US2099483A - Automatic circuit breaker - Google Patents

Automatic circuit breaker Download PDF

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Publication number
US2099483A
US2099483A US101144A US10114436A US2099483A US 2099483 A US2099483 A US 2099483A US 101144 A US101144 A US 101144A US 10114436 A US10114436 A US 10114436A US 2099483 A US2099483 A US 2099483A
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circuit
conducting
circuit breaker
rod
casing
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US101144A
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Hinde Marion Kelly
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    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01HELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H29/00Switches having at least one liquid contact
    • H01H29/20Switches having at least one liquid contact operated by tilting contact-liquid container

Definitions

  • This invention relates to improvements in circuit breakers in general, and has particular reference to a circuit breaker adapted to be mounted on an automobile for the purpose of automatically breaking the ignition circuit of the motor whenever the automobile becomes either inverted or tilted at a dangerous angle.
  • circuit breakers have been applied to automobiles for this purpose, but the break in the circuit upon inversion or tilt of the automobile occurs only while the vehicle is inverted or tilted and becomes closed when the vehicle is returned toproper position. This frequently results in setting fire to the vehicle, because the inversion, whether due to collision or otherwise, usually efl'ects the release of gasoline fumes or vapors which are likely to cause fire by coming in contact with live wires 01' the ignition system.
  • Figure 1 is a diagrammatic layout of a preferred form of the invention, and including a circuit breaker shown in central longitudinal section;
  • Figure 2 is a top plan view, to an enlarged scale, of the circuit breaker shown in Figure 1;
  • Figure 3 is a horizontal section, to an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-4 of Figure 1;
  • Figure 4 is a section similar to that shown in Figure 1, but with the circuit breaker in horizontal position;
  • Figure 5 is a central longitudinal section through another form 01' circuit breaker.
  • Figure 6 is a section similar to Figure 5, with the circuit breaker in horizontal position.
  • the circuit breaker illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawing comprises a cylindrical casing designated generally by the reference numeral 1.
  • the casing 1 is constructed of two parts 3 and 9 connected to each other by screwthreads ill.
  • the lower part I is made of conducting material and has the bottom ll provided with an aperture l2 to receive a bolt I! which may be locked to the bottom Ii by means of the nut I4 and washer ii.
  • a second nut i6, screwthreaded onto the bolt I3, is usedto clamp a contact terminal member ground the lower part 8.
  • the upper part 9 of the cylinder I is made of insulating material and has the head l8 thereof apertured axially to receive the conducting member IS.
  • the member l9 provided with a head 20, is received in a countersink 2i formed in the said head.
  • the lower part of the member I! is screwthreaded to receive a nut 22 which serves to clamp the conducting disc 23 against a shoulder formed on the member iii.
  • the disc 23 is of the same diameter as the interior of the cylindrical member I and serves as a contact element between the conducting part 8 of the cylinder 1 and the conducting member l9 when the cylinder is moved from a vertical to a horizontal position, and the mercury 24, contained in the I] in position to cylinder, closes the circuit between said part 8 and member IS.
  • the upper end of the member I! is axially bored and screwthreaded to receive a conducting screw 25 which is used to clamp a small sheet of insulating material 28 against the head i8 oi the part 8, and against the head of the conducting inember I9.
  • a sheet 28 forms the support for a pair of fuse clips 21 and 28, which are riveted or otherwise suitably secured, in proper spaced apart relation, to the sheet 26.
  • the clip 21 may be connected by the wire 29 to the wiring 3! connecting the battery B to the starter, the battery B being grounded as usual to the framework of thevehicle.
  • the clip 28 may be connected by a wire 3
  • a fuse F inserted in the clips 21 and 23 closes the circuit between the wires 23 and 3
  • a strip'of conducting material 32 is secured at one end to the base of the clip 28, and at its other end is apertured to receive the shank of the screw 25, and to be clamped by the head of said screw against the supporting sheet 26.
  • the lower end of the conducting memher I! is provided with an externally screwthreaded projection 33 to which is connected, detachably, a rod 34 of insulating material.
  • a rod 34 of insulating material Spaced apart along the rod 34 is a series of discs 36, 36, and 31, suitably secured in position by screws 38.
  • the discs 35, 36, and 31 are beveled downwardly so as to deflect downwardly in the cylinder i, any mercury which might come in contact with the beveled periphery of the discs by vertical splashing of the mercury.
  • the discs increase in diameter with their distances from the bottom of the cylinder ll, so as effectively to prevent short-circuiting of the system by splashing of the mercury due to the passage of the vehicle over rough roads.
  • the invention illustrated in Figures and 6, performs the same function as that shown in Figures 1 to 4.
  • the fuse is eliminated, and the circuit is broken mechanically and remains broken until an operator sets the device to close the circuit.
  • the second form therefore, comprises a cylinder 39, of conducting material, and closed at the top by a detachable plate 663.
  • a contact terminal (it connects the plate ill to the wire Ell leading to the ammeter on the dash-board of the vehicle.
  • a conducting member 32 is screwthreaded at its upper end to seat in a screwthreaded flange 33 projecting below the lower face of an annulus 6 3 of insulating material which separates the members'tll and at.
  • a screwthreaded flange M projects above the upper face of annulus M and is internally screwthreaded to mesh with the screwthreads on the lower end of cylinder 39.
  • the annulus M and the flanges projecting therefrom constitute an insulated coupling and separator for the members 3% and 42. Ihe lower end of the member M is provided with a contact screwdZ" adapted to be connected by the wire 2% to the line 30 connecting tthe battery B to the starter.
  • the cylinder 39 is bored throughout the greater part of its length to meet the base of a cone it formed in the said cylinder 39, annulus id and conducting member 12.
  • a circuit closer M5 is mounted to slide freely in the bore of the cylinder 39, and has its lower end ll shaped as a cone to fit the cone it formed in the members 39, 32 and M.
  • a circuit breaker comprising a cylindrical casing adapted to be mounted on an automobile in normally vertical position, said casing including .a lower conducting part adapted to be grounded to the automobile, and an upper insulating part detachably connected to the lower part and forming an insulated support for fuse clips, fuse clips secured to said upper part, a conducting member extending through said upper part and electrically connected to one of said clips, and a conducting liquid partly filling the lower part while the'latter is in vertical position and adapted to close the circuit between said lower part and said conducting member when the casing is moved from vertical to horizontal position.
  • a circuit breaker comprising a cylindrical casing adapted to be mounted on an automobile in normally vertical position, said casing including a lower conducting part and an upper insulating part detachably connected to each other, a conducting member extending through said upper insulating part, contact terminals connected to said lower part and member, a conducting liquid partly filling said lower part while the latter is in vertical position and adapted to close the circuit between said terminals when the casing is moved from vertical to horizontal position, a rod of insulating material connected to and depending from said conducting member, and a series of annular balile plates placed apart lengthwise on said rod to prevent contact of the conducting liquid with said conducting member while the casing is in vertical position.

Description

Nov. 16, 1937. M. K. HINDE AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Sept 16, 19-33 2 a J 2 8 zfiTw. E M 6 m d W m 37 0 T K 2 m T a T M M 2 m W r w; m m M 1 {a a s. a 3 f $x\\\ AW W98 l 2 II w 3; 7 9 z m w 2 K w m 55 4 2 B. 4 W 4 Patented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER Marlon Kelly Hinde, Atlanta, Ga.
Application September 16, 1936, Serial No. 101,144
6 Claims.
This invention relates to improvements in circuit breakers in general, and has particular reference to a circuit breaker adapted to be mounted on an automobile for the purpose of automatically breaking the ignition circuit of the motor whenever the automobile becomes either inverted or tilted at a dangerous angle.
In the prior art circuit breakers have been applied to automobiles for this purpose, but the break in the circuit upon inversion or tilt of the automobile occurs only while the vehicle is inverted or tilted and becomes closed when the vehicle is returned toproper position. This frequently results in setting lire to the vehicle, because the inversion, whether due to collision or otherwise, usually efl'ects the release of gasoline fumes or vapors which are likely to cause fire by coming in contact with live wires 01' the ignition system.
It is the main object the present invention, therefore, to provide a circuit breaker in the ignition circuit of a motor vehicle, which will break the circuit upon inversion of the vehicle or its tilt to a dangerous angle, and which will maintain the circuit broken after the'righting oi the vehicle and until the circuit is deliberately closed by an operator.
Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detailed description thereof proceeds.
In the drawing:
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic layout of a preferred form of the invention, and including a circuit breaker shown in central longitudinal section;
Figure 2 is a top plan view, to an enlarged scale, of the circuit breaker shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a horizontal section, to an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-4 of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a section similar to that shown in Figure 1, but with the circuit breaker in horizontal position;
Figure 5 is a central longitudinal section through another form 01' circuit breaker; and
Figure 6 is a section similar to Figure 5, with the circuit breaker in horizontal position.
Referring to the drawing, in which similar parts are designated by like numerals:
The circuit breaker illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawing comprises a cylindrical casing designated generally by the reference numeral 1. The casing 1 is constructed of two parts 3 and 9 connected to each other by screwthreads ill. The lower part I is made of conducting material and has the bottom ll provided with an aperture l2 to receive a bolt I! which may be locked to the bottom Ii by means of the nut I4 and washer ii. A second nut i6, screwthreaded onto the bolt I3, is usedto clamp a contact terminal member ground the lower part 8.
The upper part 9 of the cylinder I is made of insulating material and has the head l8 thereof apertured axially to receive the conducting member IS. The member l9, provided with a head 20, is received in a countersink 2i formed in the said head. The lower part of the member I! is screwthreaded to receive a nut 22 which serves to clamp the conducting disc 23 against a shoulder formed on the member iii. The disc 23 is of the same diameter as the interior of the cylindrical member I and serves as a contact element between the conducting part 8 of the cylinder 1 and the conducting member l9 when the cylinder is moved from a vertical to a horizontal position, and the mercury 24, contained in the I] in position to cylinder, closes the circuit between said part 8 and member IS.
The upper end of the member I! is axially bored and screwthreaded to receive a conducting screw 25 which is used to clamp a small sheet of insulating material 28 against the head i8 oi the part 8, and against the head of the conducting inember I9. A sheet 28 forms the support for a pair of fuse clips 21 and 28, which are riveted or otherwise suitably secured, in proper spaced apart relation, to the sheet 26.
The clip 21 may be connected by the wire 29 to the wiring 3!! connecting the battery B to the starter, the battery B being grounded as usual to the framework of thevehicle. The clip 28 may be connected by a wire 3| to the ammeter (not shown) which is usually mounted on the dash-board of a vehicle. A fuse F inserted in the clips 21 and 23 closes the circuit between the wires 23 and 3|. Obviously when the line through the fuse is grounded, the fuse will blow", and maintain the circuit broken until a new fuse shall have been placed inthe clips.
To complete the circuit between the conducting member 19 and the fuse clip 28, a strip'of conducting material 32 is secured at one end to the base of the clip 28, and at its other end is apertured to receive the shank of the screw 25, and to be clamped by the head of said screw against the supporting sheet 26.
In order to prevent grounding of the circuit by a splashing of, the mercury in the cylinder 1, due to passage oi the vehicle over rough roads, and without any tilting of the cylinder to horizontal position, the lower end of the conducting memher I! is provided with an externally screwthreaded projection 33 to which is connected, detachably, a rod 34 of insulating material. Spaced apart along the rod 34 is a series of discs 36, 36, and 31, suitably secured in position by screws 38. The discs 35, 36, and 31 are beveled downwardly so as to deflect downwardly in the cylinder i, any mercury which might come in contact with the beveled periphery of the discs by vertical splashing of the mercury. Preferably the discs increase in diameter with their distances from the bottom of the cylinder ll, so as effectively to prevent short-circuiting of the system by splashing of the mercury due to the passage of the vehicle over rough roads.
The invention illustrated in Figures and 6, performs the same function as that shown in Figures 1 to 4. In the second form, however, the fuse is eliminated, and the circuit is broken mechanically and remains broken until an operator sets the device to close the circuit. The second form, therefore, comprises a cylinder 39, of conducting material, and closed at the top by a detachable plate 663. A contact terminal (it connects the plate ill to the wire Ell leading to the ammeter on the dash-board of the vehicle.
A conducting member 32 is screwthreaded at its upper end to seat in a screwthreaded flange 33 projecting below the lower face of an annulus 6 3 of insulating material which separates the members'tll and at. A screwthreaded flange M projects above the upper face of annulus M and is internally screwthreaded to mesh with the screwthreads on the lower end of cylinder 39. The annulus M and the flanges projecting therefrom constitute an insulated coupling and separator for the members 3% and 42. Ihe lower end of the member M is provided with a contact screwdZ" adapted to be connected by the wire 2% to the line 30 connecting tthe battery B to the starter.
The cylinder 39 is bored throughout the greater part of its length to meet the base of a cone it formed in the said cylinder 39, annulus id and conducting member 12. A circuit closer M5 is mounted to slide freely in the bore of the cylinder 39, and has its lower end ll shaped as a cone to fit the cone it formed in the members 39, 32 and M.
It will be apparent from Figure 4 of the drawing that when the device is in vertical position, the member Mi will bridge the insulating annulus i l to close the circuit between the wires 29 and M. When the device is tilted to the horizontal, or relative thereto as shown in Figure 6 of the drawing, the circuit closer at slides in the cylinder 39 out of contact with the member 12 and breaks the circuit through the wires 29 and iii In order to maintain the circuit broken during the righting of the vehicle, the member $2 is bored radially to receive slidably a rod 88 of insulating material, The rod it is connected by a spring W to a plug 5b which is screwthreaded into an internally screwthreaded bore til formed in th side of said member 52.
Obviously, the spring 69 will force the rod id across the axis of the closer ift whenever the latter is moved away from circuit closing position, shown in Figure 5 of the drawing, to circuit breaking position shown in Figure 6. Obviously,
' too, the rod 13 when in position shown in Figure 6, will maintain the circuit broken until the operator withdraws the rod it by means of the plug bill and spring it to permit the closer it to move by gravity into circuit-closing position when the vehicle is in upright position.
Numerous variations may doubtless be devised by persons skilled in the art without departing from the principles of my invention. I, therefore, desire no limitations to be imposed on my aoeaaes invention, except such as are indicated in the appended claims.
What I claim is:
1. A circuit breaker comprising a cylindrical casing adapted to be mounted on an automobile in normally vertical position, said casing including .a lower conducting part adapted to be grounded to the automobile, and an upper insulating part detachably connected to the lower part and forming an insulated support for fuse clips, fuse clips secured to said upper part, a conducting member extending through said upper part and electrically connected to one of said clips, and a conducting liquid partly filling the lower part while the'latter is in vertical position and adapted to close the circuit between said lower part and said conducting member when the casing is moved from vertical to horizontal position.
2. The combination with the device set forth in claim 1 of insulating means connected to said conducting member and depending axially of the casing into said liquid to prevent splashing of the liquid conductor from said lower part into contact with said conducting member.
3. The combination with the device set forth in claim 1 of a rod of insulating material connected to and depending from said conducting member and extending axially of said casing into said liquid, and a series of annular baffle plates spaced lengthwise of said rod to prevent contact of the conducting liquid with said conducting member while the casing is in vertical position.
4. The combination with the device set forth in claim 1 of a rod of insulating material connected to and depending from said conducting member and extending into the liquid in said lower part, and a series of annular baffle plates spaced lengthwise of said rod to prevent contact of the conducting liquid with said conducting member while the casing is in vertical position, the peripheries of said baille plate being beveled toward the axis of said rod and the said lower part for deflecting the conducting liquid downwardly while the casing is in normal vertical position.
5. The combination with the device set forth in claim 1 of a rod of insulating material connected to and depending from said conducting member and extending into said lower part, and a series of annular bafile plates spaced lengthwise of said rod to prevent contact of the conducting liquid with said conducting member while the casing is in vertical position, said bame plates increasing in diameter as they recede from said lower part.
6. A circuit breaker comprising a cylindrical casing adapted to be mounted on an automobile in normally vertical position, said casing including a lower conducting part and an upper insulating part detachably connected to each other, a conducting member extending through said upper insulating part, contact terminals connected to said lower part and member, a conducting liquid partly filling said lower part while the latter is in vertical position and adapted to close the circuit between said terminals when the casing is moved from vertical to horizontal position, a rod of insulating material connected to and depending from said conducting member, and a series of annular balile plates placed apart lengthwise on said rod to prevent contact of the conducting liquid with said conducting member while the casing is in vertical position.
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Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2522721A (en) * 1947-01-23 1950-09-19 Honeywell Regulator Co Control apparatus
US2683201A (en) * 1952-12-23 1954-07-06 Hughes Aircraft Co Single-action switch
US2872622A (en) * 1954-06-18 1959-02-03 Harold E Edgerton Underwater flash producing system
US3151698A (en) * 1962-09-28 1964-10-06 Gen Motors Corp Motor vehicle safety control system
US3251957A (en) * 1964-02-18 1966-05-17 Aubrey L Cross Gravity operated alarm switch for motor vehicles
US4503299A (en) * 1981-08-07 1985-03-05 Thomson-Brandt Control-lever for a game
US5034620A (en) * 1989-12-13 1991-07-23 Cameron Robert W Vehicle battery safety switch
US5120617A (en) * 1989-12-13 1992-06-09 Cameron Robert W Vehicle battery having integral safety switch
US5153394A (en) * 1990-06-29 1992-10-06 Robert Bosch Gmbh Tilt-actuated switch
US5602371A (en) * 1995-10-10 1997-02-11 Kerns; Joe Motor vehicle electrical system deactivating switch

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2522721A (en) * 1947-01-23 1950-09-19 Honeywell Regulator Co Control apparatus
US2683201A (en) * 1952-12-23 1954-07-06 Hughes Aircraft Co Single-action switch
US2872622A (en) * 1954-06-18 1959-02-03 Harold E Edgerton Underwater flash producing system
US3151698A (en) * 1962-09-28 1964-10-06 Gen Motors Corp Motor vehicle safety control system
US3251957A (en) * 1964-02-18 1966-05-17 Aubrey L Cross Gravity operated alarm switch for motor vehicles
US4503299A (en) * 1981-08-07 1985-03-05 Thomson-Brandt Control-lever for a game
US5034620A (en) * 1989-12-13 1991-07-23 Cameron Robert W Vehicle battery safety switch
US5120617A (en) * 1989-12-13 1992-06-09 Cameron Robert W Vehicle battery having integral safety switch
US5153394A (en) * 1990-06-29 1992-10-06 Robert Bosch Gmbh Tilt-actuated switch
US5602371A (en) * 1995-10-10 1997-02-11 Kerns; Joe Motor vehicle electrical system deactivating switch

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