Improvements in Electrical Switches.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Electrical Switches.
JAMES MOORES, HENRY OLIVER FARRELL, both of 15, Hanging Ditch, Man-
chester, Lancashire, Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in electrical switches.
In carrying out our invention we mount on bearings fixed on a suitable base,
a shaft or spindle on this shaft and concentric with it, we mount a cylinder.
This cylinder has a slot running round it in the form of a spiral or screw thread,
of a pitch suitable to produce the desired movement.
On this cylinder, we attach in a suitable position the contact piece or pieces
that are to open and close the electric circuit. The switch is actuated by means
of a lever, one end of which forms the handle of the switch, and the other end
rests in the herein before mentioned slot
The axis of the movement of this lever, is approximately at right angles to the
axis of the before mentioned cylinder. In other words the end of the lever moves
along the length of the cylinder. The switch works as follows When the handle
is moved in one direction, the other end of the lever moves along in the slot,
and forces the cylinder to rotate on its axis, until the herein before mentioned
contact piece, comes into contact with suitably arranged terminal contacts, and
aloses the circuit. To open the circuit, the handle is moved in the opposite
direction and in a similar manner causes the cylinder to rotate back to its original
position. We may instead of making a slot on the cylinder, make a spiral ridge on
it. We may also make the spiral on the shaft itself, or in any other manner make
a spiral suitable to produce the desired movement.
We may obtain a quick break action, by means of springs acting on the lever,
or cylinder or on both.
To obtain the necessary pressure of the contact piece on the terminal contacts,
we may mount the latter on the base, at a greater or at a less distance, than the
former from the axis of the cylinder, so that the contact piece would have to
move to a position a greater or less distance from the original position of the
axis of rotation of the cylinder, before it could slide on to, or make full contact
with the terminal contacts. We should so mount the shaft or cylinder or contact
piece, as to allow of this movement, and control the same by springs or by other
suitable means.
Dated this 9th day of December 1897.

page_text: We, JAMES MOORES and HENRY OLIVER FARRELL, both of 15, Hanging Ditch,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Electrical Engineers, 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:-
Our invention relates to improvements in electrical switches.
The invention consists of a rotatable block or cylinder or equivalent part pro-
vided with a groove or projecting rib in or with which the end of a switch lever
engages this lever being provided with a suitable handle or knob, the form of the
groove or rib being such and the switch lever being so mounted with regard to
the axes of the block or cylinder that by rocking the lever its end will slide along
the groove or rib and cause the block or cylinder to oscillate in one direction
or the other.
The block or cylinder carries a contact piece or pieces which makes or make
the necessary connections with terminal contacts to complete the circuit when the
switch lever is moved in one direction the reverse motion of the switch lever of
course carrying the contact piece or pieces out of contact with the terminal con-
tacts to break the circuit.
Our invention will be readily understood from the following description on
reference to the annexed drawings.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one of our improved switches partly in section.
Fig. 2 is a section taken at about the line AA on Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is a plan
shewing part of the strap forming the bearings cut away and in section.
Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate modifications hereafter described.
In carrying out our invention we mount on bearings formed in a strap a or in
other suitable supports fixed on a suitable base b, a shaft or spindle c, on this
shaft and concentric with it, we mount a cylinder or block d. This cylinder d
has a slot running round and along it, in the form of an inclined or spiral or
screw thread, of a pitch suitable to produce the desired movement.
On this cylinder or block d we attach in a suitable position the contact piece
or pieces, that are to open and close the electric circuit.
The switch is actuated by means of a lever eel, one ende of which forms the
handle of the switch and the other end e rests in the herein before mentioned
Blot d¹.
The fulcrum or axis of the movement of this lever ee is approximately at
right angles to the axis e of the before mentioned cylinder or block d. In other
words, the end of the lever e¹ moves along the length of the cylinder or block d.
The switch works as follows: When the handle e is moved in one direction the
other end e¹ of the lever moves along in the slot and forces the cylinder to
rotate on its axis, until the hereinbefore mentioned contact piece comes into
contact as shewn by full lines on Figs. 12 and 3, with suitably arranged ter-
minal contacts ff and closes the circuit. To open the circuit the handle e is
moved in the opposite direction, and in a similar manner causes the cylinder or
block d to rotate back in the direction of the arrow Fig. 3 to its original posi-
tion shewn dotted on Fig. 3.
We may as before stated instead of making a slot on the cylinder, make n
spiral ridge on it. We may also make the spiral on the shaft itself, or in any
other manner make a spiral or inclined groove or ridge suitable to produce the
desired movement, the end of the lever being forked in latter case,

page_text: Wo may obtain a quick break action by means of springs acting on the lever or
cylinder or on both.
To obtain the necessary pressure of the contact piece on the terminal cou-
taots ff, we may mount the latter on the base, at a greater or at a less dis-
tance than the former from the axis c of the cylinder.
In which case wo mount the contact piece so that it will have to move to a
position a greater or less distance from the original position of the axis of rota-
tion of the cylinder, before it could slide on to or make full contact with the ter-
minal contacts. We should so mount the shaft or cylinder or contact piece, as
to allow of this movement, and control the same by springs or by other suitable
means.
This part of our invention will be understood on reference to Figs. 4 & 5
which shews the shaft c capable of moving in slots a' so that when the piece of
is moved into contact with the parts ff which are rigid and fixed, the block
or cylinder d can move back or to, overcoming a spring or springs g and then
full contact of d² with ff can be obtained.
Fig. 4, showing the arrangement whereby the cylinder would be drawn in
one direction, and Fig. 5, where it could be pushed in the opposite direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. An electric switch consisting of a rotatable block or cylinder or equivalent
part provided with a contact piece or pieces and with a groove or projecting rib
in or with which the end of a switch lever engages, this lever being provided
with a suitable handle or knob, the form of the groove or rib being such and the
switch lever being so mounted with regard to the axis of the block or cylinder
that by rocking the lever its end will slide along the groove or rib and cause the
block or cylinder to oscillate in one direction or the other, and so bring the con-
tact piece or pieces into or out of contact with suitable terminal contacts substan-
tially as hereiubefore described.
2. Imparting a yielding pressure to the contact piece on the cylinder or block
aforesaid by mounting the axis of the latter in slots and holding it in place by
a spring or springs substantially as herein before described.
Dated th01 fa
1000
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
Agents for the Applicant, 4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.