Year: 1897

page_text: I, JAMES BOOTH, of Cheapside Works, Birmingham, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to watertight switches for electrical currents such
as are used for lighting, or the transmission of power. Switches constructed
according to my invention are used chiefly on ship board although they may
be used in other places and are specially useful where they may be exposed to
water.
All the parts of the switch constructed according to my invention, with the ex-
ception of the handle only, are contained in a cylindrical metallic casing having
a cover screwed on, and a flanged base whereby the casing may be attached to
its support.
I am aware that casings have been used before for the same purpose and the
casing in itself forms no part of my invention.
On each side of the cylindrical casing I provide a boss screwed externally
and having a axial hole passing through it, I will describe one boss and its
attachments but both bosses are precisely alike.
For the interior of the boss I provide a loose cylindrical metallic bushing
having an axial hole a little larger than the outside diameter of the metallic
covering the electrical conducting wire, which is to be attached to the switch,
the bushing has an outer projecting annular, collar on it at about the middle
of its length, I provide a cap screwed internally to fit on the externally screwed
boss, so that when the bushing is placed in the hole in the boss and the cap
(which fits over the bushing) is screwed home against the outer projecting annular
collar the inner face of this collar is held lightly against the outer end of the
boss, and as all the parts are turned true a perfectly water tight joint is ensured
between the bushing and the case.
A short piece of the insulated conducting wire is passed through the bushing
and projects into the interior of the casing. The insulation is stripped from
the end of the wire inside the casing so that it may be attached to the switch
itself.
That part of the outer metallic covering of the conducting wire which passes
through the bushing is soldered to it, so that when all is in place no water can
gain access to the inside of the casing through the holes for the conducting
wires.
I will now 'describe the switch itself and for the purpose of description I will
assume that the casing is standing vertically with the switch handle at the top.
At the bottom of the casing lies a loose disc of an insulating material such
as ebonite or vulcanized fibre. This disc has holes through it, through which
the screws pass which hold the switch base to the metallic casing. These screws
take into tapped holes in the base of the casing which holes do not pass quite

page_text: through the base consequently no water can gain access to the interior of the
casing through them.
The switch itself is of the well known laminated cross bar construction work-
ing on contact plates to which the ends of the conducting wires are secured
by set screws in a well known manner. These contact plates and all other
parts of the actual switch are mounted-on a block of insulating material as
usual.
The moveable laminated cross bar works on a vertical axis and is provided
with a powerful spring as is usual in electric switches..
The object and power of this spring prevents the handle binding in any half
movement in its partial rotation a stop is also provided to limit its movement.
The moveable cross bar has upon its upper face two recesses for a purpose to
be presently described.
It will be seen that the whole of the switch is securely insulated from the
metallic casing.
The metallic casing of the switch is closed by a lid or cover which is screwed
on to it and which forms a watertight joint around the upper edge of the casing.
In, the c
centre the top of the cover is a boss projecting upwards through
which there
axial hole only large enough to allow of the turned end of
spindle to project through, it. This turned end fits the axial
hole, with just sufficient exactness to permit of a motion of partial rotation
being given to it by the operating hand but to exclude water.
the switch of
That part of the switch handle spindle within the casing is provided with a
flange and below this flange and affixed to it is a block of insulating material
affixed to this block and projecting down wards are two pegs or pins which
engage in the recesses on the top of the moveable crossbar previously described.
By means of those pegs when the handle spindle is partially rotated the move-
able cross bar is moved on of off" the contact plates the recesses in the
moveable cross bar being large enough to allow of the action of the spring in a
manner well known,
66
The upper end of the spindle of the switch, handle where it projects through.
the boss on the cover is provided with a suitable handle fastened to it by means
of a screw and washer...
This handle we prefer to make of the shape of a circular melted head.
For a switch constructed according to my invention no water can penetrate
to the inside of the casing where the working parts of the switch are situated.
Those working parts are also electrically insulated from the casing and from
the handle of the switch, the axis of the moving parts of the switch does not
pass through the cover.
Dated 4th December 1807
THOS. KENDRICK,
50, Cherry Street, Birmingham,
Agent.
I, JAMES BOOTH, of Cheapside Works, Birmingham, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention has reference to watertight switches for electrical currents such

page_text: as are used for lighting, or the transmission of power. "Switches constructed
according to my invention are used chiefly on ship board, although they may.
be used in other places and are specially useful where they may be exposed to
water.
All the parts of the “switch" constructed according to my invention with the ex-
ception of the handle only are contained in a cylindrical metallic casing having
a cover screwed on, and a flanged base whereby the casing may be attached to
its support.
And in order that this my said invention may be more clearly understood
I will now proceed more particularly to describe the same reference being made
to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which similar letters of reference indi-
cate like or corresponding parts in each figure where they occur.
Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a section of the cylindrical casing shewing
one boss and its attachments.
Figure 2 is a view in section of said casing and its attachments.
Figure 3 is a view of the cap and bushing detached.
Figure 4 is a view in elevation of the cylindrical casing partly sectional with
the switching apparatus therein and provided with the lid or cover, the whole
shewn in its entirety and constructed according to my invention.
Figure 5 is, a view of parts detached.
Figure 6 is a view in plan, and edge of the insulating disc.
Figure is a view in plan of the cylindrical casing with lid or cover removed.
shewing the switching apparatus on as shewn in Figure 4.
(
"
Figure S is a view as Figure 7 but shewing the switching apparatus "off."
Figure 9 is a view in section of the lid or cover, and parts as Figure 4 removed
from the cylindrical casing.
Figure 10 is a view in plan of one part detached from Figures 4 and 9.
Figure 11 is a view under plan of another part detached from Figures 4
and 9.
a is the cylindrical case having a flanged base b, provided with holes c, for
receiving screws for fixing. d, d are the bosses on each side of a, having the
axial holes e, e, these bosses are screwed externally. ff are the loose cylin-
drical bushings, having axial holes g, g, which receive the electrical metal
sheathed conducting wires which are soldered to the said bushings, ff, the
inner ends of which are stripped of their covering and attached to the switching
apparatus in a well known manner. 2, i are annular collars on the bush-
ings f, f, and j, j are the caps screwed interiorly to engage on the bosses d, d
so that when the bushings f, f are placed in the holes e in the bosses d d and
the caps j, (which fit over the bushings) are screwed home against the
annular collars i, i, the inner faces are held tightly against the outer ends of d, d,
and as all parts fit true a perfectly watertight joint is ensured.
Assuming that the cylindrical case a is fixed vertically with the switching
apparatus,, we. drop to the bottom the loose disc (which is of an insulating
material) having holes 1, 1 through which pass the screws m, m which hold
the switch base n on the top of the disc k to the base of the cylindrical case a,
the screws m, m, not passing through no water can gain access.
The switch itself is constructed of the laminated cross bar o working on
contact plates p, p, to which the stripped ends of the metal sheathed conducting
wires h, are secured by set screws as hitherto. These contact plates p p and
all other parts of the actual switch are mounted on the block n of insulating
material as usual. The moveable cross bar o works on a vertical axis q and
is provided with a powerful spring r the power of which prevents the handle s
binding in any half movement in its partial rotation limited by the stop t.
The cylindrical casing a, of the switch is closed by the lid or cover which
is screwed upon it also forming a watertight joint. In the centre of the top
of the cover u is a boss having an axial hole ¹ large enough to allow of the
turned end of the switch handle spindle to project through it and to

page_text: allow of a motion of partial rotation being given to it by the handle s, but to
exclude water, that part of the switch handle spindle within the casing a is
provided with a flange w, to which is affixed below an insulating block n',
having two pegs or pins n², n², which engage in the recesses o¹, o, on the top
of the cross bar o. By means of these pegs n², n when the handle spindle v³, is
partially rotated in the desired direction the moveable cross bar o is moved
or off" the contact plates p, p, the recesses o¹ o¹, in the cross bar o,
being large enough to allow the action of the spring r, in a well known manner.
The upper end of the spindle is formed with two flats v, v, which corre-
spond to the flats; s¹, s¹, of the hole 2, in the handle s, which is secured to the
spindle by the screw and washer st.
"6
on
"
In a switch constructed according to my invention no water can gain access
to the inside of the casing where the working parts of the switch are situated,
these working parts are also electrically insulated from the casing, and
from the handle of the switch, also that the axis of the moving parts of the switch
does not come through the cover.
I would observe in conclusion that I do not limit myself to the precise details
of construction or to the arrangement of parts, as these I may vary or modify
without departing essentially from the principle of my said invention.
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:-
In improvements in electrical switches
1. The combination. The cylindrical casing a having a base b, said case a
provided with bosses d, d, with their axial holes e, e, to receive bushes f, f, with
their axial holes g, g, to which the electrical conducting wires h, h, are soldered,
the said bushes f, f, with collars i, i, held in position by the caps j, j. The
loose disek, with holes 7, 7, having screws m, m, substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described.
2. The combination. The cross bar o provided with recesses o¹ o¹ (working
on the axis q,) the spring r, the contact plates p, p, and stop t fixed to the block n.
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
3. The combination. The lid u, having a boss e, with axial hole ¹, the handle
spindle, with turned end 2, and flats,, and flange , fixed to the block n¹,
having pegs 2, n², the handles, provided with hole s², having flats s¹, s¹, secured
to the spindle ³, by the screw s³, and washers, substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described.
4. The general construction combination and arrangement of parts the whole
forming improvements in electrical switche's substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated 29th September 1898
THOS. KENDRICK,
50, Cherry Street, Birmingham,
Agent.