Improvements in Electric Switches.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 1st July, 1893-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Switches.
I, HENRY EDMUNDS of 39 Victoria Street in the City of Westminster,
Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
"
My invention has for its object to provide an electric switch which is capable of
being operated by the current from the main source of supply without danger of
the switching device being injured by over-heating by the strength of the current
and it consists of an arrangement as hereinafter described whereby the switch is
suddenly moved to "on" or "off" by a contact which if continued to be held in
contact or not will not in any way affect the current after the contact has been
made. According to my invention I arrange in proximity one to another two
electro magnets or solenoids one end of the coil of each magnet being connected
by a push button or like contact, with the supply main, whilst the opposite end of
each coil is connected to a suitably arranged spring contact piece. Opposite the
poles of these magnets or solenoid is a bent double armed lever which is caused to
engage with one or other of the spring contact pieces referred to according to
whether the " on or the "off" button or contact be depressed. The axis of
the double armed lever is electrically connected to the supply main so that when
the lever is attracted by one of the magnets or solenoids the circuit will be
completed through the said lever to the lamps or the like and when the other
magnet or solenoid is excited the lever will be rocked on its centre so as to break
the circuit through the lamps or the like. The cores of the solenoids are provided
with enlarged ends outside the coils and are supported at a suitable distance from
the coils on any suitable support.
"
When a push button is depressed or the like contact made to bring one of the
coils into the circuit the core of the said coil is suddenly attracted and the opposite
end of the core caused to strike one end or arm of the rocking bent lever so as to
disengage this arm from the corresponding spring contact and cause the opposite
end or arm thereof to engage with the other spring contact hereinbefore referred to
and thereby complete the circuit through the lamps or the like or break the circuit
through the lamps or the like according to whether the "on" or "off" push button
or contact be operated. Thus directly the circuit is completed through one of the
coils the current will be diverted by the rocking lever and immediately cut out of
the said coil so that however long the press button or contact which excited the
coil may be under operation no harm to the coil can take place from overheating.
An automatic switch or cut out may be provided in the main to prevent an excess
of current to the lamps or the like.
Dated thin th
of Ontal 1000
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Switches.
I HENRY EDMUNDS of 39. Victoria Street in the City of Westminster,
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 has for its object to provide an electric switch which is capable of

page_text: being operated by the current from the main source of supply without danger of
the switching device being injured by overheating by the strength of the current
and it consists of an arrangement as hereinafter explained whereby the switch is
moved suddenly to 66
on or "off" by a contact which even if it be maintained
closed will not cause injury to the switch.
"
According to my invention the switching device consists of two electro-magnets
or solenoids which operate a contact making and breaking device the said magnets
or solenoids being energised respectively by a current passed through their coils by
closing a contact such as a press button or its equivalent so as to operate the
switching device immediately on the operation of which the current through the
coils is cut off by the movement of the contact making and breaking device so that
notwithstanding that the contact by which the current was caused to pass through
the coil may be held in its closed position the coil is not injured by the current
continuing to pass through the said coil. I will describe with reference to the
accompanying drawing what I consider the most practical arrangement according.
to my invention as applied to the operation of a device for opening and closing an
electric circuit to a lamp or the like from which its other analogous applications
will also be understood.
the "ou
A A' are two solenoids one end of the coil of each solenoid being connected by a
push button or like contact as at B with the supply main C whilst the opposite end
of each coil is connected to a spring marked D D' respectively. Opposite the
cores of these solenoids is a bent or angled double armed lever E which is caused
to engage with one or other of the spring contact pieces D D according to whether
or the "off" contact be made. The axis e of the double armed lever E
is electrically connected to the supply main so that when the lever is shifted by the
core a of the solenoid A³ the circuit will be completed through the said lever E to
the lamps or the like as indicated by the arrows and when the other solenoid A is
excited the lever E will by the core a of the solenoid A be rocked on its centre so
as to break the circuit through the lamps or the like. The cores of the solenoids
are provided with enlarged ends a a outside the coils and are supported at a
suitable distance from the coils on any suitable support such as the pins shown
at g g so that the said cores are free to move under the influence of the current in
the coils and act on the lever E with sufficient impetus to ensure the proper making
and breaking between the said lever and the springs D D³.
When the contact is made to bring the coil A into the circuit the core a² of the
said coil is suddenly attracted and the end of the core is thereby caused to smartly
strike oue end or arm of the lever E so as to disengage this arm from the.
corresponding spring D' and cause the opposite end or arm of the lever E to
engage with the other spring D and thereby complete the circuit through the lamps
or the like.
When the other contact is made to energise the coil A its core a is in
like manner attracted to smartly act on the other end of the lever E to disengage
it from the spring D to interrupt the circuit through the lamps or the like. Thus
directly the circuit is completed through either of the coils by the movement of the
contact making device B the current will be diverted from the coil by the rocking
lever E so that however long the contact B may be held to make contact no harm
to the coil can take place from overheating. An automatic switch or cut out
may be provided in the main to prevent an excess of current to the lamps or
the like.
It will be understood that in place of solenoids electromagnets may be used to
attract armatures on or connected to a rocking lever such as E to divert the current
from the coils of the magnets as soon as the switch has been operated by the
attraction of the said armatures.
It will also be understood that the application of the solenoids or electro
magnets operated and operating as described is not limited to the opening and
closing of a lamp circuit as described as they may be similarly employed to
effect other operations which can be performed by such solenoids or electro
magnets.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A solenoid or electro-magnet and a press button or equivalent contact making
device so combined that when the press button or the like is operated the solenoid
or electro magnet is energised to effect the required operation the current which
energised the solenoid or magnet being immediately after having effected the
operation cut off from the said solenoid or electro magnet independently of the
press button or like device substantially as herein before described.
2. The combination of a switching device and of solenoids or electro-magnets,
and of a press button or equivalent contact making device and electric conductors
so arranged that on operating the press button or equivalent contact making device
one or other of the solenoids or electro magnets is energised so as to cause the
switching device to complete or interrupt the circuit to a lamp or other place of
utilization the circuit through the coil of the solenoid or electro magnet which has
been thus energised being cut off immediately it has effected the movement for
operating the switching device and independently of the press button or equivalent
contact making device substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The arrangement or combination of parts constituting an electric switch
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore explained and illustrated by the
accompanying drawing.
Doted this 1st day of July 1802
HENRY EDMUNDS.