Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~4~845
The invention relates to a switch, rel~y or
contactor. More particularly, it relates to a power or
auxiliary switch, relay or contactor with a housing, a
contact system and a magnetic system which actuates the
contact system mounted in the housing, and a cover for
c:Losing the housing at the end facing away from its mounting
side. ~he invention especially relates to such a switch
wherein the contact system further comprising contact bars
with contact connecting screws and stationary contact
elements, as well as commonly actuable bridges with movable
contact members which act as opening and/or closing devices,
wherein the contacts of the contact system are disposed in
two different planes at different distances from the mounting
plane and wherein each bridge together with the movable
contact members and the associated contact bars with the
stationary contact elements are mounted in a limited switch
chamber.
Switches (as used herein, this term refers to
switches, relays or contactors) of the aforementioned type
are known in many types. In all of these switches, the
fundamental disadvantage is that the connecting possibilities
for the wiring are very cumbersome. Normally, switches are
~ostly installed in a row in tight disposition with respect
to each other in switch boxes, whereby the mounting planes
usually run vertically in the form of U-shaped mounting
bars. In this case, the switches are generally mounted in
parallel rows in a tight disposition next to each other, so
that the connecting lines run upwardly and downwardly and are
combined in conduits between the row of switches. In all
hitherto switches of the aforementioned type, the contacts,
,
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in particular, the contact screws for the wiring are mounted
in a superimposed manner with respect to each other, that is,
in planes perpendicular with respect to the mounting plane of
the switch box while the contact connecting screws run in two
or more planes parallel with the mounting plane. In practical
application, it is therefore mandatory that initially, the
wiring is made on the contact screws which are in a plane
next to the mounting plane and, thereafter, the wiring is
carried out on the contact screws which are farther removed
from the mounting plane of the switch box.
Such a factory assembled switch box is subjected to
shocks during transport to the installation site, so that it
is mandatory that all contact connections are checked with
respect to the firm seating and contact safety after the
switch box is installed. In practical application, this has
been shown to be very cumbersome, since the wiring of the
contact connecting screws of the outer plane makes the
accessibility to the contact screws of the lower plane or
planes very difficult. Therefore, one is forced to remove
the wiring of the outer plane, in order to secure the contact
screws which are mounted below, in order to assure a high
degree of contact safety.
Another factor which comes into play and which
makes this task even more difficult is that because of the
predetermined standard width of the switches, a certain width
cannot be exceeded because of the tight disposition of the
switches in rows adjacent to each other on the corresponding
switch box or the switch board. On the other hand, as many
as possible contacts for obtaining a large switch program
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9~34S
must be mounted in one switch. Finally, it is essential to
provide a slmple switch structure and thereby a very
inexpensive structure for making the individual parts and for
assembling the individual parts to form an operative switch.
It is also important to provide a switch which affords simple
operation and easy maintenance.
It is therefore an object of the invention to
provide a switch which enables easy handling of the wiring
possibilities for the contacts and in which the alternate
wiring on the upper and lower contact connecting screws, or
vice versa, may be carried out without increasing the limited
width of the switches, regardless of the number of poles in
the practical application.
This object of the invention is obtained in
accordance with the invention in that the switch chambers are
laterally offset with respect to each other within common
` plane side faces by maintaining a predetermined width from
plane to plane, so that each contact connecting screw is
freely accessible at the different distance planes of the
provided wiring. In this manner, a simple installation
operation during wiring is afforded. In addition, a further
advantage is that not only a hand wiring but also a
mechanical wiring may be carried out.
Other objects and features of the present invention
will become apparent from the following detailed description
when taken in connection with the accompanying schematic
drawing~ which disclose several embodiments of the invention.
~9~
It is to be understood that the drawings are designed for the
purpose of illustration only and are not intended as a
definition of the limits of the invention.
In the drawings, whérein similar reference charac-
ters denote similar elements throughout the several views:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled
switch, relay or contactor embodying the present invention;
Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the
individual parts of the switch in accordance with Fig. 1,
with the magnet armature being omitted;
Fig. 3 is a side view taken in the direction of
arrow III of Fig. l;
Fig. 4 is a plan view taken in the direction of
arrow IV of Fig. l;
Fig. 5 is a front view taken in the direction of
arrow V of Fig. l;
Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the switch taken in the
direction of arrow VI of Fig. l;
Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view through the
switch taken along line VII-VII of Fig. l; .
Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line
VIII-VIII of Fig. 7;
Fig. 9 is a fragmentarily-illustrated sectional
view taken along line IX-IX of Fig. 8;
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Fig. 10 is a fragmentarily-illustrated view taken
along line X-X of Fig. 7;
Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line
XI-XI of Fig. 10; and
Fig. 12 is a fragmentarily-illustrated view taken
along line XII-XII of Fig. 9.
The embodiment shown in the drawings illustrates a
switch, relay or contactor with a housing made of tough hard
plastic which consists of housing parts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Housing part 1 is provided with an associated bottom plate la
by which it may be mounted on a mounting plane, for example,
on a switch board or in a switch box. The mounting plane is
shown as a simplified dash-dotted line 16 in Fig. 3. For
mounting, the lateral projections le with bores may be used
or, alternatively, a bolt lh may be used which is subjected
to the force of a compresson spring lk (Fig. 6) and which
engages together with a counter abutment into a profiled
track of the switch board or the switch box ~not shown). On
the lower side lf of the bottom, guide or reinforcing ribs lg
may be provided. In the interior of housing part 1, the
magnet system is mounted which, on the one hand, consists of
a coil 6 with connecting lines 7 and connecting members ~, 9
and, on the other hand, a magnet core 30 and a movable
armature or pole 31, as shown in Fig. 7. The mounting of the ;
coil 6 and the armature core 30 may be carried out with the ;
assistance of a mounting or holder 10 by simple insertion
under a clamping effect.
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Resilient flanges or blades lc a~e provided on the
uppe~ and lower sides of housing part 1 which cooperate with
recesses and ratchet points 2b of housing part 2. Blade-like
projections 2c are also mounted on the two side faces of
housing part 2 which cooperate with recesses and ratchet
points ld of housing part 1. Thereby, housing parts 1 and 2
can be connected with each other by a simple manual pushing
together.
Housing part 2 contains a contact system. For this
purpose, and within the predetermined width, four adjacent
and parallel switch chambers 2d are provided between side
walls 2a (Fig. 4) spaced from the mounting plane 16 for small
switch capacities or contact ratings of about 4 to 4.5 kw.
As can be seen in particular in Fig. 2, switch chamber walls
are provided which define U-shaped grooves with open front
faces. Thereby~ the U-shaped grooves open to the side facing
away from the mounting plane. In each switch chamber, two
contact bars 24 are provided with stationary contact members
24a which are retained therein by insertion between guides
26, 27 of housing part 2, as well as into an essentially
right angular frame 20, in which they are held by means of
contact screws 11. As can be seen in particular in Fig. 4,
the openings of the frame 20 are chosen with such a low width
that during the connection of a plurality of lines 18, 19,
these lines may be tightly clamped in a superimposed manner
in planes running perpendicular with respect to the mounting
plane. A bridge 22 with movable contact members 22a
cooperates with the two contact bars 24 of each switch
chamber.
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In the shown embodiment, closing devices are shown
which may be converted into opening devices, if so desired,
by turning the two contact bars 24 of the corresponding
switch chamber by about 180, so that contact members 2~a
are directed towards the mounting plane. Furthermore, bridge
22, together with contact spring 33, is removed from opening
13a of bridge support 13 and after turning by about 180 is
again inserted into the opening.
Two rows of rectangular openings 13b and 13c are
provided in the plate of bridge support 13, for inserting
bridges 24 and springs 33 for an alternate opening or
closing, as already mentioned before. On ~he end which faces
away from the mounting face, bridge support 13 is provided
with a C-shaped outwardly opening projection 13a which
extends through an opening 3d of intermediary housing part
3. Housing part 3 covers the contact system in housing part
2. In intermediary cover 3, two rows of openings 3b are
provided through which one can insert a screwdriver which
would be guided by the corresponding wall of the bore, so
that contact connecting screws 11 are freely accessible for
mounting.
In addition to the switch chambers 2d of housing
part 2, a further groove-like space 2c is provided within the
predetermined width, wherein the two connecting screws 12 for
the coil of the magnet system are mounted, aligned with the
rows of contact connecting screws 11; however, they are
offset a little bit towards the mounting plane for a easier
recognition. Two further openings 3b are provided aligned
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with the aforementioned bores for a Eree access to the screws
12 in housing part 3. Housing part 3 may be mounted by
clamping or sliding onto housing part 2.
~ further housing part 4 is mounted on housing part
3 which has four adjacent switch chambers 4a wherein, as can
be seen in particular in Figs. l, 7, 8, 9 and 12, contact
bars 25 with stationary contacts 25a, as well as bridges 23
with movable contact members 23 are mounted together with a
common bridge support 15. On the outer end of bridge support
15, an actuating button 15a is provided which extends through
an opening 5d of the outer housing part 5, while the other
end of the bridge support 15 is provided with a T-shaped
projection 15b which engages into the C-shaped projection 13a
when mounting housing part 4 onto housing part 3 by means of
a lateral displacement. Simultaneously, and also by a
lateral displacement, a connection between housing part 3 and
housing part 4 is established. For this purpose, recesses 3c
are provided in the outer face 3a of housing part 3 and
hook-like projections 4b are provided depending from housing
part 4. The mounting position of these housing parts is
clearly shown in Fig. 3.
The guides and mounts 21, 28 and 29 for the contact
bars 25, the shape of the common bridge support 15 with
openings 15c, 15d, as well as contact bars 25 with the
stationary contact members 25a and bridges 23 with the movable
contact members 23 basically correspond to the ones shown in
housing part 2. However, the heightwise dimension of housing
part 5, while maintaining the same width, is considerably
~9~4~i
less than at housing part 2, so that the two rows of contact
connecting screws, as well as the two coil contact screws 12
are freely accessible from the front face of the switch
according to Fig. 5, even if the wiring 18, 19 is completely
installed.
For this aforementioned purpose, it is of utmost
importance that the switch chambers in the two different
planes, that is, in the housing part 2, on the one hand, and
the housing part 4, on the other hand, are offset with
respect to each o,her leaving a gap or space therebetween.
This is shown best in Figs. 4 and 8.
Housing part 4 is covered by a lid-like housing
part 5 which again has blade-like projections 5b, which
engage into recesses 4c with ratchet points provided in
housing part 4, thus providing a secure mounting. The two
rows of openings 5c permit insertion of a screwdriver for
tightening the contact connecting screws 14. In addition to
the compression springs 32, two further compression springs
35 may be provided on both sides of the common bridge support
15 in housing part 4. By using the two bridge supports 13
and 15 together with armature 31, the total contact system is
actuated by the same magnet system.
Figs. 10 and 11 show the electrical connections
between the coil connecting lines 7 and screw contacts 12
which is effected via amplification member 36 and a spring
yoke 37 which engages a connecting line 38 which leads to the
corresponding contact screw 12. The electrical connection
between contact screws 12 and coil 6 is assured when housing
parts 1 and 2 are assembled.
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4~i
The switch may be changed over ~o a different
switch capacity or contact rating in a simple manner. If
instead oE the four switch chambers 2d and 4a in two spaced-
apart planes having a switch capacity of about 4 to 4.5 kw, a
higher switch capacity of about ll kw is demanded, one can
exchange the corresponding housing parts 2 to 5, together
with the associated contact system by other housing parts
with three switch chambers per distance plane, which would be
larger due to the higher switch capacity but which would
maintain the predetermined width. These switch chambers
would also be offset with respect to each other from distance
plane to distance plane, forming openings therebetween, so as
to assure a free accessibility to all contact connecting
screws when the wiring is again installed.
Thus, while only one embodiment of the present
invention has been shown and described, it will be obvious
that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto,
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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