Year: 1886

page_text: I, CHARLES BROWETT of Westfield near the City of Coventry, 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 present invention relates to that class of switches in which the switch bar or
plate is rocked from one position to another to operate an electrical or other shunt, and
has for its object to render more easy the tipping or rocking of such bar or plate, and
thus to reduce the power required to be applied to the operating cord or lever.
To this end, in constructing a switch for electrical purposes, I mount terminal clips
or contact pieces upon a backing of wood or other insulating material, and I pivot
between them a bar or plate capable of rocking into and out of contact with the clips,
for the purpose of opening or closing circuit, and I provide a spring which will hold
the bar in either position.
The rocking of the bar is effected by a T headed or anchor shaped plate of metal
secured to the end of a spiral or other suitable tension spring, the other end of which
is attached to a pin in the wooden backing. The narrow end of this plate is attached
to an operating cord or lever.-The T headed plate partially overlies the switch bar,
and the underside of the T head is adapted, when the cord is pulled, to catch upon
one of a pair of pins situated on the face of the switch bar near the ends thereof, for
the purpose of rocking the same, first into one position and then into the other, the
spring always returning the T headed plate into its normal position.
For the purpose of more clearly explaining my invention, I will now refer to the
accompanying sheet of drawings,-
Figs. 1 and 2 of which are front views of my invention showing the switch bar in
different positions; and Fig. 3 is a side view, a section being taken through the
casing on the line a Fig. 2.
A is an insulating back provided, if necessary, with a cover, as shown in Fig. 3.-
Upon the back A are fixed terminal clips BB, so arranged that the ends of the
rocking switch bar C, pivotted between them, may be tipped into contact with, and
Peine d

page_text: may connect the said clips, as shown in Fig. 1, or that the switch bar C may be
tipped clear of them, as shown in Fig. 2.-cc are pins upon the face of the switch
bar. D is a spiral spring connected at one end to a pin upon the back A, and at the
other to the pin c on the face of the bar C.-This spring D is so arranged as to be
capable of retaining the bar C in either of its tipped positions. is a stop for the
switch har when the connection between the clips B B is broken. E is a headed
metal plate overlying the switch bar C (see Fig. 3).-F is the spiral spring from
which it depends. To the narrow end of the plate E is pivotted a link rod e, passing
through a guide C₁, and having attached to it a pull rope as shown.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-If the switch bar is in the position
shown in Fig. 1, and it is required to make it assume the position of Fig. 2, a pull on
the cord will cause the T head of the plate E, slightly recessed on its underside, to
come into contact with, and press down the pin c of the switch bar C, thereby causing
the said bar to tip up and take the other position. The spring F will then return the
plate E to its normal position, from which it is enabled to act upon the pin c¹ when
the position of the rack bar C is to be again changed. The recesses upon the
underside of the T head above mentioned are intended not only to prevent the head
from slipping off the pin c or c¹, but they have the effect of slightly canting the plate
E, or moving it to one side, in order to allow of the rise of the pin c past the head
when c' is being forced down, and vice versa.
It will thus be seen that the power exerted upon the pull cord can be very
advantageously applied upon the switch bar or plate, for the T head may be
sufficiently broad, and the pins upon the switch bar or plate sufficiently wide apart,
to give very considerable leverage, and consequently the power required to operate
the switch bar will be very slight.
I only have shown and described my invention in connection with electrical shunts
but I may remark that it is equally applicable for operating gas, water and other taps
situated in inaccesible places; a disc or arm provided with pins or projections being
attached to the head of the plug of the tap, which pins are acted on by the T-headed
or anchor shaped plate in the manner before described.
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 :-
1st. The improved means for operating electrical switches, substantially as herein
described and shown in the drawing.
2nd. In operating electrical switches and water and other taps, the employment of a
Thead acting upon pins or projections upon a switch bar plate or arm, substantially
as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.