Improvements in Switches for Electric Currents.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 28th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 2nd June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Switches for Electric Currents.
ANTHONY GEORGE NEW and ARTHUR JAMES MAYNE, Electrical Engineers,
of 12 Palace Chambers Westminster in the County of London do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention has for its object the construction of electric switches in such a
manner as to prevent the possibility of slowly making & slowly breaking the
circuit, i.e. of preventing "arcing" at the points of contact. For this purpose we
use two springs (either compression or tension, metallic or otherwise) one end of
each of which is rigidly attached to the moving contact maker & breaker in such a
way that the actuating part or parts of the switch (or handle or handles) when
moved to "make" the circuit tends thro' the medium of the one spring to bring
the contact maker or breaker to its "on" position & when moved to "break" the
circuit tends through the medium of the other spring to bring the contact maker or
breaker to its "off" position.
This contact maker or breaker is fixed in such relation to two spring catches or
detents that when "on" it is held by one catch & when "off" by the other.
"
These spring catches are placed in such relation to the two springs (previously
mentioned) that when the one spring through which the actuating part or parts
(previously mentioned) tends to bring the contact maker or breaker to its "on
position becomes stretched or compressed to such an extent that if the contact
maker or breaker were released the said spring would bring it suddenly to its
position, it withdraws, by means of an arm attached to it, the catch which is
holding the contact maker or breaker.
on
"
These springs can be attached rigidly to the actuating part or parts in such a
way as to form a medium through which movement of the contact maker or breaker
tends to take place when the actuating part is moved instead of the converse as
above described.
This arrangement, it will be seen, produces a quick make & quick break action
of the contact maker or breaker, the action being that when the actuating part is
moved to make or break the circuit it stretches or compresses a spring which when
sufficiently extended or compressed releases a catch which has till then held the
contact maker or breaker & compels the contact maker or breaker to quickly
"make" or "break" circuit.
These springs, spring catches, moving contact maker & breaker, & the other
parts are further so arranged that 1st when one spring is in action the other is in
its normal position & does not interfere with the action.
2nd when the contact maker or breaker is either "on" or "off" both springs
are in their normal positions (i.e. at rest) & neither in compression or tension.
Dated this 29th day of June 1893.
ANTHONY G. NEW.
ARTHUR JAS. MAYNE.

page_text: Improvements in Switches for Electric Currents.
We, ANTHONY GEORGE NEW and ARTHUR JAMES MAYNE, Electrical and
General Engineers, of Palace Chambers, in the City of Westminster, 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:-
"
وو
Our invention has for its object the construction of electric switches in such a
manner as to prevent the possibility of slowly making and slowly breaking the
circuit i.e., of preventing "arcing at the points of contact. For this purpose
we use two springs (either compression or tension, metallic or otherwise) one
end of each of which is rigidly attached to the moving contact maker and
breaker in such a way that the actuating part or parts of the switch (or handle
or handles) when moved to make the circuit tends through the medium of the
one spring to bring the contact maker to its "on" position and when moved to
"break" the circuit tends through the medium of the other spring to bring the
contact maker to its "off" position. This contact maker is fixed in such relation
to two spring catches or detents that when " on it is held by one catch and
when off by the other. These spring catches are placed in such relation to the
two springs previously mentioned that when the one spring through which the
actuating part or parts previously mentioned tends to bring the contact maker
to its "on "
position becomes stretched or compressed to such an extent that if
the contact maker were released the said spring would bring it suddenly to its
on" position it withdraws by means of a part attached to it the catch which is
holding the contact maker, and when the other spring through which the actuating
part or parts tends to bring the contact maker to its "off" position becomes
stretched or compressed to such an extent that if contact maker were released the
said spring would bring it suddenly to its "off" position it withdraws by means of
a part attached to it the catch which is holding the contact maker.
"
These springs can be attached rigidly to the actuating part or parts in such a way as
to form a medium through which movement of the contact maker tends to take
place when the actuating part is moved instead of the converse as above described.
This arrangement it will be seen produces a quick make and a quick break action
of the contact maker, the action being that when the actuating part is moved to
make the circuit it stretches or compresses a spring which when sufficiently
stretched or compressed releases a catch which has till then held the contact maker,
and compels the contact maker to quickly make the circuit when the actuating
part is moved to break the circuit a similar action takes place.
These springs, spring catches, moving contact maker and breaker, and the other
part are further so arranged that, first, when the one spring is in action the other is
in its normal position and does not interfere with the action, second, when the
contact make and break is either "on" or "off" both springs are in their normal
positions, (i.e., at rest and neither in compression or tension).
To clearly explain the nature of our invention we have illustrated one form of it
in the accompanying drawings in which it is shown as applied to a switch which is
the subject matter of an application for Letters Patent made by us on the 25th of
April 1893, under No. 8315.
In the drawings-
Fig. 1 is a side sectional elevation of the switch above referred to having our
present improvements applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a section on line xx, Fig. 1, and

page_text: The switch proper consists of metal arms not shown, adapted to make contact
with each other, as will be understood by reference to the Specification of the
Letters Patent above referred to, such arms being operated by the shutter 3 sliding
between the plates 4, 4. To the bottom of the shutter we affix a spring a having
a cord 6 passing round pulleys c, on said cord being a stop d.
Attached to the opposite point of the shutter is a second spring f to which is
attached a cord 9 having a stop g'. The shutter as shown has brought the switch
to its "off" position. To put the switch "on" and complete the circuit the cord b
is pulled stretching spring a but not moving the shutter until the stop d strikes a
pivoted arm h the catch or nose of which engages with the top edge of the shutter
as shown with the result that the catch is withdrawn and the shutter is smartly
drawn up by the spring a into its "on" position lifting with it the spring fand
cord but without stretching the former, the position the parts then occupy being
shown by the dotted lines.
To reverse the operation the end 9 is pulled, stretching the spring of but not
moving the shutter until the stop g' strikes a sloping face k on a pivoted catch i,
which catch has by its spring; been pressed forward so as to engage with the
lower edge of the shutter to prevent its falling. The effect of the stop striking
face of the catch is to press the latter back when the shutter is smartly lowered
by the action of spring finto its "off" position. The arm is provided with a
spring to keep it pressed forward as shown.
It will be obvious that the arrangement above described may in a modified form
be adapted to switches of many other types, and we do not therefore limit our
invention to the particular construction shown, but―
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. A switch adapted for quickly making and breaking a circuit provided with
springs, one of which is adapted to be stretched before any movement of the switch
takes place and catches, one of which is adapted to be released by one of the parts
which operate the springs, substantially as described.
2. The improved arrangement and construction of parts for quickly operating
a switch for electric circuits, substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated the 28th day of April 1894
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent,
For the Applicants.