US3300605A

US3300605A - Electrical toggle switch

Info

Publication number: US3300605A
Application number: US413127A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert E V Ramsing; Francis K Bourhenne
Original assignee: Sierra Electric Corp
Current assignee: Sierra Electric Corp
Priority date: 1964-11-23
Filing date: 1964-11-23
Publication date: 1967-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 1984-01-24

Description

United States Patent 3,300,605 ELECTRICAL TOGGLE SWITCH Robert E. V. Ramsing, Whittier, and Francis K. Bourhenne, Lawndale, Calif., assignors to Sierra Electric Corporation, Gardena, Califl, a corporation of California Filed Nov. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 413,127

Claims. (Cl. 20067) This invention has to do with improvements in electrical switches and has for its general object to provide a novel toggle or over-center type switch characterized by its extreme simplicity, economy in manufacture, and assured performance in extended service.

At the outset it may be mentioned that the invention is applicable to any of various specific switches as distinguished by their polarities, such as single pole, double pole, 3-way and 4-way switches, all embodying the essential novelty of the invention but differing in such characteristics as bussing and contact duplication arrangements. As illustrative, the invention will be described specifically with reference to a 3-way-type switch.

In common with prior art switches, the invention contemplates the general combination of a swingable contact element actuable by oscillation of an over-center or toggle type relation with a spring and pivoted or oscillatory lever. The invention however departs from the conventional or prior switches of which I am aware, in its embodiment of a novel oscillatory mounting for the contact and the inner position and association of the mounting with a simple form of an essentially leaf-type spring.

Specifically, the invention contemplates providing within an insulative body and apertured cover, the combination of a leaf-type spring associated with the body and in opposed spaced relation to an oscillatory lug or projection on the lever. A simple and effective actuator mounting for a movable contact arm is provided by interposing between the spring and lever projection a simple conductive piece preferably of a blade-like configuration which is retained by the spring pressure in edge engagement with the spring and lever projection, in a manner such that in response to the lever actuation, the blade element oscillates against the spring and in so doing swings the contacting arm within predetermined limits as for example defined by the engagement of an arm terminal contact with spaced fixed contacts inside the switch.

In a preferred, though illustrative aspect, the invention contemplates the association of the indicated oscillatory contact arm mounting with an actuating lever presenting beyond a mounting strap or support, an angular plate-like configuration extending oppositely beyond the center of the lever oscillation.

All the various features and objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment shown by the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation as viewed from the outside of the mounted switch and showing the toggle lever within a wall plate;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1 and showing the switch interior and associated mounting means;

FIG. 3 is a cross section on line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the switch parts in changed positions.

Referring to the drawings, the switch proper, generally indicated at 10, is shown to comprise an insulative body having a separable cover 12 retained between the body and a mounting strap 13 by screws 14 countersunk into the body and extending through the cover to threaded accommodation within the strap, as illustrated. As mounted to a wall 15, the strap 13 may be accommodated ir61d retained within a wall plate 16 by mounting screws The switch preferably employs an actuator pivoted to the cover at 17 and having the form of a plate 18, the angular extensions 18a of which have clearances at 19 to permit oscillations of the lever between its limits of contact with fiber or other non-metallic stops 20 carried by the strap 13. The lever has a central projection 21 extending inwardly through the cover opening 21a with adequate clearance for oscillation between the FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 positions.

The inside face 22 of the body contains a groove 23 into the ends of which are inserted the bent terminals 24 of a leaf spring 25 which engages a flat conductor 26 having within recesses 27 in the side of the body a terminal 28 mounting a circuit wire binding screw 29. Between conductor 26 and its terminal 25a, the spring is spaced at 30' from the body for flexure as will now appear.

Interposed between the spring 30 and the lever projection 21 is a plate or blade-like conductor piece 31 extending transversely of the spring withits edges retained within the spring recess 32 lever recess 33, the positions of these recesses longitudinally of the spring being so related that between its FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 positions, the blade is disposed in opposite angular relation to a line or plane passing through the center of pivot 17 and the fulcrum line of the blade engagement and oscillation within the spring recess 32. Thus as the lever 18 is actuated between the FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 positions, the blade 31 is oscillated in over-center relation to the aforementioned plane against the resistance of spring 25, which is flexed to accommodate the over-center blade travel and which yieldingly retains the blade in its two over-center positions.

The blade 31 carries a conductive arm 34 having

contact terminals

35 and 36 engageable respectively with

stationary contacts

37 and 38. Contact 37 is carried by conductor 39 having a bent extension 40 within the body grooves 41 and carrying a circuit wire binding screw 42, terminal 38 similarly being carried by conductor 43 having an outside extent 44 mounting the binding screw 45.

In operation, when lever 18 is swung from the FIG. 2 to the FIG. 4 position, the blade or plate 31 is correspond ingly oscillated against the resistance of spring 25 to interengage

contacts

35 and 37, which contact is maintained by the sustained spring thrust against the blade. Reversely, when returned to the FIG. 2 position, the lever 18 oscillates the blade 31 the resistor interengagement of

contacts

36 and 38, maintained, as before, by the sustained spring thrust.

As will be apparent to those familiar with the art, the essential relation between the switch parts comprising the spring 30, plate or blade 31, lever projection, and contact arm 34, may be embodied in switches of various designs, including switches employing plural arms 34 and correspondingly plural springs 30 with associated blades 31, as for example in double pole or 4-way switch assemblies.

We claim:

1. An electrical switch comprising an insulative body and cover, a conductor leaf spring within and terminally supported by the body, an actuating lever extending through the cover and having an oscillatory projection in opposed spaced relation to said spring, a conductive fulcrum piece interposed between said projection and spring and urged by the spring tension against the projection so that said piece oscillates on the spring in response to oscillations of the lever projection, a stationary contact, and a conductive arm carried by said fulcrum piece and having a terminal contact movable into and out of engagement with said stationary contact by oscillation of said arm with the fulcrum piece, said fulcrum piece being accommodated for oscillation within recesses in the spring and lever projection, the fulcrum piece being essentially blade-shaped and extending transversely of the spring in edge engagement therewith and with the lever projection.

2. A switch according to claim 1, in which said arm extends outwardly of said blade-shaped piece from between its edges.

3. An electrical switch comprising an insulative body and cover, a conductor leaf spring within the terminally supported by the body, an actuating lever extending through the cover and having an oscillatory projection in opposed spaced relation to said spring, a conductive fulcrum piece interposed between said projection and spring and urged by the spring tension against the projection so that said piece oscillates on the spring in response to oscillations of the lever projection, a stationary contact, and a conductive arm carried by said fulcrum piece and having a terminal contact movable into and out of engagement with said stationary contact by oscillation of said arm with the fulcrum piece, said spring being spaced from and having terminals bearing against the body to permit flexure of the spring intermediate said terminals, and said fulcrum piece being essentially bladeshaped and extending transversely of the spring with the edges of said piece-received within recesses in the spring and lever projection, said arm extending outwardly of said piece from between said edges thereof.

4. A switch according to claim 3, in which the body contains a second stationary contact, said first and second contacts being alternately engageable by the arm terminal contact in response to oscillations of said lever.

5. A switch according to claim 4, in which said lever has an outer essentially plate-like face overlying the cover and extending oppositely beyond said lever projection.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,749,400 6/ 1956 Chichester ZOO-67 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,181,443 1 6/1959 France.

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner.

H. HOHAUSER, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH COMPRISING AN INSULATIVE BODY AND COVER, A CONDUCTOR LEAF SPRING WITHIN AND TERMINALLY SUPPORTED BY THE BODY, AN ACTUATING LEVER EXTENDING THROUGH THE COVER AND HAVING AN OSCILLATORY PROJECTION IN OPPOSED SPACED RELATION TO SAID SPRING, A CONDUCTIVE FULCRUM PIECE INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID PROJECTION AND SPRING AND URGED BY THE SPRING TENSION AGAINST THE PROJECTIN SO THAT SAID PIECE OSCILLATES ON THE SPRING IN RESPONSE TO OSCILLATIONS OF THE LEVER PROJECTION, A STATIONARY CONTACT, AND A CONDUCTIVE ARM CARRIED BY SAID FULCRUM PIECE AND HAVING A TERMINAL CONTACT MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STATIONARY CONTACT BY OSCILLATION OF SAID ARM WITH THE FULCRUM PIECE, SAID FULCRUM PIECE BEING ACCOMMODATED FOR OSCILLATION WITHIN RECESSES IN THE SPRING AND LEVER PROJECTION, THE FULCRUM PIECE BEING ESSENTIALLY BLADE-SHAPED AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE SPRING IN EDGE ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH AND WITH THE LEVER PROJECTION.