Improvements in E
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in E
I, WALTER FREDERICK JONES, of Albert Works, Hammersmith, in the County
of London, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention.
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to electric switches, and has for its object to construct
an apparatus for starting a switch in such a manner that the speed at which the
circuit is made is entirely out of the control of the operator, and is independent
of the speed at which the hand wheel or arm is moved.
According to my invention I arrange that the movement of the hand wheel
or lever shall through the agency of a second wheel or arm wind up a weight
or compress or extend a spring, the energy thereby stored up being utilised to
act on another part of the switch, and cause it to make the circuit.
arrangement the speed at which the circuit is made depends only on the
mechanical construction of the operative parts of the switch, being entirely
independent of the movement of the operator.
By this
One arrangement for carrying out my invention is as follows:-The shaft of
the switch to which the handle or hand wheel is firmly secured is capable of
rotation in bearings in a fixed base or framework, and has loosely mounted
thereon a second wheel or disc which when rotated in one direction causes a
weight to be wound up; the rotation of said wheel in this direction does not
affect the circuit in any way. When, however, the wheel or disc is rotated in
the opposite direction through the agency of the energy stored up in the weight,
it causes the circuit to be made. The action between the spindle and the
operating wheel or disc above mentioned, consists of a spring bolt or other
arrangement actuated by a spring or weight, which will release when the driven
part meets with resistance such as a stop conveniently carried in lugs projecting
from a wheel connected with the hand wheel and placed inside the case and
adapted to engage with a stop on the operating wheel or disc. The tension of the
spring is so arranged that when the hand wheel is rotated the stop of the operative
wheel will cause said wheel to rotate and wind up the weight. As soon as the
weight is wound up, the operative wheel being thereby stopped in its rotation,
the spring of the spring bolt will be compressed and the bolt shear out of engage-
ment with the stop of the disc and the starting of the switch is thus effected
without a sudden jerk. In another construction of the mechanism the rotation
of the wheel is stopped by the limit of travel of a magnetic clutch operating the
mechanism of the switch. The disc being thereby freed from restraint rotates
under the action of the weight, and causes the circuit to be made.
In a modification I arrange that the movement of the handwheel or lever shall
make the circuit through the agency of an electromagnetic switch mechanism
which requires a circuit to be made before the switch will operate. For example:-

page_text: The electromagnetic device is arranged to act only when a controlling part of
the switch is excited With a switch of this description in which the excitation
of the electromagnet causes a portion of the mechanism to move along the shaft,
I provide a stop secured to the framework or base of the switch with which
engages a projection on the switch proper, as long as the magnet is not excited,
such engagement preventing rotation of the hand wheel or handle sufficiently
far to compress the spring bolt. By this arrangement it is rendered impossible
for the operator to turn the switch until a current is passing through a given
controlling part of the switch, that is to say, the switch electromagnet.
In order to prevent the hand wheel or disc being turned backward I provide
a pawl pivoted to a fixed portion of the switch, which engages with a tooth on
said wheel, and to prevent the hand wheel being turned forward except when
the switch is off, I provide a second pivoted pawl, engaging with the hand wheel
or with a disc inside the case and connected with the hand wheel, but which is
moved out of engagement by means of a bar or pin attached to the switch arm
or other mechanism rotating with the switch arm.
The speed at which the switch arm is caused to make the circuit is of course
regulated by the mechanism of the other part of the switch. This patent only
deals with starting a switch.
1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.
I, WALTER FREDERICK JONES, of Albert Works, Hammersmith, in the County
of London, Electrical 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 electric switches, and has for its object to construct
an apparatus for starting a switch in such a manner that the speed at which the
circuit is made is entirely out of the control of the operator, and is independent
of the speed at which the hand wheel or lever is moved.
According to my invention I arrange that the movement of the hand wheel or
lever shall, through the agency of a second wheel or arm, wind up a weight or
compress or extend a spring, the energy thereby stored up being utilized to act
on another part of the switch, and cause it to make the circuit. By this arrange-
ment the speed at which the circuit is made depends only on the mechanical
construction of the operative parts of the switch, being entirely independent of
the movement of the operator.
In a suitable arrangement for carrying out the invention the shaft of the
switch upon which the handle or hand wheel is mounted has also mounted upon
it a second wheel or disc which when rotated in one direction causes a weight to
be wound up; the rotation of the said wheel in this direction not affecting the
circuit in any way. When, however, the wheel or disc is rotated in the opposite
direction through the agency of the energy stored up in the weight, it causes
the circuit to be made. To actuate the operating wheel or disc I provide a
spring bolt, or other arrangement actuated by a spring or weight, the said bolt
being conveniently carried in the operating disc (or in a second wheel connected
with the hand wheel and placed inside the case) and being adapted to engage with
a stop on the second wheel (or on the operating wheel or disc). The tension of

page_text: the spring is so arranged that when the hand wheel or switch lever is turned the
stop of the operative wheel will cause the said wheel to rotate and wind up the
weight. As soon as the weight is wound up, the operating wheel is stopped in
its rotation, by suitable stops and the spring of the spring bolt is compressed
so that the bolt shears out of engagement with the stop of the disc, whereby the
starting of the switch is effected without a sudden jerk and the disc, being freed
from restraint, rotates under the action of the weight, and causes the circuit to be
made.
The speed at which the switch arm is caused to make the circuit is of course
regulated by the mechanism of the other part of the switch.
-:
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of one arrangement of the mechanism for
applying to an electric switch, according to the invention:
Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 Figure 1:
Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2 of a modified construc-
tion of switch:
Figures 5 and 6 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2 respectively of a further
modification :
Figures 7 and 8 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2 of another modification.
Figures 9 and 10 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2 of a still further
modified construction of the mechanism; and
Figure 11 is a view of a detail hereinafter described.
Similar letters of reference refer to the same or corresponding parts in the
several figures.
Referring first to the arrangement illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, a is the shaft
of the switch, the said shaft being shewn mounted in the cover b of the switch
and is the handle or lever which is keyed upon the shaft a. d is the disc or
wheel, the rotation of which in one direction is adapted, through suitable
mechanism, to operate the switch. Now, as above described, my invention has
for its object to provide means whereby the movement of the switch handle c in
one direction stores up energy in the said wheel either by rotating it so as
to wind up a weight or compress or extend a spring, the said energy being then
released so as to operate the switch independently of the operator, the speed with
which the circuit is made being thereby entirely out of the control of the operator
and being dependent upon the mechanism. forming the switch proper. In the
arrangement shewn in Figures 1 and 2 the wheel d is shewn grooved and provided
with a chain carrying at its lower end a weight ², the said chain being, when
the wheel dis turned in the direction of the arrow, shewn in Figure 2, coiled
upon the grooved periphery of the wheel & thus storing up energy in the said
wheel. To enable the operator to wind up the said wheel so as to store up
energy by raising the weight 2, I provide the following mechanism, that is to
say, I key upon the shaft a a disc or its equivalent e, the said disc e being
provided on its inner periphery with a stop e and adapted, when the said disc is
turned in the direction of the arrow, Figure 2, by the switch handle c, to come
into contact with a pin or bolt f which is free to move in bearings fl, f¹ fixed to
the inner face of the wheel and has coiled upon it a spring between one of
the lugs f¹ and a pin g' passing through the said bolt; this spring, therefore,
normally tends to force the bolt f outwards into the position shewn in Figure 2
so that it extends into the path of the stop e. The spring 9 is made of such a
strength that it offers sufficient resistance to the movement of the disc e and
stope to enable the wheel to be turned by the said stop e¹ so as to raise the
weight. When the weight dis wound up, however, stops h upon the outer
periphery of the wheel d come into contact with a fixed stop thus effectually
stopping the movement of the wheel ; when this resistance is offered to the
motion of the wheel & the stop el shears past the pin f, the compression of the
spring g allowing the said bolt f to slide inwards in its bearings."
When the stop e has passed the bolt f the energy stored up in the lifted

page_text: weight (or in the spring which has been put into tension or compression by
the movement of the wheel d) is released and turns the wheel d backwards, this
movement being communicated to the switch arm by any suitable means.
In the arrangement illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 the shaft or spindle is
fixed and the switch lever c is keyed upon the boss of the disc e so that the
movement of the arm c by the operator actuates the said disc. A further
difference between this arrangement and that above described resides in the
substitution for the spring bolt f of the lever f which is pivoted at f', the front
end being normally held in the path of the stop e upon the disc e by the
spring g, one end of which is secured to the end of the long arm of the lever f
and the other attached to an eye upon the inner face of the wheel d, the limit
of movement of the lever f in this direction being controlled by the boss d° of
the wheel against which the said lever impinges. The action of this device is
similar to that of the device above described.
The arrangement shewn in Figures 5 and 6 is suitable when it is desired that a
switch shall be operated by the movement in either direction of the switch lever
such, for example, as is the case in a reversing switch. The construction in
this case is similar to that of the arrangement illustrated in Figures 3 and 4
with the exception that all the parts but the stop el, are duplicated; furthermore
the spring levers are made in two parts i, hinged together upon pivots 22. The
arms are normally held against the stops 23, 3, by means of the springs g
attached to their ends and to eyes secured to the disc or wheel d; the upper
arms of the levers are normally held in the position shewn in Figure 6 by the
spring connecting their lower ends, the tension of the said spring causing
shoulders upon the said arms i to bear against shoulders upon the parts 2¹
With this arrangement when the disc e, and thereby the stop e¹, is moved in
either direction it strikes one of the arms of the levers upon the inside thus
forming a rigid connection between the said disc e and the wheel d until
the stop strikes the fixed stop h¹ when the spring g is stretched and the stop e¹
shears past the lever stop i. When the said lever stop i is struck upon its outer
face it merely yields while stretching the spring j.
Figures 7 and 8 shew another arrangement also suitable where movement in
both directions is desired. In this arrangement the switch lever c and the
disce are both keyed upon the shaft or spindle a which is free to rotate in the
switch cover b whilst the wheel d is free upon the said spindle. The stop fis
formed at its end with a double bevel and is connected to spring bolts k which
normally tend to hold the said stop f in the path of the two levers i which ara
pivoted at to the disc e and are normally held against stops 7, 1, fixed to the
inner face of the said disc e, by a spring g which connects their upper ends.
The rotation of the switch lever c and thereby of the disc e causes one or the
other of the levers i to strike one of the bevelled ends of the stop f so as to turn
the wheel d in the manner above described, the said stop yielding when the
motion of the wheel d is stopped by the contact of one of the stops with its
fixed stop h¹. Should the outer face of the levers i come into contact with the
stop fit is merely pressed inwards putting the spring into tension.
The arrangement shewn in Figures 9, 10 and 11 is similar to that described
with reference to Figures 7 and 8 with the exception that the levers i, i are held
when pressed outwards at their lower end by the single stop 7 placed between
them. In this construction the stop f is shewn with only one spring bolt k and
in lieu of the disc e I have shewn an arme (see Figure 11) the function of which
is identical with that of the disc.
As above mentioned it will be clear that the wheel & can be utilised for putting
a spring into tension or compression when turned instead of for raising a weight.
Furthermore, it will be clear that weights can be employed instead of the springs
in connection with the stop bolts and levers and that the wheel d can be keyed
upon the shaft a, in those cases where the lever c and the disc e are loose upon it.
The mechanism of the switch proper is operated from the wheel d by any

page_text: suitable means such as a mechanical or magnetic clutch or any other suitable
device adapted to the particular form of switch used. The stops h and h¹ are not
necessary if the clutch or other device used in connection with the switch proper
is such that the wheel d is automatically stopped when the weight or spring is
wound up to the required extent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
1. In electric switches the employment for transmitting power to a weight,
spring or the equivalent in which energy to operate the switch is to be stored or
through which it is applied, of a spring device of sufficient strength to operate
the power storing device but which will yield and allow the said device to operate
the switch when the energy has been stored in the device or is ready to be applied,
substantially as, and for the purpose, herein before described.
2. In an electric switch the combination with the switch shaft or spindle, of an
operating handle or lever, of a wheel mounted upon the shaft and adapted to
be turned, so as to raise a weight or compress or stretch a spring, by the move-
ment of the switch lever through the medium of a disc or the equivalent having
a fixed or a spring stop and adapted to engage a spring stop fixed to the wheel,
and of a stop upon the said wheel which is adapted to strike a fixed stop, when
the weight is raised or the spring compressed or stretched so as to release the
wheel, substantially as, and for the purpose, herein before described.
3. In electric switches the combination with the switch shaft or spindle, of an
operating handle or lever, of a wheel mounted upon the shaft and adapted to. be
turned, so as to raise a weight or stretch or compress a spring, by the move-
ment of the switch lever in either direction through the medium of a disc or the
equivalent having a fixed or a spring stop adapted to engage spring stops or
levers fixed to the said wheel, and of stops upon the said wheel adapted to engage
fixed stops, when the weight is raised or the spring stretched or compressed so as
to release the wheel, substantially as, and for the purpose, herein before described.
4. In an electric switch tlie combination with the switch shaft or spindle, of an
operating handle or lever, of a wheel mounted upon the shaft and adapted to be
turned, so as to raise a weight or stretch or compress a spring, by the movement
of the switch lever in either direction through the medium of a disc or the
equivalent having fixed or spring stops adapted to engage a spring stop fixed
to the wheel, and of stops upon the said wheel adapted to engage fixed stops,
when the weight is raised or the spring stretched or compressed, so as to release
the wheel, substantially as, and for the purpose, hereinbefore described.
5. Apparatus for operating electric switches consisting of the parts combined,
arranged and operating substantially as herein before described and illustrated
respectively in Figures 1 and 2; 3 and 4; 5 and 6; 7 and 8; and 9, 10 and 11
of the accompanying drawings.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London. Agents for the Applicant.