Improvements in Switches used for Electrical Purposes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1892-Accepted. 12th Mar.. 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Switches used for Electrical Purposes.
CHARLES SCOTT SNELL, Electrical Engineer of Culver Park Saltash Cornwall
& WOODHOUSE & RAWSON UNITED LIMITED Electrical Engineers & Con-
tractors of 88 Queen Victoria Street London E.C. do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to switches used for electrical purposes in which it is
desired to produce a quick circuit making and breaking action, and in carrying out
this object we make use of a lever or catch, attached to and rotating with, the
contact making brush or its accessories in such manner that at certain pre-
arranged position this catch interlocks with a fixed block or the like on the switch
base.
Further we so arrange the head in connection with the handle that it has a
certain independent movement as regards the body of the switch, and in moving
through this prearranged distance it is caused to extend or compress a spring or
equivalent device connected with the body aforesaid and thereby exert a force in
the direction of rotation upon the locked body part, until having moved through a
predetermined range it is caused by a cam or the like to release the lever or catch
holding the body, this follows up rapidly the course taken by the handle until their
normal respective position are again attained and the catch is free to again engage
with a slot or recess formed to receive it. Obviously by two cams upon the head
or handle part the above described action will take place in turning the handle to
either right or left, or if a number of contacts are in use the switch can be made to
make or break circuit with great suddenness throughout the whole series, and this
method of carrying the catch around with the switch admits of any number of
contacts being in use as on such switches as charge and discharge switches, in
addition to simple make and break switches.
This Seventh day of Anril 1891
C. SCOTT SNELL.
WOODHOUSE & RAWSON UNITED, LIMITED.
W. T. Stutchbury, Secretary.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Switches used for Electrical Purposes.
CHARLES SCOTT SNELL, Electrical Engineer of Culver Park, Saltash,
Cornwall, and WOODHOUSE AND RAWSON UNITED LIMITED, Electrical
Engineers and Contractors of 88 Queen Victoria Street London E.C., 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 switches used for electrical purposes in which it is
desired to produce a quick circuit "making" and "breaking" action.
Fig. I shows a side elevation and Fig. II a plan of a switch fitted in accordance
with our invention,
Fig. III is a double cam piece attached to the bottom of the ball head.
Fig. IV is part plan of block at base.
In carrying out our object we make use of a lever or catch A Figs. I and II
attached to and rotating with the contact making brush or bar B or its

page_text: accessories in such a manner that at certain prearranged positions this catch
interlocks with one of the slots G in the fixed block C Fig. I and IV, or the like
on a switch base.
Further we so arrange the head D that it has a certain independent movement
as regards the contact bar B of the switch, and in moving through this pre-
arranged distance it is caused to extend or compress a spring or springs or
equivalent device E connected with the head D and contact bar B as aforesaid and
thereby exert a force in the direction of rotation on the locked contact bar B,
until having moved through a predetermined range it is caused by a cam F which
is fixed to and rotates with the head D or the like to release the lever or catch A
Figs. I and II holding the contact bar, this follows up rapidly the course taken by
the handle until their normal respective positions are again attained and the
catch A is again free to engage with a slot G as shown in Figs. I and IV or recess
formed to receive it.
Obviously by two cans, as shown in separate illustration Fig. III, fixed on
the head D, the above described action will take place on turning the handle to
either right or left, or if a number of contacts are in use the switch can be made to
make or break circuit with great suddenness throughout the whole series, and this
method of carrying the catch around with the switch admits of any number of
contacts being in use, as on such switches as "charge" and "discharge " switches
in addition to the simple "make" and "break" switches.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
The construction or combination of the parts of a switch, whereby a catch or
lever is carried around with the switch, locking it in predetermined positions
defined by recesses in the base or equivalent means and actuated by a cam or cams
forming part of or attached to the head or handle carrying portion substantially as
described and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 5th dow of Wahma 1045