Year: 1886

page_text: 1
I CHARLES BROWETT of Westfield, Coventry, in the County of Warwick,
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:-
.
The chief object of this invention is to provide an efficient and easily operated
switch for the closing and opening of electrical circuits..
My invention also applies to the operation of shunts for changing the course of
electrical currents, and for opening and closing gas and liquor taps situate in
remote or in accessible positions.
In applying my invention to electrical purposes, I cause a stud to operate upon a
doubly inclined surface attached to, or forming part of say a rocking switch bar, so
that the said bar may at one time be in contact with, and close the circuit between
a pair of terminal clips, and at another time be out of contact therewith.
The switch is mounted on a slab or back of wood or other nonconducting
material (preferably provided with a cover), which may be placed in any convenient
position, and the switch bar is rocked both to close and break circuit by the pull of
a cord.
Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing are front views of the switch
without the cover, the former showing the circuit closed, and the latter shewing it
broken,
Fig. 3 is a side view of the switch with the cover in section.
A is the switch bar, of brass or other conducting material, having attached to
the edge thereof, about the middle of its length, a doubly inclined projection a,
through which the bar A is pivotted, at a', to a plate screwed to the wooden slab
or back G.
B B are terminal clips of ordinary construction screwed upon the back G, and
to these clips are attached the electrical conducting wires in the manner shewn.
When the bar A is in contact with the clips B B, as shewn in Fig. 1, the circuit
between the said clips is complete, but it is broken when the bar A takes the
position shewn in Fig. 2.
Pendent from a helical spring c attached to a stud c', is a flattened bar or
plate C.-This plate C overlies the bar A and projection a, and has upon its back a
stud c so placed as to overlie one or other of the inclined sides of the projection a,

page_text: according to the position of the switch bar A.-To the lower end of the plate C is
pivotted a pull rod D, to which is attached a cord d like an ordinary bell pull.
The bar A has screwed to it a plate E, which overlies, but is clear of the pendent
plate C. This plate E has upon it a stud e, to which is attached the end of a
helical spring e¹, the other end being connected to the stud c.-The stud e is so
placed in relation to the pivot a' on which the bar rocks, that the spring e¹ is at
its greatest tension when the studs e and c³, and pivot a¹, are in line. Thus the
tendency of the spring e¹ is to cause the bar A to rock in one direction or the other
when once the dead point is passed, and to hold it in one or other of the positions
shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. When the cord d is pulled, the stud c² is
caused to bear against the inclined side of the projection a, which is for the moment
uppermost, and thereby tip the bar A towards its other position, the rocking
movement being completed by the action of the spring el. As soon as the cord d
is released, the pendent plate C is returned to its normal position by the spring c,
and the stud c now overlies the other incline of the projection α.- -When the cord
is again pulled, the switch bar A is rocked in the reverse direction.-Stops F F are
provided for limiting the movement of the switch bar A, and the pull rod D is
provided with a cross pin d¹ to engage with stop pins ff, to check the extent of
movement of the plate C.-A guide for the rod D is provided at d³ screwed to the
wooden back G.
From the foregoing description it will be evident that my improved rocking
device may readily be adapted for diverting or reversing the course of electrical
currents, and for imparting axial motion to the plug of a tap or cock for gas, water,
or other fluid, and as the desired actions are effected by merely a pull and a repeated
pull on the same cord, the application to taps situate in remote positions, or in
inaccessible places, will be found especially convenient.
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:
1. Constructing electrical switches substantially as shewn and described with
reference to the drawing.
2. The application of the rocking device above described for operating shunts
and gas and liquor taps.