US1564840A - Electrical contact - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 8,-1925- G. s; FABER I ELECTRICAL comma! I s Sheets-Sheet 1 Fi1ed IQar h 28 v 1924 a. s. FABER ELECTRICAL CONTACT File March 1924 :s Sheet-Sheet 2 70 ,zgfi Z mmmmmmmmmmw Dec. 8, 1925- I 1,564,840

' G. s. FABER ELECTRICAL CONTACT Filed March 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet s IWIIIIIINI 6 IglllIl- I Illllll 55 Patented 8', I 1925.

UNITED STATES I GUY S. FABER, OF CHICAGO, ILIINOIS.

ELECTRICAL conrac'r.

Application filed March 28, 1924. Serial No. 702,573.

To all whom it may] concern:

Be it known that I, GUY'S. FABER, a citizen of the United'St-ates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a .new and useful Improvement in Electrical Contacts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates, more particularly,

to electrical contact devices comprising a re- 10 ceptacle for a flowable mass of current-conducting material, as for example mercury, ."and a contact device, or devices, adapted to co-operate with the mercury, the parts of the structure being so constructed and arranged that the contact-device or devices,

and the mercury may be caused to be relatively moved torcontrol the electrical contacting of the mercury with contact-devices; devices of this character being adaptedfor use in a wide range of situations, as for example for temperature control, humiditying purposes, pressure-control, etc.

My primaryobject is to provide a novel, simple and economical construction of contact making and breaking device of the general type above stated. Moreespecially, my objects are to provide a construction whereby, where a plurality" of contacts for engagement with the flowable mass are prorided, the several contacts may be adjusted relative to each other; to provide, in con-,

nection with the relative adjustment just referred to, for the bodily adjustment of the contacts relative to the flowable mass; to eliminate the location of the contact device in the Wall of the receptacle in which the flowable mass is located, which is of a special advantage wherelthe receptacle is formed of glass, this being the most desirable material, and more especially where vacuum or a particular gas, other than air,.

is to be maintained in the receptacle, inasmuch as the provisions of the contact devices in the wall of-the receptacle involves considerable expense as these contact-devices are required to be sealed-in? the wall and furthermore, especially in the use of heavy currents,,the contact-devices become heated and under the ensuing expansion and contraction the joints between the contact-devices and the receptacle-wall become im paired and furthermore undesirable electrolytic action is produced effectin undesirable corrosion of t. e metal at the joints;

I and to reduce, to the minimum, the number of openings required to be sealed in the receptacle. I

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 isa face view of a contact making and breaking device constructed in accordance with my invention and constituting one of the embodiments thereof, with a certainportion of the construction shown. in sections, the section being taken at the line 1 on Fig. 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Figure 2 is a section taken at the. line 2 on Flg. 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrow with certain parts omitted. Figure 3 isan enlarged view of the device 3 in longitudinal sectional elevation, the sec 7 tions being taken at the line 3 on Fig. ,1

and viewed 'in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 4 is a broken view in side elevation of a portion of the supporting member for the receptacle containing the mercury. Fig

ure 5 is a view in longitudinal sectional elevation of one of the current-conducting sleeves forming a; portion of the supporting member referred to; and Figure 6, a view in the nature of a dia ram showing the contact portions of the evice, mechanism for shiftlng the receptacle and contact-devices, and devices controlling steam lines and in turn controlled by the position of said contact-devices. I As a preface tog the following description of the mechanism shown, it may be stated that I have chosen to illustrate my invention as embodied in a contact device for use in connection withthe controlling of the flowof fluid, as for example steam, from two separate sources, to its point of use, as for example for heating purposes, where it is desired to maintain a temperature within a certain' 'range, but-as will be readily under- Y stood, the invention is not limited to its use in such a connection, nor to its embodiment in the particular construction shown. V A Referring first to the illustrated construction of contact making and breaking device,

it comprises a-receptacle forming portions represented at 7 for receivmgf and confining the flowable mass, as for examplemercury represented at 8. The recptacle 7 is fpreferably of the sha e shown and by pre erence, is formed of g ass, the opposite, side Walls of which are 'apertured, as indicated at 9' and 10, respectively, at which portions the side walls are provided with outwardly-extending cylindrical bosses or flanges 11 and 12,.respectively. Thereceptacle 7 is mounted upon a supporting member 13 which extends at its opposite'e'nds through the apertures 9 and 10 .and the bosses 11 and 12.

The member 13, in the construction shown,

comprises an inner shaft 14 of current-conducting material provided at the central portion of the receptacle 7 w th an annular flange 15 the opposite side Walls of which are'annularly grooved, as represented at 16, to afford the inclined annular surfaces 17. A sleeve 18 of insulating material surrounds one end of the shaft 14 and is provided w th an annular flange 19, which abuts the ad]acent face of the flange15, the'sleeve 18 being' provided with an annular flange 20 which extends into the adjacent groovc 16 and is of substantially the same cross-section shape as this groove. The opposite face of the flange 19 contains an annular groove 21 affording the inclined wall portion 22. The

' sleeve 18 is securely held in place on the shaft 14 by a nut 23 which screws upon the reduced, threaded, portion 24 of the shaft 14, Surrounding the sleeve 18 1s a sleeve 25 of current-conducting material provided with an annular flange 26 which abuts the outer face of the flange 19 and provided with an annular flange 27 which extends into, and is of substantially the same cross-,

sectional shape as, the groove 21, this sleeve being rigidly secured to the sleeve 18 by means of a' nut 28 screwing upon the outer end of thesleeve- 14 and against the outer end of the sleeve 25. The receptacle 7 is mounted at its boss 11 directly on the sleeve 25, the outer edge of this boss being engaged by a nut 29 which screws upon the outer end of the sleeve 25, the boss 11 being surrounded sleeves 33 and 35 which are insulating being "formed of an suitable insulating material. The inner en s of the sleeves 33 to 35' inclusive are provided with abutting flanges 36,

37, 38 and 39, the sleeve 32 containing an' annular flange 40, as explained of the sleeve 18, which extends intothe adjacent groove 16 of the shaft 14, and the sleeves 33, 34 and 35 containing annular flanges 41, 42 and 43 1 which extends into registering grooves 44,45

and 46in the faces of the flanges 36, 37 and f 38, respectively, onesurface of each of theseflanges and the opposing surface of the groove into which it extends being tapered as shown and as described of the flange 27 and the groove 21. The sleeve 32 is held to the shaft 14 by a nut 47 screwing on'the reduced, threaded, portion 48 on the shaft.

14, and the sleeves 33, 34 and 35 are held in l nuts 23, 28, 49, 50, 51 and 47, and the flanges of the sleeves 18, 25, 32, 33,34 and 35 cooperating with the opposing grooves in the members adjacent thereto, permits of the holding of the several parts forming the supporting member 14, sufliciently tightly together to effect a hermetic seal between these parts, preventing the entry therethrough of air into the receptacle 7 where a vacuum 'is provided in the latter, or the escape of gas from the receptacle, or its dilution, where the receptacle is charged with gas other than air. I

The boss 12 surrounds the sleeve 35 and is engaged at its outer end by a nut 52 screwing upon the outer end of the sleeve 35, packing 53 surrounding the boss 12 and being compressed, to form a tight joint, by a gland 54 screwed upon the nut 52.

In forming the structure described, the receptacle 7 is preferably provided in sections, the joint between which would 'extendcross-wise of the axes of the receptacle and substantially equi-distant from the opposed flat walls of the latter and in such condition assembled with the structure 13,

the jointbetween the sections of the receptacle being afterwards closed, as by fus ing together their opposed edges. Where it is desired that a vacuum exist in the receptacle, or where the receptacle is to contain a gas other than air, the air in the re-' ceptacle would be exhausted, in any suitable manner, as for example by providing an opening in the wall of the receptacle for communication with the vacuum-producing apparatus, and the gas-introducing apparat-us where gas is to be introduced into the receptacle, and thereafter sealing such opening. In this connection it maybe stated that byconstructing the apparatus as shown and described the various joints between its parts are rendered hermetically sealed.

"The sleet/e525, 33, and 35 and the shaft 14 form supports for contact devices repretherotation of the member 13, the contacts .55 and 56 beingspaced apart and disposed in different angular positions about the "sented at 55,56, 57 and 58'adapted to be i -moved into. and out of the mercury8, in

member-- 13 and spaced relation, and in diflerent ,augular'positions relative, to the contacts 57 and 58 which, in the construction shown occupy the same angular posi tion on the member 13, but-are of different lengths. The contact 58, which surrounds the contact 57 but is maintained out of conwith the gland 31, the wire 61 with the nut- 50 and the wire 62 with the-gland 54, it being noted that all of these electrical connections are exteriorof the receptacle 7. The shaft 14, in the t particular arrangement shown is grounded through the portions of the apparatus at which the supporting mem-.

- ber 13 is supported as hereinafter described.

, Fig. 6. The uppe The extremities of the shaft 14 are in the form of journals represented at 63 and 64 at which this shaft is mounted in a disk 65 and the front, cross, member 66, respec-' tively, of a yoke 67 rigidly secured atits reaiwardly-extending arms to the plate-portion 68 of a cup shaped member 69 prov1ded at its open end with an annular flange "70 at which this member bears against the support to which it is to be attached, as for example, a wall 71 of a room, the member 69 being shown as secured thereto as through the medium of screws 72. Thecentral por-' tion of the plate v68 is cut away to provide a circular. opening 73 into the plane of which a rearwa'rdly oil-set annular flange 74 of the plate 68 extends. The disk 65 is located, and rotatable in the opening73 and is held against lateral displacement therein by the flange 74, and segments "7 5 secured to the plate 68 to overlap the forward face .of the'disk 65. In the preferred, illustrated,

embodiment of my invention provision is made for rocking tlie'supportin'g member 13 responsive to -changes in the temperature of the air surrounding the contact device. The particular mechanism shown for this purpose comprising: a disk 76 rigidly secured to the. shaft-14 to rotate therewith, this disk being provid d with an eccentrically-disposed ,pin 77 extending into a slot 78- in an end of a.lever1791connected at its opposite end with fa'coil spring 80 tendlng to swing this le\"er" iin-- :clockwise direction in the lever 7 9 contain; ll-shaped notches 81 and 82 which are ofi set-relative to each other in the directionj-ofq'the length of the lever. The recess {81' j'co-operatesfi'with the knife-edge extremity 83bit a dev ce 84,'car-' ried by the disk 65. The-deVice QjS Q'iS of such construction thatxiupon' temperature of the airsurround ng itlie'.appar and lower surfaces of ratus, it expands and forces the ortion 83 downwardly, and upon the lowering of the temperature of the air the device'contracts and raises the portion 83. The particular. illustrated device '84 is of a type commonly provided for temperature regulation and in volving.inter-communicating lengthwise expansible bellows-chambers 85 in which a highly volatile liquid, suchas ether is located. The recess 82 co-operates with the upper cone-shaped extremity 86- of a fulcruming device 87 shown as in the form of a screw-mounted in a lug 88 on the disk 65 for vertical adjustment thereon, it being understood that the lever 79', in response to the expanding of the device 84 in oppositionto the spring 80, and under the action of the spring 80 in the contracting of the de vice 84, rocks upon the fulcrum 86 and thereby rotates the disk 76 together withthe member 13 and the parts'carried thereby in.

one direction or the other, depending upon the direction in which the part 83 is moved,

whereby the several contact-devices are,

caused to'lbc moved into different, positions relative to the mercury 8...

Referring now to the particular use to which my invention is shown as applied, namely, to the supplying of steam, as for example, for heating purposes, from two di'fierent sources to maintain a'substantially constant temperature: 'two steam lines are represented at 89 and 90, these lines being provided with valves 91 and 92 respectively, the stems of which are equipped with armatures 93 and 94 respectively for co-operation with electro-niagnets. The armature 93 co operates with electro- magnets 95 and 96 and the armature 94 with electro-magnets 97 and 98, the energizing of the magnets 96 and 98 operating to move the valves 91 and- 92 to the closed position shown in Fig. 6 wherein the supplying of steam through the pipes 89 and is arrested, and the encrgizingof the magnets and 97 operating" to rotate the valves 91 and 92 to open position' in which steam flows through. these pipes.

In he particular arrangement shown a source ofcurrent supply, shown as a, battery, is represented at 99, from one terminal of which leads a wire 100 electrically connected with the shaft 14, and consequently the contact device 56, by grounding this wire, it being noted that the shaft '14 is grounded. The other terminal of the battery 99 connectswith a wire 101 which latter is connected with one of the terminals ing of themagnet 96, the other terminal of which connects with'a wire 104 joined to the wire 60 which latter is connected with one of the terminals of the magnet 98, the other terminal of which connects, by a wire 106, with the wire 101. A wire 107 connectsat one [end with the wire 101 and at its opposite end with one of the terminals of the winding of the magnet 95, the other terminal of which connects by a wire 61 and thus with the sleeve 33.

In the normal position of the part shown,

Y in the drawings. As the temperature of the air surrounding the apparatus decreases, the device 84 contracts, with the result of the i lever 79 being rocked in counterclockwise direction in Fig. 6 under the action of the spring 80, this lever swinging on the fulthrough the pipe 90 to produce the desired crum 87 and rotating the member 13 in clockwise direction in Figs. land 6. Thus rotating the member 13 causes the contact 57'to engage the mercury. 8, whereupon the magnet 95 is energized which causes the valve 91 to move to open position, whereby steam flows through the line 89 to itspoint of use. If conditions are such that the sup plying of steam through the pipe 89 is required to be augmented by supplying steam temperature, the member-13 will continue to rotate 1n the direction stated and cause the contact 58 to engage themercury 8 whereuponthe magnet 97 becomes energized and opens the valve 92 and permits steam to flow through the pipe 90 to the point of use.

The valves 91 and 92, the latter in case conditions are such that it has opened, remain open until 'the device 84 by reason of the heating of the atmosphere surrounding it,

expands sufliciently to "rotate the member 13 in' counterclockwise direction in Figs, 1

and 6 to a position in which the contactdevice '55 engages themercury' 8, whereupon through both pipes 89 arid 90. 1

both of the magnets.96 and 98'becomc encrgized with the result of closing the valves v 91 and 92 thus shutting oit' the flow of steam,

It Wlll be understood from'the-foregoing that the current for all of the separate cone I tact-devices, is led into the receptacle 7- througlr the axially disposed member '13,'

asdistinguished from ---leading the current into the receptacle -7-..through openings 'es-, pecially provided fo'f'this purpose. This Y feature of 'theinvention is of special ad vantage where a vacuum, or a special gas, is

.to maintained inthe interior of the repointer 110.

ceptacle, and especially when the latter is of glass. Regardless of the number of separate contact-devices employed the onlyopenings necessary to be provided in the walls of the receptacle 7 and which would be required to .be hermetically sealed where vacuum, or a particular gas, is to be maintained in the receptacle,are the two openings in the opposite side walls of the receptacle and through which the member 13 extends. Not

only is the cost of producing the structure.

thereby reduced, but it is rendered more durable, and less liable toimpairment. I

- Furthermore while the structure is shown as provided with a certain number of contact-devices, it will be readily understood that the number thereof, may be increased,

or decreased, as desired.

The feature of rotatably mounting the disk 65, which form a support for the structure comprising the receptacle 7 and.

the member 13, the disk 65, being shownras provided with an arm 108 which extends through open'in'gs 109 and 110 in the member 69 and in a housing-globe 111 screwed upon. the member 69, the lower end of the arm 108 being in' the form of a pointer, is of advantage inasmuch as it permitsv of the bodily adjustment of the various contactdevices, as a unit, as distinguished from the adjustment of these contact-devices relative to .each other which is very desirable when the device is used in certain situations, as for example, for temperature control, where the ranges of temperature to be maintained are to be varied, as desired, and to the end of facilitating the proper adjustment of the parts as stated, a scale 112 may be provided on the members 69 for co-operation with the The arrangement of the parts of the member 13 is such that while leakage into or out of the receptacle 7 is prevented, the various sleeve-devices carrying the contacts may-be rotated independently of each other for the relative adjusting of the contact-devices,

either 'for the setting'of the contacts at the desired angular positions with respect to each other, in the initial assembly of the parts, or'for subsequently adjusting them,

the construction shown lending itself to the.

easy adjustment of the contacts relative to each other. I

WVhile I have illustrated and described a particular construction embodying .my invention and have shown it as applied to a particular use, I do not wish to be underdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a contact-making-and-breakingdev 1ce, th e combination of a rock-member, a

stood as intending to limit it-thereto, as the same may be modified and altered withoutl What I claim as new, and desire to secure glass receptacle having an opening therein and provided at said opening with an outwardly extending boss, a flowable mass of current-conducting material in said receptacle, a rock-member extending into said boss, means hermetically sealing the joint between's'aid boss and rock-member, and a contact device on, and movable with, said rock-member into and out of engagement.

with said mass.

2. In a contact-making-and-breaking device, the'combination of a rock-member, a

glass receptacle havingopenings therein at its opposite sides and provided at said openings, vwith outwardly extending bosses, flowable mass of current-conducting material in said receptacle, a rock-member extending into said bosses, means hermetically sealing the joints between said bosses and said rock-member, and a'contact device on, and movable with, said rock-member into and out of engagement with said mass.

3. In a contact-making-and-breaking device, the combination of a receptacle, a flowable mass of current-conducting material in said receptacle, a rock-member, and contact-devices on said rock-member and movable into and out of engagement with said mass, and adapted to be adjusted into different positions relative to each other, said receptacle, rock-member and contact-deing into said receptacle, certain of said vices being adjustable as'a unit to vary the position of said contact-devices relative to said mass.

4. In a contact-making-and-breaking device, the combination of a receptacle, a flowable mass of current-conducting material in said receptacle, a rock-member, currentconducting sleeves insulated from each other and nested on said rock-member, and contact devices on said sleeves movable into and. out of engagement with said mass. 7

5. In a contact-making-and-breaking device, the combination of a rockably mounted receptacle, a flowable mass of'current-conducting material in said receptacle, and a plurality of nested sleeve members extendsleeve members being of'current-conducting material and adapted to extend into said mass, and certaln thereof of insulating ma.-

. terial, said sleeves having flanges adjacent ones of which are in: flatwisecontact.

6. In a contact-making-and-breaking device, the combination' of a rockably mounted receptacle, a flowable mass of current-- conducting material insaid receptacle, and

a plurality of nested sleeve members extend-- ing into said receptacle, certain of said sleeve members being of current-conducting material and adaptedtoflextend into said mass, and certain thereof insulating material, said sleeves having flanges adjacent ones ofwhich are in flatwise contact, and

.said sleeve members being of current-conducting material and currentinsulating material, respectively; flanges Ton adjacent ends ofsaid sleeve members and opposing said flange on sa'id'rock member, and means forclamping said flanges flatwise together.-

8. In a contact-making-and-breaking de- .vice,.tlie combinationbfa rock-member, a

receptacle supported thereon and into which said rock-member extends.' a flowable mass of current-conducting material in said receptacle, aflange on said rock-member within said receptacle, nested-sleeve members mounted on said rockjmeinber, said sleeve members being of; ciirrentsconducting ma terial and current-insulating material, respectively, flanges onadjace'nt ends of said sleeve members and opposing said flange on; said roclz-memberfand means exterior of sand receptacle fOI'EG XGItZI I IgIClHmPIDg pressure for, drawing saidflanges. into close flatwise contact. 5'.

9. In {a contact-makingeand-breaking device, the'combination of areceptacle, a flowable mass of current-conducting material in said receptacle, aro'ck-member, sleeves of 'currenteconducting material and current-insulating material, respectively, nested on said. rock-member, and contact-devices adapted to be moved into and, out of engagement with said mass, one of saidcontact devices being on said sleeve of currentconducting material.

1 10. In a current-making-and-breaking device, the combination of a receptacle, a flowable mass of current-conducting material in said receptacle, a rock-member extending into and through said receptacle, sleeves of current-conducting material mounted on said rock-member at opposite sides of said receptacle and extending into the latter. means insulating said sleeves. from said rock-member, and contact devices on said sleeves movable into and out of engagement with said mass.

11. In a contact-making-and-breaking de vice, the combination of a rockably mounted receptacle, a flowable mass of currentconducting material in said receptacle, and a plurality of nested sleeve members extending into said receptacle, certain of'said sleeve members being of current-conducting material and adapted to extend into said mass, and certain thereof of insulatingmanested sleeves surrounding said member 10 terial. 4 and of current-conductingmaterial and inv 12. In a contact-making-and-breaking desulatin mate-rial, respectively, said sleeve vice, the combination of a. rockably mounted of insulating material being interposed be- 5 receptacle, a flowable mass of current-contween said member and said sleeve of curdncing material in said receptacle, a mem-. rent-conducting material and said sleeve of 10 her of current-conducting material extendcurrent-conducting material being adapted ing into said receptacle and adapted to exto extend into said mass. tend into said mass, and a plurality of GUY S. FABER;

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