Improvements in or relating to Electric Switches.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 17th Mar.,
1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Electric Switches.
I, WILLIAM ELY, of 5, Cooke Street, in the City and County of Providence, in
the State of Rhode Island, United States of America, Mechanical 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:―
In my invention one or more contact members are automatically moved with
rapid sudden movement in either direction through an arc of 180 degrees or less
to instantaneously break the circuit connection of the said contact member with
the circuit terminals of one electric circuit and make an instantaneous connec-
tion with the circuit terminals of another electric circuit, and avoid all liability of
short-circuiting or "sparking" in either making or breaking the connection of
said contact member with the respective circuit terminals. In other words, by
my invention the contact member is transferred from the circuit terminals of
one electric circuit to the circuit terminals of another electric circuit with a
sudden positive separation from the one, and a like sudden positive union with the
other of said circuit terminals.
My invention also embraces means for imparting to the contact member an
initial positive movement in either direction to overcome the frictional and
other resistance between the said contact member and the circuit terminals with
which said contact member may be in circuit-making contact.
My invention is applicable to the several systems of electrical transmission
known as the one-wire, two-wire and three-wire systems, and it is also applicable
to single-pole, double-pole and three-pole double-throw electric switches. I have
therefore in the accompanying drawings illustrated my invention as applied
to electric switches of the above named types.
In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention as applied to a single-
pole double-throw switch, Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of
Fig. 1, and showing by dotted lines the actuating member at the point of initiating
the movement of the contact member from the contact posts. Figure 3 is a
similar view showing in addition the devices for locking the contact member in
its circuit-making positions. Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4-4
of Fig. 3. Figure 5 is a plan view showing the application of my invention to a
two-pole or two-wire electric switch. Figure 6 is a plan view showing the
application of my invention to an electric switch of the three-pole or three-wire
system.
3, 3 are contact
2 represents the base of insulating or non-conducting material.
posts or circuit terminals secured on said base at one side of a shaft rotatably
mounted upon said base, and 14 and 15 are other like contact posts or circuit
terminals secured upon said base at the opposite side of said shaft. Said shaft 5
carries one or more connecting or contact members 6. Loosely mounted upon
said shaft, and rotatable without reference to the movement of said shaft, is the
actuating member 7, provided at its outer end with a handle 9 for operating it,
and at its inner end with a cross-bar or member 8, adapted, on the rotation of the

page_text: actuating member, to strike against the contact member to forcibly impart the
initial releasing movement to said contact member from its frictional engagement
with the circuit terminals.
Said actuating member may be composed either of two arms, as shown i
Figs. 1 and 6, or it may consist of a single arm, as shown in Fig. 5. In either
form it extends on opposite sides of the shaft 5. In the form composed of tw
arms, said arms are connected at their outer ends by a cross bar or member 9
and at their inner ends by a cross bar or member 8, and when so arranged
said arms in conjunction with said cross-bars or members 8 and 9 form a slot
opening extending on opposite sides of the shaft 5 (as shown in Figs. 1 and 6),
and it is obvious that the contact blade or connecting member 6 will, as actuated
by the springs 10 and 11, be caused to pass through said slot opening in its
transit from the circuit terminals at one side of the shaft to the other circuit
terminals at the opposite side of said shaft.
Said actuating member 7 and the contact member 8 are connected by extensible
springs 10 and 11, adapted to be distended by the rotation of the actuating
member 7 and to thereby accumulate energy until the member 6 has, by the
operation of the engaging cross bar or member 8, been started sufficiently to
overcome the resistance between it and the contact posts or circuit terminals,
when said spring will react and automatically move said contact member
instantaneously to break its connection with the circuit terminals at one side of
the shaft 5 and transfer it into circuit making connection with the circuit ter-
minals at the opposite side of said shaft, which movement is rapid, and absolutely
automatic and beyond any control or restraint by the one operating the switch.
16 and 17 represent spring-controlled pivoted catches adapted, respectively,
to engage with a lug or pin 18 and 19 secured upon the contact member 6, to
lock the latter at the termination of its movement in either direction, and to be
disengaged from said studs, to release the contact member, by the impact of
the cross bar 8 as the actuating member 7 is rotated. The springs 20 and 21
control the action of their respective catches. Said catches and springs may,
however, be dispensed with as shown in Fig. 2, in which case the friction
between the contact member and the circuit terminals will be sufficient to
prevent the contact member from moving until the actuating member has accumu-
lated sufficient energy in the springs 10 and 11 to effect the rapid transfer of the
contact member from the circuit terminals at one side of the shaft to the other
circuit terminals at the opposite side of said shaft, when the cross member 8 will
act to start the contact member and allow the springs 10 and 11 to act.
When the catches 16 and 17 are employed they will act as aids in the accumula-
tion of energy in said springs 10 and 11. When it is desired to use the switch
only as a cut-out and not as a transfer switch, the contact posts 14 and 15 will
not be connected with the current-wires, and will then serve simply as rests or
supports for the contact member 6 in its open position, or when the circuit is
broken.
In Fig. 5 I have shown a two-pole switch, or a switch of the two-wire system.
In this type of switch I have two connecting members 6, 6, secured upon the
shaft 5, one at each side of the actuating member 7, and connected with said
actuating member by the springs 10 and 11. The cross bar 8 will, on the rotation
of the actuating member 7, strike against the under side of the contact or connect-
ing members, 6, 6, and impart the initial starting movement to the members 6, 6,
from their frictional contact with the circuit terminals on one side of the shaft 5,
and the springs 10 and 11 will transfer said contact members 6, 6, instantaneously
from those circuit terminals to the other circuit terminals at the other side of
said shaft.
In Fig. 6 is shown my invention applied to an electric switch of the three-pole
or three-wire system. In this form one connecting member 6 passes through the
actuating member 7 and the other connecting member 61, 61, are arranged one on
each side of the actuating member, and all of said connecting or contact members

page_text: are transferred with rapid instantaneous movement, by the reaction of the
springs 10 and 11, from the circuit terminals at one side of said shaft 5 to the
other circuit terminals at the opposite side of said shaft, and the cross bar 8 likewise
imparts the initial starting movement to the said contact members from their
contact with the circuit terminals.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In an electric switch having a base, a rotatable shaft arranged parallel with
said base, and circuit terminals arranged at opposite sides of said shaft, the com-
bination with said parts of a connecting member carried on one side of said shaft,
an actuating member loosely mounted upon said shaft for movement independent
of the connecting member, and provided with parallel arms at opposite sides of said
connecting member, and with a cross member and handle at its outer end, and a
cross-member at its inner end which latter is adapted to forcibly impart the initial
releasing movement to the said connecting member from its frictional contact with
the circuit terminals, and springs connecting said connecting member and the
actuating member.
2. In an electric switch having a base, a rotatable shaft arranged parallel with
the said base, and circuit terminals arranged at opposite sides of said shaft, the
combination with said parts of a connecting member carried on one side of said
shaft, and provided with lugs or studs 18 and 19, an actuating member loosely
mounted upon said shaft for movement independent of said connecting member
and provided with parallel arms at opposite sides of said connecting member,
and with a cross-bar and handle 9 at its outer end, and with a cross-bar 8 at its
inner end-adapted to forcibly impart the initial releasing movement to the said
connecting member from its frictional contact with the circuit terminals, the
springs 10 and 11 connecting said connecting member and actuating member,
and spring controlled catches 16 and 17 adapted to releasably engage said lugs
or studs 18 and 19 to thereby lock said connecting member in its engagement
with the circuit terminals, and also to serve as aids in the accumulation of
energy in said springs 10 and 11.
3. In an electric switch having a base, a rotatable shaft arranged parallel
with said base, and circuit terminals arranged at opposite sides of said shaft,
the combination with said parts of a connecting member carried on one side of
said shaft, an actuating member loosely mounted upon said shaft for movement
without reference to the movement of the connecting member, and provided
with the cross-bars forming a slot opening extending on opposite sides of said
shaft, through which the connecting member may pass in its rapid independent
movement from one set of circuit terminals to the opposite set, the innermost
one of said cross-bars being adapted to forcibly impart the initial releasing move-
ment to the connecting member from its frictional contact with the circuit
terminals, and the springs connecting said actuating member and connecting
member and adapted to transfer with rapid uninterrupted movement said connect-
ing member from one set of circuit terminals to the opposite set.
4. In an electric switch having a base, a rotatable shaft and corresponding
sets of circuit terminals arranged at opposite sides of said shaft, the combination
with said parts of an actuating member loosely mounted on said shaft, a
plurality of connecting members carried on one side of said shaft for movement
independent of the said actuating member, the said actuating member being
provided with a slot opening extending on both sides of said shaft and at its
nner end with a cross bar or member adapted on the rotation of said actuating
member to forcibly impart the initial releasing movement to the several con-
necting members from their frictional contact with the circuit terminals, one of
the connecting members being arranged to pass through the slot opening of the
actuating member and the others to pass at each side of said actuating member,

page_text: and the springs connecting said actuating member, and the sevaral connecting
members, and adapted to cause the rapid transfer of said connecting members
from one set of circuit terminals to the opposite set.
5. In an electric switch having a base, a rotatable shaft and corresponding
sets of circuit terminals arranged at opposite sides of said shaft, the combination
with said parts of an actuating member loosely mounted upon said shaft and
provided at its inner end with a cross bar or member adapted upon the rotation
of said actuating member to impart the initial releasing movement to the connect-
ing members from their frictional contact with the circuit terminals, a plurality of
connecting members carried upon one side of said shaft and arranged at opposite
sides of said actuating member, and the springs connecting the actuating member
with the connecting members, whereby the strain or tension on said actuating
member is balanced, and the said springs are adapted to cause the rapid unin-
terrupted transfer of said connecting members from one set of circuit terminals
to the opposite set.
WILLIAM ELY,
Wm. P. Thompson & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents.