US3317868A

US3317868A - Relay mounting distortion elimination bracket

Info

Publication number: US3317868A
Application number: US458967A
Authority: US
Inventors: William A Depner
Original assignee: Automatic Electric Laboratories Inc
Current assignee: Automatic Electric Laboratories Inc
Priority date: 1965-05-26
Filing date: 1965-05-26
Publication date: 1967-05-02
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-02

Description

May 2, 1967 w. A. DEPNER RELAY MOUNTING DI$TORTION ELIMINATION BRACKET Filed May 26, 1965 INVENTOR WILLIA .DEPNER /;z% Z\ United States Patent 3,317,868 RELAY MUUNTHNG DISTORTION ELIMINATION BRACKET William A. Depner, Napervillc, Ill., assignor to Automatic Electric Laboratories, Inc., Northlake, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 26, 1965, Ser. No. 458,967 4 Claims. (Cl. 335-132) This invention relates to the mounting of relays and in particular to the mounting of telephone type relays.

Presently telephone type relays are mounted directly by their L-shaped heelpieces to their respective base plates. This is accomplished by means of fastening screws which pass through apertures in the base plate and are received by threaded apertures in the shorter leg of the heelpiece. The fastening screws are tightened until the heelpiece is drawn firmly against the base plate. However, since base plates and heelpieces are very often manufactured with minutely irregular surfaces, a mounted relay will not always fit flush against the base plate, and consequently distortion will occur in the heelpiece.

The leg of the heelpiece not used in mounting the relay to the base plate and which protrudes from the base plate, usually is long in relation to the leg used to fasten the relay to the base plate. The moving components of the relay are attached to this longer leg, therefore any distortion occurring at the fastened leg will be greatly multiplied and magnified at the free end of the longer leg. For example, the armature of the relay is attached to the free end of the longer leg of the heelpiece and makes contact with the free end of the core, the latter ordinarily being mounted to the shorter leg of the heelpiece and running parallel to and in the same direction as the protruding leg of the heelpiece. When the coil of the relay is energized, the armature is pulled against the free end of the core, and simultaneously the armature operates contact springs which are also attached to the longer, protruding leg of the heelpiece. After the relay has been assembled, the armature is precisely adjusted to obtain the correct air gap between the armature and the free end of the core. If, at the time the relay is subsequently mounted, the heelpiece becomes distorted, for instance because of the aforementioned irregularity, there will be a change in the physical relation of the core to the heelpiece, and thus a change in the air gap. If this occurs, the stroke of the armature will be different from what it was prior to the mounting, in which case the functioning of the associated contact springs will also be affected. Because of this distortion and the resultant change in relay adjustment, the operation of the relay will be adversely affected and its useful life may be shortened. To remedy this, the relay user has to re-adjust each relay subsequent to mounting. This is costly and it requires time which might be more usefully spent.

To substantially avoid the distortion causing these problems and thus negate the need for re-adjustment of mounted relays the invention proposes to mount the relay through the medium of a mounting bracket designed so as to absorb the mounting forces and thereby substantially eliminate distortions of the relay.

The bracket shown in the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein is L-shaped, as is the heelpiece of the relay, and is made to fit over and conform to the contours of the heelpiece. The bracket as disclosed is attached to the heelpiece at two locations; to the longer leg of the heelpiece by means of the pile-up screws, and to the shorter leg by means of the core screw. However, the bracket may be attached to the heelpiece in other suitable ways if desired.

The bracket has a number of embossed portions on its 3,317,868 Patented May 2, 1967 shorter leg, and each embossed portion has a threaded aperture therethrough. These embossed portions are received by apertures in the shorter leg of the heelpiece which are somewhat larger in diameter than the embossed portions so that there will be a loose fit, allowing the embossed portions to move within the apertures without transferring the movement to the heelpiece.

The relay is mounted to the base plate by means of fastening screws which pass through apertures in the base plate and fasten into the threaded apertures in the embossed portions of the bracket; thus if distortion occurs it will be substantially absorbed by the bracket and not transferred to the heelpiece.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a means by which distortions due to the mounting of relays may be substantially eliminated.

Another object of this invention is to eliminate the need for having to re-adjust relays once they are mounted on their respective base plates.

A feature of this invention is the indirect manner in which a relay is mounted through the medium of a bracket, whereby the bracket absorbs mounting forces which may arise and which would, without the bracket, be absorbed directly by the heelpiece.

Other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the relay assembly including a mounting bracket and associated cover according to the invention. The figure shows how the bracket is to be used to mount the relay to a base plate,

FIG. 2 is a side view of the relay of FIG. I mounted to its base plate by means of the mounting bracket, but with the cover removed.

FIG. 3 is a sectioned side view of the heelpiece of the relay of FIGS. 1 and 2 and the mounting bracket, showing the embossed portion of the bracket and the manner in which the bracket overlies the heelpiece.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the mounting bracket according to the invention, to be used with a difierent type of relay whose heelpiece is shown.

FIG. 1 shows that mounting bracket 12 is fastened in an overlying manner to heelpiece 11 of relay 10 by screws, such as 14 which pass through apertures, such as 15, in spring pile-up 16, then through apertures, such as 17 in mounting bracket 12, and are finally received by threaded apertures, such as 18, in heelpiece 11. Screws, such as 14, also serve to fasten spring pile-up 16 to heelpiece 11. Mounting bracket 12 is also fastened to heelpiece 11 by screw 19 which passes through aperture 20 in mounting bracket 12 and into threaded aperture 21 in core 22 (shown in FIG. 2) which carries coil 43 of relay 10. Screw 19 simultaneously fastens core 22 and associated coil 43 of relay 10 to heelpiece 11.

Relay 10 is mounted to base plate 13 indirectly by means of mounting bracket 12 at a point intermediate the points of attachment of mounting bracket 12 to heelpiece 11. Screws, such as 23, pass through apertures, such as 24, in base plate 13 and are received by threaded apertures, such as 41, in embossed portions, such as 25 (shown in FIG. 3). By indirectly mounting relay 10 to base plate 13 through the medium of mounting bracket 12, distortions which may occur in the mounting are transferred to mounting bracket 12 and not to heelpiece 11. Consequently, re-adjustment of relay 10, once mounted, will not be necessary.

Cover 26, made from a transparent plastic, as shown, but which may be constructed from any suitable material,

slides onto mounting bracket 12 by means of cut-outs 27 on the inside of cover 26, and along sides 28 of mounting bracket 12. When apertures 29 in cover 26 reach projections 30 on mounting bracket 12, cover 26 snaps onto mounting bracket 12. Cover 26 is provided to prevent damage to spring pile-up 16 due to the handling of relay 10, and cover 26 also may be used once relay is mounted to base plate 13 to prevent dust from settling on contacts 31 of spring pile-up 16.

FIG. 2 shows an assembled side view of relay 10 of FIG. 1 mounted to base plate 13 through the medium of mounting bracket 12. It can be seen that when screws 23 are tightened, mounting bracket 12 and base plate 13 are pressed together. Any irregularities in the surfaces will tend to distort mounting bracket 12, but since mounting bracket 12 is independent of heelpiece 11 of relay 10 at the point of mounting virtually all of the forces tending to cause distortion will be absorbed by mounting bracket 12 and consequently not be transferred to heelpiece 11. If mounting bracket 12 were not used, heelpiece 11 and base plate 13 would be pressed together when screws, such as 23, were tightened. Heelpiece 11 would then absorb the distortion and in doing so would change the pre-adjusted relationship between armature 32 and core 22, thus changing stroke 223 of relay 10. If stroke 223 of relay 10 is changed, armature arm 224 will operate the springs 216 irregularly and relay 10 will have to be readjusted. Thus thorugh the medium of mounting bracket 12, a need for re-adjustment of relay 10, once mounted, is avoided. This in turn not only saves time but money as well.

FIG. 3 shows mounting bracket bracket 12 in position overlying heelpiece 11. In this view it can be seen that mounting bracket 12 has an embossed portion which extends into aperture 340 in heelpiece 11. Aperture 340 is large enough to allow embossed portion 25 to move within aperture 340 when fastening screws are tightened into threaded aperture 41 in embossed portion 25. Thus distortions occurring in mounting bracket 12 due to mounting are not transferred to heelpiece 11.

FIG. 4 shows a heelpiece 411 of a different type of relay, called the Class C Relay, shown in Automatic Electric Tech. Bulletin 537, Relays Class B and C, page 6, and its mounting bracket 412. Mounting bracket 412 is used in a similar manner as mounting bracket 12 in FIG. 1, as it provides substantial distortion elimination due to mounting.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broadest aspects and therefore the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as in the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An arrangement for mounting a relay to a base plate, said relay comprising an L-shaped heelpiece having a first and second leg, a core, a screw mounting said core to said first leg, said first leg including therein at least one hole having a predetermined diameter, said core extending in the same direction and parallel to said second leg, a spring pile-up, and screws attaching said spring pileup to said second leg, said arrangement comprising: an L-shaped bracket having first and second legs, the first leg of said bracket including at least one embossed portion with a threaded aperture, said portion having an outside diameter sufficiently smaller than said predetermined diameter of said one hole so as to clear said heelpiece, the two legs of said L-shaped bracket being attached to the two legs of said heelpiece by said core screw and said pile-up screws, respectively, so that the legs of said bracket overlies the corresponding legs of said heelpiece with said one embossed portion being received in said one hole in said heelpiece, and at least one fastening screw for securing said bracket to said base plate, said fastening screw received in the threaded aperture in said one embossed portion, whereby said relay is mounted to said base plate substantially without transferring mechanical distortions to said relay, through the medium of said bracket.

2. An arrangement for mounting a relay to a base plate as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one hole in the heelpiece is located intermediate said core screw and said pile-up screws, and wherein the second leg of said bracket includes, slidably attached thereto, a cover for protecting said spring pile-up.

3. An arrangement for mounting a relay to a base plate, said relay comprising an L-shaped heelpiece having a first and second leg, a core and a coil thereon, a screw mounting said core to said first leg, said first leg including therein at least one hole having a predetermined diameter, said core extending in the same direction and parallel to said second leg, a spring pile-up, screws attaching said spring pile-up to said second leg, and an armature attached to the free end of said second leg so that upon energization of said coil said armature will be magnetically attracted to said core, said arrangement comprising: an L-shaped bracket having first and second legs, the first leg of said bracket including at least one embossed portion with a threaded aperture, said portion having an outside diameter sufficiently smaller than said predetermined diameter of said one hole so as to clear said heelpiece, the two legs of said L-shaped bracket being attached to the two legs of said heelpiece by said core screw and said pile-up screws, respectively, so that the legs of said bracket overlies the corresponding legs of said heelpiece with said one embossed portion being received in said one hole in said heelpiece, a cover attached to said second leg of said bracket for protecting said spring pile-up, and at least one fastening screw for securing said bracket to said base plate, said fastening screw received in the threaded aperture in said one embossed portion, whereby distortion of said heelpiece and core, and resultant changes in the adjustment of said relay are minimized.

4. A bracket for the mounting of a relay to a base plate by means of at least one fastening screw, said relay being of the type comprising an L-shaped heelpiece having a first and second leg, said first leg having at least one aperture therethrough, said aperture having a predetermined diameter, said bracket being L-shaped and having a first and second leg with means for attaching said bracket to said heelpiece in an overlying relationship, said first leg of said bracket having at least one embossed portion to be received by said one aperture in said first leg of said heelpiece, said embossed portion having an outside diameter sufiiciently smaller than said predetermined diameter of said one aperture so as to clear said heelpiece, and said embossed portion having a threaded aperture therethrough for receiving said one fastening screw, whereby said relay may be mounted to said base plate, substantially without transferring mechanical distortions to said relay, through the medium of said bracket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 592,432 10/1897 MoBerty 335-128 1,185,369 5/1916 Cook 335-128 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

R. N. ENVALL, 1a., Assistant Examiner.

Claims

4. A BRACKET FOR THE MOUNTING OF A RELAY TO A BASE PLATE BY MEANS OF AT LEAST ONE FASTENING SCREW, SAID RELAY BEING OF THE TYPE COMPRISING AN L-SHAPED HEELPIECE HAVING A FIRST AND SECOND LEG, SAID FIRST LEG HAVING AT LEAST ONE APERTURE THERETHROUGH, SAID APERTURE HAVING A PREDETERMINED DIAMETER, SAID BRACKET BEING L-SHAPED AND HAVING A FIRST AND SECOND LEG WITH MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID BRACKET TO SAID HEELPIECE IN AN OVERLYING RELATIONSHIP, SAID FIRST LEG OF SAID BRACKET HAVING AT LEAST ONE EMBOSSED PORTION TO BE RECEIVED BY SAID ONE APERTURE IN SAID FIRST LEG OF SAID HEELPIECE, SAID EMBOSSED PORTION HAVING AN OUTSIDE DIAMETER SUFFICIENTLY SMALLER THAN SAID PREDETERMINED DIAMETER OF SAID ONE APERTURE SO AS TO CLEAR SAID HEELPIECE, AND SAID EMBOSSED PORTION HAVING A THREADED APERTURE THERETHROUGH FOR RECEIVING SAID ONE FASTENING SCREW, WHEREBY SAID RELAY MAY BE MOUNTED TO SAID BASE PLATE, SUBSTANTIALLY WITHOUT TRANSFERRING MECHANICAL DISTORTIONS TO SAID RELAY, THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF SAID BRACKET.