Year: 1897

page_text: I, GUSTAVE JEAN MARIE VANNESTE of 59 Rue Verbock haven, Brussels, in the
Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer 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:—
This invention relates to an improvement in the switch operating lever of the
kind described in the Specification of a previous application for Letters Patent
dated the 2nd day of September 1896 No. 19437; and has for its object to
simplify the construction of the lever and of the pivotal mounting of the swinging
weight arm thereon, and to enable the apparatus to be more readily rendered
automatic or non-automatic in action as regards the return of the switch to a
normal position, as may be required. The automatic return of the switch lever
and switch to normal position is obtained as in my previous patent by pivoting
the weighted arm about an axis so inclined that throughout the oscillation of the
switch lever said inclined axis will make on the same side of it an acute angle
with the horizontal, so that when the weighted arm is swung over from its normal
position to the opposite side of the lever the weighted arm will occupy an unstable
position higher than its normal position to which it will therefore always tend to
return by gravity.
The present improvement consists in pivoting the weighted arm upon the switch
lever itself as its axis, whereby the construction of the lever is simplified and other
advantages are obtained, the parts being so adjusted that the arc through which
the switch lever moves in order to operate the switch shall be wholly on one side
of the said vertical plane if the return motion is to be automatic, or shall be about
equally divided by said vertical plane if the action is to be non-automatic or
indifferent in either direction, this change of relation with regard to the vertical
plane being effected by varying the length of the switch operating rod.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification wherein
Figures 1 and 2 represent in front and side elevation the switch lever as
arranged for the automatic return of the switch, whilst
Figure 3 shews the same apparatus converted to the non-return form.
The switch lever A is mounted on a horizontal pivot B in a standard C the
switch rod H being connected to its lower end by a screw coupling T and its
upper part E of round section forming the pivotal axis of the arm F carrying
the weight G. Upon the squared upper end e of the lever A, or otherwise mounted
ית

page_text: so as to be incapable of turning is secured by a nut o a bracket O adapted when
placed in the position_shewn in Figures 1 1 and 2 to limit the pivotal motion
of the weighted arm F about the lever A. so as by arresting it before reaching
the dead point to ensure the instability of its position necessary for its automatic
return after being moved as hereinafter described.
In the case of the automatic return form of the device shewn in Figure 1, the
length of the switch rod H is so adjusted by the screw coupling T that the
are a a¹ through which the lever A moves in order to operate the switch will be
wholly on one side of the vertical bb through axis B. The correct position is
easily ascertained by setting the lever A. so that its lower member just clears the
projecting end of a bolt I temporarily inserted in a hole i in the standard C.
This bolt may serve when required to lock the switch lever against being operated,
being provided with means of attachment of a padlock. The operation in this
case is the same as in my previous application for Letters Patent, viz. :-When
the switch is to be opened to the siding the weighted lever F is swung on the
part E of lever A as a centre through a nearly but not quite complete semi-circle.
During this movement the weighted arm exerts a moment of oscillation on the
lever A and the result of the conjoint movements of arm F about lever A and of
lever A about its pivot B is to bring the lever A and weighted arm F to the dotted
position G2 shewn and to open the switch. As the lever A has completed its
movement before reaching the vertical plane b b of its pivot B, the axis E still
makes an acute angle with the horizontal on the side at which the arm F was
situated when in its normal position and as the arm F is now on the opposite side
of the lever A. it follows that the weight G is now at a higher level than when it
was in the normal position and as the arm F is arrested by the stop O before it
swings through a complete semi-circle and reaches the dead point, it follows that
the weight is in an unstable position in which it can be easily retained by hand so
long as the switch is required to be held open but from which it will return to its
normal position by its own gravity directly it is released, thus returning the
lever A to the normal position shewn in full lines and closing the switch.
In order to adapt the apparatus to act indifferently in either direction, as shewn
in Figure 3, so that the switch remains in whichever position it was last placed,
the stop is shifted round a quarter of a turn upon the squared part of the lever
so that it is out of the way of the arm F and the switch rod H is shortened by
screwing up the coupling T so that the arc of oscillation a² as of the lever A
necessary to open or close the switch extends to or past the vertical b b.
As a guide to this adjustment the pin I is temporarily inserted in another
hole m in the standard Č (this hole being usually closed by a plug M) the
coupling T being then screwed up until the lever A abuts against the pin
which is then removed.
By swinging the arm F about the part E of lever A it will be caused to exert
a moment of oscillation on lever A opposed in direction to that which it previously
exerted whereby the lever is caused to oscillate through the arc a² a³ thereby
moving the switch, the arm F on the completion of this movement occupying a
stable position from which it cannot of itself become displaced.
As the difference in position with regard to the vertical 6 6 of the arcs a a
and a a through which the lever moves in the two arrangements shewn in
Figures 1 and 3 would alter the initial height of the weight G, the lever F is
made not at right angles but obliquely to the axis of rotation E so that by inverting
it when changing from the automatic return to the non-automatic form of the
apparatus, or vice-versa, the height from the ground of the weighted end of the
.arm F is in each case such as to be most convenient for operating said arm and
the moment of force exerted by the weight is equalized in the two cases by
shifting it along the arm F and fixing it by a bolt in one or other of the two
holes ss as the case may be, the weight being at same time placed on the arm
with its handle uppermost as shewn.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A switch operating lever mounted to oscillate on a horizontal axis and adjusted
to move through an arc wholly on one side of the vertical passing through said
axis in combination with a weighted arm pivoted to swing about the said lever
itself as an axis and with a stop on the lever to limit the motion of the arm about
the lever so that when arrested by said stop the weighted arm will be in an
unstable position from which it will tend to return by gravity to its normal position
and thereby to also return the switch to its normal position as specified.
2. A switch operating lever mounted to oscillate on a horizontal axis and
adjusted to move through an arc wholly on one side of the vertical passing through
said axis in combination with a weighted arm pivoted to swing about the said
lever itself as an axis and with a stop formed by a bracket removably fixed on
the switch lever and presenting a lug in position, to limit the motion of the arm
about the lever so that when arrested by said stop the weighted arm will be in
an unstable position from which it will tend to return by gravity to its normal
position and thereby to also return the switch to its normal position as specified.
3. A switch operating lever mounted to oscillate on a horizontal axis in com-
bination with a weighted arm pivoted to swing about the said lever itself as an
axis and with a screw coupling connecting the switch lever and switch rod and
permitting the adjustment of the position of the arc through which the lever
oscillates with regard to the vertical through the axis of oscillation of the lever
in order that the return action of the lever may be readily made automatic or not
as required.
4. A switch operating lever mounted to oscillate on a horizontal axis in com-
bination with a weighted arm pivoted to swing about the said lever itself as an
axis and with a screw coupling connecting the switch lever and switch rod and
permitting the adjustment of the position of the arc through which the lever
oscillates with regard to the vertical through the axis of oscillation of the lever,
the said arm being at such an angle to its axis that by inverting it upon its
axis its height will be adapted to suit the position of the arc of oscillation of
the switch lever according as the return action of said lever is to be automatic or
non-automatic as specified.
5. The combination, with a switch lever pivoted on a horizontal axis in a
standard and having a weighted arm pivoted about the lever for operating the
said lever in the one or other manner described, of a guide pin inserted in one or
other of two guide holes in the standard as a guide in adjusting the position of
the arc of oscillation of the lever to suit the intended mode of operation as
specified.