Improvements in or relating to Electric Switches or Circuit Controllers.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 1st Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 1st Apr., 1895-Accepted, 6th July, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Electric Switches or Circuit
Controllers.
I, JOHN MATHEW CRONIN, of No. 9 Walnut Court, Cambridge, in the County
of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, 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 relating to electric switches or circuit controllers, is herein shown
as embodied in a switch of that class commonly known as a double pole single
throw-switch, consisting of two sets of terminals or stationary members and two
intermediate movable members, adapted in one position to electrically connect the
said terminals to complete the circuit and in another position to disconnect the said
terminals and open the circuit.
Electric switches of the class referred to, as now commonly constructed, are
designed for the purpose of placing the electric circuit in two conditions, viz. :-
either in a closed condition or in an open condition, and when in its closed condition,
the translating devices, which may be arc or incandescent lamps, are included in
the circuit, and which in its open condition, interrupts the circuit for the said
translating devices.
In many places and especially in buildings employing a large number of lights,
it is oftentimes desirous to maintain the lights burning in one or more sections of
the building, as for instance, on different Hoors or in different rooms on the same
floor, while at the same time, it may not be desired to use the lights, in other
sections of the building.
This invention has for its object to provide a switch of the class referred to,
capable of effecting this result, and in accordance with this invention, the switch is
provided with an auxiliary switch or controller co-operating with the movable
members of the main switch, whereby a series or group of translating devices or
lamps may be retained in circuit with the source of supply, while other lamps
normally in circuit therewith, may be shunted out of circuit as will be described.
These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claim at the
end of this Specification.
Fig. 1 is a top or plan view of one form of double pole switch embodying this
invention, the movable member being shown in its closed, position and the auxiliary
or shunt controller being shown in its normal or open position.
Fig. 2, a transverse section of the switch, shown in Fig. 1 looking toward the left,
the auxiliary or shunt controller being represented by full lines in its open position
and by dotted lines in its closed position.

page_text: Fig. 3, a side elevation of the switch shown in Fig. 1 with the movable member
raised into its open position, and
Figs. 4 and 5, diagrammatic views to more clearly illustrate the operation of the
invention.
The switch herein shown as embodying this invention consists of a base a,
preferably of insulating material, upon which is mounted two sets a¹ a³, a a* of line
terminals, constituting stationary members of the double pole switch, and with
which co-operate the movable members shown as metallic strips, knives or
blades a a, the movable member a' co-operating with the stationary members a¹ a³,
and the movable member a co-operating with the stationary members a* a*.
In the present construction, the movable members a' a' are pivotally secured to
uprights a' a, and are made of sufficient length to pass between separated uprights
or jaws bb, b2b on the stationary members a' a', the said movable members, as
herein shown, being bent at their ends to form arms, secured as by screws 1,7
to a tie bar be preferably of insulating material, which in the present instance, is
provided with a handle & having its shank extended through the tie bar. The
switch thus far described is and may be of the ordinary construction, the movable
members as a being electrically separated from each other, so as to establish the
circuit, in the closed position of the switch, between the stationary members a¹ a*
to complete one side of the line, and between the stationary members a' a to
complete the other side of the line.
As now commonly practised, the switch thus far described is interposed in the
line circuit containing the lamps, or other translating devices, and when the movable
members as a are withdrawn from engagement with the jaws b b1, b2 13 of the
stationary members a² a, the said circuit is opened.
In order to enable switches of this construction to be employed in circuits
containing a plurality of translating devices or lamps arranged in different parts of
the circuit, so as to be utilized in different parts of the building, as for instance, in
a manufacturing establishment having a number of floors and different rooms on the
said floors, whereby the translating devices in one part of the building may be
lighted, while the translating devices in the other parts of the building may be cut
out of circuit, I have provided an auxiliary switch or controller adapted to remain
inactive when it is desired that the circuit on both sides of the switch should remain
intact, but which is adapted to be rendered active, so as to maintain the circuit on
one side of the switch and open the circuit on the other side of the switch, whereby
translating devices or lamps on one side of the switch may be maintained in
circuit and, therefore, lighted, while those on the other side of the switch may be
cut out of circuit and therefore unlighted, until the main switch is restored to its
normal or closed position.
In the present instance, the auxiliary switch or shunt circuit controller comprises
a single member, herein represented as a metallic bar c mounted upon the shank of
the handle and adapted to be turned by said handle into contact with the
arms of the movable members a a, so as to electrically connect the movable
members as a³ and establish a shunt for that part of the circuit connected with the
stationary members a² a*.
In the present embodiment of this invention, the auxiliary shunt controller c
normally occupies the position indicated by full lines Fig. 2, when the main switch
is in its closed position and all the lights or translating devices in the circuit are
supposed to be in use, but when it is desired to use some of the lights and not
others, the auxiliary circuit controller e may be brought into engagement with the
arms of the movable members as a', so as to complete an electric circuit from
the movable member a to the movable member aⓇ.
The position of the auxiliary controller c is represented by dotted lines Fig. 2
and by dotted lines in the diagram Figs. 4 and 5.
The operation of my improved circuit controller or switch may be readily
understood by reference to Figs. 4 and 5. In Fig. 4, d represents a dynamo or
other source of supply, and ď ď the usual brushes to which the line wires d' dare

page_text: connected. In Fig. 4, the circuit is arranged to represent four different branches.
from the main circuit, which may be supposed to correspond to different floors of a
building. To better enable this invention to be understood, let it be supposed that.
the branch marked "No. 1" corresponds to the first floor; No. 2 to the second
floor; No. 3 to the third floor, and No. 4 to the fourth floor, the translating devices:
or lamps being represented by the crosses d'.
From an inspection of Fig. 4, it will be seen that all the lamps included in the
circuit are in series with each other, and that if the main switch line shown in Fig. 1
should be interposed in any one of the branches and should be opened, the complete
circuit would be broken and all the lights included in the circuit would be
put out.
In Fig. 4, I have represented the switch shown in Fig. 1 by the small circles,
which represent the terminals a', a, a, a, and the circuit line representing the
movable members as a, while the dotted line connecting the terminals a² a
represents the controller c and the arms 6 6 with which it co-operates. In the
branch marked No. 1 in Fig 4, eight lamps are represented as arranged in two
groups of four each. For purpose of illustration, one group may be supposed to be
located in one or more rooms on the floor No. 1, or on one side of the floor, and the
other group may be supposed to be located in one or more different rooms on the
floor or on the other side of the floor. In order to control these two different
groups of lamps, I prefer to interpose in the branch No. 1 two of my improved
switches, so that one group of lamps in the branch may be cut out of circuit and
rendered inoperative, while the other group in the same may remain in circuit, and
when it is desired to cut out both groups or all the lamps in the branch No. 1, the
controller interposed between the lamps and the source of supply may be operated.
In Fig. 4, I have represented the auxiliary or shunt controller c of both switches.
as in its active position, but it will be understood that when the controller c of the
switch in the No. 1 most remote from the dynamo d, is in contact with the movable
members as as, the controller c of the switch nearest the dynamo may be at such
time, in its open or full line position, Fig. 2, and, therefore, the circuit will be
maintained through the first group of lamps, but the second group will be shunted
out of circuit. If now, it is desired to positively open the branch No. 1 and thereby
cut out all the lamps included in it without destroying the continuity of the circuit
throughout the remaining portion of the building, the circuit controller c of the
switch nearest the dynamo will be brought into its dotted line position, Fig. 2, and
the movable members may then be withdrawu from contact with the stationary
members a² a and render the branch No. 1 absolutely dead, while at the same time,
the remaining portion of the circuit is maintained intact. In the branches Nos. 2
and 4, the switches are shown in their closed position with the shunt controller in
its normal position, which is represented by the absence of the dotted line while
in the branch No. 3, the lights are represented as cut out of circuit.
C,
In Fig. 5, I have represented the switch in use with the multiple arc arrangement
of the lamps, and have represented two branches from the main line dd, which
branches may be supposed to be numbers 1 and 3 of the diagram Fig. 4. In Fig. 5,
the controller c is represented as shunting out the group of lamps beyond it, while
the group of lamps between it and the dynamo are in circuit, and the group of lamps
in the branch No. 3 are represented as cut out.
By means of the auxiliary controller co-operating with the movable members of
the main line switch, sparking of the switch between the movable members a³ a
and their co-operating terminals a' a' is prevented, when the said movable members
are withdrawn from engagement with the stationary members and also when brought
in contact therewith.
In the present instance, I have shown the auxiliary controller co-operating with
the movable members of the main switch, as a single bar co-operating with the
bent arms bb, and while I may prefer this construction, I do not desire to limit
my invention in this respect, as the auxiliary controller may itself be made in other
forms, so as to complete the circuit between the said movable members when the

page_text: latter are removed from engagement with the terminals a' a', and to open the
circuit thus formed when the movable members are, brought into engagement with
the terminals a' a'..
I have herein shown this invention as embodied in a double pole single throw
switch, but I do not desire to limit my. invention in this respect, as it is equally well
adapted to be used with a double pole double throw switch.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A double pole switch provided with movable members insulated from each
other, a tie bar connecting said members, a handle carried by said tie bar, and an
auxiliary circuit controller co-operating with the said movable members and
adapted to be rendered operative by the said handle to electrically connect the
said members, for the purpose specified.
2. A double pole switch provided with movable members, a tie bar connecting
said members, a handle carried by said bar, and an auxiliary controller adapted
to be brought in contact with the said movable members by operation of the
said handle, for the purpose specified.
11
1005
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents to Applicant.