Improvements in or connected with Electrical Switches.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Electrical Switches.
I, ARTHUR BRIER, of Temple Street Iron Works, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My said invention relates to improvements in electrical switches which are
used in connection with electric motors and the like.
My improvements relate to such switches where the contact slider of the starting
resistance is operated by means of a worm mounted upon a spindle which is capable
of being moved in its bearings until the worm is brought into gear with a worm
wheel or segment to which the contact slider is connected. By revolving the
worm by means of a handle upon the spindle the contact slider is operated so
as to gradually turn on the current.
At present the worm is brought into gear with the toothed wheel or segment
by hand after turning on the switch, and various devices are adopted to maintain
the contact slider in position with regard to the starting resistance.
The object of my invention is to positively operate the worm spindle so as to
bring the worm into and out of gear, by means of the switch.
In carrying my invention into effect I provide an insulated connecting rod
of any suitable material which I secure to a sleeve upon the worm spindle. This
insulated connecting rod is secured to, or is in connection with, the switch and
operated thereby in any convenient manner so that when turning on the switch
the insulated connecting rod slides the spindle, one end of which is mounted
in a slot, so as to bring the worm into gear with the worm wheel. The handle
on the spindle is then operated in the usual manner so as to turn on the current,
and the contact slider is then locked in position by the worm.
When the switch is pulled out the insulated connecting rod disengages the
worm from the spur segment and a spring is provided to return the segment and
contact slider to their initial starting point.
It must be understood that the gist of my invention consists in the provision of
means operating between the switch and the worm spindle, so that when the
switch is actuated, the worm is at the same time positively brought into and
out of gear with the segment.
The method of carrying this into effect may vary therefore in point of detail,
and particularly to adapt it to the different types of starting resistances.

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Electrical Switches.
I, ARTHUR BRIER, of Temple Street Iron Works, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement and accompanying drawings:-
My said invention relates to improvements in electrical switches which are
used in connection with electric motors and the like.
My improvements relate to such switches where the contact slider of the starting
resistance is operated by means of a worm mounted upon a spindle which is capable
of being moved in its bearings until the worm is brought into gear with a worm
wheel or segment to which the contact slider is connected. By revolving the
worm by means of a handle upon the spindle the contact, slider is operated so
as to gradually cut out the resistance.
At present the worm is brought into gear with the toothed wheel or segment
by hand after turning on the switch, and various devices are adopted to maintain
the contact slider in position with regard to the starting resistance.
The object of my invention is to positively operate the worm spindle so as to
bring it into and out of gear by means of the switch.
The accompanying two sheets of drawings clearly illustrate my invention.
Fig. 1 is an end elevation showing my invention applied to a combined switch
and resistance mechanism.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of same.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a modified form of switch to which my invention
is applicable.
Fig. 4 is an end view of same.
In the drawings the resistance mechanism is marked A and the switch B.
In carrying my invention into effect I provide an insulated connecting rod a of
any suitable material which I loosely secure to the worm spindle 6 of the resistance
mechanism. This insulated connecting rod a is secured to, or is in connection
with the switch at e and operated thereby, so that when turning on the switch the
insulated connecting rod a slides the spindle b, one end of which is mounted in
a slotted bearing d, the other end being sustained in a bearing pivotted at d³, so
as to bring the worm e into gear with the worm wheel f. The handle y on the
spindle is, then operated in the usual manner so as to cut out the resistance,
and the contact slider h is then locked in position by the worm e.
When the switch B is pulled out the insulated connecting rod a disengages
the worm e from the worm wheel f as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and the
spring i returns the worm wheel and contact slider to their initial starting point.
In Fig. 1 the handle g and spring i are removed so as not to obscure the parts.
It must be understood that the gist of my invention consists in the provision of
means operating between the switch and the worm spindle, so that when the
switch is actuated, the worm is at the same time positively brought into or out
of gear with the worm wheel or segment.
The method of carrying this into effect may vary therefore, in point of detail,
and particularly to adapt it to the different types of starting resistances.
On Sheet 2 of the drawings show a modified form of switch and starting
resistance to which my invention is also applicable.
In this case the resistance mechanism A is operated horizontally by means
of a worm or screw j engaging with a half nut k which is capable of sliding on
guide rods so as to traverse the insulated slider m over the terminals n and thus
cut out the resistance.

page_text: I secure to the switch B two connecting rods of non-conducting material.
The other ends of the connecting rods o embrace the spindles p P of the
worm which spindles are mounted to revolve in inclined slots formed in the
bearings 99.
By
By operating the handle of the switch the connecting rods o traverse the worm j
in the slotted bearings q until the worm engages with the half nut k.
revolving the worm by means of the handle the slider m is traversed over the
terminals n so as to cut out the resistance.
When the worm j is removed from engagement with the half nut k by means
of the connecting rods o springs s return the half nut to its initial starting point.
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:-
In electrical switches of the indicated nature, mounting the worm spindle of
the starting resistance in sliding bearings and operating the same positively by
means of the switch through a connecting rod or rods so as to bring the worm
into and out of gear substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this Toth day of February 1055.
For the Applicant.
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester.