from moving. The lever may be formed with a portion which projects beyond
the fulcrum, and the outer end of such portion be connected by suitable means with
a switch or with switches which are to be simultaneously operated by the move-
ment of the corresponding disc; or the lever may be formed as an arm projecting
from a circular plate which is concentric with the pivot axis of the lever, and
such plate be provided with radiating arms adapted for making electric contact
with suitable terminals, as the lever is moved in one direction, and of breaking
such contact as the movement is reversed, such radiating arms being electrically
connected two or more together as may be required for the intended purpose. The
central spindle, aforesaid, may carry also the arm of a rheostat switch, which
moves, as the spindle is turned, and thus may be operated by the spindle to cut
out resistance which is placed in the armature circuit to prevent too great a rush
of current in starting. When two or more discs are used, each disc will operate
as required through the medium of its respective lever the switch, or set of
switches, with which the lever is connected; and by setting one disc to operate
in advance of another as the spindle is turned, one switch or set of switches will
be operated in advance of another switch or set of switches.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood, I will proceed to describe,
by way of example, and with reference to the drawings herewith, certain practical
applications thereof.
Figure 1 is a front elevation (in a somewhat diagrammatic form, for the sake
of clearness) shewing the application of the invention for the purpose of starting,
regulating, and stopping, a shunt-wound electro-motor, and Figure 2 is a side
view thereof, but shews in addition means for use, also, in reversing the motor.
Figure 3 is a front elevation shewing the method of operating two levers by
means of a single disc. Figure 4 is a front elevation shewing the arrangement
in which a lever which is operated by a disc carries a number of radiating arms
for making and breaking contact with a corresponding number of terminals;
and Figure 5 is a front elevation of a similar arrangement of lever and radiating
arms to that shewn by Figure 4, but adapted for the reverse operation.
Referring first to the application shewn by Figures 1 and 2, 'A A' are two discs

page_text: a
mounted on the spindle B which is provided with a handle or hand wheel C. In
Figure 1, a part of the disc A¹ is broken away to expose a part of the dise A.
D is a rheostat switch which is concentric with the spindle B, and E is the
arm of the rheostat switch and is mounted upon the spindle B. The outer end
of this arm is pressed into contact with the rheostat 1 by means of the spring F
which tends to draw the spindle B backwards. G G₁ are levers, pivoted, respec-
tively, at a a¹, each having a long arm or band a shorter arm c or cl. In the
edge of the disc A is formed a notch or gap d, and in the edge of the disc A¹
is formed a corresponding gap d. The inner end of each lever is formed bifur-
cated, as shewn, that is to say, with two outwardly curved fingers e or e¹. The
bifurcated end of the lever G is capable of moving in front of the disc A, and
the bifurcated end of the lever G¹ is capable of moving in front of the disc A¹;
and each lever is formed with an abutment for f¹ (shewn by broken lines only
in Figure 1) which by coming against the edge of the corresponding disc pre-
vents the lever from moving in one direction, but which when the gap in the
edge of the disc is brought opposite thereto may enter therein and permit of the
lever being moved, as the disc is moved, in the direction in which it was previously
prevented from moving. A stud g or g¹ projects at the face of each disc just
inwards of the gap in the edge thereof. The arm e of the lever G is connected,
by means of wooden or vulcanite rods i, with the switches which put into
circuit and cut out the armature coils, and the arm e¹ of the lever G¹ is similarly
connected with the switches j by means of which the shunt coils are put into and
cut out of circuit.
The parts of the apparatus are shewn by full lines in the relative positions
they occupy when the armature coils, and the shunt coils also, are switched off.
When it is desired to start the motor, the spindle B is turned in the direction
of the arrow Figure 1, whereby the stud g is pressed against the inner face of
one of the fingers e', the abutment " being at the time within the gap d' of the
disc, which permits of the movement of the lever as the disc is moved. By the
continued turning of the spindle, therefore, the lever G¹ is moved until its abut-
ment is moved by a side of the gap out from such gap, the lever being then
in the position indicated by broken lines l'igure 1, from which it is prevented
from returning by the abutment f¹ bearing against the edge of the disc A'.
This movement of the lever causes the switch levers to make contact with the
terminals, as indicated by broken lines, whereby the shunt coils are switched
on.. By the further turning movement of the spindle in the same direction, the
gap is brought opposite to the abutment f of the lever G, and such lever is
operated by the stud g of the disc A and by a side of the gap d, similarly as the
lever G is operated, whereby the switch levers are caused to make contact with
the terminals k, as indicated by broken lines, and the armature coils to be thus
switched on; and the lever G is prevented from returning similarly as the
lever G is prevented. The relative positions of the gaps and studs in regard to
the levers is such that the lever G is not moved to an extent which is sufficient
to bring the switches into contact with the terminals k till the movement of the
lever G has brought the switches into contact with the terminals j, so that the
shunt coils are switched on prior to switching on the armature coils. The arm E
of the rheostat switch commences to pass over the rheostat D when the armature
coils have been switched on, and by continuing to turn the spindle B, as much
of the resistance as may be desired, or all of it, may be cut out, without altering
the positions of the levers G G¹.
To stop the motor, the spindle B is, of course, turned in the reverse direction,
with the effect that the arm E of the rheostat switch first brings into the armature
circuit successive increments of resistance. After all the resistance has been thus
brought in, the continued movement of the spindle in the same direction moves
the lever G, back again, into its original position, by the reverse operation of the
stud g and gap d to that above described, and the armature coils are thus cut out
of circuit. When back in this position again, the lever G is prevented, by its

page_text: abutment f coming against the edge of the disc, from moving again in a direction
to switch on the current. The motor will, of course, come to a stop when the
armature coils are switched off. If it is desired to cut out the shunt coils, also;
the turning back of the spindle B is continued until the lever G¹ is moved back
again into its original position, with the result that the shunt coils are cut out
of circuit.
The discs, rheostat, and arm thereof, may be enclosed by means of a case-H;
shewn in section in both Figures 1 and 2, which has slotted openings & formed
through the sides thereof for the passage of the levers G G¹.
If it is desired to adapt the apparatus shewn by Figures 1 and 2 for the purpose,
also, of reversing the motor, a third disc A2, shewn by broken lines Figure 2;
and which corresponds to the discs A A', may be fixed upon the spindle B; and a
lever G, shewn also by broken lines Figure 2, be used in association therewith in
the manner in which the lever G is used in association with the disc. A. In
this arrangement, the lever G, as shewn in Figure 1, may be regarded also as
the lever G, its representation by broken lines, however, indicating its position
when the switches it actuates are open. By such an arrangement, the motor is
reversed by simply turning the spindle B in the opposite direction to the arrow,.
when the parts are in their relative positions shewn by Figure 1. By doing this,
the lever G is first moved to the left and moves the switch levers into contact
with the terminals, with the effect, as before, that the shunt coils are switched
on, the two terminals with which a switch lever j can make, alternatively, contact,
being of the same pole. The continued movement of the spindle B in this,
direction causes the disc A² to operate the lever G2, and thus to move switch levers
corresponding to the switch levers to make contact with terminals k¹, and thus
switch on the armature coils in the reverse direction to that in which they are
switched on through the medium of the disc A when the spindle B is turned, for
the purpose, in the direction of the arrow. The rheostat arm E operates, as the
spindle is turned to reverse the motor, in the same manner that it operates when
the spindle is turned for running the motor forwards.
-
A single disc, if made of sufficiently large diameter, may be adapted to operate
two or more levers in the manner in which a single disc has been described above
to operate a single lever. An example of such an arrangement, in which a single
disc is used to operate two levers, is shewn by Figure 3. The disc A³ is formed
with a gap, and has a stud g. The levers G3 and G may be operated by the
gap and stud to follow one another in operating switches or sets of switches; for
instance one of them may be operated to switch on a current in one direction as
the disc is turned one way and to switch off such current as it is turned back
again, and the other be operated to switch on the current in the reverse direction
when the disc is turned back beyond its zero position, or the disc may operate the
levers in succession to switch on currents for different purposes and to switch off
such currents in succession by its reverse movement.
It will now be obvious that any desired number of discs, each working in con-
junction with a lever as described, and, if desired, one or more of them working,
or each working, in conjunction with more than one lever as described, may be
fixed upon the same spindle, and thus any desired number of switches or sets of
switches may be operated in succession by a single movement of the handle. The
enumeration of the various purposes for which switches may be operated in this
manner would be an almost endless task.
In the arrangement illustrated by Figure 4, A is a disc which corresponds to
the discs A A¹ already described. The lever which is operated by the disc consists
of a circular plate J, mounted upon a fulcrum pin, and having a projecting
arm, which corresponds to the outer end of the arm bor b₁ of the lever G or Gi
before described, and is operated by the disc A simliarly as the lever G or G¹ is
operated by the disc A or A'. The circular plate J carries a number of radiating
arms m m¹ n n¹, and when the lever is in the position shewn by full lines the
radiating arms m m¹ and n n¹ are, respectively, in contact with the terminals o o¹

page_text: and p p. When the lever is moved, by means of the disc, in the direction
indicated by the arrow, the radiating arms are moved out of contact with the
terminals, and the lever is locked against returning. This latter position of the
lever and arms is shewn by broken lines. The radiating arms mm² are elec-
trically connected with one another, as shewn, and the radiating arms n n¹ are
similarly connected with one another. The terminals o and are connected,
respectively, with the negative and positive leads 7 and r from the battery or
other source of electrical supply; and the terminals o¹ and pare, respectively,
connected with the negative and positive leads q r to the motor. When, there-
fore, the lever J is in the position shewn by full lines, the armature current is
switched on, the lever being locked in such position by the abutment thereof
being within the gap of the disc; and when the disc has been moved to bring the
lever out of the gap thereof, that is to say, into the position indicated by broken
lines, the current is switched off from the armature.
The arrangement shewn by Figure 5 corresponds to that shewn by Figure 4,
but is adapted for use in reversing the armature current. In this arrangement,
the radiating arms m n¹ are electrically connected together, as are also the
radiating arms n m¹. The terminals o and p are, respectively, connected with
the negative and positive leads q and from the battery or other source of electrical
supply, and the terminals o¹ and pare, respectively, connected with the positive
and negative leads and q¹ to the motor. Thus, when the lever and radiating
arms are in the position shewn, the armature current is switched on in the reverse
direction to that in which it is switched on in the arrangement shewn by Figure 4.
The armature current. is switched off by operating the lever in the direction
indicated by the arrow.
It will thus be seen that, if the two discs shewn by Figures 4 and 5 are fixed
upon the same spindle, as in the case of the discs illustrated by Figures 1 and 2,
the armature current may be switched on in one direction by means of the disc A+,
and by turning the disc back again such current may be switched off, and by
continuing to turn the handle in the same direction the current may be switched
on, in the opposite direction, through the medium of the other disc. The discs
are, of course, fixed upon the spindle with their gaps and studs in proper relative
position, and the arms m n¹, n m³, are turned for switching the current on and off,
in the opposite directions, respectively, to those in which the arms m m³, n n¹,
are turned for such purposes.
-
The applications of the invention described with reference to the drawings are
given, as stated above, merely as examples; and it will now be obvious that any
number of switches may be operated, for various electrical purposes, by means of
one disc, or two, or more, arranged to be operated simultaneously by a single
handle. As a further illustration of the utility of the invention it may be stated
that in using a set of five discs in the case of a motor car having two electro-
motors, one of the discs may be used for operating switches which put the batteries
in parallel and the motors in series, a second for operating switches which put
the batteries and motors in series, a third for operating switches which put the
batteries in series and the motors in parallel, a fourth for operating switches
which simply short-circuit the armatures, and the remaining one for operating
switches which put the batteries in parallel, the motors in series, and reverse the
current in the armatures.
Having now particularly 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:
1. In apparatus for use in operating successively two or more electrical switches
or sets of switches, the employment of lever and roller escapement mechanism,
substantially as described.
2. In apparatus for use in operating successively two or more electrical switches
or sets of switches, a part which moves simultaneously with the handle, a notch

page_text: or gap formed therein, a stud projecting therefrom, a lever or arm mounted upon
a fixed pivot axis and having a bifurcated end for engagement with the stud and
an abutment which is at somewhat greater distance from the pivot axis of the
lever than the distance from such axis to the nearest point of the part in which
the notch or gap is formed, and means by which the lever operates a switch or
set of switches as it is moved by the notched or gapped part aforesaid, substantially
as described.
3. In apparatus for use in operating two or more electrical switches or sets of
switches, a roller or disc having a notch or gap therein and a stud which projects
therefrom, means for turning such disc axially, a lever or arm mounted upon a
fixed pivot axis and having a bifurcated end for engagement with the stud and
an abutment which is at a somewhat greater distance from the pivot axis of the
lever than the distance from such axis to the nearest point of the disc, arms rigidly
connected with such lever and fixed terminals with which such arms may be
made to make or break contact, as desired, by suitably operating the lever through
the medium of the disc, substantially as described.
4. Apparatus for use in operating successively two or more electrical switches
or sets of switches, which comprises two or more discs mounted to turn together
by the same movement of the handle and each having a notch or gap therein and
a stud projecting therefrom, levers or arms each mounted upon a fixed pivot axis
and having a bifurcated end for engagement with a stud of a disc and an abut-
ment the distance of which from the pivot axis of the lever is somewhat greater
than the distance from such axis to the nearest point of the corresponding disc,
and means by which each lever operates a switch or set of switches as it is moved
by its corresponding disc, substantially as described.
5. Means for use in operating successively two or more electrical switches or
sets of switches, substantially as described, and shewn, by way of example, by
the drawings herewith.