DOUBLE BLADE ROTOR SWITCH WITH BLADES INSERTABLE INTO ROTATABLE SHAFT

• US 3,632,935 A
• Filed: 01/22/1970
• Issued: 01/04/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Louis T. Stegmaier
• Original Assignee: Louis T. Stegmaier
• Inventors: Stegmaier, Louis T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jr., David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vanderhye, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US05/004,941
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 200/166E,166BG,155,144,162,11,11G,11H
• US Class Current: 200/571
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/365 Bridging contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 11/06 Fixing of contacts to carrier ; Fixing of contacts to insulating carrier

Abstract

A multipole, double-break, contact-rotor electrical switch is provided having an elongated rotor carrying a pair of radially extending contact blades at each pole with each blade being biased toward the other and having a single locator positioned between each pair of blades. The locator not only serves to continuously maintain its respective contact blades in spaced parallel relation upon being disengaged from stationary switch contacts, but additionally coacts with the blades and the rotor to provide a self-locking assembly and restrains the blades against undesired longitudinal movement.

Claims

1. An electrical switching apparatus comprising:

a. a support having a pair of spaced-apart stationary contacts thereon, b. a rotor mounted on said support and carrying a pair of bridging contact blades extending laterally of the rotational axis of the rotor for angular movement in opposite contact opening and closing directions, c. a locator trapped relative to the rotor between the contact blades in interfering relation to longitudinal displacement thereof laterally of the rotor while continuously maintaining the contact blades in spaced parallel relation upon disengagement from the stationary contact, d. the contact blades being biased toward one another for intimately engaging each stationary contact upon rotating the rotor in a contact closing direction to a closed circuit position with the stationary contact interposed between the contact blades, e. said rotor having a transverse opening therethrough, f. said contact blades and said locator extending through said rotor opening, g. said locator having a length less than that of said contact blades but greater than the transverse dimension of said rotor opening, h. said locator being positioned centrally between said contact blades, i. said contact blades each having confronting surfaces having a pair of projections respectively engaging opposite ends of said locator, and j. the opposite ends of said locator each having an enlarged portion providing shoulders for engaging said rotor and portions coacting with said contact blade projections to retain said contact blades and said locator in assembled relation against unintended longiTudinal displacement relative to said rotor.

2. Electrical switching apparatus comprising:

a. a support having a pair of spaced-apart stationary contacts thereon, b. an elongated rotor mounted on said support and extending longitudinally between said stationary contacts in a direction substantially perpendicular to a line drawn between said contacts, c. said rotor having a noncircular opening extending therethrough in a direction at right angles to its longitudinal axis, said opening having a width dimension in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis, said opening having a height dimension in a direction at right angles to said width dimension, said opening having a length dimension in a direction extending transversely of said rotor and substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, d. a combined spacer-and-locator member in said opening of said rotor, the intermediate portion of said member having a width slightly less than said height of said opening, said member having abutment shoulders at its opposite end portions engaging a wall of said rotor adjacent said opening and preventing substantial longitudinal movement of said member when in operating position in said opening, e. a pair of elongated contact blades in said opening on opposite sides of said spacer-locator member, abutment portions carried by each of said contact blades and engaging said spacer-locator member and preventing substantial longitudinal movement of said blades in said hole when in operative position, f. biasing means carried by said rotor and acting between a wall of said opening and at least one of said contact blades and urging said contact blade toward the other of said contact blades, g. said abutments on said spacer-locator member being spaced and dimensioned so that said member can pass through said opening when tilted in diagonal relation to said generally rectangular opening and then rotated to its operative position, h. said contact blades having no transverse dimension greater than said height of said opening, whereby each of said contact blades can be slid endwise into said opening to a position in which said biasing means acts thereon to move said contact blade laterally into operative position in engagement with said spacer-locator member.

3. Electrical switching apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which said biasing means comprises a pair of spring members, each acting between a wall of said opening and one of said contact blades, said pair of spring members serving to hold said contact blades and said spacer member generally centrally of said opening.

4. Electrical switching apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which said biasing means comprises a pair of elongated flat strip bowed spring members each having a flat side against a corresponding flat wall of said opening and serving to maintain said contact blade assembly in stable normal position with the major flat planar surfaces of said contact blades parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the axis of said rotor.

5. Electrical switching apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which the elongated contact blades have a generally U-shaped cross section substantially uniformly throughout the length thereof.