US2909628A - Treadle switch - Google Patents

Description

oct. 2o, 1959 B. COOPER 2,909,628

TREADLE SWITCH Filed Nov. 5, 1957 FIGS.-

INVENTOR. BEM/4MM 60o/DER AGEA/7,:

UnitedStates Patent 2,909,628 TREADLE SWITCH Benjamin Cooper, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Application November 5, 1957, Serial No. 694,598

9 Claims. (Cl. 200`86) This invention relates generally to treadles and, in particular, to a novel multi-contact treadle that may be utilized for accurately counting rolling articles such as vehicles, barrels, pipe, etc.

Heretofore, treadle switches generally consisted of a substantially rectangular rubber envelope that was disposed transversely to the moving object so that the individual switch contacts therein would independently close sequentially in the direction that the object moved. Such prlor treadles were conventionally constructed with the pairs of switch contacts disposed longitudinally in parallel spacedy relation within the rubber envelope. i The present invention generally comprises a relatively inexpensive rubber envelope having a single longitudinally disposed switch unit that functions in an analogous manner to the more expensive prior multi-contact treadles. Accordingly, one of the principal objects of the invention resides in the provision of an inexpensive multicontact treadle having a single switch unit therein that functions in a multi-contact manner.

Another object of the invention resides in a treadle having means for concentrating switch closing pressure by an actuating object.

Still another object resides in the provision of a multicontact treadle having the plural switches therein removable as a single unit.

Yet another object is to provide a multi-contact treadle having a contact common to a plurality of independent contacts and said common contact being adapted to be resiliently engaged with said independent contacts in directional sequential movement.

Other ancillary objects will be, in part, hereinafter pointed out and will be, in part, hereinafter apparent.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of the treadle.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the treadle showing the individual contact connectors extending therethrough.

Figure 3 is a transverse cross section taken along line 3--3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross section taken along line 4--4 of Figure l.

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the contact elements.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the contact elements illustrating in dotted line the closure action of the common contact.

Figure 7 is a plan View of a typical installation of the present invention wherein tubes roll down an inclined track and across the treadle.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 10 generally designates a treadle comprising a rubber envelope 12 having a hollow longitudinal pocket 14 therein. Disposed longitudinally within pocket 14 is common contact strip 16 which is afxed to portion of the envelope 12 forming the top wall of pocket 14. A single contact strip unit 18 is kpositioned under common contact strip 16 in spaced relation therefrom. Strip unit 18 consists of a single length of rubber 20 that forms a base support for contact seg- 2,909,628 Patented Oct. 20, 1959 28. Further, the raised portions 20a of base 20 and adjacent ends of segments 22, 24, 26 and 28 are disposed in biased angular relation to the longitudinal axis of strip 16 for a purpose hereinafter apparent.

Base support 20 and contact segments 22, 24, 26 and 28 `thereon is molded with conductors 32, 34, 36 and 38 embedded therein. The conductors are connected'to the respective contact segments 22, 24, 26 and 2S for obvious reasons.

When assembled, strip unit 18 resides within pocket 14 and is secured by a binding agent to metal base plate 40. Envelope 12 is similarly adhered by a binding agent to the base plate 40.

The conductors 32, 34, 36 and 38 are embedded in a rubber plug `42 that is vulcanized to the envelope 12 and seals the pocket 14 against water, dirt, etc.

It will be noted that envelope 12 is provided with a central raised portion 44 that extends longitudinally on the upper surface thereof. Raised portion 44 is similarly positioned in aligned relation with common Contact strip 16 so that any pressure produced on said raised portion will be transmitted through envelope 12 to common contact 16. The inherent resiliency of the envelope 12 flexes strip 16 in the manner shown in Figure 6 upon the application of a rolling pressure on raised portion 44.

The biased angular shape of adjacent contact segments 22, 24, 26 and 28 assures an accurate and extended closed contact period even with tubes or pipes of relatively small diameter that would not be otherwise available if the segments terminated in linear transverse relation.

The invention claimed is:

1. A treadle switch comprising, in combination, a rubber envelope, having a longitudinal hollow core therein, a contact strip affixed to said rubber envelope along the upper wall of said hollow core, a plurality of aligned coplanar contact members disposed equidistantly in spaced relation from said rst contact member and affixed to the lower Wall of said hollow bore, individual conductor means connecting each of said contact strips and terminating outside of said rubber envelope, and the adjacent marginal edges of said plurality of contacts being disposed at an angle oblique to the longitudinal axis of the common contact.

2. A treadle switch comprising a rectangular rubber envelope having a longitudinal hollow core therein, a plurality of aligned co-planar contact segments insulated and spaced one from the other, mounted within said core, a common contact segment mounted within the core in spaced relation from said co--planar contact segments, said rubber envelope being resiliently yieldable to the weight of an article rolling along the longitudinal axis thereof to sequentially engage said common contact segment with the respective co-planar contact segments, and the adjacent marginal edges of said plurality of contacts being disposed at an angle oblique to the longitudinal axis of the common contact.

3. A switch comprising a rubber envelope having a hollow core therein, a` plurality of contacts disposed within said hollow core, a common Contact adapted to engage said plurality of contacts upon pressure being applied to the portion of the rubber envelope above said hollow core, and the adjacent marginal edges of said plurality of contacts being disposed at an angle oblique to the longitudinal axis of the common contact.

4. A switch comprising a rubber envelope having a hollow core therein, a plurality of contacts disposed within said hollow core, a common contact adapted to engage said plurality of contacts upon pressure being applied to the portion of the rubber envelope above said hollow core, said rubber envelope having suicient inherent resiliency to restore said common contact out of engagement-.withsaid plurality of'contacts upontheremoval of pressure from the. portion ofvthe envelope above said. core, and the adjacent marginal edges of=fsaid plurality of-icontacts .being disposed yaty an angle` oblique to the longitudinal axis-ofthecommon contact.

5. Aswitch comprising a rubbervenvelope .having a longitudinal hollow-core therein,` a. plurality of contacts disposed inspaced alignedrelationwithin saidhollow core, a common contact aixed toI theupper wall of said hollow core extending yin aligned spaced relation along said'plurality ofvcontacts, said common contact being adapted to engage` said plurality ofcontacts sequentiallyv upon pressure being applied by a. rolling. article to the portion of the rubber envelope above said hollow core, and the adjacent marginal edges `of said plurality of contacts being'd-isposed at an angle oblique to the longitudinal axisof the common contact.

6. A treadle switch comprising a rubber envelope hav-- ing a longitudinalY hollow core therein, aplurality of contacts secured to the lower wall of said hollow coreinv spaced relation, a common Contact secured to the upper wall of said hollow core and spaced from said plurality of contacts, said rubber envelope having a raised external portion co-aligning with said longitudinal hollow core whereby an article rolling along said raised portion will sequentially engage said common contact with the respecf tive contactsin said plurality of contacts, and the adjacent marginal edges of said plurality of contacts being disposed at an angle oblique to the longitudinal axis of the common contact.

7. A rubber covered switch comprising a rubber envelope, a hollow core therein,'a common contact member disposed .longitudinally alongutheupper..wallk .of said..

contact members, and the! edges ofeach adjacent contact member in said plurality of contact members being disposed parallel one to the other at an angle oblique to the longitudinal axis of said common contact member.

9. A multi-contact treadle switch comprising, in combination, a plurality ofco-planar longitudinallyY Aaligned Contact -members "spaced one' from the other; a common Contact member, means for-spacing said commoncontact member in spaced planar relation-from-said pluralityiof contact members, andfthe edgeslofk each"adjacent :contact member in; said `plurality -o "contact members vbeing, dis-V posed parallel one to the other atan angle `oblique to the longitudinal axis -of4 said- VVVcommorrcontact member' and a rubber envelope surrounding-said'treadle 'switch" References -Cted'inthe le .of Vthis patent UNITED STATES, PATENTS..

2,067,336 Payer 7 Ian:v 12,' 1937 2,163,960 Payer June2r7, 1939A 2,583,813- Burke- Ian. 29, 1952`

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