Year: 1896

page_text: I, HANS FRIEDRICH KLEINSCHMIDT, of 79 Grosse Reichenstrasse, in the City of
Hamburg, in the Empire of Germany, Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The invention herein described relates to an easily transportable and exchangeable
electric switch for opening and closing the circuit of high tension electric currents
by means of magnetic force in such a manner that no sparking occurs at the contact
pieces of the said switches.
A principal feature of the apparatus is a hermetically closed prismatic or circular
box or case inade of non-magnetic material; the top surface of which is provided
with a half-ball and socket joint, whilst vertically below the latter a tubular opening
is arranged in the bottom of the box or case, which opening, together with two ebonite
rings or collars and a soft india rubber ring form a stuffing box, through which passes
hermetically a completely insulated screw threaded spindle. The whole of the lower
half of the box is, in some instances made of ebonite or similar insulating substance,
then the loosely mounted ebonite rings forming the stuffing box as last described
are omitted.
At the lower extremity of the screwed spindle an insulating cover is arranged to
partly embrace the main conductor against the bottom surface of which a second
insulating cover is pressed by means of a screw bolt and a roughened conical nut.
This latter cover is widened at its upper part so as to form a kind of box. The
current passes through a U shaped or double angle rail, which has a hole in its lower
side adapted to receive the roughened conical nut and a recess in its upper side fitted
to receive a half-ball at the top of the box which is thus provided with a ball and
socket joint.
The whole apparatus is placed in the U shaped rail so that the half-ball of the ball
and socket joint is placed in the recess in the U shaped rail, the main conductor is
placed between the covers and the roughened conical nut inserted into the hole in
the lower side of the U shaped rail and turned until the apparatus is held fast. The
teeth or rough projections of the conical part of the nut prevent it from becoming
loose; the upper cover has a sufficiently large contact surface and at the same time,
owing to the use of spherical surfaces between the U shaped rail and the box,
constant and perfect contact is obtained even should the box have been inserted
obliquely.
The working parts proper are located in the box. To one extremity of a pivotally
arranged lever arm a piece of iron is fixed, which when attracted by a magnet applied
at the outside of the apparatus, will close the circuit, whilst, when the magnetic
action upon the piece of iron or armature ceases, the said armature will be caused to
fall back by the action of gravity, so that the circuit is reopened.
In order to have as few contact surfaces as possible, the working parts are so
constructed, that as soon as the armature has been attracted, bridges directly connect
the contact surfaces located in the box and metallically connected to the main

page_text: conductor with the U shaped rail.
This connection takes place through the shaft
and the shaft bearing of the lever set in Potary motion by the armature. The bearing
of the lever shaft, made of insulati substance for this purpose, contains the metal
strips which are electrically connected With the shaft passing through the stuffing
box and the main conductor; it also contains the metal strips which are electrically
connected to the box and the U shaped rail, both sets of strips being in position and
succession so arranged that when the armature is in its raised position the different
metal strips in the bearing of insulating material are connected by the metal strips
in the lever shaft also of insulating material and the circuit thus completed; if
on the other hand the armature is in its lowered position, only the metal strips of the
same denomination in the bearing are connected, whilst the strips of different
denomination are separated by the insulating material so that the circuit is then
open. Owing to the friction of the shaft in its bearing the contact strips are always
kept clean.
According to another constructional example two ledges are electrically connected
in an analogous manner by a conical plug. The upper ring of the stuffing box is in
this instance replaced by an insulating plate which covers the whole bottom of the
box, and upon which the working parts are mounted before the plate is inserted into
the said box.
According to Still another constructional example, the box consists of ebonite and
is hermetically closed by a cover of 'noh magnetic metal. This cover forms one of the
contact pieces of the switch and has 'h 'central recess, into which ah ebonite 'disc is
firmly inserted; this insulating disc has also a central recess, into which the disc
shaped head of the stuffing box shaft is firmly inserted to his fo forth the other contact
piece. The armature in this instance, is not carried by h lever, but is movable
longitudinally upon the stuffing box shaft, being bored centrally for this purpose.
This armature is ground together with the contact pieces so that when attracted the
arinature, will make complete contact with both the said annular contact pieces at l
points and this Terve to directly replace the bridge used in the foregoing examples.
In order to prevent sparking which would have ab injurious effect upon the working
parts, a vacuum is produced in the working box chimber by means of a small pipe
suitably arranged on the said chamber the said pipe being subsequently closed; or
the chilthber is completely filled with 'ol or another suitable insulating liquid.
Where the apparatus is fitted lip and used in Hip places, the lower insulating
cover is filled to the top with 'insulating substance 'in 'order that the exposed portions
of the main conductor as well as 'the upper cover inhy 'be efficiently protected from
external influences.
I, HANS FRIEDRICH KLEINSCHMIDT, of Grosse Reichenstrasse, in the City of Hamburg,
in the Empire of Germany, Mechanician, 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 an easily transportable and exchangeable electric switch-
device for opening and closing the circuit of high tension electric currents by means
of magnetic force in such a manner that no sparking occurs at the contact pieces of
the said switch; hd with this end'ih view my invelition consists 'in certain novel

page_text: features of construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fully
described reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
specification, in which-
Figures 1 and 2 are longitudinal vertical sections of my improved switch showing
the same in the opened and closed position respectively;
Figs. 3 and 4 correspond to Figures 1 and 2 and illustrate a modification;
Figure 5 is a similar view like Figure 1, representing a further modification of my
improved switch;
Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section of Fig. 5 on the line 1-11.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
A principal part of the improved switching device or apparatus is a hermetically
closed box or case A made of non-magnetic material and having a prismatic form 'nx
shown in Figures 1-4. The top surface of the box A is provided with a hemi-
spherical projection c, whilst vertically below the latter a tubular opening is arranged
in the bottom of the box or case A, which opening, together with two ebonite rings
or collars h¹h and a soft india rubber ring w form a stuffing box, through which
passes hermetically a completely insulated screw threaded spindle S. The whole of
the lower half of the box A is, in some instances lined with ebonite or a similar
insulating substance (Figures 3 and 4,) then the loosely mounted ebonite ring A¹
forming the stuffing box in Figure 1'and 2 is omitted.
At the lower extremity of the screwed spindle S an insulating covers is arranged
to partly embrace the main con luctor K against the bottom surface of which a second
insulating cover J is pressed by means of a screw bolt p and a roughened conical
nut m. This latter cover is widened at its upper part so as to form a kind of box
(see Figure 6). The current passes through a channel or double angled rail U
(Figure 1 and 6.) which has a hole in its lower side adapted to receive the roughened
conical nut m and a recess u in its upper side fitted to receive the hemispherical cat
the top of the box A which is thus provided with a ball and socket joint.
The whole apparatus is placed in the channel rail U so that the hemispherical
part c of the ball aud socket joint is placed in the recess u in the channel rail, the
main conductor is placed between the covers 8 and J and the roughened conical nut,
carrying the supporting screw bolt p, inserted into the hole b in the lower side of the
U-shaped rail and turned until the conductor is held fast.
The teeth or rough projections of the conical part ml of the nut prevent it from
becoming loose; the upper cover s has a sufficiently large contact surface and at the
same time, owing to the use of spherical surfaces between the channel rail U and the
box A, constant and perfect contact is obtained even should the box have been inserted
obliquely.
The working parts proper are located in the box A. To one extremity of a pivotally
arranged lever arm e a piece of iron E is fixed which when attracted by a magnet
applied at the outside of the apparatus, will close the circuit, as described later on,
whilst, when the magnetic action upon the piece of iron or armature E ceases, the
said armature will be caused to fall back by the action of gravity, so that the circuit
is reopened.
In order to have as few contact surfaces as possible, in Figures 1 and 2 the working parts
are so constructed, that as soon as the armature E has been attracted, a bridge.
directly connects the contact surfaces a and k located in the box A and metallically
connected with the main conductor K and with the channel rail U. This connection
takes place through the shaft e' and the shaft bearing of the lever e set in rotary
motion by the armature E. The bearing e of the lever shaft e¹, made of insulating
substance for this purpose contains metal strips & which are electrically connected by
ineans of a suitable conductor d with the shaft S passing through the stuffing box,
the cover 8 and the main conductor K, it also contains métal strips a which are
electrically connected to the box A and the channel rail U, both sets of strips being
in position and succession so arranged that when the armature E is in its raised
position (Figure 2) the different metal strips a and k in the bearing e² of insulating
material are connected by the metal strips in the lever shaft e also of insulating

page_text: material and the circuit thus completed; if on the other hand the armature E is in its
lowered position (Figure 1,) only the metal strips of the same denomination i.e. the
strips aa and k k respectively in the hearing e2 are connected whilst the strips of
different denomination ie. the strips a, k ork a respectively are separated by the
insulating material so that the circuit is then open. Owing to the friction of the
shaft e' in its bearing e' the contact strips are always kept clean.
According to the constructional example shown in Figures 3 and 4 two ledges a² and
are electrically connected in an analogous manner by a wedge plug al attached to
the double armed armature lever e pivoted in a suitable support e'. The upper ring
of the stuffing box is in this instance as already stated above replaced by an insulating
plate which covers the whole bottom of the box A, and upon which the working
parts are mounted before the plate h³ is inserted into the said box.
According to still another constructional example shown by Figures 5 and 6 is
provided a circular box A consisting of ebonite and being hermetically closed by a
cover a of non-magnetic metal. This cover forms a substitute for the contact
pieces a or a¹ respectively of the switch (Figures 1 and 3) and has a central recess a³
into which an ebonite disef is firmly inserted; this insulating disc f has also a central
recess, into which the disc shaped head of the stuffing box shaft S is firmly inserted
so as to form a substitute for the other contact piece k of Figure 1 or k¹ of Figure 3.
The armature E' in this instance, is not carried by a lever, but is movable vertically
along the shaft S, being bored centrally for this purpose. This armature is ground
together with the contact pieces a² 2 so that when attracted the armature E¹ will
make complete contact with both the said annular contact pieces at all points and
thus serve to directly replace the bridge x or x' used in the foregoing examples.
In order to prevent sparking which would have an injurious effect upon the working
parts, a vacuum is produced in the working box chamber Aor A¹ respectively by means of
a small pipe suitably arranged on the said chamber, the said pipe being subsequently
closed; or the chamber is completely filled with oil or another suitable insulating
liquid.
"Where the apparatus is fitted up and used in damp places, the lower insulating
cover J is filled up to its top with any suitable insulating substance in order that the
exposed portions of the main conductor as well as the upper cover 8 may be efficiently
protected from external influences.
The action of the above described switch device and its co-operation with the magnet
of the motor car will be apparent from the following. When the magnet attached to
the motor car is above or moved along over the working conductor section U the
armature E or E' respectively is attracted by the said magnet thereby establishing an
electrical connection between the main conductor K and the conductor section U
through the shell a, the bolt S, the respective parts of the box A or A', thu
armature E or E¹ and the ball-joint c. The working conductor section U is then
applied with current from the main conductor so that the trolley or trolleys sliding
along on the said conductor section may derive energy from the latter and supply it
to the motor of the car. After the magnet of the car has passed the switch device in
question, that is to say, as soon as the influence of the magnet upon the armature E or E
censés the latter drops down by its gravity whereby the before established circuit
leading to the motor of the car is broken and the respective conductor section again
ma de currentless. The general arrangement being such that always the next following
conductor section is brought in circuit by the co-operation of the magnet and the
respective switch device before the preceding conductor section is cut out or made
currentless.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A channel-shaped conductor rail in combination with a box, a switch mechanism
therein, a bearing for the main cable below said box and a nut and screw below said

page_text: bearing to secure the parts in their relative position and between the flanges of the
channel, for the purpose set forth.
2. A channel-shaped conductor rail provided with sockets in its upper flange and
perforations in its lower flange, in combination with a box a hemispherical projection
thereon adapted to engage a socket, a suitable switch mechanism in said box a box-
shaped seat for the main cable adapted to be filled with an insulating substance and
a screw and nut between said seat and one of the flanges of the channel adapted to
secure the parts in their relative positions and between the flanges of the rail said nut
taking into a perforation on the lower flange, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
3. In an electric switch a box, a conductor passing through said box, insulated
therefrom and connected to the main cable outside the box and with a contact piece
on the inside likewise insulated from the box, a second contact piece in electric
connection with the box and insulated from the first mentioned contact piece, and a
gravity block adapted to be attracted to the top of said box and cause connection
between said contact pieces, substantially as set forth.
4. In an electric switch a hermetically sealed and exhausted box, a conductor
insulated from and passing through the bottom of said box, connected at one end to
the main cable and at the other end to a contact piece inside the box and insulated
therefrom, a second contact piece inside of said box, in electrical connection there-
with but insulated from the first mentioned piece, a gravity block whose centre is in
line with that of the conductor adapted to be attracted to the top of said box and
cause electrical connection between said contact pieces, substantially as set forth.
5. In an electric switch, a box, a lid insulated therefrom, a conductor passing through
said box having one end electrically connected with the main cable and the other
connected with but insulated from the lid and a gravity block adapted to be attracted
to the lid and electrically connect it with the conductor, substantially as described.
6. In an electric switch a box, a lid insulated therefrom, a conductor passing through
said box, and seated at one end on the main cable a head on the other end set in but
insulated from the lid, and a gravity block adapted to be attracted to the lid and
electrically connect it with said conductor, substantially as described.
7. In an electric switch, a non-conductive box having air exhausted therefrom and
a conductive lid thereto, a conductor passing through said box having one end seated
on the main cable, a head on the other end set into but insulated from the lid, and
an armature surrounding the conductor adapted to be attracted to the lid and
electrically connect it with the conductor, substantially as set forth.
8. In an electric switch, a box having the air exhausted therefrom a lid insulated
from the box an armature in said box, and a conductor passing through the box and
armature and connected at one end to the main cable, a head on the other end set
into but insulated from the lid of the box and flush with the inner surface thereof,
said armature adapted to be attracted to the lid of the box and establish connection
between it and the conductor, substantially as described.
9. In an electric switch, a [-shaped conductor rail, in combination with a chair for
the main cable and a suitable switch secured between the flanges of the rail,
substantially as described.
10. In an electric switch, a [-shaped conductor rail, in combination with a box-
shaped chair for the main cable, a superposed switch, and means for securing said
chair, cable and switch between the flanges of the rail, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 21st day of July 1897
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.