Improved Appliances for Making and Breaking and Protecting an Electric Circuit.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Sept., 1887
Complete Left, 8th June, 1888
Complete Accepted. 13th July, 1888
Improved Appliances for Making and Breaking and Protecting an
Electric Circuit.
I HAROLD KINGOOMBE READ Gentleman of Noss Mayo, Parish of Revelstoke
Yealmpton near Plymouth Devonshire do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
For making and breaking a powerful current of Electricity I use a switch consisting
of a centre spindle carrying a pair of cross arms or blades arranged so that one is
immediately above another, such that the extremities thereof are capable of embracing
the contact piece or pieces the grip being capable of regulation by means of bolts and
nuts near the said extremities.
In dealing with excessive currents of Electricity I cut the blades vertically dividing
them into "fingers" each having its own adjusting bolt.
Where necessary to take the current off a spindle on to a surroun ling collar I put
one or more longitudinal slots in the spindle so that it has a certain amount of spring
or elasticity and bore out the centre of the spindle so that a slightly taper plug may
be inserted to expand it.
To ensure a very quick "break" I make the handle independent in movement from
the blades or arms the motion of it being conveyed to the arm or arms through the
intermediate action of a spring of V shape the two forks being pressed upon by pins
or projections on the collar and the other end screwed down to blade. Thus when
the friction of the "contact" is absent the lever or arm flies round very rapidly the
spring having been compressed before forcing the arms from the "contacts."
In smaller switches 1 may make the double arms of strip brass but in the heavier
types I prefer castings.
I use in the small types a spring of V or hairpin shape the horns of which grip
the switch spindle or the collar or "lozenge" thereon so that although they very
rapidly make the arms fly round they have no tendency to drive the spindle on one
side only as is often now the case with ordinary springs.
Where the circuit requires protection from overheating by the insertion of lead or
similar easily fusible connections as part of the line I use slate blocks bored with

page_text: circular grooves of a diameter slightly larger than the cable proposed to be used and
cut a groove along the top and opening into the circular bore but only of about half
the width of the bore, into these grooves I insert socket pieces capable at their outer
ends of receiving the cable which may be either soldered in place or held by a terminal
screw and the inner ends of these socket pieces which are of circular section I fit
with a screw to hold down the lead fuse, the slate being cut away to allow the head to
revolve but with very little clearance so that the socket piece can have no longitudinal
travel until the head of this screw is raised above the level of the top of the slate or
the screw may be made sufficiently long to project beyond the socket piece into a hole
in the slate beneath thus preventing longitudinal movement. Vertical is of course
impossible as the groove on the top is only about half the diameter of circular or
rather cylindrical socket pieces.
In smaller types instead of grooving the slate I bring the cable or wire up through
holes in the slate and fasten them by means of woodscrews down upon flat contact
blocks which are shellac-ed down to the slate the woodscrews passing through holes
therein until they enter wood plugs driven in holes bored horizontally into the slate
bases and this system of woodplugs 1 find very convenient for using woodscrews in
combination with slate bases as in slate ceiling plates for the suspension of incandescent
lamps or a wooden base may be used having a thread thereon for attaching a cover
and having a slate mounted upon it, the wood screws passing through the brass plates
and the slate into the wood below.
In taking an Electrical current off a circuit run upon the side of a wall I use a
similar kind of slate base have a split socket mounted thereon by means of its flange
and protected from "short circuiting" by a blade of Ebonite or other insulating
material between the two halves of the socket (the upper ends having a thread to take
the cover) and a top consisting of a split plug fitting into the socket above named
each half of the plug having facilities for attaching the wires from one or more
lamps the circuit from one half of the socket to the other half being completed
through the plug and its attached lamp or lamps.
In place of slato in these fittings I find china or earthenware ready moulded
very convenient for rapidly erecting the work thereon.
Dated this 8th day of September 1887.

page_text: Electric Circuit.
HAROLD KINGCOMBE READ Gentleman of Noss Mayo Yealmpton Revelstoke Devon
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:-
For making and breaking a powerful current of Electricity I use a switch consisting
of a centre spindle carrying a pair of cross arms or blades arranged so that one is
immediately above another as shown in Fig. 1 on the annexed sheet of drawings and
such that the extremities thereof are capable of embracing the contact piece or pieces
the grip or "bite" being capable of regulation by means of bolts and nuts near
the said extremities as will be clearly understood from the drawings see F in Figs. 1
and 2.
In dealing with excessively large currents to ensure more perfect contact I sub-
divide the blades vertically and give each portion or "finger" it's own adjusting bolt
and nuts thus allowing of independent adjustment.
Where necessary to take the current off a spindle on to a surrounding collar I put
one or more slots in the spindle so that it has a certain amount of spring or elasticity
see B Figs. 2 and 3 and I bore out the centre of the spindle so that a slightly tapered
plug may be inserted to expand it as will be readily seen on the drawings. The groove
cut around the spindle takes the end of the screw in the collar and prevents vertical
motion and by a few turns of the taper plug which is screwed at its lower end the
spindle may be tightened against the collar thus ensuring good contact and preventing
undue heating.
To ensure a very quick "break" in a switch where this may be very desirable as in
high tension currents I make the handle independent in movement from the blades or
cross arms the motion of it being conveyed through the intermediate action of a spring
or springs see C in the plan Fig. 4 which may conveniently be of V shape as shown.
It will be easily seen that the motion of the handle communicated to the blades is
through the pins D (which have their ends turned up) that project from the spindle
or collar acting against the springs C which in turn press against the stops E and
cause the movement of the blades or cross arms the friction of the "grip
on the
contact" however causes the springs to be considerably compressed before any move-
ment of the arms is effected and these when once clear of the "contact" necessarily
fly round very rapidly though the handle may be held quite motionless.
In smaller switches I may make the double arms or blades of sheet brass but in the
heavier types I prefer castings as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and as shown in Fig. 5
I prefer a spring of V or hairpin shape to grip the lozenge or collar so that although
effective in causing rapid movement of the arms it does not tend to drive the spindle
on one side as is often the case with springs that are used on one side only as often
practiced at present.
Where the circuit requires protection from overheating by the insertion of lead wire
or other "fusible connection " as part of the line I use a block as shown in Fig. 6
and Fig. 7 which indicate one half of a "safety junction" the fusible wire being
attached to the screw see H Fig. 8 in one end of the block and connected with i
similar screw at the other end of the block. These screws run in the socket pieces

page_text: see Fig. 8 which take the "lead" or cable either by soldering or by a terminal screw
see G Fig. 8. The socket pieces are of cylindrical section and fit in cylindrical
grooves in the block in which they can only have horizontal motion as the upper
opening or slot in the groove is of only about half the diameter of the cylindrical
groove see F Fig. 6. This slot is cut away for the head of the screw see F Fig. 7
and whilst the screw is down horizontal motion is therefore also prevented or the
point instead of the head of the screw as at H Fig. 8 may be used to stop any hori-
zontal motion in the socket whilst in the block. I preferably use glass as a covering
over the block so that the condition of the "fuse can at any time be seen.
גי
"
In smaller types instead of grooving the slate I bring the cable or wire up through
holes in the slate and fasten them by means of woodscrews down upon flat "contacts'
which are shellac-ed down to the slate, the woodscrews passing through holes therein
until they enter wood plugs see K Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 these plugs being driven in holes
bored horizontally into the slate bases and this system of plugs I find very convenient
for using woodscrews in combination with slate or other bases as in ceiling plates for
suspending incandescent lamps or I may use what I call a "sandwich" base consisting
of a slate O Fig. 11 and a wooden disc N Fig. 11 so that the woodscrews may pass
through holes in the brass contacts and in the slate and hold on to the wooden disc.
For taking a current off a wall or other convenient position I use an insulated base
upon which is mounted a socket see P fig. 13 this having been turned cylindrically to
the section indicated and then sawn through and the insulating blade R inserted to
prevent short circuiting, a cover is then screwed on as shown and a top piece
containing another similarly formed piece or plug S Fig. 12 is fitted to the lamp
or similar leads so that the circuit is complete only through such leads, the plug
being divided the same as the socket. Each half of the socket having facilities
for attaching the leads on the wall it is evident that when the plug enters the
socket and all connections are complete that the circuit is complete through the
lamp or other appliance attached to the leads running away from the plug and
when the plug is withdrawn the circuit is incomplete or broken.
In place of slate throughout these fittings I find china or earthenware very
convenient when ready moulded for rapidly erecting the work thereon.
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
33
"
1st. An improved switch having parallel arms capable of embracing a contact
piece and being adjustable as regards "grip or 'contact" by means of nuts and
bolts at or near the extremities substantially as described.
2nd. Improvements in switches whereby the contact between a collar and spindle
can be regulated by means of a taper plug substantially as described.
3rd. The transfer of motion from a loose handle to the cross bar of a switch
through the intermediate action of a spring substantially as described.
4th. In grooved blocks for "safety junctions" the use of cylindrical passages
having a narrow opening at the top so that the horizontal motion of the socket pieces
can be controlled as described.
th. The combination of woodplugs in a slate or china base or the use of a slate
and wood "sandwich" base enabling wood screws to be used for the purpose specified
substantially as described.
6th. A wall socket formed by means of a plug and socket split and insulated as
shown in Figs. 12 and 13 substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of June 1888.