US2686433A - Lever actuated alternate action switch - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 17, 1954 A. R. KOCH r 2,686,433

LEVER ACTUATED ALTERNATE ACTION SWITCH Filed bet. 8, 1951 Patented Aug. 17, 1954 LEVER ACTUATED ALTERNATE ACTION SWITCH Alfred Richard Koch, Freeport, 111., assignor to Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application October 8, 1951, Serial No. 250,280

13 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an actuating mechanism, and particularly to a lever-operated actuating mechanism for operating alternate action mechanisms.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel lever-operated actuating mechanism in which a pivoted actuator is biased to a predetermined position relative to the lever on which it is mounted.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel lever-operated actuating mechanism in which the lever is biased to a predetermined limiting position and an actuator pivoted on the lever is biased to a predetermined position relative to the lever.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel lever-operated actuating mechanism in which a single spring biases the lever to a predetermined limiting position and biases an actuator pivoted on the lever to a position perpendicular to the lever.

Also among the objects of this invention is the provision of a novel actuating mechanism in which the actuating portion is adapted to be deflected from its line of free movement upon engagement with the operated mechanism and to return to its original position upon release of the operating force on the actuating mechanism, which is simple and rugged in construction, and. which is adapted for moving an alternate action mechanism between two stable positions.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of one form of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevational View of the actuating mechanism of the present invention mounted on an alternate action snap switch;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the actuating mechanism and switch of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the Fig. 1 switch with the top cover and actuating mechanism therefor removed;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the actuator member of the Fig. 1 actuating mechanism; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lever which supports the actuator member of the Fig. 1 actuating mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, the actuating mechanism is shown operatively associated with a toggle-operated, alternate action snap switch of known design and mode of operation. The switch includes a snap spring system I which includes a pair of parallel spaced tension members 2. mounted at one end on the switch base 3 by means of upper and lower flat U-shaped anchor plates 4. The tension members are interconnected at their opposite ends with a compression member 5 and carry a mobile contact 6 thereat. A toggle member 1 is pivotally mounted on one edge of the cross piece 8 interconnecting the tension members intermediate their lengths. A groove 9 formed in the toggle member in its face opposite its pivotal mounting receives the free end. of the compression member 5 to maintain the latter in bowed compression. Spaced stationary stops I0, one or both of which may be contacts, define the extreme limits of movement of the mobile contact 6 in either direction. Snap action movement of the mobile contact between these stops is effected by pivotal movement of the toggle 1 between limiting positions determined respectively by the engagement of the lower face of the toggle arm I l with the base 3 and the engagement of the lower face of the toggle arm l2, positioned at the opposite side of the pivotal axis of the toggle, with the base. Such pivotal movement of the toggle causes the toggle groove 9 to move the compression member 5 of the snap spring system through an axis of maximum stress to efiect the snap action movement of the mobile contact. For effecting this pivotal movement of the toggle there is provided the actuating mechanism of the present invention, indicated generally at l3, mounted on the top cover M for the switch.

The top cover [4 includes spaced upstanding side walls i5 which rotatably support a transverse horizontal pivot pin it. Mounted on the pin I6 is an elongated lever l1 extending lengthwise of the switch housing above the top cover therefor. As best seen in Fig. 5, the lever l1 includes a pair of relatively short parallel longitudinal slots I8 adjacent its mounted end. Between the slots l8 the material of the lever is displaced upwardly to define a, semi-cylindrical portion 19, and on the other sides of the slots I8 the material of the lever is displaced downwardly to form lower semicylindrical portions 20 aligned with the upper semi-cylindrical portion I9. The displaced lever portions l9 and 20 in effect define a cylindrical socket for receiving the pivot pin and are dimensioned to snugly grip the pivot pin.

A stop member 3| is carried on the top cover M at one end thereof and is disposed beneath the end 32 of the lever H. Movement of the lever clockwise in Fig. l is limited by the engagement of the lever end 32 with the stop member 3 I. The end 32 of the lever may be bent in order to adjust to any predetermined. point the free position of the lever ll, which is defined by the engagement of the lever end 32 with the stop 31.

Intermediate its length and on the opposite side of its pivotal axis from the end 32 the lever H is formed at its side edges with a pair of aligned rectangular slots 34. Each of these slots is formed with spaced opposed shoulders 35 and 36, and together the slots provide a, reduced neck portion 3? on the lever 11 for the reception of the toggle-engaging actuator or driver member 38' (Fig. 4) The latter is in the form of a generally flat plate provided with a lower rounded or tapered end 39 for engagement with the toggle. Adjacent its upper end the driver is formed with a rectangular hole 46 having opposed spaced upper and lower horizontaledges 41. and 32. The height of the hole 48 is greater than the width of the free end 43 of the lever ll, so that the driver may be assembled onto the lever by passing the free end 43 of the lever through the opening #9 in the driver. The width of the mounting hole 49 is less than the width of the free end 33 of the driver and greater than the width of the reduced neck portion 3'! on the driver, so that the driver may be maintained on the lever with the furcations M on either side of the hole 48 disposed within the slots 34 formed in the side edges of the lever I'i. The thickness of the driver plate 33 is less than the space between the opposed shoulders 3'5, 36 which define the slots 34, giving the driver a limited amount of play within these slots and permitting limited pivotal movement of the driver 38 relative to the lever IT.

A torsion spring, indicated generally at, 45, is provided for biasing the driver 38 to position the lower edge #32 of the hole 40 in engagement with the underside of the reduced neck portion 31 on the lever ll. As best seen in Fig. 2, the torsion spring includes a generally U-shaped portion consisting of a pair of elongated arms lE extending longitudinally of the switch housing and through the hole 40 in the driver, and a bight or bridging portion 41 interconnecting the arms 46 at the opposite side of the driver from the mounted end of the lever. At their other ends, the spring arms 45 terminate in coils48 looped about the pivot pin i6 and end arms d9 bearing against the top of the switch cover 14. The coils 48 are received loosely within the slots [8 formed in the lever ll. At their interconnection with the driver the spring arms 46 are disposed downwardly to form i -shaped segments, which extend upwardly at B and ill, on opposite sides of the driver. The bias of the torsion spring lls is such that the juncture of the V arms 50, 5| engages the upper edge 4! of the hole ll]v in the driver 38 and lifts the driver 38 upwardly to position the lower edge E2. of the driver hol 48, in engagement with the underside of the reduced neck portion 31 on the lever. Thus, the torsion spring biases both the driver 38 and the lever H upwardly and normally maintains the driver perpendicular to the lever Hi.

The lower end 39 on the driver extends into a hole 52 formed in the top cover HZ on the switch housing and is disposed above the toggle for operating the snap. spring system I. From Fig. 1, it will be notedthat the toggle is formed with a central upper ridge 53'on either side of which are located'two valleys 54 and 5'5.

Normally the torsion spring 45 biases the driver 38 away from engagement with the snap spring toggle l and causes the driver to lift the lever H to its free position defined by the engagement of its end 32 with the stoptl. The toggle and snap spring may be'ineither of two stable 4 positions, and for purposes of this discussion are assumed to be initially in the position of Fig. 1, with the upper ridge 53 on the toggle disposed to the right of the line of movement of the lower end 89 of the driver 38 and the mobile contact 6 engaging the upper fixed stop Hi.

When the free end 330f the lever I! is depressed the lever is rotated counterclockwise about its pivot It. The driver 38 is moved downward to engage the inclined surface on the toggle between, the upper ridge 53 and the valley 54. Further downward movement of the driver 38 causes its lower end 39 to ride down along this inclined surfaceuntil it abuts against the valley 5 3-011 the upper surface of the toggle, after which the toggle is rotated (counterclockwise in Fig. 1) in response to further downward movement of the driver. This movement of the toggle 2 about its pivotal axis causes the compression member 5 of the snap spring system to move through an axis of unstable equilibrium to snap the mobile contact 5 into engagement with the lower fixed stoplfl.

During such downward movement of the driver after it has engaged the toggle, the lower end 39 of the driver is deflected, by its engagement with the inclined toggle surface, away from its path of free travel. The driver 38 at this time pivots about the lower edge 42 of its mounting hole 43, which the torsion spring maintains in engagement with the lower face of the neck 3? on the lever. This pivotal movement of the driver 38.causes the upper edge 4! of its mounting hole to ride up the inclined segments of the torsion spring arms 15, further compressing the-torsion spring.

When the operating force is removed from the lever ll, the-compressed spring 45 exerts an up ward force on the driver 38 to lift the latter away. from-engagement with the toggle 1. At the same time, due to the inclination of the segments 50 on the spring arms 36, the upper edge 41 of the mounting holeon the driver slides down into the V-shaped seat on the spring arms between the inclined-segments 50 and 51, pivoting the driver (counterclockwise in Fig. 1) about the lower mounting hole edge 42, which engages the underside of the neck 3! on the lever ll, into its normal position perpendicular to the lever ll. The force exerted by the spring 35 is also transmitted through the driver 58: to the lever ll, lifting the free end 22', of the lever (clockwise in Fig. 1) until the other end 32 of the lever abuts against the stop. 31. During this return movement of the lever H and the driver 38 the toggle Tremains in the position to which it has been actuated, with the upper toggleridge, 53. now disposed to the left of the path of free travel of the driver 38 and the mobile contact 6 engaging the lower fixed stop 10.

Upon the next operationof the lever H the, snap spring system I isactuated to, move the mobile contact Shack into engagement with the upper fixed stop Hi. Thus, when the lever ll is depressed this next time, the lower. edge 39v on the driver EBengages the'inclined toggle surface between the upper toggleiridge 53 and the valley E5. The driver rides down, this inclined toggle surface to seat in the valley and rotate the toggle (clockwise inFig. 1) so as to move the toggle back, toits Fig. 1 position and to return themobile contact 6 witha snap action intoengagementwith the upper fixed stop 0. During this operation, the driver 38' is pivoted (counterclockwise in Fig;,l) about its lower mounting hole edge 42, so that the upper edge 41 of the mounting hole on the driver rides upward along the inclined segments 5| on the torsion spring arms at. When the operating force on the lever H is released, the lever and the driver are raised by the spring 45 away from engagement with the toggle and the driver is returned to its normal position extending perpendicular to the lever.

While there has been described herein a preferred form or" the present invention, it is to be understood that variations from the illustrated specific embodiment may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. For example, there are numerous other different ways in which the driver could be pivoted to the lever and other types of return springs could be used. Also, the actuating mechanism of the present invention may be used with snap acting mechanisms different from the switch herein described, and may be used with nonsnap acting mechanisms which it is desired to actuate by an actuating mechanism according to the present invention.

I claim:

1. An actuating mechanism comprising a river having an operating free end formed with a hole intermediate its extent, a pair of spaced opposed edges on the driver partially defining said hole therein, a movable member extending freely through said hole, and a spring engaging one of said opposed edges on thed river which is remote from said free end of the driver to bias the other opposed edge thereon which is closest to the free end of the driver into engagement with the member to define a pivotal mounting for the driver on the member.

2. An actuating mechanism comprising an elongated pivoted lever formed with a reduced neck portion intermediate its length, a driver formed with a hole encircling said reduced neck portion on the lever, the driver being formed with spaced opposed edges defining the upper and lower edges of said hole therein, and a spring engaging the upper edge of said hole in the driver to position said lower edge of said hole in the driver in engagement with the underside of said reduced neck portion on the lever to mount the driver pivotally on the lever.

B. An actuating mechanism comprising an elongated pivoted lever formed with aligned slots in its sides defining a reduced neck portion of the lever intermediate its length, a driver plate loosely received on said reduced neck portion of the lever and formed with a hole surrounding said reduced neck portion of the lever, said driver being formed with spaced opposed edges defining upper and lower edges of said hole therein, and a spring arm engaging beneath the upper edge of said hole to bias the driver to a position where the lower edge of said hole in the driver engages the underside of the reduced neck portion of the lever to pivotally mount the driver on the lever, said spring arm being formed with segments which incline upwardly on either side of the driver defining a V-shaped seat for the driver on the spring arm and biasing the driver into perpendicular relation to the lever.

4. An actuating mechanism mounted on a support, comprising an elongated lever mounted for pivotal movement toward and away from the support and formed with a reduced neck portion intermediate is extent in spaced relation from its pivotal mounting, a driver formed with a hole surrounding said reduced neck portion on the lever, the driver being formed with spaced opposed edges defining upper and lower edges of said hole therein, and a spring engaging the upper edge of said hole in the driver to bias the driver to position the lower edge of said hole in the driver in engagement with the underside of said reduced neck portion on the lever to mount the driver pivotally on the lever, said spring also acting through the driver to bias the lever to a limiting position relative to the support.

5. An actuating mechanism mounted on a support, comprising an elongated lever mounted for pivotal movement toward and away from the support formed with aligned slots in its sides to define a reduced neck portion spaced from the pivotal mounting of the lever, a driver plate loosely received on said reduced neck portion of the lever and formed with a hole through which said reduced neck portion of the lever extends, said driver being formed with spaced opposed edges defining upper and lower edges of said hole therein, and a spring arm engaging beneath the upper edge of said hole in the driver to bias the driver to a position where the lower edge of said hole therein engages the underside of the reduced neck portion of the lever to pivotally mount the driver on the lever, said spring arm being formed with segments which incline upwardly on either side of the driver to form a V-shaped seat for the driver on the spring arm normally posttioning the driver perpendicular to the lever, said spring arm also acting through the driver to bias the lever to a limiting position relative to the support.

6. In an actuating mechanism a support, a pair of spaced upstanding parallel Walls on said support, a pin fulcrumed in said walls, a lever mounted on said pin, a stop to limit rotation of said lever in one direction, opposed notches in the sides of the lever spaced from the pin, an actuator pivoted on said lever and having an aperture of width less than the width of the lever but greater than the distance between the notches surrounding the lever at said notches, a torsion spring encircling the pin, one end of said spring bearing against the support, the other end of said spring engaging the top of the aperture in the actuator to bias the bottom of the aperture against said lever and to bias the lever toward said stop, said actuator-engaging end of the spring being V-shaped at its point of engagement with said actuator to bias the actuator toward a position substantially perpendicular to said lever with the top of said aperture in the bottom of the V.

7. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said spring is formed with intersecting inclined portions which extend at opposite sides of said driver outwardly away from said free end of the driver and which define a V-shaped seat for said one opposed edge at the hole in the driver.

8. An alternate action mechanism, comprising a pivoted alternator movable in opposite directions, a driver having an operating free end operative to engage said alternator for moving the same and formed with a hole intermediate its extent, a pair of spaced opposed edges on the driver partially defining said hole therein, a member movable toward and away from said alternator and extending freely through said hole in the driver, and a spring engaging the edge at said hole in the driver which is remote from said free end of the driver to bias the other opposed edge at said hole in the driver which is closest to said free end of the driver into engagement with the egeseyiee 7- movable member to pivotallysmountthe driver thereon.

9. An actuating mechanism comprising a driver having an operating free end and formed with a hole intermediate its extent, a pair of spaced opposed edges on the driver partially defining said hole therein, a pivctedlever extending freely through said hole in the driver, and a spring engaging one of said opposed edges on the driver which is remote from said free end of the driver to bias the other opposed edge thereon which is closest to said free end of the driver into engagement with the lever to pivotally mount the driver on the lever, said spring having intersecting inclined portions Which extend at opposite sides of said driver outwardly from said free end of the driver and which define a V-shaped seat for said one opposed edge at the hole in the driver.

10. An actuating mechanism comprising a movable member, an actuator formed with an edge positioned to pivota-llyv engage said movable member, said actuator also having an operating free end spaced from said movable member, and a spring engaging said actuator in spaced relation from said edge thereon and in spaced relation from said operating free end thereof and biasing said actuator to position said edge thereon in engagement with the movable member to pivotally mount the actuator thereon.

11. An actuating mechanism mounted on a support, comprising a lever mounted for pivotal movement relative to said support, an actuator formed with an edge positioned to pivotally engage said lever in spaced relation from the pivotal mounting therefor, said actuator being formed with an operating free end spaced from the lever, and a torsion spring encircling the pivotal mounting for the lever and acting. between the support and a portion of the actuator spaced from said edge thereon to bias said actuator to position said edge thereon in. engagement with the lever to pivotally mount the actuator on the lever.

12. An alternate action mechanism, comprising-a pivoted alternatormovable in opposite directionsabout its pivotal mounting, a member movable toward and away from said alternator, an actuator formed. with an edge positioned to pivotally engage said movable member, said actuatorhaving an operating free end for engaging the alternator to move the same about its pivotal mounting, and a spring engaging said actuator in spaced relation from said edge thereon and biasing said actuator to position said edge thereon in engagement with the movable member to pivotally mount the actuator thereon.

13. An actuating mechanism mounted on a support, comprising amovable member mounted for movement relative to the support, an actuator formed with an edge positioned to pivotally engage said movable: member, said actuator also having an operating free end spaced from said movablemember, and a spring engaging said aetuator in spacedirelation from said edge thereon and in spaced relation from said operating free end thereoi and biasing said actuator to position said edgethereon in engagement with the movable member to pivotally mount the actuator thereon,.said-.spring also acting through the actuator to bias the movable member to a predetermined position. relativeto the support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 64,318 Howe Apr. 30, 1867 1,051,273 Sandberg et a1 Jan. 21, 1913 1,997,209 Douglas Apr. 9, 1935 2,022,442 Stollberg Nov. 26, 1935 2,511,271 Kaminky June 13, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country, Date 594,740 Great Britain Nov. 18, 1947

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