US3234341A - Electrical switching device with retractable actuator - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 8, 1966 H. JURCZYK 3,234,341

ELECTRICAL SWITCHING DEVICE WITH RETRACTABLE ACTUATOR Filed June 15, 1961 United States Patent 3,234,341 ELECTRICAL SWITCHING DEVICE WITH RETRACTABLE ACTUATQR Helmut Jurc'zyk, Moline, Ill., assignor to Montgomery Elevator Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 15, 1961, Ser. No. 117,406 12 Claims. (Cl. 200-47) This invention relates to an electrical switching device, and more particularly to an electromechanical switching device having switch actuating arms which may occupy either an extended, dynamic position or a retracted static position in which they are retained by auxiliary switch arm control mechanism.

There are many types of electromechanical controls in which a switch arm is moved by contact with a mechanical device such as a plunger, cam, lever, or the like. In many situations it is desirable to have a switch arm which is contacted by a cam under certain conditions of operation, while in other circumstances the switch arm is so positioned that the cam does not strike it.

Such a switch arrangement may be used, for example, in an elevator control circuit where selector elements are positioned in an elevator hatchway to be contacted by a cam member on the elevator car as the car passes the switch; or in the more common arrangement where a controller in the elevator penthouse has a travelling actuator which controls car slowdown, stopping, illumination of hall signal lanterns, and the like, in response to operation of a car call button at a floor landing. When a switch actuating arm is retracted, the elevator or actuator passes without contacting the arm. When an elevaor call button at a particular floor is pressed momentarily it may cause several switch actuating arms to move to their extended positions, and on the next approach of the elevator car, or travelling actuator, the extended switch arms are contacted so as to illuminate the car signal lantern on the floor where service is desired, to slow the car in several steps, and stop it level with the floor.

Another specific example of a typical application of the present device is in automatic programming using rotary control cams. Assume a machine that must go through three cycles without performing a particular operation and beginning with the fourth cycle must perform that operation for one or more cycles. A switching device having two switches with retractable and extendable actuating arms is positioned so that a rotary control cam lobe passes in spaced relation to a retracted actuating arm, but may contact the extended arm. Between the third and fourth machine cycles the actuating arms are extended, and as long as they remain extended the movement of one of the arms by the cam lobe causes the machine to perform the required operation on each cycle. When the time for repetitively performing the operation ceases, a cam may move the second actuating arm to return both arms to retracted position.

There are many other applications in the control and signaling fields for switching devices of the type here disclosed.

The primary object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an improved switching device having one or more switch arms which may occupy an extended, operative position, or a retracted inoperative position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved electromechanical switching device in which two or more switch arms may be independently moved between extended, dynamic and retracted, static positions, or may be moved simultaneously between said positions by movement of a single switch arm retainer bar.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an electromechanical switching device the structure of which permits it to be used for a wide variety of control func- 3,234,341 Patented Feb. 8, 1966 tions, many of which may not be easily performed by any single unit available on the market.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view illustrating an embodiment of a switching device, in accordance with the invention, and in a retracted position;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the switching device;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially as illustrated along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, with parts broken away for clearer illustration;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, but with the switching device in an extended position;

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view of an electrical circuit utilizing the switching device;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of another embodiment of a switching device, in accordance with the invention, with parts broken away for clearer illustration; and,

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of still another embodiment of the switching device, in accordance with the invention, with parts broken away for clearer illustration.

The invention is, in brief, directed to an electromechanical switching device having a plurality of electrical switches each actuable between open and closed positions in response to movement of actuators between retracted and extended positions. These actuators are mechanically movable to their retracted position, and electrically movable to their extended position.

Referring to FIGURES 1-4 of the drawings, an electromechanical switching device includes a pair of electrical switch units 10 and 11, and an electrical actuator, indicated generally at 12, which comprises an operating solenoid secured to the switches by a mounting plate 12b to provide a rigid body. The switches may be of any suitable type, and are herein illustrated with housings 10a and 11a, respectively, each having a pair of outwardly extending, parallel flanges 13. Within each housing are conventional switch contacts, which may be either normally open or normally closed.

The switch contacts of each switch unit are actuable between open and closed positions by a mechanical actuator including an arm 14 with ears 14a at its lower end pivotally carried on a pivot pin 15 that extends through the flanges 13. A plunger 16 is telescoped in the switch body and loosely connected with an intermediate portion of arm 14, as by a headed reduced end portion 17 extending through a hole in the arm. Each actuator is individually movable between a retracted static position in which arm 14 is adjacent the switch housing as in FIGURES 1-3, and an extended dynamic position in which the arm 14 is pivoted away from the switch housing as in FIGURE 4.

Each actuator is resiliently urged toward its extended position by an actuator compression spring 18 telescoped on plunger 16 between arm 14 and the switch housing. The .springs 18 urge arms 14 into engagement with a retainer bar 20 which extends across all arms 14 outwardly of the switch bodies. Bar 20 is fixedly connected with the outer end of a rod 21, the opposite end of which is secured to a plunger 22 of solenoid 12. When solenoid 12 is deenergizcd plunger 22 is resiliently urged to the right as seen in FIGURE 3 by asolenoid compression spring 23 received between plunger 22 and solenoid mounting plate 12b, thus holding bar 20 in a retracted position which holds arms 14 in their retracted positions. When solenoid 12. is energized it overcomes the force exerted by spring 23 and thus moves plunger 22 and bar 20 to the extended position shown in FIG- URE 4, so that the actuator springs 18 may move arms 14 to their extended positions.

With reference to FIGURE 5, solenoid 12 is energized momentarily by closing a switch 25. In the preferred embodiment switch is closed when its actuator is in the extended position and. provides a holding circuit maintaining solenoid 12 energized after switch is opened.

Each. arm 14. may be retracted by a mechanical element such as'a cam 26 engaging a cam follower roller 210ml the arm 14. When the actuator arm of switch 11 is retracted the: switch contacts ofthis switch may be. either opened or closed, depending on its construction. However, when. the actuator arm of switch 10' is retracted, the holding circuit for solenoid 12 is deenergized and spring 23 retracts bar 20, which retracts all actuators.

For simplicity the drawings illustrate only twoswi-tches 10 and 11; but it is plain that the switching device may include severalswitches, one of which controls a solenoid holding circuit.

Reterringtofthe embodiment of FIGURE 6-, the same reference numerals indicate similar parts. This embodiment is substantially the same as the foregoing embodiment except that, a magnetic, soft iron armature is provided in lieuof solenoid mounting plate 12b, solenoid 12 is-secured directly toopposed sides oi switch units 10 and l1, and plunger rod 21 and retaining bar 20 are non-magnetic material, such as brass or alumi num; Also, a magnet, here in the form ofa permanent magnet 31, is rigidly secured on. the outer side of bar 20, at the outer end of rod 21'. As previously described, upon momentarily energizing solenoid 12,

plunger 22. moves bar 20' to its extended position, (not shown). armature 30 so that the force of actuator springs 18 urging arms 14 to their extended positions against bar 20- is sufiicient to prevent the magnet 31 from moving towardthe armature. When both, arms 14, are retracted, as by cam-s 26 engaging rollers 27, or by a cam or other mechanical device bearing directly on bar 20' or magnet 31 to move magnet 31 toward armature 3t), magnet 31 is drawn. toward and held by armature 30, as illustrated in FIGURE 6;

The necessary balance between the magnetic force tending to latch the retainer bar in retracted position, the force of solenoid 12' for unlatching the bar, and the force of springs 18 tending. to hold the bar in extended position, may be balanced by calibration of springs 18, by the thickness of non-magnetic bar 20', or by a nonmagnetic. collar 32. on rod 21' which may be of any required thickness.

Spacing magnet 31 from solenoid 12 prevents the solenoid from adversely affecting the magnet, and the force between the magnet and armature 30is more constant in extended and retracted positions since they do not touch.

In FIGURE 7 an embodiment similar to that of FIG- URE 6 is illustrated and the same reference numerals refer to similar parts. In this embodiment a non-magnetic bar 20" is hinged at its mid-point to the end of a non-magnetic rod 21' for free pivotal movement only in a horizontal plane as illustrated in the drawings.

Upon momentarily energizing. solenoid 12, bar 20 moves to its extended position. By pivoting around rod 21.", the end of bar 20" adjacent a retracted arm 14 pivots with this arm and magnet 31 does not move close enough to armature 30 to overcome the force of spring 18 of the extended actuator. Thus, bar 20 remains in its extended .position, and bar 20" ormagnet 30 must be retracted by a cam or other mechanical device acting directly. on the bar, or both arms 14 must be retracted by cams engaging both rollers 27 in order to move bar 20" to retracted position where it may be latched by magnet 31 and armature 30.

It should be noted that with the exception of the holding switch 10 in the embodiment of FIGURES 1-4, the electrical switches may be either open or closed when Magnet 31is moved sufiiciently far fromtheir respective actuators are extended, and in the opposite position when the actuators are retracted.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A switching device comprising: a plurality oi switches operable between open and closed positions; actuators, one associated with each switch, each actuator being movable between retracted' and extended positions for operating the associated switch; means urging each actuator individually to oneof said positions; follower means on each actuator for cooperating with an independent mechanical device to move each actuator individually to'the other of said positions to operate the switch; a retainer movable between retracted and extended positions and bearing on the actuators to selectively retain them all in said other of saidpositions orrelease them for movement to said one position. so that they may be individually moved by an independent. mechanical device from said one position to said other position; means urging said retainer toward a first of said positions; and means for moving said retainer to the second of said positions.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the actuator urgingmeans and theretainer urging means act in opposite directions, and the retainer moving means moves the retainer to said other of said posit-ions.

3; Thedevice of claim 2v in which each actuator urging means urges the associated actuator to extended position, the retainer urging means urges the retainer to retracted position, and the retainer moving means moves the retainer to extended position.

4. An electromechanical switching device comprising: a rigid body including switch housings containing electrical switch contacts. operable between open and. closed positions and a solenoid having a plunger; actuators, one mounted on each switch housing for movement between retracted and extended positions for operating the switch contacts; a retainer bar connected with said plunger for movement between retracted and extended positions responsive to operation of said solenoid, said bar extending across each actuator outwardly of the respective switch housing to selectively retain said actuators all in retracted position or release them for individual movement betweentheir retracted and extended positions; means urging; said actuators individually to extended positions and into engagement with said bar; retracting means urging saidbar toward retracted position; and means including said solenoid for moving said bar to extendedposition.

5. An electromechanical switching device comprising: a rigid body including switch housings containing electrical switch contacts operable between open and closed positions and a solenoid having a plunger; actuators, one for each switch housing, each actuator having an arm'pivoted to the housing and movable between retracted and extended. positions for operating the switch contactsga retainer bar connected with said plunger for movement between retracted and extended positions responsive to opera,- tion of said solenoid, said bar extending across each arm outwardly of the respective switch. housing, to selectively retain them all in retracted position or release them for individual movement between their retracted and extended positions; springs, one for each actuator, between the actuator arm and respective switch housing and urging the arm to extended position and into engagement with said bar, retracting means urging said bar toward retracted position; and means including said solenoid for moving said bar to extended position.

6. The device of claim 5 in which said solenoid is energized for moving said retainer to extended position, and one of said switches is closed when its actuator is extended and provides a holding circuit for retaining said solenoid energized.

secured to said bar and said retracting means comprises a permanent magnet.

10. The device of claim 5 in which said bar is nonmagnetic and said plunger is rigidly secured to said bar by a non-magnetic rod, and said retracting means comprises a magnetic armature on said body and a permanent magnet secured to an outer face of said bar so that the bar provides a gap between said permanent magnet and said armature.

11. The device of claim 5 in which said plunger is hinged to said bar, and said retracting means comprises a magnet.

12. The device of claim 5 in which said bar is non- 6 magnetic and said plunger has a non-magnetic rod hinged to said bar, and said retracting means comprises a permanent magnet secured to an outer face of said bar so that the bar provides a gap between said permanent magnet and said armature.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,579,172 12/1951 Bordelon 20087 2,786,916 3 1957 Bordelon 20087 2,803,719 8/1957 McDonald 20087 3,047,167 7/ 1962 Rose 20018 KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Primary Examiner.

MAX L. LEVY, ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Examiners.

Claims (1)

1. A SWITCHING DEVICE COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF SWITCHES OPERABLE BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS; ACTUATORS, ONE ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SWITCH, EACH ACTUATOR BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN RETRACTED AND EXTENDED POSITIONS FOR OPERATING THE ASSOCIATE SWITCH; MEANS URGING EACH ACTATOR INDIVIDUALLY TO ONE OF SAID POSITIONS; FOLLOWER MEANS ON EACH ACTUATOR FOR COOPERATING WITH AN INDEPENDENT MECHANICAL DEVICE TO MOVE EACH ACTUATOR INDIVIDUALLY TO THE OTHER OF SAID POSITONS TO OPERATE THE SWITCH; A RETAINER MOVABLE BETWEEN RETRACED AND EXTENDED POSITIONS AND BEARING ON THE ACTUATORS TO SELECTIVELY RETAIN THEM ALL IN SAID OTHER OF SAID POSITIONS OR RELEASE THEM FOR MOVEMENT TO SAID ONE POSITION SO THAT THEY MAY BE INDIVIDUALLY MOVED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANICAL DEVICE FROM SAID ONE POSITION TO SAID OTHER POSITION; MEANS URGING SAID RETAINER TOWARD A FIRST OF SAID POSITIONS; AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID RETAINER TO THE SECOND OF SAID POSITIONS.

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