Improvements in Electric Switches.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1898-Accepted,, 16th Apr., 1898
Improvements in Electric Switches.
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I, JOHAN, MARINIUS ANDERSEN, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America,
Mechanic, 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 :-
1.
This invention relates to electric switches and is herein shown as embodied in a switch
of that class known as quick-acting, and the said invention has for its object to
provide a simple, efficient and cheap switch, in which the use of solder may be
dispensed with. Another feature of the invention consists in providing the members
or parts of the switch with a cover as will be described, whereby the uninsulated parts
of the switch are protected from dust, dirt, and accidental handling, when the switch
is in its operative or closed condition, and the said cover is provided with a movable
portion attached to the movable member of the switch, so that the act of uncovering
the uninsulated parts of.. the switch opens the same.
In accordance with this invention, the movable member or blade of the switch is
composed of an inverted trough-shaped piece of metal, comprising a back and two
depending arms or sides, preferably of springy metal, such as copper, and the
stationary or co-operating member is made of like shape but preferably of composition
metal, and comprising a back and two sides or arms, which are integral with the said
back, so that the use of solder and its attendant objections are avoided. The trough-
shaped blade or movable member is preferably struck up with a suitable die, and the
stationary member is preferably machined or milled, and therefore these essential
parts of the switch may be constructed, with a minimum amount of labor and at a
minimum cost.
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These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claim at the
end-of this specification.
Fig. 1, is a plan view of, one form of switch embodying this invention.
Fig. 2, a side elevation of the switch shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, a side elevation of the switch shown in Fig. 1 in its open condition.
Fig. 4, a perspective view of the switch shown in Fig. 3, and
Fig. 5, a vertical section on the line 5-5, Fig. 4.
هم
In the present instance, I have chosen to illustrate my invention in a switch suitable
for use in a three wire system, but I do not desire to limit my invention to the
particular form shown.
Referring to the drawings, A represents a base, preferably of insulating material,
such as slate, hard rubber, porcelain, etc., upon which is suitably secured the stationary
members of the switch. In the present instance, I have shown three sets of stationary
members, and as they are of like construction, I will specifically describe but one.
Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, a stationary member comprises in the present
instance, two parts or pieces of metal a a¹, each consisting of a back piece 2, and
side arms 3, 4, separated from each other as shown in Fig. 4. The back piece 2 of
each part of the stationary member, is preferably made longer than the side pieces or
arms 3, 4,, and is firmly secured to the insulated base A, as by, countersunk screws,
not herein shown. The parts a a' of the stationary member may and preferably
and preferably will
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page_text: be made of a composition of metals, and may be milled or otherwise machined from
a solid piece or casting, with a minimum amount of labor and at a minimum expense.
The parts a a¹ of the stationary member have co-operating with them, a substantially
trough-shaped movable member or blade, preferably of copper or like springy metal, and
consisting of two side pieces or arms b b₁, united or tied together by one or more
back pieces 62, the said arms in the present instance, being integral with a single
back piece 62, which may be secured as by screws to a cross bar 64, preferably of
insulating material.
The substantially trough-shaped movable member of the switch
may, and preferably will be made by striking up the same from a flat sheet or strip
of metal, preferably copper, thereby enabling this part of the switch to be produced
at a minimum cost with substantially little labor. The back piece 62 of the movable
member, is preferably made of sufficient width to enable the side arms 6 6¹ to embrace
or make a sliding contact with the outside of the arms 3, 4 of the parts a a¹ of the
stationary member, but I do not desire to limit my invention in this respect, as the
arms 66 may make a sliding contact with the inner sides of the arins 3-4. The
movable member or blade of the switch is adapted to be engaged with and disengaged
from the stationary member, by means of an operating lever c, preferably of the
construction herein shown, the said lever being secured at its lower end (see Fig. 5)
to the side arms 3, 4, of the part al of the stationary member, by a pivot pin c²,
which is also extended through the side arms b b¹ of the movable member or blade,
and the said lever is provided near its pivot with a socket c² extended from its rear
side 6 toward its front side 7 (see Fig. 5). The socket c² contains within it a
spring c³, which bears at one end against the back 62 of the movable blade.
lever c is provided at its upper end with an arm c¹ extended substantially at a right
angle to the lever c and adapted to pass through the slot cx in the back 62 of the
blade or movable member, and through a slot or opening 5 in the movable portion clo
of the cover, and the said arm has secured to it a handle c of insulating material.
The arm c is provided on its underside with a substantially central rib 20, (see
Fig. 5) which fits into the slot cx in the back 62 of the trough-shaped blade, and the
said arm is also provided at its outer end with a depending flange 22, which overlaps
the upper end of the blade, and constitutes a means for moving the blade or movable
member from its open into its closed position. The arm c¹ of the lever c, preferably
has attached to it a guard c7 of insulating material, which is designed. to cover the
opening and prevent contact with the metal arm c', when the switch is in its closed
position shown in Fig. 1.
The
The movable portion c¹0 of the cover is fastened to the back 62 of the movable
contact member, and has co-operating with it a stationary portion d removably
secured as by clips or hooks d¹ and screws d² (see Figs. 1 and 2) to the base A.
The contact piece al of the stationary member has secured to it, as herein shown, a
line terminal d', which projects through a suitable slot or opening in the stationary
portion d of the cover, and the movable portion cto of the cover is provided with a
like slot or opening do, which is adapted to fit over the other line terminal d",
preferably secured as by a countersunk screw ds (see Fig. 5) to a terminal plate do
suitably secured to the base A, the said plate being designed in practice to be connected
by a fusible wire or strip, not shown, but which may be of any suitable or usual
construction, to the contact piece a of the stationary member of the switch, the said
fuse being adapted to be secured to the plate do and contact piece a, by screws d1º, d¹².
In practice, the terminals d', d are designed to be wound or covered with insulating
tape, so that when the switch is in its closed or operative position (shown in Fig. 1)
'contact with the metal parts of the switch is prevented thereby rendering this con-
struction of switch especially desirable for use in dwelling houses, shops, stores and
like places.
I prefer to use the cover, but the construction of the switch herein shown possesses
advantages not dependent on the cover and consequently, the latter may be dispensed
with, if desired.
In the present instance, I have shown the movable member or blade of the center
set of members and the lever c, as pivoted to the arms 3-4, of the contact piece a¹

page_text: of the center set of stationary members, and the other movable members as connected
to the center one by the tie bar b*.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the switch is in its closed position, and if it is desired to
the
open the same, the operator pulls upon the handle c, which action moves
lever c toward the cover until the rear side 6 of the said lever engages the back b² of
and
the movable member, which movement of the said lever compresses the spring c³,
at or about the time the sides or arms 6 61 of the movable member or blade are
disengaged from the arms 3-4 of the part a of the stationary member, the spring c³
acts, and with quick motion, throws the movable members or blades away from the
arms 3-4, of the part a of the stationary member and opens the switch without
danger of arcing. The switch may be closed by moving the handle c' in the opposite
direction, as above described.
By making the sides or arms 3-4 of the contact pieces or parts a a¹ of the
stationary member in one piece with the back 2, the use of solder is avoided, which is
desirable, for, if the arms should be soldered to the back 2, additional time and labor
are required, and the solder is also liable to overheat, and the arms become detached
from the back, if solder alone is depended upon to secure the said arms to the back;
and if the said arms are in addition pinned to the back, additional labor and time are
used in the manufacture of the switch.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. An electric switch comprising a base, a stationary contact member secured
thereto, a movable contact member co-operating with said stationary contact member,
a cover of insulating material comprising a stationary member attached to the base,
and a movable member attached to said movable contact member to normally cover
the said stationary contact member and to uncover the same when the movable
contact member is disengaged from the stationary contact member, substantially as
described.
2. An electric switch comprising a base, a stationary contact member secured
thereto, a movable contact member co-operating with said stationary contact member,
an actuating lever for said movable contact member, a spring interposed between said
lever and movable contact member, and a cover of insulating material attached to
said movable member to move therewith to normally cover the stationary contact
member and to uncover said stationary contact member when the movable contact
member is disengaged from the stationary contact member, and having a slot through
which the actuating lever extends, substantially as described.
3. An electric switch comprising a stationary member composed of a back piece
and side arms integral therewith and extended at an angle thereto, a movable member
O composed of a back piece and side arms integral therewith and extended at an angle
thereto and adapted to make a sliding contact with the arms of the stationary
member, an actuating lever for said movable member provided with a socket, and a
spring located in said socket and acting on said movable member, substantially as
described.
4. An electric switch comprising a stationary member comprising the parts a a¹,
each consisting of a back piece and side arms integral therewith and extended at an
angle thereto, a movable member consisting of a back piece and sides or arms extended
at an angle therefrom and adapted to engage the side arms of the parts a a¹ of the
stationary member, a cover attached to said movable member and provided with an
O opening, an actuating lever for the movable member provided with an arm extended
through the opening in the cover, and with a socket, a spring in said socket acting
on the movable member, a handle for the lever attached to the arm of the said lever,
substantially as described.
5. An electric switch comprising a stationary member comprising the parts a a¹,
5 each consisting of a back piece and side arms integral therewith and extended at an
angle thereto, a movable member consisting of a back piece and sides or arms

page_text: extended at an angle therefrom and adapted to engage the side arms of the parts a a¹
of the stationary member, a cover attached to said movable member and provided
with an opening, an actuating lever for the movable member provided with an arm
extended through the opening in the cover, and with a socket, a spring in said socket
acting on the movable member, a handle for the lever attached to the arm of the said
lever, and a guard for the opening in the cover attached to the said lever, substantially
as described."
6. An electric switch comprising a stationary member composed of a back piece
and side arms integral therewith and extended at an angle thereto, a movable member
composed of a back piece and side arms integral therewith and extended at an angle
thereto and adapted to make a sliding contact with the arms of the stationary
member, an actuating lever for said movable member, and a spring acted upon by
said lever and acting upon the movable member, substantially as described.
Dated the 8th day of February 1898.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.