US2916575A - Quick action switch - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 8,1959 A. R. MAIS 2,916,575

QUICK ACTION swx'rcH Filed Nov. 27, 1957 '.QUICK ACTION SWITCH Adolf Rolf vMais, Enskede, Sweden, assignor to Aktiev bolaget Hagglund & Soner, Ornskoldsvik, Sweden ApplieationNovemberM, 1957, serial No. 699,220

`Claims priority, application Sweden.November-2-8, 1956 3-Claims. (Cl. v2410-76) ylihelpresent invention relates to a quick actionswitch f Patented Dec. 8,195.9

ICC

carrier 10. The central portion .of the contact carrier 10 is stamped out in such a way that two hook-shaped coupling arms 12 land -14 are formed. The arrangement is suchthatthe hook-shaped end of each coupling member is located between the hook-shaped end of the other `coupling .member andthe connecting `point of the latter with thecontact carrier. Thus, the two ends .of each coupling .member are in engagement with the actuating Vfmember'l and the contact .carrier 10 respectively -on both sides of the center of the contact mechanism. The

- ,hook-shaped ends are journalled in grooves 21 `of ac- ;and, more particularly, to a contact mechanism .which comprises a contact carrier having contact elements on both of its ends and also comprises an actuating member, while said contact carrier and said actuating member are connected with each other by a snap mechanism including two resilient coupling elements. The two ends of each coupling element are connected to said actuating member and the contact carrier on both sides with regard to the central portion of the contact mechanism.

With heretofore known contact mechanisms of the above mentioned type, the resilient coupling elements are arranged between the actuating member and the contact carrier in such a way that they rest against that element only which is located in the central portion of the contact mechanism, namely, either against the actuating member or against the contact carrier. This means that the movable contact carrier is under the influence of two spring forces. With such an arrangement, it is necessary that in each instance two springs have to be selected which have a fully identical spring force in order to insure that the contact carrier can assume the desired balanced position in order to bring about the simultaneous closing or opening of the contacts at both ends of the movable contact carrier. However, experience has provide that such balance of the spring forces is rather diiiicult to achieve and causes considerable production costs.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a contact mechanism or quick action switch which will overcome the above mentioned drawbacks.

lIt is another object of vthis invention to provide a quick action switch with a plurality of contacts, which will always assure a proper and simultaneous establishment or interruption of all contacts or circuits governed thereby.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specication in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a contact mechanism according to the present invention with a contact bridge in form of a spring comprising elements serving as coupling elements.

Fig. 2 illustrates the contact mechanism of Fig. l in a different position.

Fig. 3 is a section on line III- III of Fig. 1 along the plane of the contact bridge.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modication of the contact mechanism according to the invention.

The contact mechanism according to the present invention is characterized primarily in that the coupling elements are designed as resilient arms which are xedly connected to the contact carrier and/or actuating member.

Referring now to the drawing in detail illustrating the invention by way of example in connection with a microswitch, the switch mechanism shown therein comprises a bridge of spring sheet metal which forms the contact tuatingmember v1.6, which latter is movable jwithin certain 4limits in a yplane perpendicular to the major plane .ofsaid contact .carrier 10. The ends-of the contact carrier 10 have ltxedly connected thereto .contacts 18 for cooperation with stationary contacts 18tz, 18b.- `The freedomof vmovement of the actuating member 16'is limited in upward and downward direction by abutments 20 and 22 respectively.

The operation of the contact mechanism according to the invention is as follows. When the actuating member 16 while occupying its position shown in Fig. 1 is subjected to a force directed in the direction indicated by the arrow A, the actuating member moves downwardly. During the first portion of this downward movement, the coupling arms 12, 14 are being placed under tension. This spring tension reaches its maximum value when the plane of the arms 12 and 14 substantially coincide with the plane of the contact carrier 10, which latter is then under the influence of two spring forces directed away from each other and at a right angle with regard to the direction of movement of the contact carrier. The contact carrier then occupies an unstable position. If the actuating member 16 is now moved slightly further downwardly, the unstable position is exceeded and the contact carrier 10 will be subjected by arms 12 and 14 to an upwardly directed force so that the contact carrier 10 will instantaneously spring upwardly in the direction toward the upper contacts 18a into the position shown in Fig. 2. The contact carrier 10, the actuating member 16, and the coupling arms 12 and 14 thus act as a snap mechanism. Due to the fact that the actuating member 16 in its Figure 2 position is subjected from below to an upwardly directed force, the contact mechanism again may be returned to its Figure l position.

Also the movement of the contact carrier 10 from the lower contacts 18!) to the upper contacts 18 is likewise effected instantaneously.

If a further spring force 24 and a push button 26 as shown in Fig. 4 is provided which spring force has the tendency to retain the actuating member 16 in its upper position according to Fig. 1 or its lower position according to Fig. 2, its contact mechanism will act as a push button switch.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular construction shown in the drawing but also comprisesany modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination in a contact mechanism: a contact carrier, an actuating member for actuating said contact carrier, a plurality of contact elements respectively connected to opposite end portions of said contact carrier for contacting stationary contacts, and resilient coupling members integral with said contact carrier and respectively extending in cantilever manner from opposite ends thereof along opposite sides of said actuating member, the free ends of said coupling members respectively engaging said actuating member so as to be movable therewith, said coupling members being substantially of uniform-length While their points of engagement with said actuating member and while said contact elements are symmetrically arranged with regard to that plane of symmetry of said actuating member which extends in the direction of movement of the latter.

2. In combination: a first and a second pair of stationary contact means, each of said pairs having two contacts spaced from each other and also spaced from the contacts of the other pair, a contact carrier interposed between said two pairs of contact means and comprising two movablel contacts respectively xedly connected to the outer end portions of said contact carrier for respectively and selectively contacting said rst or said second pair of contacts, a reciprocable actuating'rnember for actuating said contact carrier, and resilient coupling arms integral with said contact carrier and respectively extending in cantilever manner along opposite sides of said actuating member and respectively having their free ends hook-shaped and in engagement with said actuating member so as to move therewith, said coupling arms being substantially of uniform length, while their points of engagement with said actuating member and while the two movable contacts of said contact carrier are substantially evenly spaced from the plane of symmetry of said actuating member which extends in the direction of movement of the latter.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which the hook-shaped end of each coupling arm is located between the hook-shaped end of the other arm and the point of connection of the latter with the contact carrier.

References Cited in the le'of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,332,911 Hausier oct-26, 1943 2,472,333 Kohl a June 7, 1949 2,473,088 Bain June 14, 1949 2,518,255 Roeser Aug. 8, 1950 2,526,850 Charbonneau Oct. 24, 1950 2,582,034 Hausler Jan. 8, 1952 2,769,048 Harrold Oct. 30, 1956

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