Improvements in Electric Contact Making and Breaking Apparatus.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 26th May, 1896-Accepted, 8th Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Contact Making and Breaking Apparatus.
We, SAMUEL QUINCEY, of 567 Seven Sisters Road, South Tottenham, in the
County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, and JOHN HOAR COLLINS, of
Warwick House, Sidmouth, in the County of Devon, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to constructions of contact making and breaking apparatus
whereby the connection between two contacts or conductors can be maintained for
any predetermined interval of time, either after the means used for setting the
apparatus in action has ceased to act, or after the connection has once been made
The
whether or not the actuating means remain in the operative position or not.
improved apparatus may advantageously be used in conjunction with electrically
controlled or electrically actuated railway signalling apparatus and especially with
railway signalling apparatus of the kind described in the Specification of an
application for Letters Patent No. 16191 of 1894.
In one arrangement of contact making and breaking apparatus according to this
invention, in which the electric connection is maintained for a predetermined time
after the actuating means, for example a locomotive or train, has left it, there are
two insulated fixed contacts (hereinafter called for distinction spring contacts)
joined to the conductors to be temporarily connected, and between them is arranged
a movable contact pivoted to a lever (hereinafter called the contact lever), which,
as well as the contacts, are enclosed within the upper part of a box or casing.
The spring contacts are closer together at their upper parts than at their lower
parts, and the end of the movable contact between them is of such a width that
when it is in the lowered position, it will not connect the said spring contacts, but
will do so when raised by the arm of the contact lever to which it is pivoted. One
end of the contact lever is connected by a link to a second lever that is connected
by a saddle piece to a spring lever provided at its outer end with a vertically
adjustable bolt arranged near to or in contact with the underside of a rail so as to be
depressed by the deflection of the portion of the rail between two adjacent chairs,
caused by a passing vehicle or train. The other end of the contact lever is con-
nected to a piston arranged to work in a cylinder that is provided with an air inlet
valve, and with a raised air escape valve, and is sealed at its periphery with a liquid,
such as glycerine or castor oil, that is not liable to freeze in winter, and which
rests in the bottom of the cylinder. The enclosing box or casing is formed with
a stop that serves to limit the upward movement of the inner end of the spring
lever, and consequently the amount of motion transmitted to the contact lever and
attached parts, notwithstanding excessive depression of the outer end of the
spring lever, such excessive depression being taken up by the elasticity of the
lever. The various parts are normally held in position to keep the circuit between
the spring contacts open, by a spring that may be connected with the contact lever
and with a fixed part. When the outer end of the spring lever is depressed by
deflection of the rail, the contact lever forces the movable contact upward between
the upper ends of the spring contacts, and lifts the aforesaid piston in its cylinder,
into which air then enters by the inter valve. After the rail is relieved of
pressure, the aforesaid spring returns the parts to their normal positions more or
less quickly according to the adjustment of the air exit valve. As the contact
lever descends, it leaves the movable contact held between the spring contacts until

page_text: the upper edge of the said lever, by acting upon the movable projection or upon
an adjustable screw carried by the movable contact, forces the latter from between
the spring contacts, whereupon it falls by gravity into its inoperative position, aided
it may be by a spring, whereupon the connection between the spring contacts is
broken. This action can be caused to take place earlier or later in the motion of
the spring lever, by suitably adjusting the screw carried by the movable contact.
In a modified arrangement, the movable contact is in the form of a straight lever
pivoted to a fixed support, and carrying at one end a weighted tumbler, and at the
other end a circular rack. It is raised between the fixed spring contact so as to
connect them, by the depression of a second lever pivoted at one end and acting at
its other end upon the upper end of the said tumbler, and is lowered from between
the upper ends of the spring contacts by the action of a spring, the rapidity of
descent being controlled by a fly, driven by a train of wheel-work from the
aforesaid circular rack, and also by suitably varying the tension of the said
spring. The said second lever is operated, as before, by the deflection of a rail
acting through a spring-bar, saddle-piece, lever and link arranged as shown and
described in the said former specification. The said tumbler is provided with an
extension, which, by resting against a stop, holds the said tumbler in position to be
acted upon by the said second lever, and by coming in contact with another stop,
serves to disengage the tumbler from the said second lever and so prevent excessive
movement of this lever being transmitted to the movable contact.
When it is desired that the duration of the connection between the spring
contacts shall last only from the time the connection is first made and shall not be
affected by the passage over the apparatus of a number of vehicles attached to the
one that first set the apparatus in action, or by the vehicle or train coming to rest
over the said apparatus; there is arranged at some suitable point in the motion
transmitting mechanism between the rail or other primary actuating device and the
movable contact, a disengaging device that permit the said mechanism when
actuated to force the movable contact between the spring contacts and then
produces a break in the said connection so that the movable contact is not again
affected by such mechanism until after the part carrying the disengaging device
has moved back into its normal position. By this means waste of electrical
energy, and the sounding of alarms for an unnecessary length of time, are avoided.
In applying this part of the invention to an arrangement of apparatus of the
kind first herein described, the disengaging device may conveniently be in the
form of a plate pivoted to a lever similar to that herein before called the contact
lever, the said plate which is arranged to move stiffly, being provided with a nose
piece and with a shoulder. The nose piece is arranged to project in the path of a
cross bar connected to the aforesaid piston and arranged to slide in ways formed
in or carried by the cylinder in which the piston works. The cross bar carries the
movable contact or contacts and forces the same when raised between a pair of
fixed spring contacts which may be carried by the aforesaid cylinder. With the
shoulder on the pivoted plate engages a bolt arranged to be drawn backward
against the action of a spring or weight by one arm of a bell crank lever pivoted
to a fixed support and the other arm of which is arranged to be actuated by the
aforesaid lever. The arrangement is such that when this lever is actuated by a
passing vehicle, it raises the pivoted plate so as to cause the nose-piece thereof to
lift the piston and movable contact into their highest positions, and simultaneously
draws back the spring bolt so as to free the pivoted plate and render it inoperative
upon the aforesaid cross bar and movable contact until after the said lever has
returned to its normal position, whereupon the pivoted plate is moved back by a
stop into its normal position in which it is again locked by the spring bolt.
In applying the disengaging device to an arrangement of contact making and
breaking apparatus of the type herein secondly described, the pivoted plate may
conveniently be carried by a lever pivoted co-axially with the lever carrying the
circular rack and connected with the aforesaid spring lever. The pivoted plate is
normally locked in a position for its nose-piece to engage a pin or projection on the

page_text: circular rack, by a pivoted spring catch formed with a shoulder adapted to engage
the shoulder on the plate, and provided with a tail-piece arranged in the path of a
stop that may be the axle of the driving wheel of the train of mechanism used
to raise the movable contact. The arrangement is such that when the lever
carrying the pivoted plate is moved downward, the nose-piece of the plate turns
the circular rack downward until the tail piece of the spring catch comes in
contact with a stop whereupon the pivoted plate is released and rendered inopera-
tive on the circular rack until the lever carrying it again moves into its normal
position when the pivoted plate is moved back by a fixed stop into position to be
re-engaged by the spring catch.
To regulate the duration of contact, the vanes or blades of the regulating fly
may be adjustably mounted in two frames in such a manner that their inclination
to the axis of the fly can be varied to suit requirement.
1
е
1007
Improvements in Electric Contact Making and Breaking Apparatus.
We, SAMUEL QUINCEY, of 567 Seven Sisters Road, South Tottenham, in the
County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, and JOHN HOAR COLLINS, of
Warwick House, Sidmouth, in the County of Devon, Gentleman, 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 constructions of contact making and breaking apparatus
whereby the connection between two contacts or conductors can be maintained for
any predetermined interval of time, either after the means used for setting the
apparatus in action has ceased to act, or after the connection has once been made
whether or not the actuating means remain in the operative position or not.
The
improved apparatus may advantageously be used in conjunction with electrically
controlled or electrically actuated railway signalling apparatus and especially with
railway signalling apparatus of the kind described in the Specification of Letters
Patent No. 16191 of 1894.
One arrangement of contact-making and breaking apparatus according to this
invention is shown in Figs. 1 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings which are
respectively a plan with the cover of the containing box removed, a side elevation
with the said box in vertical section, and a cross section on the line of Fig. 2.
In this arrangement electric connection is maintained for a predetermined time
after the actuating means, for example a locomotive or train, has left it, by means
of two insulated fixed contacts 1 (hereinafter called for distinction spring contacts)
that are joined to the conductors 2, 3 to be temporarily connected, and between
which is arranged a movable contact 4 pivoted at 4 to a lever 5 (hereinafter
called the contact lever), that is fulcrummed at 6 and which, as well as the
contacts 1 and 4, is enclosed within the upper part of a box or casing 7. The
spring contacts 1 are closer together at their upper parts than at their lower parts,
and the end of the movable contact between them is of such a width that when
it is in the lowered position, it will not connect the said spring contacts, but will
do so when raised by the arm of the contact lever 5 to which it is pivoted. One
end of the contact lever is connected by a link 8 to a second lever pivoted
at 10 and connected by a saddle piece 11 to a spring lever 12 that is fulcrummed

page_text: at 13 and provided at its outer end with a vertically adjustable bolt 14 arranged
near to or in contact with the underside of a rail 15 so as to be depressed by the
deflection of the portion of the rail between two adjacent chairs, caused by a
passing vehicle or train. The other end of the contact lever 5 is connected to a
piston 16 arranged to work in a cylinder 17 that is provided with an air inlet
valve 18 and with a raised air escape valve 19, and is sealed at its periphery with
a liquid, such as glycerine or castor oil, that is not liable to freeze in winter, and
which rests in the bottom of the cylinder. The box or casing 7 is formed with a
stop 7 that serves to limit the upward movement of the inner end of the spring
lever 12, and consequently the amount of motion transmitted to the contact
lever and attached parts, notwithstanding excessive depression of the outer end
of the spring lever 12, such excessive depression being taken up by the elasticity
of this lever. The various parts are normally held in position to keep the circuit
between the spring contacts open, as shown, by a spring 20 that may be connected
with the contact lever 5 and with a fixed part 21. When the outer end of the
spring lever 12 is depressed by deflection of the rail 15, the contact lever 5 forces
the movable contact 4 upward between the upper ends of the spring contacts 1,
and lifts the piston 16 in its cylinder 17 into which air then enters by the valve 18.
Alter the rail 15 is relieved of pressure, the spring 20 returns the parts to their
normal positions more or less quickly according to the adjustment of the air exit
valve 19. As the contact lever 5 descends, it leaves the movable contact 4 held
between the spring contacts 1 until the upper edge of the said lever, by acting upon
an adjustable screw 4 carried by the said movable contact, forces the latter from
between the spring contacts 1, whereupon it falls by gravity into its inoperative
position, aided it may be by a spring 22, whereupon the connection between the
spring contacts 1 is broken. This action can be caused to take place earlier or
later in the motion of the lever 5, by suitably adjusting the screw 4 carried by
the movable contact 4.
When it is desired that the duration of the connection between the spring
contacts 1 shall last only from the time the connection is first made and shall not
be affected by the passage over the apparatus of a number of vehicles attached to
the one that first set the apparatus in action, or by the vehicle or train coming to
rest over the said apparatus, there may be arranged at some suitable point in the
motion transmitting mechanism between the rail or other primary actuating device
and the movable contact, a disengaging device that permits the said mechanism
when actuated to force the movable contact between the spring contacts and then
produces a break in the said connection so that the movable contact is not again
affected by such mechanism until after the part carrying the disengaging device
has moved back into its normal position. By this means waste of electrical energy,
and the sounding of alarms for an unnecessary length of time, are avoided.
Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are similar views to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 respectively, showing one
construction of contact making and breaking apparatus with disengaging apparatus
according to this invention.
In this arrangement, the movable contact 4 is in the form of a straight lever
pivoted at 4" to a fixed support 4b, and carrying at one end a weighted tumbler 23,
and at the other end a circular rack 24. It is raised between the fixed spring
contact 1, so as to connect them, by the depression of a second lever 5 that is
pivoted at one end and acts at its other end upon the upper end of the said
tumbler 23 and is lowered from between the upper ends of the spring contacts 1
by the action of a spring 20, the rapidity of descent being controlled by a fly 25,
driven by a train of wheel-work 26 from the circular rack 24, and also by suitably
varying the tension of the spring 20ª. The lever 5 is operated, as before, by the
deflection of the rail 15 acting through a spring bar 12, saddle-piece 11, lever 9
and link 8 operating as in the herein previously described arrangement. The
tumbler 23 is provided with an extension 23°, which, by resting against a stop 27,
holds the said tumbler in position to be acted upon by the lever 5, and by coming
in contact with another stop 27ª, serves to disengage the tumbler from the lever 5

page_text: and so prevent excessive movement of this lever being transmitted to the movable
contact 4.
To enable the contact lever 4 to be moved back by the spring 20" sufficiently to
break the connection between it and the fixed contacts 1 whilst the lever 5 is still
pressed down by the weight of a vehicle on the rail 15, but nevertheless not
sufficiently far to enable it to be again operated by the remaining vehicles of a
train as they pass over the said rail, the upper end of the tumbler is recessed or
stepped as shown at 23d so as to provide a space into which the lower end of the
lever 5 can play without again depressing the contact lever 4 sufficiently to form
an electrical connection with the contacts 1 until after the said lever 5 has risen to
its normal position and the upper end of the tumbler has come under it as shown
in Fig. 5.
Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively a part plan and part sectional elevation showing
the application of a disengaging device to an arrangement of apparatus of the
kind first herein described. The disengaging device is in this case in the form.
of a plate 28 pivoted to a lever 5 and provided with a nose piece 28 and with
a shoulder 28. The nose piece is arranged to project in the path of a cross
bar 29 connected to the piston 16 and arranged to slide in ways 30 carried by
the cylinder 17 in which the said piston works. The cross bar 29 carries the
movable contact 4 (or contacts) and forces the same, when raised, between a
pair of fixed spring contacts 1 which may be carried by the cylinder as shewn.
With the shoulder 28 on the pivoted plate 28 engages a bolt 31 arranged to be
drawn backward against the action of a spring 32 (or weight) by one arm 33 of
a bell crank lever pivoted to a fixed support 34 and the other arm 33ª of which is
arranged to be actuated by the lever 5. As will be seen the arrangement is
such that when this lever is actuated by a passing vehicle, its right hand end
raises the pivoted plate 28 so as to cause the nose-piece 28* thereof to lift the
piston 16 and movable contact 4 into their highest positions, the movable contact
being then forced between the fixed spring contacts 1 whereupon the left hand
end of the lever by acting upon the arm 33" of the bell crank lever draws back
the spring bolt 31, so as to free the pivoted plate 28 and render it inoperative
upon the cross bar 29 and movable contact 4 until after the said lever has
returned to its normal position, whereupon the pivoted plate is moved back by
a stop 35 into its normal position in which it is again locked by the spring
bolt. 31. The movable contact 4 is disengaged from the spring contacts by
a spring 36 which forces it and the piston 16 downward, the period elapsing
before the connection is broken depending upon the adjustment of the air exit
valve 19 on the piston 16.
Figs. 9 and 10 are similar views to Figs. 7 and 8 showing a modified construction
of contact-making and breaking apparatus with disengaging device. In this
arrangement, the pivoted plate 28 is carried by a lever 5 pivoted co-axially
at 6 with an independent lever 5" carrying the circular rack 24, the lever 5
being connected with the aforesaid spring lever 12 (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) by a
link 8. The pivoted plate 28 is normally locked in a position for its nose-
piece 28 to engage a pin or projection 24" on the circular rack 24, by a pivoted
spring catch 37 formed with a shoulder adapted to engage the shoulder 28 on the
plate 28, and provided with a tail-piece 37" arranged in the path of a stop 37b
carried by a slotted plate 37° that is adjustably fixed to the frame 7" of the
apparatus by a set screw 37d so as to allow of the duration of contact being
varied. 38 is a coiled spring encircling the axle 39 of the driving pinion 40
of the train of mechanism 26 used to raise the lever 5*, with the movable
contact pin 4 thereon, for the purpose of disengaging the latter from the fixed
spring contact 1. A bent wire spring 41 serves to press the catch 37 against the
pivoted plate 28 and to move the latter into the inoperative position when it is
released by the catch. The arrangement described is such that when the lever 5
carrying the pivoted plate 28 is moved downward by the link 8, the nose-piece 28°
of the plate 28 will turn the circular rack 24 by its projection 24, downward

page_text: until the tail piece 37° of the spring catch 37 comes in contact with the adjustable
stop 37b, whereupon the pivoted plate is released and rendered inoperative on the
circular rack until the lever 5 carrying it again moves into its normal position
when the pivoted plate 28 is moved back by a fixed stop 42 into position to be
re-engaged by the spring catch 37.
The pinion 40 is loose on the axle 39 and is connected on one side with one end
of the spring 38 the other end of which is fixed to the frame 7 of the apparatus.
To the other side of the pinion is attached a ratchet wheel 43 with which engages
a spring pawl 44 pivoted to a plate 45 fixed to the axle 39, the arrangement being
such that the toothed segment 24 in being depressed rotates the pinion 40 and
ratchet wheel 43, which at this time slips idly under the pawl 44, and winds up
the spring 38 which afterwards serves to rotate the pinion in the opposite direction
and move back the lever 5ª to its original position in which the movable contact 4
is free from the fixed spring contacts 1, the rate of moving back the lever 5ª being
controlled by the train of mechanism 26 with fly 25.
To regulate the duration of contact between the movable and fixed contacts 4
and 1 respectively, the vanes or blades of the regulating fly 25 may be adjustably
mounted in two frames in such a manner that their inclination to the axis of the
fly can be varied to suit requirement. For this purpose the vanes or blades may
be provided at opposite sides with trunnions or extensions 25° mounted to slide
tightly in corresponding slots 25 in the two spider frames 25° between which they
are mounted, the arrangement being such that the vanes or blades can be moved
both in a radial and circular direction to vary their action.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
:-
1. A contact making and breaking apparatus wherein a movable contact is so
arranged in relation to a fixed contact or contacts and to an operating device that
it can be moved into position by the operating device to make connection between
two conductors and will afterwards maintain the connection between the conductors
for any predetermined interval of time, either after the means used for setting the
apparatus in action has ceased to act, or after the connection has been made whether
or not the actuating device remains in the operative position or not, substantially as
described.
2. A contact making and breaking device of the kind referred to in the preceding
claim in which the movable contact is pivoted to a lever that is connected to lever
mechanism arranged to be operated by a moving body, such as a vehicle, and to a
controlling device such as a dash pot, or train of mechanism regulated by a fly,
the arrangement being such that when the lever is moved in one direction by the
lever mechanism, the movable contact will be caused to bear against a fixed contact
or contacts and maintain an electrical connection for a time determined by the
controlling device, and when the lever has been moved to a determined extent
in the reverse direction by a spring or equivalent means it will return the movable
contact into its inoperative position substantially as described.
3. Contact making and breaking apparatus of the kind herein referred to
wherein there is combined with the mechanism for transmitting motion to the
movable contact, a disengaging device so constructed and arranged as to permit
the said mechanism to move the movable contact into its operative position and
then produces a break in the said connection so that the movable contact is not
again affected by such mechanism until after the part carrying the disengaging
device has been moved back into its normal position, substantially as described.
4. A movable contact making and breaking device of the kind referred to in
Claim 1 in which the movable contact is carried by a lever provided with a stepped
tumbler arranged to work between stops and to be moved in one direction by lever
mechanism capable of being operated by a moving body, such as a vehicle, and the
return motion of which lever is regulated by a controlling device and by the

page_text: stepped portion of the tumbler as set forth, the arrangement being such that
the lever can only be operated through a definite distance by the lever mechanism
to make electrical connection between the movable and fixed contact and that the
duration of the electrical connection is determined by the controlling device,
substantially as described.
5. Contact making and breaking apparatus constructed arranged and operating
substantially as herein before described with reference respectively to and shown in
Figs. 1, 2 and 3; in Figs. 4, 5 and 6; in Figs. 7 and 8; and in Figs. 9 and 10 of
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 26th day of May 1896.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.