US1498361A - Circuit-continuing device - Google Patents

Description

,Fumev 17 E92@D H. A. DOUGLAS CIRCUIT CONTINUING DEVICE Filed April I. 1921 y 7:9 J4, @mg/@S @ly/55@ Patented June 17, 1924."

HARRY A. DOUGLAS, OF BRONSON, MICHIGAN.

CIRCUIT-CONTINUING DEVICE.

Application led April 4, 1921.

tinuing Devices, -of which the following iS.

a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

My invention relates to circuit continuing devices employing shells with contact .carriers therein which carry contacts adapted for engagement with eomplemental contacts provided upon other carriers.

As I have embodied my invention the shell of such a circuit continuing device is also formed to enable another contact carrier to be assembled with one end of the shell Wherebycomplemental contacts upon both contact carriers are engaged. The invention is notto be limited, however, to a' shell carrying more than one contact carrier vas it relates particularly to the assembly of the contact carrier that is within the shell. In effecting such assembly I employ a spring carried by the shell and engaging the contact carrier therein to maintain it in assembly with the shell. The spring is preferably in the form of a bar as distinguished from a coil, the bar being desirably rectangular in cross section, though the invention is not to be thus limited.

In accordance with' another characteristic of the invention a spring which is carried by the shell projects into an elongated channel provided vin the contact carrier to permit the movement of the contact carrier into circuit opening and closing positions.

The elongated channel is desirably arranged A transversely of the contact carrier and the contact carrier'is preferably rotatable Within the shell whereby it may be changed into circuit opening and closing positions while still being maintained inv assembly with the shell by means of the aforesaid spring.'

In accordance with another characteristic of the invention the shell is made metallic and is included in circuit by means of a contact thereon which engages a contact upon the contact carrier Within the shell, and by turning or moving this contact carri-er the contact thereon is brought into or out of connection with the contact upon the shell to make or break the circuit.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation,

serial No. 458,560.

partially in section, showing a circuit continuing device constructed in accordancei'with the preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken at right angles to the ldirection in which Fig, 1 is taken; Fig. 3 isa sectional view,

on alarger scale, on line I3 3 of Fig. 1

showing a circuit closing adjustment of the device; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the circuit opening adjustment of the device; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of a circuit continuing device employing a modification; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional View of apart of a circuit continuing device employing another modification; Fi 7 is a sectional view on line 7-7 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 8--8 of Fig. 6.

Likeparts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the different figures.

Referring first more particularly to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive the shell 1 is metallic and carries within its.

bore an insulating contact carrier 2 and at one end it also carries another Contact carrier 3 which happens to be in the form of a base of an incandescent lamp 4, though the invention is not to be thus restricted. The incandescent lamp base 3 carries bayonet pins 5 which are receivable within bayonet slots 6 `formed in the shell 1. The circuit continuing device illustrated is a socalled single pole construction, my invention being of particular service in connection with such a construction, though it is not to be limited to such an employment.

IIn a single pole arrangement the lamp base is coupled with a. metallic sheath that constitutes one terminal of the lamp filament 7 and is included in circuit by engaging the metallic shell that is suitably connected with one terminal of a source of current that supplies the lamp. The other terminal of the filament is in the form of a contact 8 upon the lamp base, this contact being engageable with a complemental contact 9 that is provided upon the carrier 2 and is suitably connected with the remaining terminal of the source of current. The contact 9 is pressed into engagement with the contact 8 by means of a spring 10 housed within a metallic spring barrel 11. The contact carrier 2 also supports alconductor 12 which is connected with a current conducting wire 13 electrically connected with the conductor 12 by the conductor 15 is connected with the shell 1 as by means of a metallic spring 18 which preferably also serves to maintain the shell and contact carrier 2 in assembly. This spring is in the zone of contact 15. The circuit for the incandescent lamp established by the circuit continuing device includes the wire 13, the conductor 12, the contact 9, the spring barrel 11, the wire 19, connecting the spring barrel 11 and the conductor 12, the contact 8, the lamp iilamentv?, the metallic sheath upon the lamp base, the shell 1, the contact spring 18 and the wire 16.

ln order that .the circuit of the lamp may be opened or closed, the contact carrier 2 is movably mounted within the shell preferably to turn therein, the free end of the spring 18 projecting Within an elongated channel 20 formed in and transversely of the carrier 2. ln the drawing 'the width of this channel is somewhat exaggerated in order to make the construction more clear, the channel co-operating with. the spring to maintain the contact carrier 2 in its zone of rotation. When the construction is embodied in a single pole arrangement the channel 2O is made suciently deep to expose the conductor 15 so that it may be engaged by the free end of the contact spring 18 when the contact carrier 2 is turned to circuit closing position, the conductor ,15 vbeing removed from engagement with said contact spring when the contact carrier 2 is given a reverse movement, to open the cir' cuit.

'llhe channel 20 is of such length and the spring 18 is so flexed and shaped that the contact carrier 2 will be held by the spring in either of the positions to which the contact carrier is turned.

A handle 21 is coupled with the contact carrier 2 and projects through a slot 22 formed transversely in the shell 1. By

. means of this handle suitable turning movements of the contact carrier may be effected. 'llhe slot 22 is provided with an enlargement 23 through which the larger inner end of the handle 21 may be passed in assembling the handle with the contact carrier 2, as set forth in my co-pending application Serial No. 458,555, filed Apr. 4, 1921.

A. connecting plug 24, carrying plug terminals 25 and 26, may be inserted through an opening in the side of the shell 1, the plug terminals 25, 26 entering lateral openings in the conductors 12 and 15, also as set forth in my said co-pending application. As shown, the plug terminals 25, 26 become elec- Maasai trically connected with the rearwardly spring pressed contacts 27 and 28 that are carried by and are in electrical connection with the conductors 12 and 15. By this arrangement the same Wires 13 and 16 by which current is supplied to the lamp may also serve to supply current to any translating device which is connected with the plug terminals 25 and 26. 'llhe opening in the shell 1 through which the plug 24 is passed is so related to the contact carrier 2 that this Contact carrier is held in a circuit closing position when the plug 24 is in position, it being necessary to remove said plug when the contact carrier 2 is returned to a circuit opening position. This characteristic also forms the subject matter of my aforesaid copending application.

The spring 18 is preferably separately formed from the shell 1 although the invention is not to be thus restricted.

lln the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5 the contact carrier 2 is to be confined to its plane of rotation by the handle 21, the contact spring 29 that is electrically connected with the shell 1 performing, in the structure of Fig. 5, the mere function of connecting the conductor 15 with said shell. By turning the contact carrier 2 the conductor 15 is either brought into electrical connection with the contact 29, as shown by full lines in Fig. 7, to close the circuit, or is brought out of engagement with such contact to open the circuit as indicated by dot and dash lines in Fig. 7.

1n the. construction of Fig. 6 the conductor 30 that is electrically connected with the shell 1 in lieu of the spring 18 or the contact 29 need not be in the nature 'of a spring as, in the construction of Fig. 6, there is a forwardly spring pressed contact 31 that is electrically connected with the conductor 15 whereby this conductor is brought into electrical connection with the shell 1. By turning the contact carrier 2 in the structure of Fig. 6 the conductor 15 isy either brought into electrical connection with the contact 30, as shown in full lines in Fig. 8, to close the circuit, or is brought out of engagement with such contact toopen the circuit as indicated in dotand dash lines in Fig. 8.

'While l have herein shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of my invention ll do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown as changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of my invention,

but having thus described my invention ll claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following 1. A circuit continuing device including a shell; a contact carrier Within said shell; a contact upon and accessible at a side of said carrier; and a spring upon said shell and engaging a side of the carrier to hold lll@ it in the position to which it is moved, said contact being positioned to be engageable with said spring and said carrier being movable to bring the contact thereon into and out of engagement with said spring. f

2. A circuit continuing device including a shell; a contact carrier Within said shell; a contact upon and accessible at a side of said carrier; and a contact upon said shell,-

said contacts being positioned to be engageable and separable and said carrier being movable to bring the contacts into and out of engagement.

3. A circuit continuing device including a shell; a contact carrier Within said shell; a contact upon and accessible at a side' of said carrier; and a spring upon said'shell in the zone of the aforesaid contact and engaging a side of the carrier to hold it in the position to which itis moved, said contact being 20 positioned to be engageable with said spring and said carrier being mounted to' turn to bring the contact thereon into and out of engagement with said spring.

4. A circuit continuing device including -25 contacts being positioned' to be engageable and separable and said carrier being mounted to turn to bring the contacts into and out of engagement.-

In Witness 'whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 30th day' of March, 35

HARRY A. DOUGLAS.

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