Improvements in Electrical Switches.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 11th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 2nd June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Switches.
We, THOMAS JENNER of Star Hill Rochester in the County of Kent, Brewery
Manager and GEORGE BECKWORTH WILKES of 38 Lambs Conduit Street,
Holborn, London, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists mainly of a very simple and cheap construction of switch
for electrical circuits.
On a spindle is fixed a boss of thin metal such as brass formed with two opposite
arms or flat bent springs or helically bent springs. The ends of these spring arms
are adapted to form contact with two brass pieces, plates or brackets held by the
two terminal screws which are mounted on a disc or rose of porcelain or other
nonconducting material. These plates form each nearly a quarter of a circle and
The circuit
rest on corresponding sloping projections formed or fitted on the rose.
is closed while the spring arms are on the sloping faces of the plates and the circuit
is broken when the spring arms are moved beyond the edges of the plates, the
spring arms being then on the porcelain face. The boss with spring arms is held
on the spindle by means of a shallow nut and the handle or key for turning the
spindle is screwed on to the end of the latter and may suitably be in the form of an
ebonite crutch handle. The spindle is attached to the porcelain rose by means of a
screw screwed into the lower end of the spindle. The rose is surmounted by a spun
sheet brass cap which covers the switch parts.
Dated this 11th day of Il 1802
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Switches.
We, THOMAS JENNER of Star Hill Rochester in the County of Kent, Brewery
Manager and GEORGE BECKWORTH WILKES of 14 Great Turnstile, Holborn,
London, 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 consists mainly of a very simple and cheap construction of switch
for electrical circuits.
On a spindle, or, by preference, on a stationary pillar, is mounted a boss of thin
metal, such as brass, formed or fitted with two opposite arms or flat bent springs or
helically bent springs. The ends of these spring arms are adapted to form contact
with two brass pieces, plates or brackets partly held by the two terminal screws
which are mounted on a disc or rose of porcelain or other nonconducting material.
These plates form each nearly a quarter of a circle and rest on and are screwed
at K to corresponding sloping projections formed or fitted on the rose. The circuit
is closed while the spring arms are on the sloping faces of the plates and the circuit
is broken when the spring arms are moved beyond the edges of the plates, the
spring arms being then on the porcelain face. The boss with spring arms is held
on the spindle or pillar by means of a shallow nut and the handle or key for turning
the switch is secured to the end of the spindle or if the latter is a stationary pillar
it is secured to the boss and may suitably be in the form of an ebonite crutch
handle. The spindle is attached to the porcelain rose by means of a shoulder on
SD017

page_text: the spindle and a spring washer and nut screwed onto the lower end of the spindle
or if in the form of a stationary pillar we fix the latter by preference by means of a
nut on the upper face of the rose while the bottom end of the pillar is formed with
a head recessed into the rose. The rose is surmounted by a cap which covers the
switch parts.
In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated the preferred form of switch
that is to say the one in which the spindle is in the form of a stationary pillar
while the boss and switch proper can turn freely thereon.
Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line A B of the plan view Figure 2 in which
latter the upper parts are removed.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the porcelain rose or disc and Figure 4 a section
through same.
Figure 5 is a vertical section showing another mode of fixing the pillar.
The pillar A is fixed to the porcelain rose B the lower end of the pillar having a
tapered T-shaped head A' which after being dropped into a recess in the rose B is
turned round one quarter of a turn and is secured in place by the shallow nut A².
Upon the pillar A is mounted the boss or sleeve C having a crutch-shaped or other
key or handle D, say of ebonite, secured thereto, having a square hole through it,
the box C being also formed square at this part to suit. To the boss C are fixed
the spring arms E formed sloping and slitted at their outer ends. The spring
arms E are fixed on the boss C by means of a nut F and a flange C' on the lower
end of the boss C. The spring arms E are adapted to form contact with two brass
plates G which by the two terminal screws N and S are fixed to slightly raised
sloping parts B' on the rose B. B2 B2 are slightly recessed parts of the face of
the rose B. Or if the highest ends of the slopes Bi B' are raised higher above the
face of the rose the recesses B' may be omitted. The intention in both cases is to
prevent the switch being turned the wrong way and to ensure that there is sufficient
space between contact pieces G G and the arms E to prevent possible connection
when in the off position; the arrow shows the right direction for turning the switch
either on or off. H is a cap which covers the switch parts. J J are nuts screwing
onto the pillar A, thus securing the cap H and contact spring E to the base B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is.
1. An electrical switch consisting of a double armed spring-like piece capable of
being rotated around a vertical axis in combination with a rose or base of insulating
material having two sloping raised faces of conducting material which are connected
to the terminal screws and against which the ends of the aforesaid piece can make
contact substantially as set forth.
2. An electrical switch consisting of a double armed piece E having slitted or
brush like end parts and fixed on a boss or sleeve C with key D which sleeve can
be rotated on a pillar A fixed to the rose B by the means described.
Dated this 11th day of April 1003
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.