Electrical Switch or Contact Maker or Contact Breaker.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 11th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 22nd Jan., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Electrical Switch or Contact Maker or Contact Breaker.
We, FRANCIS FANE YEATMAN, Vastern Road, Reading, Berks, WALTER DONOVAN,
2, The Arcade, Reading, Berks, both Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows :-
A new type of Electrical switch or contact maker or breaker by means of which
any required combination of connections between Llectrical conductors can be
readily and efficiently made; it also relates to the adaptation of the said switch
or contact maker for bringing spare safety fuses into circuit when required. The
switch or contact maker consists of
1st A cylinder made of suitable material and preferably having a number of
flat sides upon which are mounted metal or other suitable plates, contact bars or
connectors insulated from the cylinder and placed in convenient positions for
making any required combinations of connections.
The cylinder is mounted in a suitable manner upon a spindle and may be free
to rotate in any direction being operated by hand or by any other suitable means.
2nd Any required number of contacts preferably insulated, are mounted upon a
block or frame in any convenient position or positions, to which contacts, wires or
conductors are attached in suitable manner.
The switch or contact maker when used for the purpose of bringing spare safety
fuses into circuit, may be made as herein-before described and the fusible wire
might be placed inside the cylinder and connected to the various contact plates,
bars or connectors attached to the cylinder. Two or more of these sets of apparatus
may be used either together or separately. The above described switch or contact
maker may be used to control Electric Motors or batteries or as a regulating switch
or contact maker or contact breaker for any purpose.
Electrical Switch or contact maker or Contact Breaker.
We, FRANCIS FANE YEATMAN, Vastern Road, and WALTER DONOVAN, 2, The
Arcade, both in the Town of Reading, County of Berks, and both Electrical
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
[Price 8d.]

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:—
This invention relates to a new type of electrical switch or contact maker or
contact breaker by means of which any required combination of connections
between Electrical conductors can be readily and efficiently made; it also relates
to the adaptation of said switch or contact maker for bringing spare safety fuses
into circuit when required; and in order that our invention may be clearly under-
stood, reference is had to the accompanying sheet of drawings, upon which,
Figure 1 illustrates a transverse section through a switch constructed according to
our invention, Figure 2, being a longitudinal view partly in section.
The switch or contact maker consists of, (1) a cylinder A made of suitable
material and preferably having a number of flat sides a upon which are mounted
metal or other suitable plates, contact bars or connectors B, insulated from the
cylinder and placed in convenient positions for making any required combination
of connections. The cylinder A is mounted in a suitable manner upon a spindle C
and is capable of revolving in either direction, being operated by a hand wheel or
Jever, as may be found most convenient. In the drawing a hand wheel D) is
shown by means of which the cylinder A can be turned in either direction, and
upon the spindle C is keyed a serrated wheel E, into which a spring pawl or
catch F engages for the purpose of retaining the cylinder in any desired position,
(2) any required number of contacts G suitably insulated which are mounted upon
a block or frame H, in any convenient position or positions to which contacts,
wires or conductors I are attached in any suitable manner.
The metallic contact plates B upon the cylinder A may be so shaped or coupled
together that two or more can be brought into connection with any desired number
of the spring contacts G and they may also be connected with those upon the
opposite side of the cylinder by means of a suitable conductor K.
Or, we may arrange to make these contact plates B of a sufficient length to
engage with any desired number of the spring contacts G. In the same way we
may arrange for any desired number of the spring contacts G to be coupled
together.
The switch or contact maker when used for the purpose of a safety fuse may be
made as herein before described and the fusible wire may be secured inside the
cylinder and connected to the various contact plates, bars or connectors B attached
to the cylinder. Should the fuse be destroyed a slight turn given to the cylinder
will at once bring a second fuse into the circuit.
The cylinder is preferably made in halves and bolted together for the purpose
of facilitating the insertion of the fuse wires.
Two or more of these sets of apparatus may be used either together or
separately.
The above described switch or contact maker may be used to control electric
motors or batteries or as a regulating switch or contact maker or contact breaker
for any purpose.
In lieu of the switch being turned by means of a hand wheel or lever, as shewn,
we may arrange to connect the spindle C of the cylinder A to the hand wheel or 4
lever by suitable gearing in order to increase or lessen the rotation of the cylinder
as desired and we may substitute for the hand wheel or lever a key suitably
attachable to the end of spindle C.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
(1). In an electrical switch or safety fuse, the arrangement of contact plates B
upon the flat surfaces a of a rotatable cylinder A, said contact plates being coupled
or connected together by conductors or fusible wires, substantially as and for the
purposes decombed

page_text: (2). In an electrical switch or safety fuse the combination with a rotatable
cylinder A provided with flats a on its circumference and having contact plates B
thereon, of conductors or fusible wires coupling the said contact plates together,
and of spring contacts G engaging said contact plates, as and for the purposes
5 set forth.