Improvements in Tumbler Switches for Electric Circuits.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 27th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 27th May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tumbler Switches for Electric Circuits.
EDWARD WILLiam Lancaster of Albert Works, Graham Street Birmingham
in the County of Warwick Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
I employ a base of insulating material such as porcelain upon which I fix a
bridge piece having a heel piece turned up for carrying the contact lever and a
centre piece for carrying the tumbler. The bridge piece is fixed right across base
parallel to the movement of the tumbler, so in operation the strain put upon the
tumbler (by the lever in making contact between the contact pieces connecting
the electric circuit) is distributed right across the base, and terminals and contact
pieces are easily fitted under the bridge piece giving very wide break to the lever
when the electric circuit is broken, which is not obtained by the shoe piece fixed
on one side of the base at present employed for carrying the tumbler in switches of
this description now in use.
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Improvements in Tumbler Switches for Electric Circuits.
EDWARD WILLIAM LANCASTER, of Albert Works, Graham Street, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, 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 :—
I employ a base of insulating material such as porcelain upon which I fix a
bridge piece having a heel piece turned up for carrying a triangular or other
suitable shape contact lever or piece connecting same, and a centre projection piece
for carrying the tumbler or handle. The bridge piece is fixed right across the
base parallel to the movement of the tumbler, so in operation the strain put upon
the tumbler (by the lever in making contact between the contact pieces connecting
the electric circuit) is distributed right across the base. Under the bridge piece
I pivot the triangular or other suitable shaped insulated piece carrying the contact
maker. This insulated piece may be pivoted in a slot directly under the centre of
the bridge or it may have a short connecting piece pivoted at the bottom corner of
the bridge piece, terminals and contact pieces are easily fitted under the bridge
piece, and a very break is thus given to the lever, when the electric circuit is
broken, which is not obtained by the shoe piece fixed on one side of the base at
present employed for carrying the tumbler or contact piece in switches of this
description now in use.
In order to more clearly describe my invention and how the same is carried into
effect, I attach a sheet of drawings illustrating my invention. Similar letters in
each figure indicate similar parts.
A is the insulated triangular piece carrying the contact maker F. B is the
connecting piece. C is the pivoting piece. Ď is the contact terminal. E the

page_text: handle or tumbler e the pivot under the centre G the insulating base, and H
the spring.
Figure 1. is an elevation view shewing the switch in the on position.
Figure 2, is a plan view also shewing the switch in the on position.
Figure 3. is an elevation view shewing the switch in the off position.
Figure 4. is a similar view to Figure 1 without the connecting piece B.
Figure 5. is a similar view to Figure 3 without the connecting piece B.
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. The combination of a bridge piece with a triangular or other shaped insulated
piece, pivoted under the centre and carrying a contact maker as herein described
and illustrated.
2. The combination of a triangular or other shaped insulated lever piece, pivoted
under the centre of the operating handle or tumbler as herein described and
illustrated.
Dated this 25th day of February 1896.
EDWARD W. LANCASTER.