Improvements in Apparatus for Making and Breaking Electric Circuits at Predetermined Times.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 10th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 8th Oct., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Making and Breaking Electric
Circuits at Predetermined Times.
I, HANS Orro SWOBODA, of 78, East 91st Street, New York City, in the County
and State of New York, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus operated by clockwork or other uniform
motor to make and break an electric circuit at predetermined times.
In systems of street lighting by electricity where the current is taken from
the commercial mains supplying many other consumers a man must make the
circuit of the system every evening to turn on the lights and every morning
to shut them off, or in any case where electric apparatus are used, it is now
necessary to have an attendant to turn them on or off at the desired times.
This invention is designed to automatically turn on the current and auto-
matically turn it off from the lamps or other translating devices at predetermined
times adjustable at will, and by employing a suitable switch, it also can be used
to substitute automatically one circuit for another.
The preferred form of apparatus according to this invention is illustrated
by the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus as it appears when the case is hung
to the wall or other vertical support the lid being removed.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation the casing being removed.
Fig. 3 is a plan shewing the switch and electro-magnetic mechanism for
operating it.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the adjustable contact making arms.
Fig. 5 is a section through the axis on which these arms are mounted.
Fig. 6 is a diagram of the electrical connections.
Throughout the drawings like reference figures refer to like parts.
1 is the casing of the clockwork movement. 2 is a dial mounted on the shaft 5,
driven from the clockwork through gearing 7, or otherwise. This dial is figured
for twenty-four hours. 3 is an arm adjustably fixed on the spindle 5, for closing
the circuit which throws the switch into operative position. 4 is a similar adjust-
able arm which makes connections which throw the switch out of operative
position.
6 is a pointer fixed on the casing to shew the time by pointing at the figures on
the dial. In the path of the adjustable contact arm 3, is fixed a contact spring 9.
A similar contact spring 8 is fixed in the path of the contact arm 4. These
contact springs are preferably fixed on the clock casing and insulated from it
and from one another.
In order to prevent a long period of contact between the slowly moving contact
rms and the springs 8 and 9, I mount an insulating piece 3a on the end of the
arm 3, and a similar piece 4a on the end of the arm 4, leaving but a small portion

page_text: of the ends of the metal arms exposed. The thumb screws 2a and 26 serve to
fix the contact arms 3 and 4 on the spindle 5, where desired.
Wires 8a and 9a lead from the contact springs 8 and 9 to the electro magnets 10
and 11 through the coils of these magnets. respectively and the wires 12 and 13,
back to the binding screw 14, which is connected with one of the terminals of an
external source of electricity furnishing the supply current.
The spindle 5, which is in electrical connection with rotating adjustable arms 3
and 4, is connected by means of the wire 35 (shewn in the diagram, Fig. 6) with
the other terminal of the source of the supply current.
16 and 17 are binding posts to which the terminals 18 and 19 of the supply
circuit are connected, and 14 and 15 are binding posts to which one end of the
knife blades of the switch, operated by the clockwork are connected.
12a and 15a connect the binding posts 16 with 14, and 15 with 17, respectively.
The magnets 10 and 11, which are thus alternately energised by the passage of
current through them caused by the rotation of the adjustable arms 3 and 4,
operate a switch which may be of any convenient form, but which is preferably
constructed as shewn in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
20, 20 represent the knife blades of an ordinary two pole single throw knife
switch, which knife blades have their pivotal ends 34 connected with the binding
posts 14 and 15, while their other ends make contact with the ordinary spring
clips 24. 24. These spring clips are connected with the binding posts 30, 31, to
which the terminals 32, 33, of the work circuit are attached. Although the
drawing represents a double pole single throw knife switch, it can easily be seen
that any other kind of a knife switch, as single pole, triple pole or double throw
can take its place without changing the action of the apparatus.
21 is an oscillating frame which is pivotted on the supports 25, 25, which
supports also carry the magnets 10, 11 rigidly fixed to them. The swinging
frame 21 carries the armatures 21a, 21b, which are respectively controlled by
the pole pieces 27 and 28 of the magnets. The swinging armature thus formed
has an extension 22, preferably provided with a weight 22a on its extremity,
which extension passes through a slotted opening 23 in the insulated cross
piece 20 which connects the knife blades 20, 20.
The magnets 10 and 11 are held together and supported by the plate sup-
ports 25, 25. The screws 29, 29, serve as pivots for the swinging frame 21 of
the swinging armature. The magnets, their pole pieces and their armatures are
shewn for the use of direct current, they can however be laminated for use of
alternating currents.
The apparatus operates as follows:
The dial 2 being properly set and the clockwork being wound up, the pointer 6
indicates the time. If for instance it is desired at one o'clock to turn on the
current at nine o'clock in the evening as indicated in Fig. 1, the contact arm 3
is adjusted to cover the figure 9 in the upper half of the dial. If current is
to be shut off at three in the morning the contact arm 4 is adjusted to cover the
figure 3 in the lower half of the dial. The weight 22a of the swinging armature
holds it on whichever side of the centre of oscillation it had been left: and in the
present case the armature is in the position shown in dotted lines
in Fig. 2 the switch being open. When the hour nine is reached
the spring contact 9 snaps off of the insulating piece 3a and makes
a momentary contact with the extremity of the contact arm 3.
sends a current from the binding post 17, through the wire 35, the contact arm 3,
the contact spring 9, the wire 9a, the coil of the magnet 10. the wire 12, binding
post 14 and wire 12a. back to the other binding post 16.
This
The magnet 10 then attracts the armature 21a, causing the swinging armature
and its frame to begin to move and after a short time its extension 22 strikes
one side of the slotted opening 23 and carries the knife blades 20 over to the right
hand position and into contact with the spring clips 24. 24. thus closing the
connection from the supply circuit through to the work circuit.

page_text: The contact of the spring 9 with the adjustable contact arm 3 being only
momentary there is little tendency to burn out the contact surfaces. When the
hour of three in the morning is reached the contact spring 8 similarly makes a
momentary contact with the arm 4, sending the current from binding post 17
through wire 35, adjustable arm 4, contact spring 8, wire 8a, coil of the
magnet 11, wire 13, binding post 14 and wire 12a to the other binding post 16.
The magnet 11.then attracts the armature 216 on the other end of the swinging
frame 21 and oscillates the said swinging frame from the position shewn in full
lines, Fig. 2, to that shewn in dotted lines.
The first portion of this movement is made freely and the momentum of the
weight 22a thus acquired enables the extension 22 to lift the knife blades 20 out
of the grasp of the spring clips 24, when 22 strikes the other side of the slot 23.
The continued motion of the swinging frame 21 lifts the knife blades entirely
out of the clips 24, 24, the switch being thus opened and the current cut off from
the work circuit.
The advantages of my construction lie in its simplicity and certainty of action
and in its durability.
The making of momentary contacts only means saving of electrical energy and
the feature of allowing the swinging frame to acquire a certain degree of
momentum before it begins to operate the switch, makes the said switch a quick
make and quick breaking device without requiring very powerful magnets.
The swinging frame having its centre of gravity above its pivot point is held
permanently in whichever position it is left. Obviously the details of the apparatus
might be varied so long as the principle of operation is retained, other forms
of switch and a less or greater number of magnets could be employed.
1000
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus for Making and Breaking-Electric
Circuits at Predetermined Times.
I, HANS OTTO SWOBODA, of 78, East 91st Street, New York City, in the County
and State of New York, 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:-
My invention relates to apparatus operated by clockwork or other uniform
motor to make and break an electric circuit at predetermined times.
In systems of street lighting by electricity where the current is taken from
the commercial mains supplying many other consumers a man must make the
circuit of the system every evening to turn on the lights and every morning
to shut them off, or in any case where electric apparatus are used it is now
necessary to have an attendant to turn them on or off at the desired times.
This invention is designed to automatically turn on the current and auto-
matically turn it off from the lamps or other translating devices at predetermined
times adjustable at will, and by employing a suitable switch, it also can be used
to substitute automatically one circuit for another.
The preferred form of apparatus according to this invention is illustrated
by the drawings accompanying, my Provisional Specification.

page_text: Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus as it appears when the case is hung
to the wall or other vertical support, the lid being removed.
Figure 2 is a side elevation, the casing being removed.
Figure 3 is a plan shewing the switch and electro-magnetic mechanism for
operating it.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the adjustable contact making arms.
Figure 5 is a section through the axis on which these arms are mounted.
Figure 6 is a diagram of the electrical connections.
Throughout the drawings like reference figures refer to like parts.
1 is the casing of the clockwork movement. 2 is a dial mounted on the shaft 5,
driven from the clockwork through gearing 7, or otherwise. This dial is figured
for twenty-four hours. 3 is an arm adjustably fixed on the spindle 5, for closing
the circuit which throws the switch into operative position. 4 is a similar adjust-
able arm which makes connections which throw the switch out of operative
position.
6 is a pointer fixed on the casing to shew the time by pointing at the figures on
the dial. In the path of the adjustable contact arm 3, is fixed a contact spring 9.
A similar contact spring 8 is fixed in the path of the contact arm 4. These
contact springs are preferably fixed on the clock casing and insulated from it
and from one another
In order to prevent a long period of contact between the slowly moving contact
arms and the springs 8 and 9, I mount an insulating piece 3a on the end of the
arm 3, and a similar piece 4a on the end of the arm 4, leaving but a small portion
of the ends of the metal arms exposed. The thumb screws 2a and 26 serve to
fix the contact arms 3 and 4 on the spindle 5, where desired.
Wires 8a and 9a lead from the contact springs 8 and 9 to the electro magnets 10
and 11 through the coils of these magnets respectively and the wires 12 and 13.
back to the binding screw 14, which is connected with one of the terminals of an
external source of electricity furnishing the supply current.
The spindle 5, which is in electrical connection with rotating adjustable arms 3
and 4, is connected by means of the wire 35 (shewn in the diagram, Figure 6)- with
the other terminal of the source of the supply current.
16 and 17 are binding posts to which the terminals 18 and 19 of the supply
circuit are connected, and 14 and 15 are binding posts to which one end of the
knife blades of the switch, operated by the clockwork are connected.
12a and 15a connect the binding posts 16 with 14 and 15 with 17, respectively.
The magnets 10 and 11, which are thus alternately energised by the passage of
current through them caused by the rotation of the adjustable arms 3 and 4,
operate a switch which may be of any convenient form, but which is preferably
constructed as shewn in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
20. 20 represent the knife blades of an ordinary two pole single throw knife
switch, which knife blades have their pivotal ends 34 connected with the binding
posts 14 and 15, while their other ends make contact with the ordinary spring
clips 24, 24. These spring clips are connected with the binding posts 30, 31 to
which the terminals 32, 33, of the work circuit are attached. Although the
drawing represents a double pole single throw knife switch, it can easily be seen
that any other kind of a knife switch, as single pole, triple pole, or double throw
can take its place without changing the action of the apparatus.
21 is an oscillating frame which is pivotted on the supports 25, 25, which
supports also carry the magnets 10, 11 rigidly fixed to them. The swinging
frame 21 carries the armatures 21a, 21b, which are respectively controlled by
the pole pieces 27 and 28 of the magnets. The swinging armature thus formed
has an extension 22, preferably provided with a weight 22a on its extremity,
which extension passes through a slotted opening 23 in the insulated cross
piece 20a which connects the knife blades 20, 20.
The magnets 10 and 11 are held together and supported by the plate sup-
ports 25, 25. The screws 29, 29, serve as pivots for the swinging frame 21 of

page_text: the swinging armature. The magnets their pole pieces and their armatures are
shewn for the use of direct current, they can however be laminated for use of
alternating currents.
The apparatus operates as follows:-
The dial 2 being properly set and the clockwork being wound up, the pointer, 6
indicates the time. If for instance it is desired at one o'clock to turn on the
current at nine o'clock in the evening as indicated in Figure 1, the contact arm 3
is adjusted to cover the figure 9 in the upper half of the dial. If current is
to be shut off at three in the morning the contact arm 4 is adjusted to cover the
figure 3 in the lower half of the dial. The weight 22a of the swinging armature
holds it on whichever side of the centre of oscillation it had been left; and in the
present case the armature is in the position shewn in dotted lines
111 Figure 2 the switch being open. When the hour nine is
reached the spring contact 9
snaps off of the insulating piece Ba
and makes a momentary contact with the extremity of the contact arm 3. This
sends a current from the binding post 17, through the wire 35, the contact arm 3,
the contact spring 9, the wire 9a, the coil of the magnet 10, the wire 12 binding
post 14 and wire 12a, back to the other binding post 16.
The magnet 10 then attracts the armature 21a, causing the swinging armature
and its frame to begin to move and after a short time its extension 22 strikes
one side of the slotted opening 23 and carries the knife blades 20 over to the right
hand position and into contact with the spring clips 24, 24, thus closing the
connection from the supply circuit through to the work circuit.
The contact of the spring 9 with the adjustable contact arm 3 being only
momentary there is little tendency to burn on the contact surfaces. When the
hour of three in the morning is reached the contact spring 8 similarly makes a
momentary contact with the arm 4, sending the current from binding post 17
through wire 35, adjustable arm 4, contact spring 8 wire Sa coil of the
magnet 11, wire 13, binding post 14 and wire 12a to the other binding post 16.
The magnet 11 then attracts the armature 216 on the other end of the swinging
frame 21 and oscillates the said swinging frame from the position shewn in full
lines, Figure 2, to that shewn in dotted lines.
The first portion of this movement is made freely and the momentum of the
weight 22a thus acquired enables the extension 22 to lift the knife blades 20 out
of the grasp of the spring clips 24, when 22 strikes the other side of the slot 23.
The continued motion of the swinging frame 21 lifts the knife blades entirely
out of the clips 24, 24 the switch being thus opened and the current cut off from
the work circuit.
The advantages of my construction lie in its simplicity and certainty of action
and in its durability.
The making of momentary contacts only means saving of electrical energy and
the feature of allowing the swinging frame to acquire a certain degree of
momentum before it begins to operate the switch, makes the said switch a quick
make and quick breaking device without requiring very powerful magnets.
The swinging frame having its centre of gravity above its pivot point is held
permanently in whichever position it is left. Obviously the details of the apparatus
might be varied so long as the principle of operation is retained, other forms
of switch and a less or greater number of magnets could be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. Apparatus for making and breaking electric circuits at predetermined times
comprising a clock or other uniform motor having a revolving dial marked
with hours, a fixed pointer for the dial a pair of arms adjustably fixed on the dial
spindle and revolving with the dial contact springs fixed in the paths of the arms,
electric circuits connecting a source of electricity through the spindle the arms

page_text: and the springs to magnets operating a switch, arranged and operating sub-
stantially as described.
2. In combination with each of the adjustable arms above referred to an insulat
ing piece on the contact end substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In combination with the magnets above referred to an armature arranged to
swing on each side of a vertical line and having a weighted arm loosely connected
with the switch blades substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. Apparatus for making and breaking electric contacts at predetermined times
arranged and operating substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 10th day of August 1898.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.