Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention:
This invention relates generally to switch operators
and more particularly to switch operators of the type having
readily interchangeable parts.
Description of the Prior Art:
Switch operators or actuators are usually employed
to actuate associated electrical devices, such as switches,
and reset devices including thermostatic units of the type
that are commonly included with motor starters. For example,
switch operators or actuators are disclosed in U.S. patent
Nos. 3,333,079, 3,511,955 and 3,3677206. Other types of
pushbutton operators are also known. Moreover, in certain
types of control systems, such as motor control, it is neces-
sary to provide a contact b:Lock and switch operator as se-
parate structures. With thls arrangement, the contact block
is preferably mounted within an enclosure and a switch opera-
tor is mounted externally of the enclosure ~or easy access
on the enclosure cover.
Associated with the ~oregoing are a number of
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problems including oil leakage between the enclosure panel
and the switch, an indicating lamp in the switch which be-
comes inoperative during operation of the switch operator,
and the difficulty of replacement or conversion of parts of
the switch operator for alternate functions.
SUMMARY O~ THE INVENTION
Generally, it has been found in accordance with
this invention that the foregoing problems may be overcome
by providing a switch operator comprising a tubular base
having an inturned flange, a tubular contact operator
movably mounted within the base and having an outturned
shoulder, bias means biasing the shoulder against the in-
turned flange, tubular manual means detachably mounted on
said operator for manually moving the actuator within the
tubular base, the tubular manual means having an outer
closed end portion, a switch unit including a contact
operator adjacent the end portion of said actuator opposite
said tubular manual means, means including said end portion
for actuating the contact operator upon movemen~t of said
manual means, the tubular means being in threaded engagement
with the actuator, first seal means between the tubular
base and the actuator, second seal means between the tubular
base and the tubular manual means, the outer closed end
portion being translucent, and indicator light unit within
the contact actuator.
The advantage of the device of this invention is
that the tubular manual means or knob is readily accessible
and operable without effecting operation of the i.ndicator
lamp, that frontal vision is provided for the lamp, that
means for actuating the contact operator which may comprise
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a cam surface cannot be displaced in operation but is readily
replaced when necessary.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view partly in
elevation of a combined pushbutton switch unit and indicating
lamp embodying the principle features of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a similar view of another embodiment
of the invention; and
Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the
line III-III of Fig. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In Figure 1 a pushbutton type of switch structure
is generally indicated at 3 and it comprises a base or
housing 5, a contact actuator 7, an end cap or lens 9, a
contact block 11, and an indicating lamp assembly 13 including
a transformer unit 15.
The base 5 is a tubular member including an en-
larged portion 17 and a reduced portion or sleeve 19. An
inturned flange 21 extends between the portions 17 and 19.
20 The reduced base portion 19 extends through an aperture 23
in a panel 25 of an enclosure. The reduced base portion 19
is externally threaded at 27 for receiving a similarly
threaded clamping ring 29 for clamping the panel 25 between
the ring and a suitable oil-tight seal or gasket 3I. An
end closure 33 having a central opening 35 is secured to
the lower open side of the base portion 17 by suitable means
such as spaced screws 37 one of which is shown in Fig. 1.
The contact actuator 7 is preferably a tubular
member slidably mounted within the reduced base portion 19
30 and is provided with suitable oil-tight sealant such as
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a gasket or seal 39. The contact actuator 7 also includes
an outturned flange 1~ and biasing means or spring 43
extends between the flange and the end closure 33 for
holding a shoulder 45 against the inturn flange 21 when
the switch structure 3 is in the operative position.
Inasmuch as the contact actuator 7 is a tubular
member, its upper open end is closed by the end cap or lens
9 which includes a web portion 47 and a tubular portion
49 which is attached to the upper end portion of the bore
41 in a suitable manner such as interfitting threaded por-
tions 51. The switch structure 3 may be used either as a
stop, start, or reset switch. Where the switch is used as
a start button, the end cap including the web 47 is prefer-
ably disposed in a flush position with the outer end 53
of the actuator 7 to prevent accidental starting. Where,
on the other hand, the switch structure 3 is used as a stop
switch, the end cap 9 preferably extends outwardly beyond
the outer end 53 and has an enlarged size similar to a mush-
room for easy access. Where the switch structure 3 is used
as a reset button for cyclic operation, the end cap 9 may
be only partially extended, such as shown at 57, to a posi-
tion where it is more readily accessible than in the recess-
ed position, but less accessible for the stop position 55.
When the end cap 9 is pressed downwardly, a lower
end 59 of the contact actuator engages a contact operator
or button 61 which extends from the contact block 11. The
contact block 11 as well as the transformer unit 15 are at-
tached to the switch structure 3 in a suitable manner, such
as by screws engaging recessed threaded inserts 63. The
particular construction of the contact block 11 comprises
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a pair of separable contacts which may be normally closed
or normally open and one embodiment of the contact block 11
is shown, for example in U.S. patent No. 3,511,955. The
contact operator 61 actuates the contacts to the closed or
open position in a conventional manner.
Where the switch structure 3 is combined with an
indicating lamp 65, the lamp assembly 13 is disposed within
the bore 41 as shown in Fig. 1. More particularly, the
lamp assembly 13 comprises the indicating lamp 65, a lamp
receptacle 67, and an upright member 69 which extends from
the transformer unit 15. In addition, the end cap 9 is pre-
ferably a lens or translucent member, whereby it is readily
apparent to an operator that the lamp is on or off to indi-
cate some position or condition of the electrical apparatus
to which the switch structure 3 is connected.
Another embodiment of the invention is a switch
structure 71 (~ig. 2) which is a rotary selector switch as
distinguished from the longitudinally movable or pushbutton
switch structure 3 of ~ig. 1. The switch structure 71
comprises a base or housing 73, a contact actuator 75, a
knob 77, an end cap or lens 79, and a cylindrical camming
member 81. In addition, the switch structure 71 comprises
a lamp assembly 83 including a transformer unit 85 and a
contact block 87 having a contact operator or button 89.
The base 73 is a tubular member having an enlarged
base portion 91, a reduced portion 93, and an inturned flange
95. The upper end of the reduced portion 93 comprises an
inturned flange 97.
The contact actuator 75 is a tubular member which
is rotatably mounted within the reduced portion 93 of the
--5--
16
base and includes an outturned sur~ace 99 which is biased
against the inturned flange 97. Oil-tight sealing means,
such as a seal 101, is disposed between the contact actuator
75 and the reduced portion 93. In addition, the contact
actuator 75 includes an upper portion 103 which extends
through an opening 104 formed by the inturned flange 97 and
into the lower portion of the knob 77. The inner surface
of the upper portion 103 comprises detachable mounting means
such as a threaded surface 105 which is engageable with a
corresponding surface on a tubular or sleeve portion 107 ~`
of the end cap 79. The end cap 79 includes an outturned
portion or flange 109 which abuts an inturned sur~ace of the
knob 77 for retaining the knob in place.
Moreover, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3,
the upper portion 103 comprises interfitting members or
spaced projections 113 which are seated in projection-
receiving notches 115 of the knob 77. In the alternative,
similar projections 113 and notches 115 may be provided in
the upper portion 103 and the knob 77, respectively. Thus
manual rotation o~ the ~nob is transmitted to the projec-
tions 113 to the contact actuator 75. An annular seal 117
is disposed between the tubular portion 107 and the contact
actuator 75 to provide an oil-tight fit therebetween.
As shown in Fig. 2 the reduced portion 93 extends
through an aperture in a panel of 119 of an enclosure where
it is retained in place by a clamping ring 121 which is
detachably mounted on the outer surface of the reduced por-
tion in a suitable manner such as by threaded portions 123.
An annular seal 125 is disposed between the inturned flange
95 and the panel 119 to prevent leakage of oil from one
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side of the panel to the other.
As shown more particularly in Fig. 2 biasing
means including a coil spring 127 and a biasing ring 129
; are provided to return the contact actuator 75 to the in-
operative position upon release of the manual knob 77. For
that purpose, as shown in Fig. 3, a lower portion 131 of the
cam actuator 75 includes at least one and preferably two
diagonally opposite cam followers extending from the outer
surfaces thereof. Likewise, at least one or preferably
two corresponding cam surfaces 135, 137 are provided on
the upper side of the biasing ring 129. The camming sur-
face of 135, 137 are inclined at an angle to the axis of
rotation of the cam actuator 75. Upon rotation of the
cam actuator 75 the cam followers 133 move against the
inclined cam surfaces 135, 137 to cause the biasing ring
129 to yield downwardly against the spring 127 at the same
time the camming member 81, being seated within the lower
portion 131 of the cam actuator 75 is rotated thereby due
to a projection or pin 139 which extends inwardly from the
20 lower portion 131 into a vertical slot (not shown) in the
camming member 81. Accordingly, rotation of the contact
actuator 75 moves a camming surface 141 over the contact
operator or button 89 to open or close contacts (not shown)
within the contact block in a manner set forth above with
respect to the contact block ll. The camming surface 141
may be of any configuration suitable for accomplishing the
desired purpose. For example, where the contact block 87
contains two separable contacts, the camming surface 141
may comprise two plateaus 143, 145 to which the contact
operator or button 89 is movable by spring biasing means
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(not shown). Where three contacts are involved, a third
plateau 147 is provided for another control function or
combination of contacts. Moreover, the cam surfaces 135,
137 being continuously inclined members extending between
a plateau 149 and valley 151 provide a instantaneous type
of contact, whereby rotation of the knob 77 in a counter-
clockwise direction may cause an associated electrical
device, such as a motor, to start while rotation of the
knob in the clockwise direction will stop operation of the
associated electrical device. The foregoing structure
provides for a "momentary" switch operation, whereby upon
release of the knob 77 the biasing ring 129 returns the
switch to the normal position.
On the other hand, the switch structure may be
used as a "maintained" switch by providing notches 153
at the upper end of one or both of the inclined cam sur-
faces 135 and 137. Thus, upon rotation of the knob 77 a
suf~icient distance in either clockwise or counterclock-
wise direction to cause the cam followers to ride into the
appropriate notch 153. The switch remains locked in the
position to which it is rotated, and is unaffected by the
force applied by the spring 127 and the biasing ring 129.
Manifestly, return of the switch structure to the normal
position is obtained by manually turning the knob 77 in
the reversed direction till the cam followers 133 are dis-
lodged from the notches 153.
Finally, as shown in Fig. 2, the switch structure
71 may be provided with an indicator light which includes
a lamp assembly 83 and a transformer unit 85 similar to
30 the lamp assembly 13 and a transformer unit 15 in Fig. 1.
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For that purpose the end cap or lens 79 is composed of a
translucent material.
Accordingly, the device of the present invention
provides a new and novel switch structure which enables
the operation of a switch without ef~ecting the indicator
light and at the same time the switch may be operated with-
out disengaging the end cap or lens. Although the switch
structure is so constructed that the cam cannot be dis-
placed during operation, it can nevertheless be replaced
where a change in function of the switch is required.
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