Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 12th Apr., 1889
Complete Soecification Accepted, 8th June, 1889
I, ARTHUR CECIL COCKBURN of 2 Aubert Park, Highbury N. in the county of
Middlesex, Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to improvements in switches for use in Electric Circuits,
and consists in a device by which both a quick make and break of circuit is
obtained, together with a perfect locking of the contact bar both in the on and
off position.
The following will describe one of the methods of using the device. Inside a
box or cylinder is coiled a spring, one end of which is attached to the handle or
turning button, the other acting upon a movable contact bar, plate, cylinder, or
piece on the handle being turned, tension is put upon the spring or springs, the
said movable contact bar or piece being meanwhile held fixed in position, but
when sufficient energy has been stored up by the spring or springs the movable
bar is released from a holding stop or catch, and the stored energy in the spring
or springs causing the said contact bar or piece to be moved with great rapidity
into the required new position; on attaining which it again becomes locked. The
most important part of the invention is in the improved device for actuating or
causing the locking & unlocking of the contact bar. To the Switch handle is
attached a piece of metal or other material having a screw thread upon its surface, a
small arm is arranged so that it can travel along this screw and upon the screw being
turned this arw travels for example up or down. One end of this arm moves in
a slot which is cut in the side of a cap connected with the movable contact bar.
From the frame of the Switch project points or lugs arranged so as to cause the
arm to be detained from turning round, although allowing it a free motion up &
down the screw thread, these points or lugs do not extend the whole length of the
screw thread and if the arm went sufficiently low, it would escape them.
The following being the action of the parts in practise. Upon turning the handle,
the screw also turning, the arm is caused to travel along it, the coiled spring at the
same time being put under strain, owing to the fixed point or lug preventing the

page_text: arm moving round, the arm in its turn holding or preventing the movable contact
bar piece or plate from turning, the spring therefore acquiring energy. On the
screw causing the arm to move so as to escape the detention of the point or lug,
the arm moves round due to the energy of the coiled spring, and in so moving
travels back along the screw & becomes itself engaged by another point or lug, the
movable contact bar having been set free together with the arm darts quickly into
its new position.
The above may be modified by having projections or slots attached to or cut upon
the cylinder or box part of movable contact piece, so arranged that by turning the
handle a cam or pin is moved and caused to engage or disengage the locking of the
movable contact-bar, and set the bar free, to move under the springs action. The
spring of switches made upon these methods is usually coiled and only under stress at
the moment of turning on or off.

page_text: Improvements in Electrical Switches.
ARTHUR CECIL COCKBURN Electrical Engineer of 32 Gaisford Street Kentish
Town N.W. in the county of Middlesex (late of Aubert Park Highbury N.) I 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:
:
This invention relates to improvements in Switches for use in Electric Circuits,
and consists in a device by which both a quick make and break of circuit can be
obtained, together with a perfect locking of the contact bar both in the on and
off position.
The following together with drawings will describe one of the methods of using the
device, the lettering for all drawings are uniform.
Inside a box or cylinder D' is coiled a spring B, one end of which spring is attached
to a handle or turning mechanism C G, the other end acting upon a movable contact
bar, plate cylinder or piece D¹, on the handle C being turned tension can be put upon
the spring or springs B, the said movable contact bar or piece D¹ being meanwhile
held fixed in position by arm E and lug F¹, but when sufficient energy has been
stored up in the spring or springs B the movable bar D and cylinder D is released
from the holding stop or catch F and this stored energy in the spring or springs B
causes the said contact bar or piece D to be moved with great rapidity into the
required new position (or make or break the circuit) on attaining which position it
again becomes locked, J J represent 2 contact plates. The most important part of
the invention is in the improved device for actuating or causing the locking and
unlocking of the contact bar D. To the switch handle is attached a piece of metal
or other material G having a screw thread upon its surface, a small arm E is arranged
so that it can travel along this screw, and upon the screw being turned this arm E
travels for example up or down screw G. One end of this arm E moves in a slot H
which is cut in the inner side of the cylinder D' which is permanently connected with
the movable contact bar D. From the frame of Switch A project points or
lugs F&F (the number of lugs being regulated according to special requirements)
arranged so as to cause the arin E to be detained from turning round until the correct
time, although allowing it a free motion up and down the said screw G, these points
or lugs F only extend sufficiently low to allow arm E to escape them at the required
moment. The following being the action of the parts in practice. Upon turning the
handle C, the screw G also turning, the arm E is caused to travel along it, the coiled
spring B at the same time being put under strain owing to the fixed point or lug F
preventing the arm E moving round, the arm E in its turn holds or prevents the
cylinder (or equivalent) of the unovable contact bar, piece or plate D D¹ from turning.
The spring B one end of which being fixed upon or to a plate or bar CG which in
turn is attached to the screw G therefore acquiring energy. The arm E travels along
screw G till it escapes the detent point F' and allows the coiled spring B to instan-
taneously turn the contact bar D to its next position and cause arm E to travel back
along the screw G until it locks in next lug F

page_text: The above may be modified by having projections or slots attached to or cut upon
the cylinder or box part of movable contact piece so arranged that by turning the
handle à Cam or pin is moved and caused to engage or disengage the locking of
the movable contact bar and set the bar free to move under the springs action. The
spring of switches made upon these methods is usually coiled and only under stress
at the moment of turning on or off.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The improved switch as a whole as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2. The employment of a screw or groved piece (G) and arm (E) in Electric
Switches.
3. The application or use of projecting points or lugs as and for the purpose
set forth.
Dated this 10th love of Auril 1880