IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL SWITCHES OR CIRCUIT CHANGERS.
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to The Honorable Reginald Brougham of Heddon Street
Regent Street in the County of Middlesex, for an invention of "IMPROVE-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Reginald Brougham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th April 1882.
The Honorable REGINALD BROUGHAM of Heddon Street Regent Street in
the County of Middlesex. IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL SWITCHES OR CIRCUIT
CHANGERS.
"
This invention has for its object improvements in electrical switches or circuit
changers.
The result to which I desire to attain is to be able very easily and by a simple
mechanism to establish good electrical contact between any conductor and either
one or other of two other conductors, and to change the contact instantaneously
whenever required from one to the other.
My apparatus consists of a base of wood or other nonconductor having a metal
stud projecting from its face. This stud by means of a binding screw and a
permanent metallic connection therefrom is placed and remains in connection with
the conductor first above mentioned. A lever which with the exception of its
handle is of metal is mounted upon the stud and is capable of turning freely around
it. The wooden or non conducting base also has fixed upon it two metal arcs and
each of these is by means of a binding screw and a permanent metallic connection
coupled with one of the conductors with which the first mentioned conductor is
required to be placed in good electrical contact.
These metallic arcs are nearly but not quite concentric with the stud or axis of
the lever and the arrangement is such that when the lever is moved around the
stud to change the contacts, the lever leaving the first are travels along the second
are until it arrives at a position in which its end jains against the second arc-
thereby a strain is brought to bear upon the parts with the result of causing a
very firm contact between on the one hand the eye of the lever and the stud
and on the other the outer end of the lever and the metal arc.
In passing from one contact to the other if any sparking take place it is not
between the surfaces between which the contacts are ultimately established and
consequently these surfaces remain clean and in good order.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Reginald Brougham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th October 1882.
The Honorable REGINALD BROUGHAM of Heddon Street Regent Street, in
the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL SWITCHES OR CIRCUIT
CHANGERS.'
This Invention has for its object improvements in electrical switches or
circuit changers.
The result to which I desire to attain is to be able very easily, and by a
simple mechanism to establish good electrical contact between any conductor
and either one or other of two other conductors, and to change the contact
instantaneously whenever required from one to the other.
My apparatus consists of a base of wood or other non conductor having a
metal stud projecting from its face. This stud by means of a binding screw
and a permanent metallic connection therefrom is placed and remains in con-
nection with the conductor first above mentioned. A lever which with the
exception of its handle is of metal, is mounted upon the stud and is capable of
turning freely around it. The wooden or non-conducting base also has fixed upon
it two metal arcs and each of these is by means of a binding screw and a
permanent metallic connection, coupled with one of the conductors with which the
first mentioned conductor is required to be placed in good electrical contact. These
metallic arcs are nearly, but not quite concentric with the stud or axis of the
lever; and the arrangement is such that when the lever is moved around the stud,
to change the contacts, the lever leaving the first arc travels along the second arc
until it arrives at a position in which its end jams against the second arc, thereby
a strain is brought to bear upon the parts with the result of causing a very firm
contact between on the one hand the eye of the lever and the stud, and on the
other the outer end of the lever and the metal arc.
In passing from one contact to the other, if any sparking take place it is not
between the surfaces between which the contacts are ultimately established and
consequently these surfaces remain clean and in good order.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: and 6. The end of the lever f is a portion of a circle and it is concentric with
the studs c. The vertical faces of the arc g, g, are similarly curved but they are
set eccentrically to the studs c. as is shown in Figure 1, the amount of eccentricity
is here somewhat exaggerated.
The result of this construction is that when the lever is turned to one or other
side its end abutting against the inclined surface of one of the arcs or pieces g
exerts a strong thrust against this surface and this thrust reacts radially upon the
stud or fulcrum c, of the lever and establishes at each point a contact suitable for
carrying a powerful electric current.
This end is attained with certainty notwithstanding any wear which may occur
at the contact surfaces. The apparatus is useful wherever it is required to direct
powerful currents into different circuits for example the binding screws b₁ and b³
may be connected with two dynamo electric machines and 62, with the lead to
electric lamps.
In this arrangement the circuit changer will admit of either dynamo machine
being employed to supply the lamp or lamps. Or band 63 may be connected
with separate lamp leads and b² may be connected with a dynamo electric
machine. Then the apparatus affords the means of applying the dynamo electric
machine to either lamp circuit at pleasure. These examples are given by way of
illustration, there are many other cases in which circuit changers suited to
powerful currents are necessary.
Having thus described the nature of my said invention and the manner of
performing the same I would have it understood that I claim.-
My improved electrical switch or circuit changer in which the contacts are
made between a lever fand arcs or pieces g, g, so curved or inclined as to cause
a thrust to be exerted radially against the axis or fulcrum of the lever
substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said Reginald Brougham have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty seventh day of October in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
REGINALD BROUGHAM. (L.S.)