US1514088A - Electrical-circuit control - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 4 1924. 1,514,088

W. B. KENNEDY ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CONTROL Filed Oct. 23 a 1922 I 1 Int E7171?- lg 17 .2 5 Wa/ferfi Ken/7:24

2K QWW 5 if) Patented Nov 4, 1924. I

- UNITED STATES WALTER n. KENNEDY, or SAN FRANCISCO, cALInonNIA.

ELECTRICAL-CIRCUIT CONTROL.

Application filed October 23, 1922. Serial No. 596,515.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknownfthat I, WALTER B. KENNEDY,

a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in an Electrical.-

Circuit Control, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in [0 controlling devices for electrical circuits whereby the flow of current through an electrical element may be regulated to meet the varied requirements.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved circuit control.

Another object is to provide an improved device whereby the flow of current to an electrical element may be varied through wide limits. I

A further object of my invention is toprovide an improved device of the character described for cutting a desired amount of resistance into a circuit and arranged to permit the resistance to be entirely cut out of the circuit when desired.

A still further object is to provide animproved device wherein a single slidable contact may be utilized for introducing a variable resistance into a circuit through an electrical heating element and for breaking the circuit through the resistance independently of the circuit. through said element.

Another object is to provide a device in which a single slidable element may be ance into( a circuit through an electrical heating element and for breaking the circuit through said resistance and heating element simultaneously or independently as desired.

A further object is to provide an imutilized for introducing a variable resistcontrol device with one-half of the housing removed.

Fi 4 3 is a transverse section taken upon the line 33 of Fig. 2 in the direction indicated.

Fig. 4 is a broken side elevation showing the manner in which the circuit is broken when the contact is moved to one extreme position.

Fig. 5 is a convention wiring diagram of the electric circuit. 2

Referring to the drawings the/numeral 1 is used to designate a resistance coil wound upon a suitable. core 2. The ends of the coil 1 are connected to contacts 3 which are normally ngagedby spring contacts 4 secured upon opposite ends of the core in any convenient manner. A conductive bar 6 is mounted in spaced parallel relation to the coil 1, this being accomplished in the preferred construction shown in the drawings by securing the bar between flanges 7 formed at the endsof the core 2. tact-member'8 is slidably mounted upon the her 6, said member 8 being provided with an extension 9 arranged to form electrical contact with the coil 1 at any point along the adjacent side thereof.

The coil 2 is preferably enclosed in a housing 11 made of insulating material and formed in recessed halv'es secured together by screws 12 or other suitable securing means. The housing members are groove as at 14 u on their inner sides to receive the flanges of the core 2 and thereby hold the core and coil in a fixed position w th n the housing. Recesses 16 are formed within the matching edges upon one side of the housing members to accommodate the bar 6 and contact member 8 and to form a slot 15 between the housing members when assembled through which a pin 17 carried by the contact member 8 extends. A button 18 is secured upon the outer end of the pm 17 by which the pin and the contact memher 8 may be moved relatively to the 0011 2. The spring contacts 45 are so arranged as to be engaged by the contact member 8 and moved out of contact with the contacts 3 when the member 8 is moved to the corresponding extreme position alon the bar 6. Springs 19 are mounted within the slot 15 to engage the pin 17 and retam the contact member 8 in either extreme position for a purpose hereinafter explained.

Aconllhe control auove described is intended to be connected into the circuit through an electrical element wherein itis desired to regulate the flow of current and is particularly useful in connection with electri- I cal heating and lighting appliances. In the drawings I have shown the applica tion of the device in connection with an electric flat iron 21 as one illustration of the principle andutility of the invention. In this application, the device is connected through a plug 23 or other suitable connection to a source of electrical energy, not

shown, connection being made in the fol-' which is attached to the iron 21 is connected to the conductive bar 6 from which electrical connection is made upon the coil 1 by means of the sliding contact member 8 and thence tothe source of energy through the cord 22 and plug 23.

The operation of my invention is as folloyvs: The control device being connected into the cord as above described and the electrical appliance connected to the source of electrical energyvrin the usual manner, the flow of current through the appliance will be dependent upon the position of the sliding contact member relative to the resistance coil 1. If We assume the contact 8 to be in the extreme left hand end of the coil it will be seen that the contact 8 will engage the spring contact at and the path of the current through the appliance 21 will be by way of the bar 6,"contact 8, and spring contact 1 and the conductors connected thereto. In this osition it will appear that the resistance cod 1 would be connected in parallel with the appliance 21. and both the resisting coil and the appliance would receive the full line voltage, and the full efiect of the appliance be obtained. In this connection the flow of current through the coil 1 would be entirely wasted as no beneficial result would be obtained. To avoid such Waste of energy I have arranged the contact -member 8 in such manner that when moved slightly further to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the spring contact a will be moved out of connection with the coil 1 and thecircuitthrough the resistance coil thereby broken. The spring 19 is arranged to engage the pin 17 and hold the contact member 8 in this extreme position so thatthe circuit through the resistance coil will remain broken and the circuit through the appliance 21 operate in the usual manner.

hat oss, J

If it is desired to reduce the flow of current through the appliance 21 as when it is desired to maintain a lower degree of heat the contact member 8 is moved to engage the coil 1 at the desired point. In this connection it will be noted that the resistance coil will be connected partly in parallel and partly in series with the appliance, the portion of the coil. in series depending upon the position of the contact member 8, relative thereto, only the last three laminations being thus connected when the contact is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

As a member 8 is moved further to the right it will be noted that as the end of the coil is' approached substantially all of the coil will be in series with the appliance 21 and the flow of current therethrough will be accordingly diminished until at the extreme end of the coil connection will be made back upon the wire 2/1 through the spring contact 4 and its connections. When the contact member 8 is in this position there will be no voltage drop across the appliance 21 and as a result no current will flow and there will be no heating effect obtained whateven- Under these conditions the current would, of course, continue to flow through the resistance coilf In order to break the circuit through the coil I have so arranged that a further movement of the contact 8 Will operate to move the spring contact 4; out of engagement with its contact 3 and thereby break the circuit through the resistance coil as well as through the appliance21. The pin. 17 is engaged and the contact member 8 held in th extreme position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings by a, spring 19 in the same manner as at the first described limit of movement. When the appliance is not in use the cord 22 should be disconnected from the source of energy at the plug 23 in order to prevent an inadvertent movement of the contact 22 such as might result in a con-- tinped consumption of power through the coi 1.

The cord 22 is introduced into the housing 11 through apertures 28 in the ends thereof and securely connected in the manner described, thus becoming a permanent part of the usual cord. The housing and coil may be made of an extremely light and compact construction especially adapted to household requirements. VVhileI have illustrated my invention as applied in connection with an elec Letters Patent is:

1. An electrical circuit control comprising a resistance coil having opposite ends thereof connected to feed and return conductors connected to a source of electrical energy, one of which conductors is connect ed with an electrical heating element; a contact slidably mounted adjacent the resistance and arranged to be moved relative thereto to form electrical connection therewith at various points therealong, said contact being electrically connected to the; heating element whereby a circuit may be completed through said heating element and a desired portion of the resistance.

2. An electrical circuit control comprising a resistance coil having opposite ends thereof connected to feed and return conductors connectedv to a source of electrical energy, one of which conductors is connected with an electrical heating element; a contact slidably mounted adjacent the resistance and arranged to be moved relative thereto to form electrical connection therewith at various points therealong, said contact being electrically connected to the heating element whereby a circuit may be completed through said heating element and a desired portion of the resistance; and means for breaking. the circuit through the resistance independently from the heating element.

3. An electrical circuit control comprising a resistance coil having opposite ends thereof connected to feed and return conductors connected to a source of electrical energy one of which conductors is connected with an electrical heating element 1; a contact slidably mounted adjacent the resist ance and arranged to be moved relative thereto to form electrical connection therewith at'various points therealong, said contact being electrical connected to the heating element whereby a circuit may be completed through said heating element and a desired portion of the resistance; and means actuated by the sliding contact for breaking the circuit through the resistance and the heating element.

4. An electrical circuitcontrol comprising a resistance; spring contacts normally connecting opposite ends of said resistance with feed and return conductors connected with a source of electrical energy; and a contact slidably mounted adjacent the resistance and movable relative thereto to engage said resistance at various points therealong, said contact being electrically connected to a heating element receiving one of the conductors, whereby a circuit may be completed through said heating element and a desired portion of the resistance; said slidable contact being arranged to actuate the spring contact at one end of the resistance to break the circuit through said resistance independently from the heating element.

5. An electrical circuit control comprising a resistance; spring contacts normally connecting opposite ends of said resistance with feed and return conductors connected with a source of electriral energy; and a contact slidably mounted adjacent the resistance and movable relative thereto to engage said resistance at various points therealong, said contact being electrically connected to a heating element receiving one oi the conductors, whereby a circuit may be completed through said heating element and a desired portion of the resistance, said slidably contact being arranged to actuate the -spring contact at one end of the resistance to break the circuit through said re sistance independently from the heating element, and also arranged to actuate the spring contact at the other end of the coil to break the circuit through both the heating element and the resistance.

6. An electrical circuit control comprising a resistance coil; a spring contact mounted at one end of the coil and arranged to normally connect said end with one of a pair of conductors connected to aheating element,

said conductor being also connected to a source of electrical energy; a conductive rod mounted in slightly spaced parallel relation to the resistance coil, said conductor being connected to the other of the conductors connected to the heating element; and a contact slidably mounted upon the conductive rod and arranged to normally form elec trical contact with the coil at various points therealong to complete a circuit through the heating element and a desired portion of the coil, said contact being arranged to engage and form electrical connection with the spring contact at one end of the resistance coil and to move said spring contact out of contacting relation with the coil for independently breaking the circuit through the resistance when moved one extreme position, and also arranged to engage the spring contact at the other end-of the coil and move said contact out of contacting relation with the resistance coil and break the current through the resistance and the heating element when said slidable contact is moved to its other extreme position.

7. An electrical circuit control comprising a resistance 0011; a spring contact mounted at one end of the coil and arranged to normally connect said end with one of a pair-of conductors connected to a. heating element, said conductor being also connected to a source of electrical energy; a conductive rod mounted in slightly spaced parallel relation to the resistance coil, said-conductorbeing connected to the other of the conductors connected to the heating element; a contact slidably mounted upon the conductive rod and arranged to normally form electrical contact with the coil at various points therealong to complete a circuit through the heating element and a desired portion of the coil, said cont-act being arranged to engage and form electrical connection with the spring contact at one end of the resistance coiland a resistance coil; a spring "contact mounted at one end of the 0011 and arranged to normally connect said end'with oneot apair of conductors connected to a source of electrical energy; a conductive rod mounted in slightly spaced parallel relation to. the resist-ancecoil, said conductor being connected to the other otthe conductors connected to a heating element; a contact slidably mounted upon the conductive rod and arranged to normally form electrical contact with the coil at various points therealong to complete a circuit through the heating element and a desired portion of the coil, said contact being arranged to engage and form electrical connection with the spring contact at one end of the resistance coil and to move said a nature. with the coil for independently breaking the circuit through the resistance when spring contact out of contacting relation moved one extreme position, and also arranged to engage the spring contact at the other endof the coil and move said contact out of contacting relation with the resistance coil and break the current through the resistance and the heating element when said slidable contactis moved to its other extreme position; and a housing arranged to enclose the coils and the several contact- 1 ing elements; and means extending through a slot formed in the/side of the housing for operating the slidable contact.

9. An electrical circuit control comprising a resistance coil; a spring contact mounted at one endof the'coil and arranged to normally connect said end with oneof a pair of conductors connected to a source of electricalenergy; a conductive rod mounted in slightly spaced parallel relation tovthe resistance coil, said conductor being con-' nected to the other of the conductors connected to a heating element; a contact slidably mounted upon the conductive rod and arranged to normally form electrical contact with the coil at various points therealong to complete a circuit through the heating element and adesired portion of the coil, said contact being arranged to engage and form electrical connection with the spring contact I at one end of the resistance coil and. to move said spring contact out of contacting relation with the coil for independently breaking the circuit through the resistance when moved one extreme position, and also arranged to engage the spring contact at the other end of the coil and move said contact out of contacting relationwith the resistance coil and break the current through the resistance and the heating element when said slidable contact is moved to its other extreme positionpa housing arranged to enclose the coils and. the several contacting elements; means extending through a slot formed in the side of the housing for operating the slidable contact; and1means for retaining the slidable contact in either extreme position.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my sigwAL'rEn B. K NNEDYQ I i I

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