US1973090A - Electromagnetic switching device - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 1l, 1934. Q D MILLER I 1,973,090

\ ELECTROMAGNETIC swITcHING DEVICE Filed March 29. 1933 /NVENTOR D. D. MILLER A T TORNEV Patented Sept. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTROMAGNETIC SWITCHING DEVICE Application March 29, 1933, Serial No. 663,273

12 Claims. (Cl. 20d-104) This invention relates to electric switching devices and more particularly to electromagnetic relays.

In electrical systems generally and in telephone systems particularly, the electromagnetic relay plays an important part and is one of the most extensively employed switching devices in communicating systems.

In all modern industries, for example, the automobile industry, where the manufactured product is constituted of a plurality of independently and separately developed parts, it has been found practicable to design the independent parts in such a manner that they readily adapt themselves to straight-line assembly methods.

The electromagnetic relay is essentially made up of a core, coil, armature, contact springs and mounting bracket, the last serving to support the contact springs. To adopt straight-line assemblymethods in the manufacture of relays, it is therefore necessary that each of the constituent partsbe designed as a separate unit and in such a manner that such parts may be carried in stock as complete entities, to be selected and assembled in progressive steps to lform the final desired structure.

Heretofore, in the design of the well known flattype relay, it has been impossible to effect a complete assembly by progressive assembly methods. Owing to the particular conformation of the flattype relay core, which is provided at one end with an enlarged pole-face area and at the other end with integral lateral projections forming mounting means for the contact springs, it was impossible to provide for the use of form-wound coils or coils which were wound prior to their assembly on the core.

Another diiiiculty heretofore experienced in connection with straight-line assembly methods as applied to relay construction was the fact that it was desirable to pre-assemble various contact spring combinations so that they could be mounted as units on the relay rather than build the combination on the relay, one spring element at a time.

It is, accordingly, the object of this invention to improve the design of flat-type relays to permit the use of form-wound coils, and preassembled spring combination units and to provide for the complete assembly of the relay parts in accordance with modern progressive assembly methods.

'This object is attained in accordance with features of the invention by the provision of a relay core having a flattened or cut-away front end portion to provide a relatively large pole-face area and to permit a form-wound coil to be slipped over the core from the front end, and a pair of contact-spring-supporting plates provided with centrally disposed and opposing recessed 6o portions which cooperate to form a housing for the rear end portion of the core. The provision of two contact-springsupporting plates renders it possible to pre-assemble and mount the Contact springs on the relay and to permit the removal of either the upper or lower spring combination without disturbing the entire contact spring assembly.

Another feature of the invention resides in the use of forwardly extending short spring members mounted on one side of the relay which serve as terminals for the relay coil winding. These springs are provided near their forward ends with projecting lugs or test clip prongs, and nearer their rear ends with upturned lugs to which the coil ends are soldered. The provision of the test clip prongs on the forward end of the terminal spring permits relay tests to be made in front of the relay rack and provides a convenient means of supporting the test clips.

These and other features of the invention will be readily understood from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a flat-type relay embodying the features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a 'side elevation of the relay structure shown in Fig; 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 with certain elements of the relay omitted and partially in section to more clearly illustrate the front and rear end construction of the core and the manner in which the separate spring-supporting brackets are supported thereon; and

Fig. 4 isa rear elevation of the relay structure 95 shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 5 is an exploded View of the relay rear end showing the manner in which the spring mounting bracketsare mounted on the relay core.

The body portion of the core l0 is cylindrical 100 in shape being cut away at the front end to provide a relatively large pole-face area ll and with its rear end portion flattened out to serve as a seat upon which the two spring-supporting elements l2 and 13 are supported and between which 105 a reed-type armature hinge le is clamped. A form-wound coil 15 is slipped over the core from the front end, the rear end of the core having Welded thereto a mounting bracket' 16.

Each of thev brackets 12 and 13 independently 110 -to their respective plates l2 and 13 to be carried in stock as separate entities, so that when a particular spring combination is desired, the two plates 12 and 13, carrying the spring sub-combinations which cooperate to form the desired combination, are taken from'stock and secured to the core end by means of the screws 21. It will also be observed that shouldit befound necessary to remove the lower pile-up 17 to replace it with a different sub-combination it is only necessary to remove screws 2l and lift the bracket 13 oiT the core; This act though freeing the upper bracket from the core does not in any way disturb therelationship of the springswhich constitute the upper pile-up 18. Y

As seenin Figs. 4 and 5 the plates'12 and 13 are centrally arched to allow for the rear end of the core lil to which the plates are secured.

Interposed betweenthe upper plate l2 and the corelO is a reed-type hinge 14 to which issecured the armature'22.

On the iront end or corel() is mounted a well known type of air-gap adjusting device comprising screw 23 and its associated nut 24.

The terminals for the coil winding consist of the two spring members 25. `Each member 25 is provided with an upturned lug 28 to which is soldered one end of the coil winding. At their front ends, the terminalV springs' 25 are provided with an extendingportion 29 `which constitute test-clip prongs/by virtue of which the relay may be tested conveniently` by one person while in a position to observe the armature and contact spring action. `Heretofore the relay was tested by means of the lugs 28 which are notv accessible to the `test man from, Vthe iront of the Y relay rack' so that it was necessaryduring tests for the test man to first apply test clips to the lugs 2S at the rear of the rack and then go to the front of the rack to observe the relay operating or else the test required the services of two men. The test clip prongs 29 provide a convenient means for permitting the relay to be tested and observed by one person. ,j

What is claimed is: Y

l. An electromagnet having a cylindrical core provided at one end with a flattened pole-face and at the other with a reduced portion, a coil adapted to be slipped over the core, a pair of contact-spring-supporting brackets having opposing recessed portions whichcooperate to form a housing for the reduced portion of the core, each of said brackets supporting an independent pile-up of spring contacts and an armature actuated upon energization of said coil for operating said spring contacts.

2.` An electromagnet comprising a core, a coil carried by said core, a plurality of `spring pileups, an armature for actuating said springs upon energization of said coil and a bracket for each of Ysaid spring pile-ups, said brackets being sup.- ported on said core. y

3. An electromagnet comprising a core, a coil carried by said core, a plurality of spring pile-ups, an armature for actuating said springs upon energization of said coil. a bracket for each Aof said spring pile-ups mounted on said core, and independent fastening means for securing each of said pile-ups to its respective bracket.

4. An electromagnet comprising a core, a coil carried by said core, a. plurality of spring pile-ups, an armature for actuating said springs upon energization of said coil, a bracket for each of said spring pile-ups mounted on said core, independent fastening means for securing each of said pile-ups to its respective racket, and means for securing said brackets on said core so as to eiect a single spring combination of said plurality of spring pile-ups. l

5. An electromagnet comprising a core, a coil carried by said core, a plurality of spring pile-ups, an armature for actuating said springs upon energization `of said coil, a bracket carried by said core and supporting a spring pile-up on one side of said electromagnet, a second bracket carried by said core and supporting a spring pile-up on another side of said core, said brackets being separately removable from said core and said pileups cooperating to effect a single spring combination when mounted on said core and independent fastening means forV securing each of said pileups to its respective bracket and for securing said brackets to said core.

6. An electromagnet comprisinga core, a coil carried by said core, a plurality of spring pileups consisting of alternate spring members and insulating separators, each of said pile-ups constituting a spring sub-combination, an armature for actuating said springs upon energization of said coil, a bracket supporting one of said spring sub-combinations on one side of said electromagnet, a second bracket supporting another of said spring sub-combinations on another side of vsaid electromagnet, said spring sub-combinations being separately removable from said core and serving, when mounted on said core, as a single spring combination, independentV fastening means for securing said spring pile-ups to their respective bracket, an armature hinge secured to said armature and interposed between'said brackets, and means for securing said brackets and said armature hinge to said core.

7. An electromagnet having a core, a coill mounted on said core and terminal springs for said coil, said springs beingprovided with upturnedmlugs to which the ends of said'coil are secured and with test prongs extending forwardly from said lugs and integrally formed with ,said springs, said forwardly extending prongs providing means for conveniently testing said coil.

8. In a'relay, a magnetic core having a head portion disposed at one end thereof and a shank portion disposed at the other end'thereof, a form Wound coil disposed upon said core, a second head portion of magnetic material having an aperture therein for receiving said shank, and spring contacts and terminals mounted upon said second head portion and electrically connected to said coil.

9. In a relay, a magnetic core arranged to receive a form wound coil and having a head disposed at'one end thereof and a shank disposed at the other end thereof, a head portion of-magnetic material composed of members secured together and having diametrically opposed grooves forming an aperture for receiving said shank, and contact springs, terminals and an armature securedA to said detachable head portion, the terminals being electrically associated withsaid coil.

l0. In a relay, a core having a head portion disposed at the end thereof and a shank disposed at the other end thereof, a form wound coil disposed upon said core, an attachable head composed of members having diametrically opposed recesses forming an aperture for receiving said shank, said attachable head portion being secured in place upon said shank, and spring contacts, terminals and an armature mounted upon said attachable head portion, the terminals being electrically connected to said coil, and said armature fhaving a pole face disposed adjacent to one face of said rst mentioned head portion.

11. In a relay, a magnetic core arranged to receive a form wound coil and having a shank integral at one end thereof and a pole face at the DANIEL D. MILLER.

Images