US1615163A - Electrical time switch - Google Patents

Description

n. 18 192 7 c. w. BROWN ELECTRICAL TIME SWITCH Filed August 30. 1922 n mw me r w s M c A TTOR/VE Y8 Patented Jan. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES CHARLES WESLEY BROWN, 01' MOUNT VERNON, 7mm.

ELECTRICAL rmn SWITCH.

Application and August so, 1022. lerlsl 11b. 1115,1117.

This invention relates to an electrical time switch and has particular reference to one which involves the thermostatic control.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of means whereby an electrical time switch can be used in conjunction with the ordinary switch so that a person may turn off the ordinary switch, leaving the time switch closed, without worrying about the circuit remaining closed beyond a predetermined eriod of time.

Another 0 ject resides in the provision of means whereby a time switch can be readily adapted for use in connection with the ordinary types of switches, involving a minimum amount of substitution and alteration to adapt it to use.

A further object resides in the provision of means whereb a time switch incorporated with the or inary switch can be operativel employed therewith or disconnected there rom at will. I

A still further object resides in the particular construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings.

The lnvention is illustrated in the drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a form of my switch.

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fi 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section through a modified form of switch.

Fig. 6 is an inverted plan view thereof with the bottom late removed.

The forms of t e invention shown in the drawings are referred forms, although it is understood t at modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts and in the character of the materials used may be adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention.

As illustrated in the drawings, which concern two preferred forms of my invention, and referring first to Figs. 1 to 4, incluslve, illustrative of one of these forms, the invention therein disclosed has reference to a switch unit involving a plu 1 and a socket 2 mechanically connected y a plate 3. One end of this plate 3 is connected electrically to the shell 4 of the socket 2. The

other end of this pla however is on] embedded in suitable insulating material 5 within the plu 1 and is not itself electricallsy colnrlxecged t GITItO. The central contacts an 0 tie soc st and In rexectivel are connected by a wire 8, i|s own l n Fig. 1.

ounted on the plate 3, referably adjacent one end thereof near 51s socket 2, are two push buttons 9 and 10. These buttons are connected to the ends of springs 11 and 12, the other ends of which are connected to the plate or suitably embedded in the insulation 5. The tendenc of these a 1s to keep the buttons in t eir retract position, shown in Fig. 1.

Also, suitably su ported in the insulating material 5 within t e shell 13 of the plug 1 are arpair of switch' plates 14 and 15 as shown particularly in Fig. 2. One of these plates 14 is wrapped with wire 16, preferably fine heating wire. This wire is, preferably, on plate 14 wrapped, preferably, on a suitable insulating material (not shown). The effect of current pass' through this fine wire is to heat the switc plate 14 and cause it to bend, it being fastened at one end as above mentioned. The

free end 17 of this plate 14 is somewhat bent and is adapted normally to lie above the end of the plate 15 and in electrical contact therewith. Referring to the switch plate 14 as shown n F gure 2 and a similar plate as shown in Flgure 6, it will be noted that the ends of these two plates beyond the lap of the heat coil 13 and 34 respectively are bent so that the. ends of these two lates will act as latches in the manner descri When current is applied to the heating coil the heat is naturally transferred to the plate and effects the whole length of the same. Thus the heat not only effects the straight portion but is conductively transmitted to the curved portion. Further the fact that the lates are formed of spring material an are curved will cause said plates when heated to straighten out and it is this straightening out effect which produces the action described.

As noted particularly in Figs. 1 and 2, the shell 13 of plug 1 is connected by a wire 18 to the heatlng wire 16 and also by a wire 19 to a latch plate 20. The other end of the heating wire 16 is connected electrically to the switch plate 14, and the other switch plate 15 is connected by a wire 21 to the plate 3.

Tne plate 15 is provided with an apertured seat 22 in which the lower end of the push button 10 is adapted to be disposed, the lower end of this button being in the form of a netallic head 23 having a lateral latching inger 24 thereon, as shown particularly in Fig. 4. As this button 10 1s depressed, the head 23 engages in the seat on the switch plate 15 to depress it and cause the disenga ement of its end with the end of the switch plate 14. This disengagement opens the circuit between the two plates, where by current ceases to exist in the heating wire 16. As the button 10 is depressed, the latching finger on the lower end thereof Wlll. engage with the latching plate 20, the natural position of which is to dispose it in the path of the head 23.

The depression of the button 9 will engage the outer end 25 of the latching plate 20 to move it laterally and disengage it from the latching finger 24. This disengagement permits the button 10 to move to normal position. It will be noted that during the depressed condition of the button 10, the head 23, which is made of conducting material, electrically and mechanically forms a bridge between the latching plate 20 and the switching plate 15.

In other words, when the button'lO is depressed, it is provided with means whereby its depression is maintained; whereas, when the button 9 is depressed and released it will immediately spring back into normal position. Furthermore, when the button 9 is depressed, it acts to release the button 10.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, another form of my invention involves a suitable base 26 on which a, preferably, metallic casing 27 is disposed, having a portion 28 of insulating material at one end thereof. Embedded in this insulating material at their ends are a pair of switch plates 29 and 30. The end of the plate 30 is curved and is provided with a cam surface 31 adapted to lie in the path of the end 32 of the plate 29. A button 33 is mounted on a casing 27 and when depressed against the plate 29 forces it beneath the plate 30 and, at the same time, forcing this plate to one side will permit it to slide back over the top of the end of the plate 29 whereby this latter plate will be held depressed and in engagement with the end 31 of the plate 30. As above described, a heating wire 34 is wrapped around the plate 30, and when the two plates are in engagement current passes throu h this heating wire and causes the deflection of the plate 30 in a direction to release the plate 29 after a suitable interval of time. Wires 35 may be properly connected to the heating wire 34 and the plate 29 whereby this switch may be connected circuit.

misuse can be traced: from the central contact 7,.

through the wire 8, through the central contact 6, through the circuit and back to the shell 4, through the shell 4, throu h the plate 3; from the plate 3 through t e wire 21 and the switching plate 15, thence through switch plate 14 engaged by the switching plate 15 through the heating wire 16, through wire 18, back to the shell 13 of the plug 1. In other words, during this time the current is passing through the heatin wire 16. This heating wire will cause a c leflection of the switching plate 14 whereby it will, after a certain perlod of time, become disengaged from the switch plate 15, thus breaking the main circuit. If it is desired, however, to eliminate this thermostatic action, it is merely necessary to depress the button 10. This button 10 will disengage the switch plates 14 and 15 in the manner above described and, at the same time, will bridge the circuit between the late 15 and the latch plate 20 to establish t e following circuit: from central contact 7, through wire 8, to central contact 6, out on the circuit, and back to shell 4, through plate 3, through wire 21, through plate 15, across the head 23 of the button 10 to latch plate 20, through wire 19 to the shell 13 of plug 1. This circuit will be maintained permanently as long as the button 10 is depressed, there being no thermostatic action involved. To break this circuit, however, it is merely necessary to depress the button 9 momentarily. This forces the latch plate 20 to one side, releasing the plate from engagement with the latching finger 24 on the head 23 of the button 10, permitting the button to return to normal position, whereupon the switching plate 15 reengages with the end of the switching plate 14 and thereby reestablishes the thermostatic circuit. This device may be used in series with an ordinary socket or may be used in parallel with another switch. 4

In the operation of the device shown in Figs. 5 and 6, it is apparent that this device can be used in series with any switch but when in series with a switch will automatically open after being closed for a definite period of time. It is referable to use this modification in paralle with another switch, and when this invention is to be put into operation it is necessary to open the switch with which it is in arallel and then depress the button 33, whic will close the thermostatic switch plates and they will remain closed until the effect of the heat on the one switch plate will cause it to be deflected sufii-- ciently far for it to become disengaged from the other switch plate, whereupon the circuit is open.

What I claim is 1. An electrical time switch adapted to be placed in multiple with an ordinar switch, which includes a pair of switc members normally engaged, a heating coil on one of said members electrically connected thereto to receive current therefrom and eiiect the heatin of said member whereby its distortion will disengage it from another switch member after a given interval of time, means for disengaging said members, means for holding said disengaging means in its operative position, and means for releasing said holding means.

2. An electrical time switch, which includes a pair of switching members normally engaged, a heating coil on one of said members electrically connected thereto to effect its distortion by heating whereby it becomes disengaged from the other member after a given interval of time, independent means for disengaging said members at will, means on said disengaging means for establishin a circuit as a substitute for the circuit t rough the switch member, means for holding said disengaging means in its operative osition, and means for releasing said hol ing means at will.

3. An electrical time switch, which includes a pair of flexible switching plates adapted to be engaged normally, a heating coil on one of said plates connected. thereto and receiving current whereby the heat effeet will cause a distortion of the switching plate and effect its disengagement from the other switching plate after a given interval of time, a button to be depressed, a head on said a button to engage with one of said plates and disengage it from the other of said plates, a latch late, said head adapted when depressed to orm a conductive path between the depressed switching plate and the latch plate, circuit connections establishing an independent circuit between the depressed switching plate and the latch plate as a substitute for the circuit broken, means on the head to be engaged with the latch plate to hold the disengaging button in its operative position, a second button depressible to release the latch plate from the first button, and means for moving both of said buttons to normal position when released whereby the independent circuit is open and the'normal circuit through the switch plate 00 is reestablished.

CHARLES WESLEY BROWN.

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