Improvements in or relating to Electrical Switches.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 7th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 16th Apr., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Electrical Switches.
I, GEORGE PAGE, of 50, Copland Terrace, in the City and County of Newcastle-
on-Tyne, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to electrical switches and has for its object to overcome
the difficulty of securing in switches as at present constructed, an equal and effi-
cient contact of surfaces between the movable switch bar and the contacts..
To this end and according to my invention, I form the switch bar or the contacts
in two or more parts adapted to be pressed apart or together under spring action.
My invention is applicable to the centrally operated or to the lever type of
switch, and in one of the former kind having a switch bar divided lengthwise
into two parts the divided bar is arranged for operation from a central spindle
and handle and mounted in the usual manner, but its two parts are adapted to be
normally kept apart a suitable distance when not within the contacts, by a spring
or springs of the coiled or flat type arranged between them, suitable recesses or
projections for receiving the springs and guides or motion limiting stops being
provided where necessary.
When the switch bar is operated and moved into the forked or divided ends of
the contacts which have somewhat enlarged entrances of the usual kind, the two
parts of the bar are pressed together against the action of the spring or springs
which latter press both the upper and lower faces of the bar equally against the
surfaces of the contacts thereby securing a more eflicient contact of surface for the
transmission of the current than with solid switch bars as at present in use,
where any inequalities will cause the bar and contacts to engage only at parts of
their surfaces.
D.
1007
Improvements in or relating to Electrical Switches.
I, GEORGE PAGE, of 50, Copland Terrace, in the City and County of Newcastle-
on-Tyne, 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:-
My invention relates to electrical switches and has for its obiect to overcome

page_text: the difficulty of securing in switches as at present constructed an equal and effi-
cient contact of surfaces between the movable switch bar and contacts.
To this end and according to my invention I form the switch bar or the contacts
in two or more independently moving parts adapted to be pressed apart or together
bodily under spring action.
My invention is applicable to the centrally operated or lever type of switch
and in the accompanying drawings to which I will refer in further describing my
invention. Figure I is a sectional olevation and Figure 2 a plan of a centrally
operated switch, and Figures 4 and 5 are similar views of a lever switch having my
invention applied thereto. Figure 3 is an end view of Figure 1; Figure 6 shows a
modified arrangement and Figure 7 is a detail.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 and 3. A is the switch bar, divided lengthwise
into two parts a, a¹ as shown; the bar is arranged for operation from a central
spindle B and handle C and mounted in the usual manner, return spring such
as c, o, being provided but its two parts a, a, are adapted to be normally kept
apart a suitable distance as shown at z Figure 3, wlien not within the contacts,
by a spring or springs S S of the coiled type as shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4 or
they may be of the flat type as shown in Figure 5 or of other convenient shape or
kind. These springs are arranged as shown between the two parts of the bar and
suitable recesses such as rr or it may be projections for receiving the springs,
and guides or motion limiting stops formed as shown in the figures by a cut-away
part of the onclosing cap or enlarged part B as at b, b, may be provided where
necessary, the latter preventing the bars moving too great a distance apart.
Figures 4 and 5 show the application of a similar arrangement of switch bar
to a lever type of switch the movable bars a, a, being carried in an enlarged
part B of the operating lever L which is provided and adapted to be operated by
a handle (hinged in suitable bearings attached to the bed D of the switch as
at d, a return spring c¹ being provided. In this arrangement, to allow the
bars a, a, to enter the contacts more freely and to give a further movement inde-
pendent of the operating lever L we mount the bars a, a', in a part X mounted
loosely in and adapted to have a slight circular movement in the enlarged. part B',
the extent of the movement of part X is adjustable by a set screw or otherwise
conveniently.
When the switch bar A is operated and turned into the forked or divided ends
of the contacts E, which have somewhat enlarged. entrances e, c, of the usual kind
the two parts a, a, of the bar are pressed together against the action of the spring
or springs S S, which latter then press both or the upper and lower faces of the
bars a, a, (which it will be seen are capable of movement independently of one
another), equally against the surfaces of the contacts, and should one surface not
be exactly parallel to the other the bars will readily adjust themselves, one side
perhaps being further apart than the other as shown at y Figure 4, but the work-
ing or contact making surfaces are always in good contact and thus a more efficient
contact of surface is obtained for the transmission of the current than is possiblo
with solid switch bars at present in use where the opposite sides of the bars do not
have an entirely independent movement and in which any inequality of surface
will cause the bars and contacts to engage only at parts of their surfaces.
Figure 6 shows a modified arrangement wherein the parts a, a¹, of the bar A
are pressed together instead of apart by springs S, S, arranged on the under or
upper side of the bars in the manner shown and through bolts g, g, with heads g¹,
are provided for receiving the thrust of the springs S, S and the bara may be
recessed as at to receive the springs. The contacts E aro arranged as, shown
passing between the two parts a, a, of the switch bar A and making contact
with their inner faces.
For securing further independent action of the two parts of the switch bar we
may render them resilient at parts of their length by laminating or reducing
them thereat for instance as shown in Figure 7. at V.

page_text: 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. For use in electrical switches a contact-making bar divided longitudinally
and parallel to the contact surfaces, each separate contact-making part of which
bar, whilst moving with and upon or in the operating lever or handle is adapted
to move, to make contact, bodily and independently of the other contact making
part or parts of the bar substantially as set forth.
2. The improvements in electrical switches comprising the operating handle C
with enlarged base, cap or part B' carrying the divided switch bar A and having
cut away parts or an enlarged opening b, b, allowing free movement of the inde-
pendent parts of the divided switch bar A and serving as a guide and motion
Limiting stop therefor substantially as set forth.
3. A modification of the divided switch bar described in Olaim 1 wherein the
independent parts a, a¹, of the divided bar A are laminated or rendered resilient
at their central part, the half of each separate bar having a movement more or
less independent of the other substantially in the manner set forth.
4 The several combinations of parts forming the electrical switches constructed,
arranged and adapted for operation substantially as described in reference to and
shown respectively in Figures 1, 2 and 3, Figures 4 and 5 and Figure 6 of the
drawings.