US2756291A - Switch with reversible contacts and reversible contact carrier - Google Patents

Description

y 4, 1956 c. R. PETER 2,756,291

SWITCH WITH REVERSIBLE CONTACTS AND REVERSIBLE CONTACT CARRIER Filed March 5, 1953 2 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 24, 1956 c. R. PETER 2,756,291

SWITCH WITH REVERSIBLE CONTACTS AND REVERSIBLE CONTACT CARRIER Filed March 5, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aka/mag United States Patent SWITCH WITH REVERSIBLE CONTACTS AND REVERSIBLE CONTACT CARRIER Charles R. Peter, West Allis, Wis., assignor to Allis Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application March 5, 1953, Serial No. 340,437 13 Claims. (Cl. 200-16) This invention relates to electric switches, and more particularly to reciprocally operable multiple contact switches in which any of the contacts may be selectively arranged in either normally open or normally closed positions.

Switches are known in which a plunger is movable in either direction from a normal position but none have provided movable contacts reversibly repositionable on the plunger to obtain opposite switching results upon movement of the plunger in a given direction nor have any provided plunger-s repositionable in the switch to obtain opposite switching results upon movement of the plunger in a given direction. Switches heretofore have been convertible from normally closed to normally open but have necessitated rearrangement of either stationary contacts or movable contacts, or both.

This invention provides a switch in which contacts are reversibly positionable on a contact carrier to obtain opposite switching results, and the contact carrier may be removed from the switch without disturbing any of the switch contacts or of the biasing elements and may be replaced in different positions to give different switching results.

An object of the invention is to provide, in a switch, contacts which may be converted from normally open to normally closed position or vice versa without rearrangement of either the stationary contacts or the movable bridging contacts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch in which a carrier carrying bridging contacts may be moved in either direction from a normal position and the bridging contacts may be selectively positioned to cooperate with the stationary contacts to either close or open the stationary contacts only upon movement in one direction and may be selectively repositioned to so cooperate only upon movement in the other direction and to oppositely cooperate upon movement in the same direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch having stationary contacts and a carrier carrying bridging contacts, which carrier may be positioned to selectively associate any bridging contact with any pair of stationary contacts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reciprocally operable multiple contact switch in which all the moving parts of the switch are locked in position on a carrier for easy removal of the carrier from the switch housing.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a switch a bridging member for wipingly and resiliently engaging the movable bridging contacts and the stationary contacts.

Objects and advantages other than those above set forth will be apparent from a consideration of the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a housing and a carrier utilized in one embodiment of the invention in which all the contacts are normally open;

' other to form housing 19.

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Fig. 2 is a front view, partly in section, of the housing and carrier shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken through line III-HI in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section taken through line IVIV in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section taken through line VV in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 with the carrier shown moved to a different position;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 shown with the bridging members reversed on the carrier;

Fig. 8 diagrammatically illustrates nine difierent arrangements of the bridging members in normal position on the carrier as shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 5 of another embodiment of the invention in which two bridging members are normally closed; and

Fig. 10 diagrammatically illustrates nine different arrangements of the bridging members in normal position on the carrier as shown in Fig. 9.

Referring more particularly to the drawing by character of reference, the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8 comprises a housing 19 having a first half 20 and a duplicate second half 21. Each of the halves 20, 21 may be provided with a projection 22 and a depression 23 so that each half 20, 21 may be interlocked with the Each of the halves 20, 21 are provided with notches 24 in both ends thereof to form openings to receive a suitable contact carrier such as a reciprocable plunger 25 when the halves 2t}, 21 are placed together and interlocked. Each of the halves 2t 21 may be provided with terminal bolts 26 secured to and extending into the sides of housing 19. Stationary contacts 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 may be secured to the terminal bolts and are securely positioned inside of he housing. The number of pairs of stationary contacts bridgeable by the bridging members 43, 44, 45, 46 is equal to the number of stationary contacts. The stationary contact which may act together as bridgeable pairs are 11 and 12, 13 and 14, 15 and 16, 17 and 18, 11 and 15, 12 and 16, 13 and 17, and 14 and 18. Thus the eight stationary contacts form eight bridgeable pairs of stationary contacts. Holes 27 through the housing sides serve to receive bolts 28 which pass uninterferingly through the housing and may be provided with nuts 29 to hold the housing halves together.

Carrier 25 may be associated with any suitable known normal, mechanical or electrical actuating means represented by a fork 30 for moving carrier 25 in either direction from its normal position in housing 19. Carrier 25 comprises a first end section 31, a center section 32, and a second end section 33. End section 31 may have thereon raised portions 34 each having an extending part 35 and may also have thereon projecting pieces 36 each having a hole 37 therethrough, the axis of which is parallel to the axis of carrier 25. Likewise, end section 33 may have raised portions 3.3 each having an extending part 39 and may also have projecting pieces 40 each having a hole 37 therethrough with its axis parallel to the axis of carrier 25. Center section 32 may be provided with extending parts 41 on each end thereof as shown in Fig. 5. Sections 31, 32 and 33 have their engaging portions inter locked and are held rigidly together by a screw 42.

Carrier 25 supports four bridging contact assemblies each comprising a bridging member. A bridging member 4-3 may be inserted between first end section 31 and center section 32 and another bridging member 44 may be inserted between second end section 33 and center section 32 on a first side of carrier 25. Third and fourth bridging members 45, 46 may likewise be inserted on the opposite second side of carrier 25. Each bridging member is generally U-shaped and consists of resilient conductive material such as a hard rolled alloy of copper and beryllium and may have its bight portion provided with an' opening. Silver contact buttons 49, 50, 51, 52, may be secured to inclined extensions projecting laterally outward from the free ends of the sides of the bridging members. Mounting members 53, which may be tubes, loosely extend through the openings in the bridging members 43, 44, 45, 46 and have flanges 54 secured to each of the ends thereof. Spring means 55 are disposed about mounting members 53 between one of the flanges 54 and its bridging member. Each bridging assembly is thus a compact unit which can be removed from the carrier with its mounting member, its bridging member and its spring all intact.

Four duplicate positioning pins 56, 57 may be inserted into holes 37. Each pin is provided with a flange 58 intermediate the ends thereof. Spring means 59 may be disposed between projecting pieces 36, 40 to encompass the ends of two pins 56, 57 and engage the flanges 58 thereof to urge the flanges against the projecting pieces 36, 40. Pins 56, 57 and spring means 59 are thereby locked in neutral position on carrier 25, and pins 56, 57 are of such length as to then engage the end walls of housing 19 so as to bias carrier 25 into a normal position in housing 19.

Referring to Figs. and 6, operation of the invention is as follows: Carrier is placed in housing 19, causing positioning pins 56, 57 to engage the ends of housing 19 to position carrier 25 to a normal position in housing 19. Bridging members 43, 44, 45, 46 then are out of engagement with the stationary contacts. Actuating means may move carrier 25 in opposite directions, i. e., either to the left or to the right from the normal position. As shown in Fig. 6 carrier 25 has been moved to the left, forcing positioning pins 56 against the left end of housing 19 and causing the projecting pieces 36 associated with positioning pins 56 to slide to the left on positioning pins 56. Positioning pins 56 therefore remain stationary as carrier 25 and projecting pieces 36 move to the left thereon. Projecting pieces 40 associated with positioning pins 57 carry positioning pins 57 with carrier 25 and compress spring means 59 btween flanges 58 of pins 56, 57.

Bridging member 43 moves to the left with carrier 25 and brings bridging contacts 49 into engagement with stationary contacts 11, 12 to bridge them. Bridging member 43 flexes, resulting in slidable engagement between contacts 49 and stationary contacts 11, 12. Bridging member 43 is stopped by stationary contacts 11, 12 so that mounting member 53 compresses spring means 55 to resiliently engage stationary contacts 11, 12 with contacts 49. Actuating means 30 may also move carrier 25 to the right (not shown) to cause contacts of bridging member 44 to engage stationary contacts 13, 14.

As shown in Fig. 5 positioning pins 56, 57 may be of equal length to thereby position carrier 25 so that bridging members 43, 44, 45, 46 are all in normally open po sition. Bridging member 44 is positioned with the free ends of bridging member 44 to the left so that only movement of carrier 25 to the right will cause bridging member 44 to bridge and close stationary contacts 13, 14. Bridging member 43 is positioned with the free ends of bridging member 43 to the right so that only movement of carrier 25 to the left will cause bridging member 43 to bridge and close stationary contacts 11, 12. By loosening screw 42, sections 31, 32 and 33 may be separated to a sufiicient extent to permit mounting members 53 to clear extending parts 39, 41 without permitting spring means 59 from disengaging pins 56, 57 and bridging member 44 may be reversibly repositioned between raised portion 38 and center section 32 to place the free ends of bridging member 44 to the right so that only movement of carrier 25 to the left will cause bridging member 44 to bridge and close stationary contacts 13, 14. Likewise, any of the bridging, members may be reversibly repositioned between its associated raised portion and center section 32 to coact oppositely with its associated stationary contacts in response to-movement of carrier 25.

Fig. 8 illustrates difierent arrangements of the bridging members with carrier 25 in normal position when pins 56, 57 are of equal length. All of the contacts are normally open. Movement of carrier 25 to the left closes every pair of stationary contacts associated with a bridging member arranged with its free ends to the right. Movement of carrier 25 to the right closes every pair of stationary contacts associated with a bridging member arranged with its free ends to the left.

Carrier 25 may be removed from housing 19 without thereby disturbin the bridging members, pins and spring means mounted thereon. The carrier may be repositioned in housing 19 either end for end, or rotatably on its axis, or both, so that any bridging member can be selectively associated with any pair of stationary contacts. For example, referring to Fig. 5, carrier 25 may be removed and replaced end for end in housing 19 so that bridging member 43 coacts with stationary contacts 13, 14 and bridging member 44 coacts with stationary contacts 11, 12.

Referring to Fig. 4, carrier 25 may be removed, rotated 180 degrees on its axis, and replaced in housing 19 so that bridging member 44 coacts with stationary contacts 17, 18 and bridging member 46 coacts with stationary contacts 13, 14. Referring to Fig. 4, carrier 25 may be removed, rotated degrees on its axis, and replaced in housing 19 so that bridging member 44 coacts with stationary contacts 14, 18, and bridging member 46 coacts with stationary contacts 13, 17. It is obvious that carrier 25 may be selectively placed in housing 19 in such a manner as to cause any bridging member to coact with any pair of stationary contacts.

In the modified embodiment illustrated in Fig. 9 long positioning pins 6 0 and short positioning pins 61 may be provided to position carrier 25 so that bridging member 43 may bridge and close stationary contacts 11, 12 in a normally closed position. Bridging member 44 is shown in a normally open position. Movement of the plunger to the right to open the normally closed stationary contacts 11, 12 causes the normally open stationary contacts 13, 14 to be closed. It is obvious that carrier 25 can be positioned to cause any bridging member 43, 4-4, 45, 46 to be either normally closed or normally open by utilizing short pins 60 and long pins 61 without rearrangement Of the stationary contacts or the bridging members.

Fig. 10 illustrates different arrangements of the bridging members with carrier 25 in normal position with long pins 60 and short pins 61. Movement of carrier 25 to the left effects no change but movement of carrier 25 to the right closes every pair of stationary contacts associated with a bridging member arranged with its free ends to the left and opens every pair of stationary contacts associated with a bridging member arranged with its free ends to the right.

Although only two embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a switch, a housing having two stationary contacts opposing two other stationary contacts mounted therein, a carrier in said housing having a first side and a second side opposite said first side, means on said carrier and coacting with said housing for biasing said carrier to a normal position, a first bridging member on said first side of said carrier to engage two of said stationary contacts, a second bridging member on said second side of said carrier cooperating with said first bridging member to engage the contacts opposing the contacts engaged by the first bridging member, said bridging members being positioned to be out of engagement with said stationary contacts when said carrier is in said normal position, means for moving. said carrier in opposite directions from said normal position to move said bridging members either toward or from said contacts, said first bridging member being positioned to bridge said stationary contacts upon movement of said carrier only in one of said directions and being reversibly repositionable to bridge said stationary contacts upon movement of said carrier only in the other of said directions, said housing being separable topermit said carrier being removable and rotatably repositionable in said housing to reverse said sides of said carrier with respect to said stationary contacts to substitute said second bridging member for said first bridging member.

2. In a switch, a housing having two stationary contacts opposing two other stationary contacts mounted therein, a carrier in said housing having a first side and a second side opposite said first side, means on said carrier and coacting with said housing for biasing said carrier to a normal position, a first bridging member on said first side of said carrier to engage two of said stationary contacts, a second bridging member on said second side of said carrier cooperating with said first bridging member to engage the contacts opposing the contacts engaged by the first bridging member, said bridging members being positioned to bridge said stationary contacts when said carrier is in said normal position, means for moving said carrier in opposite directions from said normal position to move said bridging members either toward or from said contacts, said first bridging member being positioned to open said stationary contacts upon movement of said carrier only in one of said directions and being reversibly repositionable to open said stationary contacts upon movement of said carrier only in the other of said directions, said housing being separable to permit said carrier being removable and rotatably repositionable in said housing to reverse said sides of said carrier with respect to said stationary contacts to substitute said second bridging member for said first bridging member.

3. In a switch, a housing formed of a first half and a duplicate second half opposite said first half, a first pair of stationary contacts mounted in said first half, a second pair of stationary contacts mounted in said second half, a carrier in said housing having a first side and a second side opposite said first side, means for moving said carrier in a first direction and a second direction opposite said first direction, means for biasing said carrier to a normal position, a first bridging member on said first side of said carrier for cooperation with said first pair of stationary contacts, a second bridging member on said second side of said carrier for cooperation with said second pair of stationary contacts, means on each side of said carrier for detachably securing the respective bridging members in either of two positions on said carrier, each of said bridging members being in a first position out of engagement with its associated stationary contacts when said carrier is in said normal position and to bridge its associated stationary contacts upon movement of said carrier only in said first direction, each of said bridging members being reversibly repositionable to said second position to be out of engagement with its associated stationary contacts when said carrier is in said normal position and to bridge its associated stationary contacts upon movement of said carrier only in said second direction.

4. A switch comprising a housing having four pairs of stationary contacts therein and a carrier in said housing, said carrier having a first side having two raised portions thereon and a second side having two projecting pieces thereon each provided with a hole therein, a bridging contact assembly abuttingiy locked between said portions, a first pin passing through one of said holes and having a flange thereon, a second pin passing through the other of said holes and having a flange thereon, spring means disposed between said pieces and engaging said flanges for extending one of said pins through one of said holes and the other of said pins through the other of said holes and for lockingly urging each of said flanges against one of said pieces to bias said pins to a neutral position on said carrier for spacing said carrier to a normal position in said housing, whereby said carrier may be removed from said housing with said bridging contact assembly, said pins and said spring means securely maintained in position on said carrier, said carrier being repositionable in said housing to selectively associate said bridging contact assembly with any said pair of stationary contacts.

5. In a switch including a housing having two stationary contacts therein, a carrier in said housing having a bridging contact assembly thereon, said assembly comprising a generally U-shaped resilient conductive bridging member having opposed sides and a bight portion connecting said sides having an opening therein, said sides being provided with inclined extensions projecting laterally outward from the free ends of said sides, a contact button secured to each said extension, a mounting member for mounting said assembly on said carrier loosely extending through said opening and having a flange at each end of said mounting member, and a spring disposed about said mounting member and between one said flange and said bight portion, whereby movement of said carrier carries said contact buttons into engagement with said stationary contacts to cause said bridging member to move on said mounting member compressing said spring means to cause said contact buttons to wipingly and resiliently engage said stationary contacts, said assembly being removable intact from said carrier.

6. In a switch including a housing having two stationary contacts therein, a carrier in said housing having a bridging contact assembly removably mounted thereon, said assembly comprising a resilient conductive bridging member having an opening therein, a mounting member loosely extending through said opening for permitting movement of said bridging member on said mounting member, and spring means for biasing said bridging member to a neutral position on said mounting member, and means for moving said carrier to cause said bridging member to bridge said stationary contacts and to move against said spring and relative to said mounting member causing said bridging member to wipingly and resiliently engage said stationary contacts, said assembly being removable intact from said carrier.

7. In a switch, a housing having two stationary contacts therein, a carrier in said housing, means for moving said carrier in a first direction and a. second direction opposite said first direction, a pin cooperating with said carrier and said housing for slidably engaging said carrier upon movement of said carrier in said first direction and for fixedly engaging said carrier to be carried by said carrier upon movement of said carrier in said second direction, spring means cooperating with said pin for urging said pin to a neutral position on said carrier to space said carrier to a normal position in said housing and for opposing movement of said carrier from said normal position, a bridging member carried by said carrier for cooperation with said stationary contacts, said bridging member being reversibly repositionable for opposite cooperation with said stationary contacts.

8. In a switch, a housing having two stationary contacts mounted therein, a carrier in said housing having a first side and a second side opposite said first side, means for moving said carrier in a first direction and in a second direction opposite said first direction, a first bridging member on said first side of said carrier for cooperation with said stationary contacts, a second bridging member on said second side of said carrier for cooperation with said stationary contacts, each of said bridging members being reversibly repositionable for opposite cooperation with said stationary contacts, a first pin for slidably engaging said carrier upon movement of said carrier in said first direction and for fixedly engaging said carrier upon movement of said carrier in said second direction, a second pin for slidably engaging said carrier upon movement of said carrier in said second direction and for fixedly engaging said carrier upon movement of said carrier in said first direction, spring means associated with said pins for urging said pins to a neutral position on said carrier to space said carrier to a normal position in said housing and for opposing movement of said carrier from said normal position, said carrier being reversibly repositionable in said housing to reverse said sides of said carrier to selectively associate said bridging members with said stationary contacts.

9. A bridging contact assembly for a switch in combination with a carrier, said bridging contact assembly releasably held on said carrier, said bridging contact assembly comprising a bridging having an opening therein, a mounting member loosely extending through said opening for permitting movement of said mounting member through said opening, a flange secured to each end of said mounting member and spring means disposed between said bridging member and one said flange for biasing said bridging member to a neutral position on said mounting member against the other said flange, and means on said carrier cooperating with said mounting member to releasably hold the bridging contact assembly on said carrier, said bridging contact assembly being removable intact as a unit from said carrier.

10. In a switch, a housing, a carrier reciprocally operable in said housing, said carrier having a bridging member thereon, said housing having a first side and a second side opposite said first side, two pairs of stationary contacts in said first side of said housing and two pairs of stationary contacts in said second side of said housing, the spacing between each contact of a stationary pair of contacts in the same side of said housing being less than the length of said bridging member, and the spacing from the stationary contacts in one side of said housing to the stationary contacts in the other side of said housing also being less than the length of said bridging member, so said bridging member can engage either a stationary pair of contacts in the same side of said housing to form a bridgeable pair or extend between the two sides of said housing and engage a stationary contact from each side of said housing to form a bridgeable pair, said four pair of stationary contacts forming eight bridgeable pairs of stationary contacts, said housing being separable to permit said carrier being positionable rotatably and end for end in said housing to selectively associate said bridging member with any of said eight bridgeable pairs of stationary contacts.

11. In a switch, a housing having a first side and a second side opposite said first side, a first pair of stationary contacts mounted in said first side of said housing, a second pair of opposing stationary contacts mounted in said second side of said housing, a carrier in said housing having a first side and a second side opposite said first side, means on said carrier and coacting with said housing for biasing said carrier to a normal position, a first bridging member on said first side of said carrier to engage two of said stationary contacts, a second bridging member on said second side of said carrier cooperating with said first bridging member to engage the contacts opposing the contacts engaged by the first bridging member, means for moving said carrier in opposite directions from said normal position to move said bridging members either toward or from said contacts, said housing being separable to permit said carrier being removable and rotatably repositionable in said housing to reverse said sides of said carrier to selectively associate either of said bridging members with either of said pairs of sta tionary contacts.

12. In a switch, a housing having two stationary contacts therein, a reciprocable carrier in said housing, means on said carrier and reacting with said housing for biasing said carrier to a normal position, a bridging member carried by said carrier, means on said carrier to detachably hold said bridging member in either of two positions on said carrier, in a first position on one side of said contacts and in a second position on the opposite side of said contacts, said bridging member positioned to be out of engagement with said stationary contacts in either position of the bridging member when said carrier is in said normal position, and means for moving said carrier from said normal position to move said bridging member into engagement with said contacts.

13. In a switch, a housing having two stationary contacts therein, a reciprocable carrier in said housing, means on said carrier and reacting with said housing for biasing said carrier to a normal position, a bridging member carried by said carrier, means on said carrier to detachably hold said bridging member in either of two positions on said carrier, in a first position on one side of said contacts and in a second position on the opposite side of said contacts, said bridging member positioned to be in engagement with said stationary contacts in either position of the bridging member when said carrier is in said normal position, and means for moving said carrier from said normal position to move said bridging member out of engagement with said contacts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,350,924 Eaton Aug. 24, 1920 1,556,828 Wyman Oct. 13, 1925 1,702,396 Andres Feb. 19, 1929 1,808,316 Osgian June 2, 1931 1,833,948 Lansing Dec. 1, 1931 2,049,747 Parsons Aug. 4, 1936 2,106,581 Unwin Jan. 25, 1938 2,419,072 Hall Apr. 15, 1947

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