US3229056A

US3229056A - Switch enclosure with multiple switch and door interlocks

Info

Publication number: US3229056A
Application number: US246630A
Authority: US
Inventors: Merlin Y Turnbull
Original assignee: Square D Co
Current assignee: Schneider Electric USA Inc
Priority date: 1962-12-21
Filing date: 1962-12-21
Publication date: 1966-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 1983-01-11

Description

Jan. 1 1, 1966 M. Y. TURNBULL SWITCH ENCLOSURE WITH MULTIPLE .SWITCH AND DOOR INTERLOCKS Filed Dec. 21, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 llll IN VEN TOR.

@5 ,4 TTOENEY' Jan. 11, 1966 SWITCH ENCLOSURE WITH MULTIPLE SWITCH AND DOOR INTERLOCKS Filed Dec. 21, 1962 M. Y. TURNBULL 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 1 3\W1 1H I 30 3 E h /0// L 51 24 Mll \LLH 4 HP 1N VEN TOR.

OWL,

Jan. 11, 1966 Filed Dec. 21, 1962 M. Y.YTURNBULL SWITCH ENCLOSURE WITH MULTIPLE SWITCH AND DOOR INTERLOCKS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

Jan. 11, 1966 M. Y. TURNBULL 3,229,056

SWITCH ENCLOSURE WITH MULTIPLE SWITCH AND noon INTERLOCKS Filed Dec. 21, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

'ATTO/PNEY Jan. 11, 1966 M. Y. TURNBULL 3,229,056

SWITCH ENCLOSURE WITH MULTIPLE SWITCH AND DOOR INTERLOGKS Filed Dec. 21, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 25" 5 /]Z6 59 64 iii Jan. 11, 1966 M. Y. TURNBULL 3,229,056

SWITCH ENCLOSURE WITH MULTIPLE SWITCH AND DOOR INTERLOCKS Filed Dec. 21, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent Ofiice Patented Jan. 11, 1966 3,229,056 SWITCH ENCLOSURE WITH MULTHPLE SWITCH AND DOOR INTERLOCKS Merlin Y. Tnrnbull, Brooldield, Wis., assignor to Square D Company, Park Ridge, ill., a corporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 21, B62, Ser. No. 246,630 9 Claims. (Cl. 200il) This invention relates to disconnect switch and enclosure combinations of the general type disclosed in Mekelburg et al. US. Letters Patent No. 3,059,072, issued October 16, 1962, and entitled Dust Proof Switch Enclosure With Switch and Door Interlock.

As more fully described in the above patent, the switch operating mechanism is mounted on the interior of the casing or enclosure for operation by a handle on the front wall margin of the enclosure. In the present switch, the switch actuating mechanism is mounted on the switch supporting base and is connected by a self-adjusting link for proper alignment with an operating handle mechanism on the front wall margin of the enclosure.

Further, in the patent, by operating the handle, the switch can be thrown,

(a) to Off position regardless of whether the door is latched, unlatched, open, or closed;

(b) to an On position with the door open only by deliberate manipulation of a defeater accessible within the cabinet; and

(c) to On and Off positions readily when the door is closed and latched.

If the door handle is not fully latched, the switch cannot be turned on.

Again, in the patent, with the door closed and sealed, the door cannot be opened with the switch On, except by manipulation of two separately operable defeaters, one for partially releasing the door latch and the other for operation after the door latch is partially released and the door held slightly ajar for finally releasing the door.

If the door latch is inadvertently left in latching position with the door open, slamming of the door will cause it to close and latch, but in non-sealing relation.

Thus at least two defeater mechanisms must be operated to open the door with the switch On.

The present operating mechanism and door latching mechanism are arranged so that, even with the operating handle and switch in Off position, a defeater must be operated by a tool before the door can be opened. On the other hand, if the switch is On, three defeater mechanisms, each operated by a separate tool, must be operated; one to be operated to release the door operating handle for rotation, a second connected to the door and switch operating handle and to be operated if the switch handle is in On position, and a third to release the door latch to permit its turning by the door handle to disengage the door latch from the enclosure.

Various other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description wherein reference is made to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the switch cabinet embodying the invention, with the door closed and the switch in the Off position;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation similar 'to FIG. 1 showing the switch door open with the switch Off and the door latching mechanism in unlatched position;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the cabinet, taken on line 33 of FIG. 1; the switch being omitted for clearness in illustration;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view simi door.

lar to FIG. 3 showing the switch operating and door interlocking mechanism with the switch in the Off position and the door handle in door closing position;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 6--6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of the switch operating mechanism illustrated in FIG. 5 showing the mechanism in the On position of the switch and handle; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the mechanism illustrated in FIG. 7.

Referring to the drawings, an enclosure of the general character disclosed in the above entitled patent is shown for purposes of illustration and includes a cabinet, in dicat generally at 1, having a back wall 2, side walls 3, and a conventional top wall 4, and bottom wall 5. The cabinet has a front wall 7 in the form of a marginal flange normal to the side walls and a peripheral flange providing a door opening 8 through which access to the interior is afforded for mounting of the switch mechanism and other parts of the structure hereinafter to be described.

The opening 3 is closed by a suitable door 9 which is connected to the cabinet by hinges 10 for swinging about a vertical axis to open and closed positions.

The inner periphery of the front wall 7 has a forwardly projecting peripheral flange 11 and the door has a rearwardly projecting peripheral flange 12 which, in the closed position of the door, surrounds the flange 11 in outwardly spaced relation. A scaling gasket 13 is carried by the door so as to be juxtaposed against the forward edge of the flange ill with sufficient pressure, when the door 9 is drawn tightly into closed position, so as to form an effective dust-proof seal coextensive peripherally with, and surrounding, the opening 8.

It is desirable that the door be capable of being drawn into the sealed position tightly and for this purpose a combined door latching and sealing mechanism is provided. This mechanism comprises a handle 15 mounted by a corotatable shaft 16 for rotation in a suitable bushing 17 welded on the inner face of the door. On the inner end of the shaft 16, an oscillatable member in the form of a plate or spider 18 is mounted for rotation with the handle 15. For drawing the door into tight sealing engagement, sealing devices are provided. These devices include two links, one being a link 19 which is pivotally connected, as indicated at 29, to the plate 21. The link 19 extends downwardly between suitable rolls 22 carried in a bracket 23 mounted on the inside of the door. The rolls support the link 19 for movement endwise downwardly and upwardly and also for limited lateral and rocking movement. Carried on the lower end of the link 19 are rollers 24 which, when the link is in its lowermost position, shown in FIG. 6, engage the inside wall of the inner margin of the front wall 7 of the cabinet and draw and hold the door firmly in sealed position. Upon rotation of the plate 21 and handle 15, in the direction for unlatching the door, the rollers are retracted above the margin of the wall 7 so that the rollers can pass out of the opening 8 readily when the door is opened. A second and upwardly extending link 25 is provided and is similarly pivotally connected at its lower end to the plate 21, as indicated at 26 in FIG. 6, and passes upwardly between rollers 27 mounted on a bracket 28 on the inner face of the At its upper end, the link 25 carries rollers 29 which function in the same manner as, and concurrently with, the rollers 23. A switch 30 is mounted on a plate 31 secured to the back wall 2, and has an operated bale 32.

For latching the handle to prevent its rotation in the door unlatching position, a door handle latching bar 35 is provided. The bar 35 is mounted fixedly on the plate 21 for rotation therewith. The plate has a latching portion 36 offset rearwardly from the door, adapted to cooperate with a defeater to prevent operation of the handle for retracting the

rollers

24 and 29.

For this purpose, a support 37 is secured to the inner face of the wall 7 of the cabinet by bolts 39, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Mounted on the support by a horizontal pivot 40 is a handle latch 41. At its lower end the latch 41 has a head 42 with an upwardly facing latch shoulder 43. In the On position of the switch 3%, the shoulder 43 is adapted to lie beneath the portion 36 of the handle latching bar 35 and thus prevent the portion 36 from movement downwardly, thereby constraining the handle from movement to unlocked or door releasing position.

When the switch is in its Olt position, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the handle 15 must be released from the shoulder 43. Consequently, means are provided for swinging the latch 41 to dispose the shoulder 43 inwardly from beneath the portion 36 when the switch is Off. For this purpose, the latch 41 is provided at a location above its pivot with the finger 44 which, when downward pressure is exerted on the finger, to the right of the pivot 40 in FIG. 5, swings the latch 41 clockwise to the releasing position illustrated in FIG. 5, wherein the shoulder 43 is clear of the path of the portion 36.

In order to operate the switch 30, a switch operating handle is mounted in a suitable housing 51 which in turn, is mounted on the front wall flange 7 of the cabinet. The switch operating handle 50 is pivotally mounted in the housing 51 for swinging about a horizontal pivot from a lower Off position, as illustrated in FIG. 5, upwardly to an On position, illustrated in FIG. 7. Mounted on the lever for oscillation therewith is a cam plate 53. A link 54 is pivotally connected at 55 to the cam plate and at its opposite end, indicated at 56, to a link 57. The link 57 is connected at one end by a pin 58 to an oscillatable disc 59 which is oscillatable about a horizontal pivot 60 on a supporting bracket. The disc 59 is provided with circumferentially spaced lugs 61 and 62 which upon oscillation of the disc in opposite directions about the axis of the pivot 60, respectively, engage the bale 32 of the switch 30, swinging the bale and its associated contact carrier to and from open and closed position, respectively, of the switch.

It is desirable that the bale operate the carrier with a snap action in response to the lever 50, so as to operate the switch with a snap action. For this purpose, the pin 58 of the link 57 operates in a slot 64 in the disc 59. The slot 64 is elongated generally circumferentially relative to the axis of the pivot 60. A spring 65 is connected at one of its ends to the link 57 and at the other end to the disc supporting bracket urges the pin 58 downwardly in FIG. 5. Also connected to the disc 59 is a dead-center spring mechanism including a rod 66 and 'a dead-center spring 67. The rod 66 carries at one end a pin 68 which operates in an elongated slot 69 in the disc 59. The other end of the rod 66 extends through a suitable guide and spring retaining bracket 70, for axial movement relative thereto.

In FIG. 5, in which the switch operating handle 50 is in Off position, the dead-center spring 67 has snapped the disc 59 clockwise to the Off position of the switch. When the handle 50 is swung upwardly to the On position, the disc 59 is moved by pin 58 and link 57 counterclockwise, partway to the position illustrated in FIG. 7, whereupon the dead-center spring 67, having passed dead-center, snaps the disc 59 fully to the position in FIG. 7. Since the bale is between the two

projections

61 and 62, it is moved with a snap action to On and Off positions, all as more fully described in the above identified patent.

As mentioned, it is desirable to require a defeater operation in order to release the handle 15 for releasing the

rollers

24 and 29 for opening the door even when the handle 51 and the switch are in Off position. For this purpose, a first defeater mechanism is provided. The mechanism comprises a rotatable detent arm 75 which is connected for rotation with the rod 76 which, in turn, is rotatably mounted in a housing 77, as shown in FIG. 5 secured to the wall of the door. The outer end 78 of the rod, which is exposed at front of the door, has a transverse slot 7 9 which is adapted to receive a screwdriver for rotating the rod about its axis. The detent arm 75 is biased by a spring 80 into the position illustrated in FIG. 6 wherein it is operative to prevent rotation of the handle 15. In order to render the defeater efiective in this position, a complementary arm 81 is mounted rigidly on plate 21 and has an outer end portion disposed beneath the detent arm 75. Thus when the detent arm 75 is in the normal position, illustrated in FIG. 6, its lower end is in position to engage the upper edge of the arm 81 and prevent the rotation of the plate 21 by the handle 15 in the unlatching direction, which is counterclockwise in FIG. 6. On the other hand, if the screwdriver is inserted in the notch 79, the detent arm 75 can be swung counterclockwise, in FIG. 6, into a position which permits the arm 81 to pass the arm 75, and thereby permits the plate 21 to turn in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 6. This action causes the arm 35 to swing downwardly. Assuming the arm 35 is free to swing downwardly because the shoulder 43 of the bracket 41 is held out of operating locking position therebeneath, then as the arm 81 swings upwardly it engages the detent arm 75 and holds the arm disengaged so that the defeater is inactive. Thus, the handle 15 can be swung sufiiciently to cause the plate 21 to rotate, in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 6, to release

rollers

24 and 29.

Upon turning of the handle 15 back to the original position, the arm 81 releases the detent arm 75, whereupon the spring restores it to the defeating position illustrated in FIG. 6, so that the handle 15 cannot be turned again for releasing the door until the first defeater is rendered inoperative by a tool.

In order to prevent opening of the door when the switch is On, a second defeater is provided. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the door is provided with a latching element 85 which is rigid with the door. This element projects inwardly into the interior of the cabinet when the door is closed. As more fully described in the above identified patent, a defeater lever 86 is pivotally mounted by a pivot 87 in the housing 51, extends inwardly into the enclosure. The lever 86 is urged upwardly by a spring 88 so as to be in position to be engaged by the latch element 85, as illustrated in FIG. 7, when the lever 86 has been swung upwardly by spring 88. The cam plate 53 is provided with cam surface 89 which, in the Oil position of the lever 86, is aligned with a detent 90 on the defeater lever 86. Thus, when the handle 50 is in the Off position of the switch, cam surface 89, by its engagement with the detent 90, holds the lever 86 depressed so that it does not engage the latch element and hence this defeater does not interfere with opening and closing the door if the switch is OE. The cam plate 53 has a notch 91, which, if the handle 50 is moved partway toward On position with the door released or open, receives the detent 90, thereby locking the handle 50 to prevent its movement to On position. When the handle 50 is in a fully On position, the notch is beyond the detent in the counterclockwise direction of rotation of the handle 50. Upon rotation of the handle 50 out of On position, and thereafter entirely to Off position, the cam plate 53 engages the detent 90 and depresses the lever 86, and releasing it from the latch element 35. Of course, after the handle 50 has moved far enough to open the switch, the notch 91 has become eifective to prevent reverse movement of the handle 50 to On position, so that the de feater is in the raised position and hence in latching engagement with the element 85. Thus, the door cannot be opened when the handle 50 is in the On position because of the engagement of the defeater lever 86 with the latch 85.

The pivot of the defeater lever 86 is rotatable with the lever and is provided with a screwdriver slot 92 so that when the handle 50 is in the On position, a screwdriver can be inserted in the slot 92 and turned so as to swing the lever 86 counterclockwise in FIG. 5, thus releasing it from the latch 85 permitting opening of the door, insofar as the second defeater is concerned, while the switch is On.

It is desirable also that the door handle 15 be latched against turning out of latching position of the door at all times when the switch is On, but that it be released for operation when the switch is Ofi. For this purpose, a third defeater is provided. It comprises a rod 95, in two

portions

95a and 95b connected together by a turnbuckle 950 so that the rod can be adjusted effectively for length. The rod portion 95b is slidably mounted at its lower end for aXial movement in the bracket 37. The rod portion 95a is slidably mounted for axial movement with the rod portion 95b, in a suitable bracket 96 on the wall 7. Fixedly mounted on the link 57 is a step 97 which, in the Olf position of the handle 50, rests against the upper end of the rod 95 and holds it in a downward position. In this position, the lower portion 95b of the rod 95 bears against the finger 44 of the handle latch 41 holding it in a lowered and thereby holding the handle latch 41 in the unlatching position shown in FIG. 5. This holds the shoulder 43 out of the Way of the member 35. Thus, when the switch is Off, due to the handle 50 being in Oif position, the shoulder 43 releases the handle 15 for rotation, insofar as the shoulder is concerned. However, to rotate the handle 15 to release the door the detent arm 75 of the first defeater must also be cleared from the path of the arm 81.

On the other hand, when the handle 50 is moved to On position, the end 56 of link 54 moves upwardly and to the left, thus lifting the step 97 from the rod 95. When this occurs, the rod is lifted by the spring 99 clear of the finger 44. Thereupon a tension spring 100 swings the handle latch 41 toward the door, thereby disposing the shoulder 43 in latching relation beneath the portion 36 of the latching bar 35.

Mounted in suitable brackets on the door is a vertically movable rod 195 having at its lower end a foot 106 which, when the handle 15 is in latching position, rests on the member 35 and cannot be moved downwardly until the release of the foot by the member 35. A suitable spring 107, between the foot 106 and the bracket 108 on the bracket 37, urges the rod 105 downwardly. Assuming the door is being opened, handle 15 is rotated so as to remove the member 35 from beneath the foot 106, whereupon the spring 107 moves the rod 105 downwardly. The upper end of the rod 105 is connected to a rocking lever 110 which is mounted by a pivot 111 on the stationary bracket 96. When the rod 105 is moved downwardly by the spring 107, lever 110 'is caused to swing in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot 111, so that its inner end 113, as shown in FIG. 4, disengages the lever 86, thus preventing swinging the handle 50 to the On position while the door is unlatched.

From the drawings, it is apparent that if the switch handle 50 is in the Off position, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the door is free to be opened, except for releasing the detent 75 of thefirst defeater, simply by turning the door handle 15. This is because the defeater lever 86 is held depressed by detent 90 and the cam 53 so that it does not engage the stationary latch 85 on the door. At the same time, the step 97 is in lowered position, hence holding the rod 95 depressed which, in turn, by hearing downwardly on the finger 44, is holding the handle latch 41 in the releasing position shown in FIG. 5, wherein the shoulder 43 is out of the path of the member 35. Thus, all that is necessary in order to turn the handle 15 in the door opening position to withdraw the

rollers

24 and 29 from the inner face of the flange 7 of the cabinet is to insert a screwdriver into the slot 79 and rotate the detent 75 of the first defeater out of position above the arm 81. Thus, when the switch is in Off :position, only the firstdefeater must be operated.

On the other hand, with the switch in the On position, not only must the defeater be operated, but also the defeater lever 86 must be operated by a tool in the slot 92,

inasmuch as has been released by the notch 91 so that it has risen into a position where it is engaged by the latch member 85. In this position, however, the latch 41 is in locking position relative to the bar 35, and it is necessary to operate it to remove the shoulder from beneath the bar 35. For this purpose, a suitable hole 114 is provided in the wall in a position such that a suitable tool can be inserted therethrough and caused to engage the head 42 of the latch 41 and push it rearwardly and remove the shoulder 43 from beneath the bar 35. This releases the bar for downward rotation, which is the direction of rotation caused by rotation of the handle 15 for unlatching the door.

Thus, to open the door, the first defeater, including detent 75, mnst be released by a tool even though the switch is Off.

The second detent, including lever 86, and the third detent, including the door handle latch 41, must be released also if the switch is On.

Also, while the door is unlatched, the lever is released from the lever 36 so that the lever 86 constrains the handle from being moved from Oif to On position.

The switch supporting plate 31 of the switch 30 may be connected to the back wall 2 of the cabinet, or on a panel 115 secured thereon. The support of the disc 59 may be in the form of a bracket, carried on a support 116 bolted to the plate 31 and hence in fixed position relative to the switch. The link 57 is adjustable in length, as illustrated, and is connected sufiiciently loosely to the link 54, cam plate 53, and disc 59 to compensate for slight misalignment of the switch and handle plate 50.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A switch and cabinet combination comprising:

a cabinet having side walls, a rear wall, and a front wall having an access opening which is spaced laterally of the front wall from one side wall, a door having a front face and rear face and hingedly connected to the cabinet for movement to open and closed positions relative to the opening, said front wall having a marginal portion which extends from said one side wall laterally of the cabinet to the adjacent side of the opening and which is disposed, laterally of the cabinet, between said one side wall to the adja cent side of the door in the closed position of the door;

complementary releasable latching means carried on the rear face of the door and on the inside of the cabinet, respectively, and interengageable when the door is closed for latching the door in closed position;

a door handle mounted on the door for movement manually relative thereto and accessible for manual operation at the front face thereof;

operating mechanism interconnecting the door handle and the releasable latching means on the door for moving the latching means on the door to latching and unlatching positions upon movement of the door handle relative to the door to and from latching position, respectively;

a unitary switch device in the cabinet including a switch mounted in fixed position in the cabinet, a switch carried by the support, and snap actuating mechanism mounted on the support for moving the switch to On and Olf positions, respectively, upon movement of the snap actuating mechanism in opposite directions, respectively;

a switch handle mounted on the cabinet at said marginal portion of the front wall for movement relative to said portion in opposite directions to On and Off positions, respectively, and extending forwardly from said marginal portion of the front wall for access for manual operation;

motion transmitting means connecting the switch handle to the snap actuating mechanism for moving the snap actuating mechanism so as to cause it to move the switch to On and Off positions, respectively, consequent upon movement of the switch handle to On and Off positions, respectively;

a defeater mounted in the cabinet for movement to defeating and releasing positions, respectively, said defeater having a latch portion which, in the defeating position, engages said operating mechanism for defeating movement of the operating mechanism to unlatching position by the door handle,

means yieldably urging the defeater to, and for yieldably holding the defeater in, said defeating position,

and means connecting the motion transmitting means to the defeater for moving the defeater to the releasing position, by the motion transmitting means, when the motion transmitting means is operated by the switch handle to move the switch to Off position.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein said operating mechanism includes a latch bar movable by the door handle in fixed relation thereto along a predetermined path;

said defeater comprises a rocking bracket mounted on said marginal portion of the front wall of the cabinet for swinging to and from defeating positions, respectively, and said latch portion of the defeater is a latch shoulder, which, in the defeating position, obstructs the path of the latch bar so as to prevent movement of the door handle to unlatching position;

the means connecting the motion transmitting means to the defeater is a push rod slidably mounted in the cabinet for movement endwise and is operatively connected to the rocking bracket for rockingthe rocking bracket out of defeating position when the rod is moved endwise in one direction and for releasing the rocking bracket when the rod is moved in the opposite direction, and means interconnecting the rod and motion transmitting means for moving the rod in its said one direction when the switch handle is moved to Off position and for releasing the rod when the handle is moved to On position, and means to move the rod in its said opposite direction when the handle is moved to On position.

3. A cabinet having side walls, a rear wall, and a front wall having an access opening which is spaced lateral y of the front wall from one side wall, a door having a front face and rear face and hingedly connected to the cabinet for movement to open and closed positions relative to the opening, said front Wall having a marginal portion which extends from said one side wall laterally of the cabinet to the adjacent side of the opening and which is disposed outwardly, laterally of the cabinet, between said one side wall and the adjacent side of the door in the closed position of the door;

complementary releasable latching means carried on the rear face of the door and on the inside of the cabinet, respectively, and interengageable when the door is closed for latching the door in closed position; door handle mounted on the door for movement manually relative thereto and accessible for manual operation at the front face thereof; operating mechanism interconnecting the door handle and the releasable latching means on the door and for moving the latching means on the door to latching and unlatching positions upon movement of the handle relative to the door to and from latching position, respectively;

a switch in the cabinet;

a switch handle mounted on the said marginal portion of the front wall for movement relative to the front wall in opposite directions, respectively, to On and Off positions, respectively, and extending forwardly from said marginal portion for access for manual operation;

switch actuating mechanism connected to the switch;

means connecting the switch handle to the switch actuating mechanism for operation of the switch actuating mechanism by the switch handle, as the switch handle is moved to said positions, respectively, for moving the switch to On and Off positions, respectively;

switch defeater means carried by the cabinet and movable into and out of defeating positions when moved into defeating position to prevent movement of the switch handle from Off to On position;

means yieldably urging the switch defeater means to defeating position;

a rock lever rockable to active and inactive positions,

respectively;

means interconnecting the rock lever and switch defeater means for moving the switch defeater means out of defeating position in the active position of the rock lever and for releasing the switch defeater means for movement to defeating position in the inactive position of the rock lever;

a slide rod;

means supporting the slide rod for movement endwise in opposite directions, to active and inactive positions, respectively;

means connecting the slide rod and rock lever for rocking the rock lever to its said active position to render the defeater means inoperative when the slide rod is moved to its active position, and for releasing the rock lever for movement to its inactive position, when the rod is moved to its inactive position to render the defeater means operative;

said operating mechanism including a latch bar and means connecting the latch bar to the door handle for movement by the door handle to latching and unlatching positions, respectively;

means connecting the slide rod to the latch bar for moving the slide rod to its active position when the latch bar is moved to latching position, and to release the slide rod for movement to its inactive position when the door handle is moved to unlatching position;

and means for moving the rod to inactive position when it is released by the latch bar, thereby to render the switch defeater means operative.

4. A switch and cabinet combination comprising:

a cabinet having a front wall with an access opening therein, a door hingedly connected to the cabinet for movement to open and closed position relative to the opening;

complementary latch means on the door and cabinet;

a handle mounted on the door for movement relative thereto;

operating means drivingly connecting the handle to the complementary latch means for latching and unlatching the latch means, selectively, by the bandle;

a pair of independently operable defeaters mounted on the door and cabinet, respectively;

abutment means mounted on the operating means, re-

spectively, for movement therebyupon movement of the handle, and engageable by the defeaters, respectively, each when its associated defeater is in defeating position and the door is latched, to prevent release of the complementary latch means by the handle;

means respective to the defeaters and biasing each to its defeating position; and

separate tripping means for the defeaters, each of said tripping means being accessible to a tool from the exterior of the cabinet independently of the other and operable thereby for moving the defeaters out of defeating position.

5. The device according to claim 4 wherein a switch mounted on the cabinet at the inside thereof;

a switch operating handle is mounted on the cabinet for movement to On and Off positions, and has a portion at the outside of the cabinet for manual opperation from the exterior of the cabinet;

an additional latch element is mounted on said door;

a third defeater is mounted in the casing and is movable into engagement with the additional latch element when the door is closed for latching the door in closed positions independently of the defeaters of said pair;

yieldable means urge the third defeater to defeating position;

means connect the third defeater to the switch operating handle for moving the third defeater out of defeating position when the handle is in Olf position, and for releasing the third defeater for movement into defeating position when the switch handle is in On position;

and tool accessible means, accessible by the tool from the outside of the cabinet, connected to the third defeater for moving the third defeater to inoperative positive independently of said defeatcrs of said pair when the handle is in On position.

6. A switch and cabinet combination comprising:

a cabinet having side walls, a rear wall, and a front wall having an access opening which is spaced laterally of the front wall from one side wall, a door having a front face and rear face and hingedly connected to the cabinet for movement to open and closed positions relative to the opening, said front wall having a marginal portion which extends from said one side wall laterally of the cabinet to the adjacent side of the opening and which is disposed laterally of the cabinet, between said one side wall and the adjacent side of the door in the closed position of the door;

complementary releasable latching means on the door and cabinet, respectively;

a movable door handle on the door;

operating mechanism mounted on the door for oscillation about a fixed axis; means connecting the handle to said mechanism for oscillating the operating mechanism by the door handle;

means connecting the operating mechanism to the complementary releasable latching means for releasing the same when the handle is moved to unlatching position and for latching the same when the handle is moved to latching position;

a latch bar on the operating mechanism and movable thereby about the axis of oscillation of the operating mechanism;

a defeater latch bracket mounted on the inside of the front wall for swinging forwardly toward the front wall to operative position, and rearwardly from the front wall to inoperative position;

said defeater latch bracket having a shoulder which, in the operative position of the defeater latch bracket, with the handle in latching position, is in a defeating position wherein it defeats movement of the latch bar, and thereby the operating mechanism and door handle, to unlatching position;

and said cabinet having an aperture in said marginal portion for admitting a tool for pushing the defeater latch bracket in a direction away from the front wall for moving its shoulder out of defeating position with respect to the latch bar.

7. The structure according to claim 6 and further including:

a switch mounted in the cabinet;

a switch handle carried by said portion of the cabinet and movable to On and Off positions and having a portion exposed in front of the front wall of the cabinet for manipulation from outside the cabinet;

switch actuating mechanism in the cabinet;

means connecting the switch actuating mechanism to the switch;

means connecting the handle to the switch actuating mechanism for operating the switch actuating mechanism as the handle is moved to said positions, respectively, for thereby moving the switch to On and Oif positions, respectively;

a push rod;

means supporting the push rod for endwise movement;

means operatively connecting the rod and the defeater latch bracket for swinging the defeater latch bracket away from said wall portion out of defeating position with respect to the latch bar upon endwise movement of the rod in one direction, and for releasing from the defeater latch bracket upon movement of the rod in the opposite direction;

means connecting the rod and switch handle for moving the rod in said one direction when the switch handle is moved to Off position and for releasing the rod for movement in the opposite direction when the switch handle is moved to On position;

means for moving the rod in the opposite direction when the rod is released; and

means connected to the defeater latch bracket for returning the defeater latch bracket to operative position when the rod is moved in said opposite direction.

8. The structure according to claim 6 wherein, a second latch bar is provided;

means connect the second latch bar to the operating mechanism for oscillation therewith;

a spring biased defeater is carried by the door and normally engages said second latch bar for preventing movement of the door handle to unlatching position; and

means are provided on the spring biased defeater which are accessible for operation by a tool from the exterior of the cabinet and manipulatable thereby for disengaging the spring biased defeater from the second latch bar.

9. The structure according to claim 8 wherein a switch is provided in the cabinet;

a switch operating handle is mounted on the cabinet and has a portion extending forwardly from the cabinet for manual movement to On and Oif positions;

means drivingly connect the switch handle and switch;

a third defeater is mounted on the cabinet at the inside thereof and operatively connected to the switch handle for preventing movement of the switch handle to On position when the door handle is in unlatched position;

means are provided which are operated by movement of the door handle to render the third defeater inactive when the door handle is moved into latched position;

and means are connected to the third defeater and accessible by a tool from the exterior of the cabinet to move the third defeater to inoperative position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,568,508 1/1926 Johnson 200-172 3,059,072 10/ 1962 Mekelburg 20050 3,089,928 5/1963 Rexford 20050 KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Primary Examiner.

BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,229,056 January 11, 1966 Merlin Y. Turnbull rror appears in the above numbered pat- It is hereby certified that e tters Patent should read as ent requiring correction and that the said Le corrected below.

Column 6, line 61, after "switch" insert support column 9, line 17, for positive" read position Signed and sealed this 6th day of December 1966.

I Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents EDWARD J. BRENNER

Claims

1. A SWITCH AND CABINET COMBINATION COMPRISING: A CABINET HAVING SIDE WALLS, A REAR WALLS, AND A FRONT WALL HAVING AN ACCESS OPENING WHICH IS SPACED LATERALLY OF THE FRONT WALL FROM ONE SIDE WALL, A DOOR HAVING A FRONT FACE AND REAR FACE AND HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE CABINET FOR MOVEMENT TO OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS RELATIVE TO THE OPENING, SAID FRONT WALL HAVING A MARGINAL PORTION WHICH EXTENDS FROM SAID ONE SAID WALL LATERALLY OF THE CABINET TO THE ADJACENT SIDE OF THE OPENING AND WHICH IS DISPOSED, LATERALLY OF THE CABINET, BETWEEN SAID ONE SIDE WALL TO THE ADJACENT SIDE OF THE DOOR IN THE CLOSED POSITION OF THE DOOR; COMPLEMENTARY RELEASABLE LATCHING MEANS CARRIED ON THE REAR FACE OF THE DOOR AND ON THE INSIDE OF THE CABINET, RESPECTIVELY, AND INTERENGAGEABLE WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED FOR LATCHING THE DOOR IN CLOSED POSITION; A DOOR HANDLE MOUNTED ON THE DOOR FOR MOVEMENT MANUALLY RELATIVE THERETO AND ACCESSIBLE FOR MANUAL OPERATION AT THE FRONT FACE THEREOF; OPERATING MECHANISM INTERCONNECTING THE DOOR HANDLE AND THE RELEASABLE LATCHING MEANS ON THE DOOR FOR MOVING THE LATCHING MEANS ON THE DOOR TO LATCHING AND UNLATCHING POSITIONS UPON MOVEMENT OF THE DOOR HANDLE RELATIVE TO THE DOOR TO AND FROM LATCHING POSITION, RESPECTIVELY; A UNITARY SWITCH DEVICE IN THE CABINET INCLUDING A SWITCHING MOUNTED IN FIXED POSITION IN THE CABINET, A SWITCH CARRIED BY THE SUPPORT, AND SNAP ACTUATING MECHANISM MOUNTED ON THE SUPPORT FOR MOVING THE SWITCH TO ON AND OFF POSITIONS, RESPECTIVELY, UPON MOVEMENT OF THE SNAP ACTUATING MECHANISM IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, RESPECTIVELY; A SWITCH HANDLE MOUNTED ON THE CABINET AT SAID MARGINAL PORTION OF THE FRONT WALL FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID PORTION IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS TO ON AND OFF POSITIONS, RESPECTIVELY, AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY FROM SAID MARGINAL PORTION OF THE FRONT WALL FOR ACCESS FOR MANUAL OPERATION;