Improvements in Circuit Closing Apparatus for Electric Brake and other Circuits.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in Circuit Closing Apparatus for Electric Brake
and other Circuits.
I, ELIAS ELKAN RIES, of the City of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, United
States of America, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCUIT CLOSING APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC BRAKE AND OTHER
CIRCUITS, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in circuit closing apparatus, whereby
the actuating current to the brake or other devices is applied gradually and with
continuously increasing strength, so as not to subject said devices to the rapid wear
and tear due to the sudden strain upon them when, as has heretofore been customary
in operating such apparatus, the entire strength of the current is applied at once.
further relates to certain improvements whereby the amount of current supplied to the
brake or other devices can be regulated and controlled at will, so that the operation of
such devices and the extent to which they are applied, is at all times under perfect
control:
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The general object of the invention is to afford a simple, practical and efficient
means for automatically controlling the supply of current from a secondary battery,
dynamo-electric machine, or other source of electricity to one or more translating
devices, in such a manner that said devices and the mechanism connected with, and
operated thereby, are protected from sudden shocks or strains when the circuit leading
to such devices is closed.
. It further has for its object the more perfect and efficient application of the whole
or any desired portion of the entire available current to such devices for the purpose
of better governing and controlling their operation and preventing any excess or
waste of power. The invention is especially intended for use in such cases where the
translating devices require currents of high potential, and from the nature of their
service, demand more or less frequent applications of the current, such for example,
as in the case of electric or electro-magnetic brakes, electric elevators, electric motors,

page_text: and other electrical machinery. The invention is equally applicable with slight modi-
fications to other purposes, some of which will hereafter form the subject of separate
applications for letters patent.
The general construction and operation of the apparatus will be readily understood
by referring to the drawings, in which Fig. 1, is a sectional elevation of the enclosing
case of the regulating and governing apparatus, giving a general view of the interior,
and showing the connections when it is intended to be used to regulate the current
from a primary or a secondary battery. Fig. 2, is a sectional end elevation of the
same with the cover and switch lever in place. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1,
except that this view shows the interior connections when it is intended to regulate
the current transmitted to a derived working circuit from a main working circuit, or
to transmit the direct current from a suitable generator to one or more translating
devices that require a gradual application of the current. Fig. 4, is a detail sectional
view of the automatic regulating and governing devices.
Fig. 5, is a front elevation of the apparatus, showing the switch lever, and the
arrangements of circuits when used in connection with the cells of a secondary battery.
Fig. 6 is a diagram view of a secondary battery, illustrating the method in which the
cells are connected to the binding posts leading to the upper row of contacts of the
apparatus. Fig. 7, is an enlarged sectional view of the dashpot piston and its
openings.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. Referring to the
drawings, A is an enclosing case containing the circuit closing mechanism. This
case is provided with a cover or door a, and may either be made of cast iron, or if
desired, of insulating material, such for instance as hard rubber. A shaft B is
supported in insulated bearings b, b, fixed in the front and back of the case respectively,
and loosely mounted on this shaft is a contact lever having contact surfaces c, c¹,
one at each extremity of the lever. These contact surfaces are adapted to make
electrical contact with two independent series of contacts d, d', placed respectively in
the paths of the contact surfaces C and c¹. The contacts d, d' are secured to a plate D
of insulating material, or are fixed directly to the rear wall of the enclosing case, if
the latter is formed of non-conducting material as before stated. The upper series of
contacts connect respectively with a corresponding number of binding posts 1, 2, 3
etc., arranged along the curved top of the case A, and these in turn are connected
with a secondary battery, in the manner hereinafter explained.
In order that the apparatus may also be used to modify and control the flow of
current produced by one or more dynamo-electric machines, or other generators of
electricity, it is provided with a removable frame e, containing a series of resistance
coils E, so arranged as to be readily connected to the lower series of contacts d', as
shown in Fig. 3. It will of course, he understood, that instead of the resistance
coils E, any other suitable resistance, such as carbon or other substance may be
employed when currents of large quantity or of high electro-motive force are to be
used. Suitably secured to the interior of the case A is a curved solenoid or helix F,
whose soft iron core is firmly fixed to the contact lever at or near its lower
extremity, and is curved to correspond with the shape of the interior of the solenoid,
as shown in the sectional view, Fig. 4. Directly opposite the solenoid is a dashpot G,
whose function is to regulate the motion and prevent the too rapid entrance of the
core into the solenoid when the latter is energized. To this end the dashpot is
provided with a piston having two valves or openings therein of different size and
opening in opposite directions, as shown at g² & g³, Fig. 7. The interior of the dash-
pot cylinder is filled with a suitable liquid such as glycerine, and when the piston g is
drawn out by the action of the solenoid, the liquid escapes through the smaller
opening ginto the rear of the cylinder. The opening in this valve can be regulated
by an adjustable tapering set screw as shown, and as the space of time in which the
solenoid can draw the piston to the other end of the dashpot is determined by the size
of the opening in the piston, and consequently, by the length of time required by the
liquid to pass from one side of the piston to the other, it will be seen that the motion
of the lever Cover the series of contacts and l' is not only very regular, but the

page_text: time occupied by it in doing so can be accurately adjusted by regulating the size of
the opening in the piston. When the current passing through the solenoid is
interrupted, the contact lever and the various parts connected therewith are restored
to their normal position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, by the action of the spiral
spring H, the liquid in the dashpot in this case passing through the larger valve.
Although the dashpot cylinder is shown curved in order to better harmonize with
the form of the enclosing case, it is clear that any other form of cylinder may be used,
or other substitute, such as air, employed therein, without departing from the spirit of
this feature of the invention.
Near the front end of the shaft B, is pivoted a switch lever I, having a handle J, of
non-conducting material, and a sector pawl or ratchet lever K designed to enter
A pro-
notches placed at intervals along the arc formed by the top of the case A.
jecting arm i, extends backward from the lever I, and being in the path of a similar
projection c on the contact lever (see Fig. 2) serves to limit the forward motion of
the latter, in such a manner that when acted upon by the solenoid, it cannot move
over a greater number of contacts than those determined by the position of the
handle J. The contact lever C is in electrical connection with the switch lever I
through the shaft B.
Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, it will be seen that the cells of the secondary battery,
represented by the figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and which are connected in series
with each other, are consecutively connected with the binding posts 61, 62, 63, etc., the
wire from the+pole of the first cell being connected with the binding posts L and I at
the left of the apparatus, and being continued from the latter to the translating
devices the current to which it is desired to regulate. The wire from the other side
of the translating devices is brought back to the binding posts and L', the latter
connecting with a segment or curved contact plate M, with which the switch lever I
makes connection when it is moved "to the right of the instrument from a similar
but smaller contact plate m, at the left, and upon which the lever I rests when the
circuit through the instrument is opened."
The solenoid F in the present instance is connected with the binding posts and
as shown in Fig. 1, and is therefore in multiple are with the circuit wires.
Now, if it is desired to send the current from the secondary battery to the
translating devices in circuit, with the regulating apparatus, the operation is as follows:
The contact lever C being in its normal position over the first contact point of the
series of contacts d as shown in Fig. 1, if the circuit from the battery be now closed
by moving the switch lever I from the normal position over the plate contact m, at
the left to a point on the curved contact plate M, say to the extreme right of the
apparatus, a current will flow from the + pole of the first cell to the binding post 7,
where it divides, the larger portion going to the translating devices through the
wire n, and returning to the binding post by means of the wire n', and the smaller
portion going through the solenoid F, the proportion of the current traversing the
solenoid being determined by its resistance compared to that of the translating
devices. The returning current from the wire n' goes to the binding post I, to the
curved plate M, to the switch lever I, through the shaft B, to the contact lever C,
through the first contact point and binding post to the pole of cell 1, of the
secondary battery. It will thus be seen that at the moment of closing the circuit only
one cell of the battery is included therein. The solenoid F, however, being now
energized to a certain degree by the current passing through it, now begins to attract
the core and moves the contact lever to the second contact point, thus throwing two
cells into the circuit, and increasing its own force. This process continues, cach
additional cell thrown into the circuit also increasing the force with which the core f
is drawn into the solenoid, but as the core cannot enter the solenoid faster than the
gradually diminishing quantity of liquid in the lower portion of the dashpot will
permit, the motion of the contact lever over the series of contact points is rendered
uniform, and additional cells are thrown into the circuit with perfect regularity until
the entire battery is in the circuit. If, however, it is not desired to send the entire
strength of the battery to the translating devices, it is only necessary to move the

page_text: switch lever I to any intermediate point along the arc formed by the top of the case,
the lever being held in position by the pawl K, as in Fig. 5. The operation will then
be the same as before except that when the lever C has moved forward sufficiently it
will come in contact with the projecting arm or stop i on the lever I, and the solenoid
thereby prevented from moving it further. In this manner the current transmitted
to the translating devices can be accurately and efficiently controlled.
It is evident that instead of connecting the accumulators in the manner shown in
Fig. 6, in which they are shown as being both charged and discharged in series, they
may be arranged in any other manner desired, so as to better adapt them to the
particular work for which they are designed, and the connections with the current
transmitting or circuit closing apparatus can be so made as to enable them to be used
for a number of other purposes.
It will also be noticed that the apparatus is equally well adapted to control the
admission of the current from a primary battery, the cells or elements of which may
he connected with the binding posts, etc., either in series, in multiple series,
in multiple are, or in any other desirable manner, the operation of the apparatus being
precisely the same as when secondary batteries are employed. When, however, a
comparatively weak current is to be employed, whether from primary or secondary
batteries, or from any other source, I prefer that the solenoid F he placed in the
direct circuit, or in series with the translating or other devices.
I will now explain how the apparatus is employed to transmit the current produced by
one or more dynamo-electric or other generators placed at a distance from it so as to adapt
the current to the requirements of the class of translating devices under consideration.
It will be readily understood that while a current produced from a suitable local source
of energy, such as a battery composed of a number of individual elements, or groups of
elements or from one or more dynamo-electric machines, can be easily controlled in
the first case by gradually increasing or diminishing the resistance of, or the amount
of current flowing through, the field magnet circuit, or otherwise. When, however,
the source of electric energy is located at a distance from the translating devices and
the circuit closing apparatus, such for example, as when the current is supplied from a
generating station to one or more sub-stations or consumers at a distance, by means of
a derived circuit from a main line of conductors, it will be necessary to place more or
less artificial resistance in the derived circuit or in a secondary circuit from such
derived circuit as the case may be, to diminish or increase the amount of current to
the translating devices. This I accomplish in the following manner. As has here-
tofore been stated, the case A is provided with a series of resistance coils E, and a
lower series of contact points to which the several coils are connected, as in
Fig. 3.
In the organization shown in this figure, the solenoid F is connected by means of
the wire with the binding post I, as before, while the wire connects with the first
binding post e¹ of the resistance E. The solenoid is thus placed in "series" with the
resistance coils and with the circuit in which the translating devices are placed. In
some instances, however, such as when a current of comparatively high electro-motive
force or potential is to be used in this circuit, 1 prefer to connect the solenoid in shunt
or derived circuit therewith, so that only a small proportion of the total current
strength will pass through the solenoid. In this case the wire f leading from the
solenoid is connected with the binding post at the right of the instrument, while the
first binding post e¹ of the resistance is connected with the binding post 7 at the left,
as shown in dotted lines, the wire fl remaining as before. Thus it will be seen that
when the terminal wires and n of the exterior circuit containing the translating
devices, are connected, respectively, with the binding posts and, and the circuit is
closed by moving the switch or circuit closing lever I to any desired point on the
plate M, the main portion of the current entering by way of the wire n' will flow from
the post, to the upper post L³, to the curved plate M, through the switch lever I,.
through the shaft B, down the lower arm of the lever C to the contact surface c',
through the resistance coils E, and out by the post and wire 'n to the translating
devices, while a portion of the current is diverted and flows from the post to the

page_text: post 7, via the solenoid F, which is energized thereby to move the contact lever Cover
the lower series of contacts d'.
As it is not ordinarily intended to use both upper and lower series of contacts at
the same time, no special insulation is necessary to electrically separate the contact
surfaces c and c' from each other, for the reason that, when the battery is employed,
the resistance coil is either not connected, as in Fig. 1, or the circuit of which it forms
a part is opened by means of a convenient switch or cut out arranged therein for this
purpose, and vice versa.
It will be seen that while the contact surface c traverses the upper series of contacts
from left to right, the opposite extremity of the contact lever passes over the contacts d'
from right to left, its normal position (when the circuit is open) being at the right.
This arrangement is employed to obviate the necessity of changing or reversing the
line wire or circuit connections when, for any reason, it is desired to employ the
instrument occasionally in both of its capacities, that is to say, in regulating
the application of the current by throwing in additional cells of battery on, the one
hand, and by throwing out or diminishing the resistance of the circuit on the other
hand. This arrangement of a right and left hand contact in connection with a pivoted
contact lever adapts the instrument to the requirements of both methods of transmission
without changing the movement of the operative parts, the operation of the instrument,
when the resistance coils are used in regulating the amount of current flowing to the
translating devices, being such, that at the moment of closing the circuit by means of
the switch lever I, all of the resistance coils are included, so that only a weak current
at first enters the solenoid and the translating devices, this current being gradually
increased as one coil after another is thrown out of the circuit by the movement of the
contact lever over the lower series of contacts until only the last coil is in circuit,
or until the sweep of the contact lever is brought to a stop by the switch lever I.
It will be seen from the foregoing that the instrument is not limited in its operation
to particular classes of current, nor is it limited in scope to certain forms of work..
As an illustration of the latter, it is not only adapted to regulate the amount of current
and its gradual application to "translating" devices designed to produce mechanical
work, such as electro-magnets, solenoids, electric-dynamic motors, etc, but it is equally
adapted and intended to be employed in connection with other forms of service, such
for instance as electric lighting, more particularly incandescent lighting, in order to
prevent the premature wear or decay of the incandescent filaments due to the sudden
manner in which the current is usually turned on and off, as well as to regulate the
From what has
intensity of the light in a simple, practical and convenient manner.
already been said it will be understood that by means of the circuit closing apparatus,
the strength of current flowing to the translating devices is capable of being diminished
as well as increased. For example, if after having turned on the full current by
moving the handle J to the point marked "on," it be desired to diminish the current
strength to any desired extent, or even to stop its flow altogether, all that is necessary
is to move the handle J in the reverse direction any desired distance toward the point
marked off. This movement of the handle J carries the contact lever C with it,
which, by retracing its path over the series of contacts, diminishes the amount of
current flowing through the solenoid and the translating devices until, upon the handle
being moved to the last named point, the circuit is finally opened. Although the
lever C is in this case moved back by hand, its motion is rendered uniform by the
action of the dashpot cylinder, which in the manner before described, controls and
regulates the speed with which it can be moved.
When the apparatus is designed to regulate the admission of the current to a
number of independent circuits, it is provided with a supplemental switch lever O,.
shown in Fig. 5, connecting with a similar interior lever o, that is adapted to move
over a number of double contacts (representing the terminals of their respective
circuits) shown in dotted lines, and corresponding with figures or reference numbers,
as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, marked upon the outside of the case. When the supplemental lever
is moved to any particular number, the circuit corresponding with such number
is closed by the interior lever o, and the instrument is operated to control that

page_text: particular current when the circuit is completed by moving the switch lever I, in the
manner before described. The arrangements of circuits employed are not shown in
this figure in order not to complicate the drawing, but they do not materially differ
from other well known connections of a similar nature, and are readily understood by
persons skilled in the art to which this invention appertains. The wires belonging to
the several circuits are preferably led to binding posts suitably secured to the enclosing
case, and the exterior circuits, if they are to be otherwise employed, can be kept closed
by means of suitable switches, such as p², p², p³, p* p³, when the regulating apparatus
is not required to be in circuit therewith."
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. The combination, with the cells or elements of a primary or secondary battery
and a normally open working circuit, in connection with one or more cells of said
battery, of a current transmitting or circuit closing apparatus placed in said circuit,
and provided with an actuating solenoid and a suitable speed regulating or timing
device, and designed and adapted, when the working circuit is closed, to automatically
and uniformly increase the current strength by throwing additional cells or clements
into the said circuit, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination, with the cells or elements of a primary or secondary battery
and a working circuit containing one or more translating devices designed and adapteil
to receive current from said battery, of a circuit closing apparatus having a series of
contact surfaces in electrical connection with individual elements or groups of elements
of said battery, a contact lever adapted to make electrical contact with said contact
surfaces, and actuating mechanism, substantially such as described and consisting of a
solenoid and a suitable retarding or speed regulating device, whereby, when the circuit
to such translating device or devices is closed, the apparatus will be operated to
successively and uniformly throw additional elements or groups of elements into the
working circuit, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination, with the cells or elements of a primary, or secondary battery,
and a normally open working circuit containing one or more translating devices
designed to be operated by said battery, of a current transmitting or circuit closing
apparatus having a series of contact surfaces in electrical connection with the individual
cells of said battery, a movable contact arm or lever normally in position over the first
contact surface, but designed to be operated to come into successive contact with all of
said surfaces, and a circuit closing lever arranged and adapted to close the circuit to
the translating devices and to limit the motion of the contact arm or lever, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
4. An electric current transmitting or circuit closing apparatus provided with a
primary lever for closing an electric circuit, a secondary lever arranged to be operated
to gradually increase the flow of current through the said circuit, and actuating
mechanism designed to automatically operate the secondary lever to increase the
current strength upon the closing of the circuit by means of the primary lever,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. An electric current transmitting or circuit closing apparatus, comprising essentially
a primary circuit closing lever, a secondary contact lever, a solenoid for operating the
secondary lever, and circuit connections substantially as set forth, whereby, upon the
closing of the circuit by the primary lever the secondary lever is automatically set in
motion to gradually increase the strength or quantity of current flowing through the
"circuit.
6. In an electric current transmitting apparatus, the combination of a curved or
elongated contact surface forming one terminal of an electric circuit, a circuit closing
lever adapted to be moved to various points along said contact surface and forming
the other terminal of said circuit, intermediate devices, substantially such as shown
consisting of a secondary lever and a suitable actuating and speed regulating mechanism
whereby when the circuit is closed by moving the circuit closing lever, the current
flowing through the circuit is gradually increased in strength, and a segment pawl or

page_text: equivalent device to hold the circuit closing lever in any desired position along the
curved contact surface, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
7. In an electric current transmitting apparatus, the combination of one or more
series of contact points or surfaces, a contact arm or lever designed and adapted to
come into electrical contact with said series of contact points, an adjustable stop to
limit the travel or sweep of said contact arm or lever, and a suitable speed, governing
or regulating device to control its rate of motion, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
8. In an electric current transmitting or circuit closing apparatus, the combination,
with the primary circuit closing lever, the secondary switch lever, and one or more
series of contact points, of a solenoid arranged to be energized by a portion of the
current passing through the circuit closing lever to move the switch lever into
successive contact with any desired number of said contact points, and a governing or
retarding device to control and render uniform the operation of said arm or lever,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
9. In an electric current transmitting or circuit closing apparatus, the combination,
with a series of contact points, of an arm or lever designed to be operated to come
into successive contact with said contact points, and an adjustable governing or speed
regulating device whereby the sweep of the contact arm or lever over the series of
contact points is completed in a predetermined space of time.
10. In an electric current transmitting or circuit closing apparatus, the combination,
with the concentrically arranged series of contact points and the centrally pivoted.
contact or switch lever, of a solenoid designed, when energized, to move said lever
across said series of contact points in one direction, a spring for moving the lever
across said contact points in an opposite direction, and a dashpot having its piston
provided with valved openings of unequal size and designed to govern and regulato
the motion of the switch lever so that it will move in opposite directions at different
rates of speed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
11. In an electric current transmitting or circuit closing apparatus, the combination
of a normally open working circuit, a series of contact points or terminals arranged
to be successively included in said circuit, a movable contact arm normally in contact
with the first contact point of said series, a solenoid in a shunt or derived circuit, and
means, substantially such as specified, whereby, when the working circuit is closed the
solenoid is energized to automatically move the contact arm from its position over the
first contact point, into successive contact with other contact points of the series, and
thereby cause the working strength of the current in said working circuit to be
increased, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
12. In an electric current transmitting or circuit closing apparatus, the combination,
with the transmitting or circuit closing mechanism, of a number of exterior circuits
or loops containing translating devices, and means, substantially as described, con-
sisting of a suitable arrangement of terminal contacts and one or more supplementary
switch lever, by means of which any one of said exterior circuits or loops can be
placed in circuit with the transmitting or circuit closing apparatus, for the purpose
set forth.
13. In an electric current transmitting or circuit closing apparatus, the combination,
with the transmitting or circuit closing mechanism, of a number of exterior working
circuits containing suitable translating devices, a supplementary switch lever for
connecting any of said exterior circuits with the transmitting apparatus, a circuit
closing lever in circuit with and forming part of the transmitting apparatus, and a
separate cut out switch for each of said exterior circuits, substantially as shown and
described.
14. In an electric current, transmitting or regulating apparatus, the combination,
with the centrally pivoted contact lever, and one or more series of contact points, of
the concentrically arranged solenoid and regulating cylinder, and the curved or are-
shaped core and piston rod attached to said lever, substantially as set forth.
15. In an electric current transmitting or circuit closing apparatus, the combination,
with the solenoid and switch lever, of a regulating cylinder or dashpot having a piston

page_text: provided with valved openings of unequal size and opening in opposite directions,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
16. In an electric current transmitting or circuit closing apparatus, the combination,
with the enclosing case having a rounded or curved top, of the exterior contact points
or surfaces arranged concentrically around a central shaft, the contact or switch lever
movable about said shaft, the circuit closing lever also secured to the said shaft and
provided with an exterior handle, a series of notches in the curved top of the enclosing
case, and a sector pawl on the circuit closing lever adapted to enter said notches,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
17. In an electric current transmitting or circuit closing apparatus, the combination
of a circuit closing lever provided with a segment pawl whereby it may be held in any
desired position, a stop or projection on the circuit closing lever and a pivoted arm or
lever designed to make successive electrical contact with a number of contact points
or terminals and arranged to come in contact with said stop or projection and have its
motion arrested thereby, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
18. In an electrical current transmitting or circuit closing apparatus, the combination,
with the enclosing case, of the primary circuit closing lever, the secondary contact
lever with its operative mechanism, and the supplementary switch lever O, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
19. In an electric current transmitting or circuit closing apparatus, the enclosing
case having a rounded or curved top, the concentrically arranged series of contact
points or surfaces, the centrally pivoted contact or switch lever provided with a contact
surface at each extremity, the arc-shaped solenoid and dashpot cylinder at opposite
sides of the central pivot, the circuit-closing lever, and the sector pawl on said lever,
substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.