US1292805A - Self-locking safety device. - Google Patents

Description

H. F. KRANTZ.

SELF LOCKING SAFE" DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31.1915.

1,292,805. Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

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A TTOR/VEY H F KRANTZ SELF LOCKING SAFETY DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 31.1915.

Patented Jan. 28,1919.

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ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

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INVENKTQIQ ATTORNEY WITNESSES. fizz 2 UNITED s raas PATEN a ICE.

HUBER! F. KRAN'I'Z, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOE TO KRAN'TZ MANUFAC- TUBING- OOMPANY, INQ, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SELF-LOCKING $AFETY DEVICE.

Application filed July 31, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUBERT F. lIRAN'rz, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Self-Locking Safety Device, of which the following specification is a full disclosure.

This invention deals with electrical switch mechanisms, and it proposes certain improvements insuring the operation thereof against accidents while at the same time affording facilities whereby certain parts may be readily inspected and renewed.

Certain divisional applications have been filed as follows:

Serial No. 87,925tiled March 21, 1916, removable safety switch.

Serial No. 175,19lfiled June 16, 1917, electric switch instrumentality.

One object of this invention is to render available a switch mechanism in the nature of a panel board so designed and constructed that an ordinary unskilled user will be barred from access to the switch blades and the contacts therefor as well as from the replaceable fuse elements, thereby not only preventing him from injuring himself but also preventing him from surreptitiously substituting improper fuse elements while yet enabling him freely to open or close the switches.

Another object is to provide a panel board whereby the janitor of a building, or other similarly qualified person, may have access to the replaceable fuse elements, but only when the circuit thereof is dead, so that he will be unable to strike an are by withdrawing th fuse from a live circuit.

Another object is so to design the/ panel board that a regular inspector may have access to all parts of the device, especially so that the switch blades and their immediate operating parts may be removed as units and may be examined away from the panel board or replaced by similar units.

A still further improvement insures that the switchshall be in open position and with the circuit thereof dead before enabling the switch unit to be removed; thereby preventing the inspector from being injured or from damaging any of the parts by opening the circuit in such a way as to draw an are.

A still further object of this invention is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919..

Serial No. 42,956.

to devise a panel board arrangement such that a magnetic blow-out of the spark will be insured.

Other objects will be in part obvious from the annexed drawings and in part indicated in connection therewith by the following analysis of this invention.

This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of parts and in the unique relations of the members and in the relative proportioning and disposition thereof; all as more completely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to comprehend the underlying features thereof that they may embody the same by the numerous modifications in structure and relation contemplated by this invention, drawings depicting a preferred form have been annexed as a part of this disclosure,-

Figure 1 is a sectional plan showing one form of panel board conforming to this invention; parts being cut away to show the interior thereof. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing further details thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevat-ion partly in section of a removable switch unit suitable for employment in the panel board shown by Figs. 1 and Fig. a is an end elevation partly in section of Fig. 3, as seen along line ll thereof. Fig. 5 is a modified removable unit construction showing a somewhat different switch mechanism, alsocapable for use in connection with the panel board illustrated by' Figs. l and 2. Flg. 6 is an end elevatlon of Fig. 0 taken partly in section as seen along line 6-6 thereof. Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram.

Continuing now by way of a more detailed description, A denotes a panel box consisting of a suitable base board 1, side walls 2 and end walls 3', either stamped up integrally of sheet metal or build up separately of pieces of insulating material, according to preference. This panel box preferably provides several separate compartments, 2'. 0., a gutter B for various line terminals; one or more switch compartments C; one or more fuse compartments D; and a switch actuating compartment E which may be permanently opened or may be closed by an outer door if desired.

stance.

Preferably these are separated from one another as by means of partitions 4, 5, 6,

etc., and they are all separated from the building, and in this embodiment of this invention it is closed by means of a door 10 hinged at 11 and provided with a catch 12 whereby it maybe locked in place under conditions shortly to be mentioned. A handle 13 may be used for opening and closing this door. The compartment C contains switch-operating elements of a unitary construction and each may be removed as a unit by the inspector whenever necessary, and to that end these parts may be held in place by ordinary screws in such a way that-their removal can be easily accomplished with the proper implements. These removable units will now be described.

A removable switch-unit is shown best by Figs. 2, 3 and 4 and is indicated generally by F on Fig. 2, and it comprises a suspension plate or base 1% which is suitably configurated so that it. may be interlocked in place; as for example, by means of screws 15. This base plate provides the ultimate mounting for the switch mechanism per se but preferably it does not provide the contacts'for the switch blades. In the preferred form of unit, the switch blade is of laminated construction as indicated by 16, being composed of copper strips arranged echelon so as to produce oppositely angled beveled ends, and the outer strips 17 and 18 may be of heavier construction and may carry pieces 19 which are made sufficiently durable to endure the spark. Clamping plates 20 and 21 of suitable insulating material are secured to a swinging block 22 by means of bolts 23. These blocks 22 have side flanges 2% which are \perfo-rated to receive a shaft 25, which in turn passes through the sides 26 of a supporting frame 27 secured to the base plate 14 by means of screws 28. Two disks 29 of insulating material will prevent the switch blades 16 from coming int-o contact sidewise with the supporting frame 26. The means for controlling the swing of the switch blade 16 will now be described.

An arm 30 extends radially from the swinging block 22 and is apertured' to provide the internal cam indicated by 31. This cam co-acts with a roller 32 pivoted to the end 33 of a hand lever G which is pivoted by means of a stud 3a to the side walls 26 of a supporting frame 27. This internal cam 31 1s so contoured that when the parts are in the position shown by Fig. 3 the switch blade will be sprung against a post 35 so as to impose a stress on all of the parts and enable them to remain in the position as shown. This is achieved by designing the cam at the point 36 in such a way that a tendency of the switch blade to move clockwise under the re-action against the post 35 will tend to hold or swing the lever G clockwise also; with the result that the parts will be in stable position. This represents the dead or open circuit position of the switch unit, and the I advantage of this construction is that when the unit is removed and handled when in this position, it tends to remain thus set or locked, and the attendant is thus enabled to replace the unit in the same relation that it is removed.

In replacing the unit, it is only necessary I to thrust the lower part thereof through the aperture providing admission to the compartment C and then by means of screws 15 to bolt the base plate 14 of the unit to the parts 37 and 38; whereupon the switch is ready for operation. In operation the insulating handle 40, which is secured to the exposed end of the lever G, is turned anti-clockwise. The effect of this is first to break the set or lock above noted and forthwith to swing the switch blade clockwise until its one end bears against the contact piece H and its other end against the contactpiece I forming part of the electrical conductors. This immediately establishes electrical connection between the contact terminals I and H.

It may be noted that as the handle 40 enters its final position when turned anticlockwise the blade will be sprung against these contacts and held in that position by means of the peculiar contour of the cam at the point 41; or conversely as already explained. The effect of this is not only to lock the switch bladm firmly against their electrical contacts but also to insure a quick break when the handle 40 is swung clockwise to open the circuit. The quick break effect is preferably further accentuated bymeans of a magnetic blow-out as follows: The conductor I is connected by means of a copper strap 42 with the ribbon or wire 43 forming the winding of an electromagnet J which has its core or armature 44 connected with pole pieces 45 which terminate at the arcing region of the terminal I. By this arrangement a magnetic field is set up across the path of movement of the switch blade 16 so that when the circuit is broken the arc will be blown out magnetically.

The terminal I receives its current through naeaeoe the intermediary of a conductor 46 which is connected with the clip 47 adapted to receive the fuse K. A similar clip 48 at the other end of the fuse provides a path for the flow of the current to other connections or terminals as may be desired.

Reverting now to the switch unit, it is to be noted that a movable tongue L is so positioned during the actuation of the switch as to control the opening of the door 10, and preferably also to prevent the removal of the switch unit. In this instance this is accomplished by pivoting the tongue L at 50 to the link G and providing it with a slideway 51 cooperating with the stud 52 so that the tongue L will be withdrawn or retracted from its efiective position when the switch is set into its dead position; and so that it will be projected into its effective position when the switch has been moved or set into its live position. That is to say, when the switch is dead the tongue L will be in the position shown by Fig. 2; but when the switch is turned on the tongue L will project underneath the part 38, and will thus prevent the base board 14 from being lifted up and away from said part; even though the screw 15 be removed. When the switch is in this position the blade 16 will also bear against the terminal H in such a way that the other end of the base 14 cannot be lifted up for a similar reason. This construction, therefore, prevents the switch from being removed when it is in live position.

The means locking the door to the fuse compartment will now be described. A spring latch M is mounted on the cross piece 53 in such a manner that it may slide back and forth and this latch terminates in a head 5a which is beveled and which may enter the adjacent aperture or socket 12 in a catch depending from the door 10 and thus prevent the door from being opened. Normally a spring 55 presses against the head 56 and holds the latch 54 in the position shown by Fig. 2, but when the switch is closed the tongue L will project against the head 56 and urge the latch 54 into a position preventing any opening of the door 10.

The switch shown by Figs. 3 and 4 is of such a construction that springs may be dispensed with entirely, if desired, because the parts may be held in either one of their two extreme positions through pressures derived from the resilient switch. blade 16, which, in its one position is sprung against the circuit contacts, and in its other position is sprun against the post 35. At the same time this switch provides a sufliciently quick break for all practical purposes. especially in cooperation with the magnetic blow-out. .In case a mechanically quicker switch should be desired, this unit. may be interchanged by (Y x l b.

the spring actuated unit set forth in 5 and 6.

The detachable spring actuated switch mechanism shown by Figs. 5 and (3 may be successfully used for all purposes with a magnetic blow out, and for even most purposes without a magnetic blow-out. This unit comprises a frame denoted generally by the character N, and which may be built of a number of parts, as for example, the face plate 60 of insulating material and the metallic side flanges 61 connected thereto by means of the plate 62 and the screws (33. This face plate 60 is in turn contoured to interfit with the opening provided by the stationary supporting part or parts (34, which correspond with the parts 37 and 38 of Fig. 1; screws (S5, or other conventional means, being used to retain these elements together temporarily. The face plate (50 is here formed with two segmental lips 66, supported by a slot 67 through which the shank 68 of an operating handle 0 emerges. This shank terminates at the exposed side of the face plate (50 in a suitable hand grip (59 whereby the switch mechanism may be operated, as will be understood. This shank is preferably pivoted about the shaft 0; which constitutes the fixed or stationary pivot of a toggle which is broken and closed by the handle 0.

The other main operative elements are the non-floating swinging links PP, the floating links @162, the swinging blade carrier R and the switch blade S. The links P and Q, constitute a toggle which, when broken, permits the blade or brush S to assume its open circuit position, and which, when erected or straightened, positively maintains the blade firmly a ainst its contacts a. 6., in its closed circuit position.

A quick break mechanically is especially aimed at in this embodiment and the construction is such that a spring under tension (augmented by the kick of the spring blade) is abruptly rendered effective, without hindrance, to break the circuit by the inStanta neous rebound of a suddenly released tensioned resilient blade. To that end, the erected toggle is arranged to hold the blade flexed against the contacts, and a hand-operated lever providing sufficient lost motion to avoid hindrance is available to break the toggle and to erectthe same. Thus, the lever O is pivoted to the stud m and provides two contact surfaces TOQand 71, the one or the other of which may be brought against some other part associated with the toggle to erect or to break it, as the case maybe. These surfaces 70 and 71 are so spaced as to provide sufficient lost motion to permit the handle 69 to move inefiectively through the major portion of its breaking stroke before thesurface 70 will impact the toggle proper and so that only a slight continued ,do so whenever the toggle is broken.

swings the links P and Q into the dotted line positions. The links P and P in this form are arranged at either side ofthe links Q and Q, and the links P and P are contoured to provide stop portions 74 and 7 5 adapted to limit the swing of the parts; the

portion 7 5 being arranged to be arrested by impact with a suitable part immediately after the axis to of the toggle has crossed its dead center and thus prevent any over-swing thereof. The floating link Q is pivoted at one end to the axis w and its other end is in any suitable manner connected to swing the switch blade. In this form, this is achieved by mounting the brush of a suitable'craddle or other member R mounted to provide the necessary movement as, by means of being ivoted t0 the side o. This craddle R is prefiirably made of sheet metal bent up in a U-shape and the links Q and Q, pass between the side walls of this craddle, and are connected to the shaft 2 which is secured between said side walls and which constitutes a floating pivot of the toggle. A rather strong spring 76 has one end connected iWith a stud 77 on the stationary frame piece 61, and the other end bears against the craddle R so as strongly to urge the same into its open circuit position and to 'be effective to spring 73 may in like manner bear against a pin 72 on the lever 0 so as to lightly hold the lever in the dotted position when the toggle Hence, it is impossible to move the door into eitheropened or closed position while the switch is on. s

The fact that the door will not close while the'switch is on possesses a decided value in that it may-serve, at any time, when the door is not locked, to indicate to the oper ator that the switch is on.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

Having thus revealed this invention, I claim as new and desire to secure the following combinations of elements, or equivalents thereof, by 'Letters Patent of the United States 1. A panel board combining a housing providing a fuse containing compartment and a switch containing compartment; a closure member normally closing said fuse containing compartment and adapted to be displaced to permit the substitution of a fuse; a removable switch unit mounted in said other compartment; and means automatically locking both said unit and said closure member from displacement when said switch is in live position.

A switch mechanism combining a casing having an opening thereinto, a switch blade, operating means for the switch blade, a (lisplacable closure member for said opening, means wherebythe switch blade and its operating means may be bodily attached to or removed from the casing, a locking element for the closure member, and a part comprised in said switch operating means adapted, upon insertion of the switch operating means, to assume a position to operate said locking element in a manner to cause an operating of said locking. element coincident with an operation of said switch operating means.

3. A switch mechanism combining a casing having two openings thereinto, switch mechanism detachably positioned within one of said openings being of a character to close said opening, a closure member for the second opening, a locking device for said second closure member extending between said openings, and a movable part comprised in said switch mechanism adapted when said switch mechanism is moved into position closing its respective opening to assume operative relation with said locking device whereby to operate said locking device coincident with an operation of the switch mechanism.

4. A switch mechanism combining a casing having an opening thereinto, a switch device arranged within the casing, a closure member for said opening from which the switch device is supported, means whereby said closure member and switch device may be bodily attached to or removed from the to be operated by the switch device, and an operating member for said movable part comprised in the switch device adapted, by

. ing having an opening thereinto, a displaceable closure member for said opening, a switch blade, an operating handle, connections between the operating handle. and the switch blade for operating the switch blade by said handle, a retaining device for the closure member, and a plunger-like part arranged to be moved back and forth by a movable part of said connect-ions adapted for controlling said retaining device.

6. A switch mechanism combining a casing having an opening thereinto, a displaceable closure member for said opening, a switch blade, an operating handle, connections between the operating handle and the switch blade for operating the switch blade by said handle, a retaining device for the closure member, said connections including a toggle, and a plunger-like part connected with the knee of the toggle to be moved back and forth thereby for controlling said retaining device.

7. A switch mechanism combining a casing having an opening thereinto, a displaceable closure member for said opening, a switch blade, a supporting frame for the switch blade, an operating handle for the switch blade carried by said frame, operating mechanism between the handle and the blade also carried by said frame, a part also carried by the frame operable to effect looking of the closure member, and means connecting said part with said operating mechanism to operate said part from said operating mechanism.

8. In a switch mechanism, comprising a casing having an opening thereinto, a displaceable closure member for said openin a switch blade movable into on and off positions, means normally urging the switch blade off, a toggle adapted to stand in made position to hold the switch blade on and to permit the switch blade to snap oii when the toggle is broken, an operating handle operable for making and breaking the toggle, and latch for the closure member, the combination therewith of a separate part connected to the toggle to be operated thereby for moving the latch to latching position.

operating handle and the switch blade ineluding a part whereby said separately formed member is pivotally connected thereto to be slid back and forth thereby.

10. A. switch mechanism comprising a casing having an opening thereinto, a displaceable closure member for said opening, a switch blade, an operating handle, connections between the operating handle and the switch blade for operating the switch blade by the l andle, said connections including a toggle, a retaining device for the closure member, and a part directly connected with said toggle adapted to be moved by said toggle for controlling said retaining device. 11. A switch mechanism comprising a casing having an opening thereinto, a displaceable closure member for said opening, a switch blade, a supporting frame for the switch blade, an operating handle for the switch blade carried by said frame, operating mechanism between the handle and the blade being also carried by said frame, said operating mechanism including a toggle, and a part also carried by the frame and connected with the toggle operable to effect locking of the closure member by movement of the toggle.

12. In a switch mechanism, comprising a casing having an opening thereinto, a displaceable closure member for said opening, a switch blade, a toggle, connections between the toggle and the switch blade by which to operate the switch blade from the toggle, and an operating handle for the toggle, the combination therewith of a separate movable latch part for the closure member, and means cooperative between said latch part and the toggle to operate said latch .part by movement of the toggle.

13. In a switch mechanism, comprising a casing having an opening thereinto, a displaceable closure member for said openin a switch blade, a toggle, connections between the toggle and the switch blade by which to operate the switch blade from the toggle, and an operating handle for the toggle, the combination therewith of a separate mov able latch part for the closure member, and a part directly connected with the knee of the toggle and extending into proximity with said latch part for operating the latch part by movement of the toggle.

14. in a switch mechanism, comprising a casing having an opening thereinto, a displaccablc closure member for said openin a switch blade. a toggle. connections between the toggle and the switch blade by which to operate the switch blade from the toggle,

and an operating handle for the toggle, the combination therewith of a separate part connected with the toggle to be operated thereby to interpose an obstruction for preventing movement of the closure member from open to closed position.

15. In a switch mechanism, comprising a casing having an opening thereinto, a displaceable closure member for said opening, a switch blade, a toggle, connections between the toggle and the switch blade. by which to operate the switch blade from the toggle, and an operating handle for the toggle, the combination therewith of a separate part connected with the toggle adapted to be operated thereby to interpose an obstruction for preventing movement of the closure member from closed to open position.

16. In a switch mechanism comprising a casing having an opening into the upper portion thereof, a displaceable closure memml for said opening, and a lock device for the closure member, said lock device being at the upper portion of the casing, the combination therewith of a pair of contacts within the casing arranged one in the upper portion of the casing and the other in the lower portion of the casing, a double ended switch blade, a pivotal support by which the switch blade is pivoted intermediate its ends andintermediate the planes of said contacts, an operating handle for the switch blade, a toggle interposed between the switch blade and the handle within the upper portion of the casing adapted for operating the switch blade from the handle, and a part connected with said toggle to be operated thereby and extending into cooperative relation with said locking device for operating said locking device when the toggle is operated to swing the switch blade toward said contacts.

17. A switch mechanism comprising a casing having an opening thereinto, a displaceable closure member for said opening, a flexible double-ended switch blade, a pair of plane faced contacts stationary within the casing spaced apart, a pivotal support by which the switch blade. is pivoted intermediate said contacts and upon which the switch blade is adapted to be swung to press its opposite ends against the plane faces of said contacts, and means for so swinging the switch blade, the combination therewith of means dependent u on the position of the switch blade for 100 ing the closure member.

18. A switch mechanism comprising a casing having two compartments, a fuse inone compartment, a displaceable closure member for the fuse compartment, a switch blade in the other compartment, an operating handle, connections between the operating handle and the switch blade for operatin the same, said connections including a togg e, a retaining device for the closure 0 s 2 e a l switch un1t 1n operative relatlon wlthin said housing, an interlocking device adapted to prevent said unit from being removed when the switch is live, and a stationary terminal so mounted in said housing as to be practically inaccessible when said switch unit has been removed.

20. A panel board combining a housing providing a fuse compartment and a switch compartment, said compartments having independent openings thereinto, two closure members one for each of said openings adapted to be displaced to give access to the respective compartments, a switch unit arranged within the switch compartment being carried by the closure member of that compartment and being removable therewith, and means operable to lock both said closure members against displacement when the switch is in live position.

21. A safety switch mechanism combining a housing havin an opening thereinto, a switch device withln said housing, a main line terminal within the housing, a branch line terminal within the housing spaced from the main line terminal, a switch blade comprised in the switch device having a art to engage the branch line terminal and aving another part movable to reach into andout of engagement with the main line terminal, the switch device having a part disposed within the openin of the housing serving as a guard member for the parts within the housing, means whereby the switch device is bodily removable from said opening, means to prevent removal of the switch device while the switch blade is in position establishing connection between said terminals, and said main line terminal being in a position practically inaccessible from said opening when the switch device is removed.

22. A device of the class described comprising a switch mechanism, a structure for inclosln said switch mechanism embodying a dlsplaceable cover part, said switch mechanism including a movable conductor part movable into and out of current carrying position, means to so move said conductor, and means which is controlled by tive with said conductor to serve in conJunction with said conductor to retain the cover against displacement when the switch mechanism is on.

23. A device of the class described comprising a housing having a displaceable wall part, a switch mechanism connected with said wall part to be bodily displaced therewith whenever said wall part is displaced, said switch mechanism includin a switch blade movable into on and o positions and into and out of position directly constituting means serving in part to retain the wall part against displacement, operating means for the switch blade also included in said switch mechanism, and means operable by said operating means to serve in conjunction with said switch blade for retaining the wall part against displacement Whenever the switch blade is in the on position.

24. A device of the class described com prising a housing having a displaceable wall part, a switch mechanism within the housing, a switch blade comprised in the switch mechanism movable into on and off positions, and into and out of position directly constituting means tending in part to retain the displaceable wall part against displacement, a toggle included in said switch mechanism for operating the switch blade. and means connected to be operated by said toggle and ada ted to serve in conjunction with said switch blade to retain thewall part against displacement.

25. A device of the class described comthe switch blade in retaining the cover,

against displacement.

26. A device of the class described comprising a switch mechanism, a support for the switch mechanism to which the switch mechanism is detachably connected, a switch blade comprised in the switch mechanism, and operatinn" means also comprised in the. switch mechanism adapted to movethe switch blade into on and off positions and into and out of a position in which said switch blade constitutes means serving in part to retain the switch mechanism against removal-from said support.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, as attested by the two subscribing witnesses;

HUBERT F. 'KRANTZ.

Witnesses:

ALBERT F. NATHAN, B. (300x121.

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