Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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Lighting in comparatively large buildings, which
involves a plurality of individual light points, is
controlled automatically in many cases today by the
artiEicial lighting being switched on or off, for
example, when night falls or at sunrise. This is
particu]arly appropriate in times of energy shortages,
because the employee using the artificial light source
i does not often think in particular of switching off the
lights and so the light source remains on, even when
there is sufficient daylight in the place of work, or
the light source cannot be individually switched off
upon leaving the place of work before switching off by
automatic operation. In offices, in which the energy
requirement of the lighting may make up approximately
30~ of the total energy requirement for the building,
this may result in considerable and undesired costs.
The central automatic control of the lightirlg
is effected, for example, by switch clocks se~ at
specific times. As a result of the switching off oper-
ation, the circuit is permanently broken. However, theuse of such switching systems has the disadvantage that
weather conditions and changes in the intensity of
daylight caused by the weather are not taken into
account by the systems, so that when there is a dense
2$ covering of cloud after sunrise the lighting is s~itched
off too early or when dense cloud is building up the
artificial lighting is not turned on or it is turned on
too late early in the evening. Switching sys~ems of
this type also only allow a central switching on or off
of the complete installation.
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There are also so-call~d "dimness switches",
by which the artificial lighting is switched on or ofE
:- depending on the actual intensity of day~ight in a
suitable manner by a current pulse released upon a
specific light intensity. However, these systems also
have the disadvantage that a control correspond~ing to
,;~ the actual requirement o light in all parts of~the
. - building is impossible. The requirement for artiEicial
;~ lighting may vary quite considerably in the individual
; : lO parts of the building~ for example, depending on the
aspect or on the distance rom neighbouring houses and
the height thereof or on the amount of trees in front
vf some of the windows of the building. This problem
could, it is true, be alleviated by dividing the total
: ~ 15 lighting system into individual groups having a si~ilar
average light requirement and by switching the lighting
on and off in each such section by a switch element
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controlled by natural light~ However, the light
; requirement which varies considerably from person to
person at the workplace cannot be considered eitner, so
that people's health may also suffer to a considerable
:: ex~ent due to inadequate lighting, even with such a
~ current-energy-saving central control of the lighting
: in buildings. In this case as well, all of the lighting
- 25 plant (or sections thereof) may either be switched on or
switched off, so that individual switching of the
individual light point is again impossible~ However,
the arrangement of such control elements at each
",, individual wor~place in such buildings has been too
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3Q expensive until the present time.
~ The object of this invention is to provide a
; ;: lighting system having a plurality of individual light
- points which may be centrally controlled and in which
e~ch individual light point (or small groups of individ
3S ual light points, such as the light points of an entire
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room) is simultaneously and individually switchable, so
that even after general switching off of the lighting
installation by the central control, individual light
points (or groups of light points) may be switched on
again or they may be switched off independently of the
complete installation before the general switching off
by the central automatic control. It is a particular
object of the invention to provide such a lighting system
which is operable with the already generally installed
and therefore generally available two-wire cabling, so
that additional cabling and supplementary devices are
not necessary.
AccordLng to one aspect of the invention there is
provided an electric power system for a house or the like,
where there are a plurality of individual light sources
at various locations and there is a two~wire cabling for
power delivery, a system which provides for individual
operation of said light sources at ~heir related locations
for b~th activation and deactivation of related light
sources, and also for deactivation of said light sources
from a master location without interference with subse
quent individual activation and deactivation o~ said
light sources, said system comprising; a) a plurality of
individual switch assemblies, each of which is operatively
connected to at least a related one of said light sources
for individual operation thereof, each individual switch
assembly comprising: 1~ a first on-off .switch kept in its
closed position by a magnet coil where power is delivered
to said light source and kept in its open positlon where
power is not delivered to said light source, 2) means
to operate said first on-off switch independent from
the force effected by the magnet coil to close it, to
selectively aa) close and open said first on-off switch
mechanically from outside the individual switch assembly
and bb) close said first on-off switch mechanically from
outside the individual switch assembly and to open said
first on off switch electrically by means of a second
normally kept closed on-off switch between said magnet
coil and one oE the power outlets of said individual
switch assembly and cc) open said first on-off switch
electrically by said second on-off switch and to close
said first on-off switch elec~rically by third normally
kept open on-off switch arranged parallel to said first
on-off switch, and b) master ~switch means which is nor-
mally kept in its closed switch position and which may be
opened for momentary power interruption of the electrical
power system, resul~ing in an opening of said first on~off
switch of each individual switch assembly.
According to another aspect of the invention there
is provided an individual switch assembly useful in the
system as recited above, wherein it has a first switch
and an electromagnet which are connected in series to each
other, whereby the first switch may be closed and kept
closed by the electromagnet when electric current flows
through the electromagnet and it may be closed or opened
mechanically from outside the individual switch assembly.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there
is provided an individual switch assembly useful in a
system as recited above, comprising ~wo power outlet points
and an electrical connection therebetween, a first switch
having an electromagnet and which first switch is closed
when an electrical current runs through its electromagnet
and wherein there is provided a second switch and a third
switch operated independently of each other, sald third
switch being connected in parallel to the first switch.
Within the context of the present inventiont
s ..~ : the term "magnetic switch" is understood to mean a
.~. switch element having a swi.tch cont~ct and. ?,n electro-
; magnet connected in series~ wh:ich switch contact is
closed ana is kept closed when current flows through
the electromagnet, e.g. by a lever arm which is then
attracted by the electromayne~/ and whi.ch is opened and
. ~.- i~ kept open wh~n the current no longer flows ~hrough
.. the electromagnet, e.gL by a spring actin~ on the
- -: . switch contact or on the lever arm connected therewith
or by a suitable three-dimensional arrangement or even
. by its inherent weight~.
This preferred embodiment of the lighting
installation according to the invention is character
.; ised in that a switch e3.ement having a normal switch
.15 position and a temporary adjustabl.e, variable switch
'"~ position is provided centrally in the circuit, i.e~
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;, '~ '~`7'.' ''.''., ' ' between the power source and the first branch of the
. ;: circuit to the individual light points connected in
; parallel, which switch element keeps the circuitclosed
in its normal switch position and the circuit is
. broken for a short time when the switch element is
.:. . .. .operated and a magnetic switch is associated with each
... . .
.. ,~.. ~. individual li~ht point or groups of individual ligh~
. ;. points,.the switch contact of the magnetic swi~ch
being kept closed during the current flow and opening
.. .. . . . . ..~ . . . when there is a break in the circuit and remainin~
open even when the central switch element is subsequent-
ly closed, without further intervention, and said magnetic
~ ;. switch is either:
.` 30 . a). designed so that it may also be opened and closed
mechanical.ly from outside, or
;~. . b) designed so that it may also be closed mechanically
~ .from outside and in this design, another switch
: . el~ment having a normal switch position and a
. 35 temporary adjustable variable switch position is
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provided, associated with the magnetic switch and
connected in series thereto, which switch element
keeps the circuit in its normal switch posi~ion and
the circuit is broken for a short time when the switch
element is operated, or
c) designed without mechanical means fo~ operation from
outside, as embodimen~s a) and b), but wherein a
second switch element having a normal switch position
and a temporary adjustable, variable switch position
is provided which second ~3witch element is associated
with the magnetic switch and connected in series there-
to, this second switch element keeping the circuit
closed in its normal switch position and breaking the
circuit for a short time when the switch element is
operated, and wherein a third switch element having
a normal switch position and a temporary adjustable,
variable switch position is provided associated with
the magnetic switch and connected parallel to the
switch contact of the magnekic switch and connected
in series to the electromagnet of the magnetic switch,
this third switch element keeping its switch contact
open in its normal switch position and when this third
switch element is operated, its switch contact and
~hereby the circuit is closed for a short time even
when the switch contact of the magnetic switch is open.
The lighting installation according to the in-
vention is schematically illustrated and explained in the
following drawings and circuit diagrams with respect to a
preferred embodiment, but without being restricted thereto.
In the drawings:
Fig. l is a circuit diagram showing one embodiment
of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram similar to Fig. l
showing a second embodiment of ~he invention;
Figs. 3 to 8 are circuit diagrams of various
types of magnetic switches which can be employed in the
apparatus of the invention.
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The lighting installation illustrated in Figure
1 with the power source 1 and the switch element 2 posi-
tioned centrally in the circuit has four individual light
points, wherein individual switches 4, 6 and 8 provided
with magnetic switches are associated with each of the
individual light points 3 and 7 or with the group 5 of
light points to be connected together, in the different
embodiments of the lighting installation according to the
invention. The individual switch 4 corresponds to embodi-
ment a)~ The individual switch 6 corresponds to embodimentb) and the individual switch 8 corresponds to embodiment
c) .
The central switch e:Lement 2 has a normal switch
position and a temporary switch position, whereby the
switch contact is closed in its normal switch position,
e.g. by a suitable spring provided in the switch element,
and thereby the circuit of the lighting installation
according to the invention is also kept closed, whereas as
a result of operating the switch element, e~g. by pressure
against the force of the spring, the switch contact and
thereby the circuit oE the lighting plant according to
the invention may be broken for a short time.
In the embodiment a) of the individual light
switch 4 associated with the individual light point 3, the
magnetic switch is not only designed such that it may be
operated by the lever arm 11, which is attracted by the
electromagnet 9, is positioned rotatably at one of its
ends and simultaneously causes the contact closure of the
switch contact 10 of the magnetic switch, but it i5 also
designed so that it may be opened and closed mechanically
from outside via the operating lever 12 which is rotatably
secured on its other free end.
If, in embodiment a) of the lighting installation
according to the invention, the current is interrupted
for a short time by operating the central switch 2, the
electromagnet 9, due to the inherent weight of the lever
arm 11 positioned thereunder, releases this arm 11, so
that the switch contact 10 is opened and is kept open even
when the central switch 2 returns to its closed normal
switch position. If artificial light is required at the
individual light point against the command of the central
switching point 2 t the switch contact 10 is closed by
pressing in the operating lever 12 of this embodiment of
the individual switch and .it is kept closed due to the
resulting flow o~ current through the electromagnet 9.
However, if switching off of this individual light point
is required or a switching of~ of the Light point which is
subsequently switched on again as described is required
before the central switching off of the entire lighting
installation, effected by operating the circuik element 2,
the switch con~act 10 is opened by pushing the operating
lever 12 up, applying an adequate pressure against the
attractive force of the electromagnet 9, so that the
electromagnet loses its attractive force and the switch
contact 10 i5 openedO
In the embodiment b) of the lighting installa-
tion according to the invention, the magnetic switch is
only designed so that it may also be closed mechanically
from outside. On the frame of the individual switch 6
associated with the individual light point 5, the switch
contact 13 of the magnetic switch may not only be oper-
ated by the electromagnet 14 and the lever arm 14a which
may be at~racted by the electromagnet 14, but the switch
contact 13 may also be closed using the lever arm 15 which
may be operated from outside the individual switch 6 by
pressing in ~his lever arm 15. The switch element 16l 17
having a normal switch position and a temporary switch
position is also provided in the individual switch, is
connected in series to the maynetic switch and which,
like the central switch element 2 keeps its switch
contact 17 and thereby the circuit closed in its
normal switch position and when it is operated hy
pressing in the "Off" part of the operating switch, the
switch contact 17 is broken for a short time via its
operating lever 16 and thus the circuit is also broken
for a short time.
If, as in the previous]y described case~ the
central switch 2 is openecl for a short time, the
current ~low in the electromagnet 14 and thus the
resulting attraction is terminated and the electro-
magnet 14, due to, for example, a spring acting on the
lever arm of the magnetic switch, releases the
attracted lever arm and the switch contact 13 of the
magnetic switch is opened and is kept open as a result
o~ this action. If the individual light point is to
be swtiched on again against the cen~ral control
command of the switch element 2, the switch contact 13
of the magnetic switch and thus the complete circuit is
closed by pressing in this lever arm 15 and, due -to
the then restored attraction of the electromagnet 14,
the switch contact 13 is kept closed. If the individ-
ual light point is then to be later switched off again,
the circuit is broken for a short time by operating the
switch element 16, 17 provided in the individual switch
6 and thus associated with the magnetic switch, so that
the electromagnet 14 releases the lever arm of the
magnetic switch and it re-opens its switch contact 13
and keeps it open. Thus, in the individual switch of
the embodiment b) of the lighting installa~ion accord-
in~ to the invention, the switc~, contact 13 of the
magnetic switch takes over the swltching on operation,
apart from keeping its contact closed, whereas the
switching off operation is taken over by the switch
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element 16, 17 associated therewith Since, as is known,
due to the closing or opening operation of switch contacts
and the sparking caused by these operations, power peaks
, may occur, the magnet coil in embodiment b) may optionally
by provided with a lower capacity as compared to embodi-
ment a).
The embodiment c) provides an even lower load for
the magnetic switch, in which embodiment the switch contact
18 of the magnetic switch together with its magnet 19 only
takes over the task of keeping the circuit closed. ~n
addition to the swi~ch element 20, 21 of the embodiment
b) connected in series to the magnetic switch r another
switch element 22, 23 having a normal switch position and
a temporary switch position is provided which is connected
parallel to ~he switch contact 18 of the magnetic switch
and is connected in series to the magnet 19 of the magne-
tic switch and it keeps its switch contact 23 open in its
normal switch position and its switch contact is closed
for a short time when it is operated, so that the magnetic
switch is designed to be operated from outside without any
additional mechanical possibility. As a result of press-
ing in the operating lever 20 associated with the ~witch
contact 21, the circuit is broken for a short time, whereas
upon pressing the operating press lever 22 associated with
the switch contact 23, the circuit is even closed when the
switch contact 18 of the magnetic switch is open.
If, as in the previously mentioned examples, the
central switch 2 is operated and as a result of this, the
circuit is broken for a short time, the switch contact
18 of the magnetic switch is opened, for example, due
to a spring provided in the magnetic switch and holding
its lever arm~ If the individual light point is to be
switched on again against the
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~ .. . command of the central switching point 2, the switch~'"',./.J,'' ~ contact 23 is closed for a short time by actuat.ing the
operating lever 22, designed in this case as a rocker
~witch, and the switch contact 18 of the magnetic switch
ls closed and is kept closed, due to the current flow
through the electromagnet of the magnetic switch. If
t~e individual light point is then to be switched off
. ~ . . aqain independently of the central control, the switch
.` :. .~ contact 21 and thus the circuit for the individual light
' : 10 switch 7 is broken for a short time by actuating the
operating lever 20 and thus, the switch contact 1~ of
the magnetic switch associated therewith is also re-
opened. .
Limited by the two-wire design and thus by. .; . 1~ the load switching of the magnet coil of the magnetic
switch and the considerable load variations in the
circuit of such lighting installations, the magnet
` ; of the magnetic switch may be charged with different
. loads such that by adjusting the desiyn of the coil
. 20 according to the load peak, the magnet of the magnetic
.......... switch is not yet energised enough in the lower load
i~...:.... range to reliably close.the switch contact of the
ma~netic switch and to also ~;eep it closed. ~Iowever,
. .- if the .coil of the magnetic switch is designed such
that the switch contact of the magnetic switch is closed
. reliably even in the.lower load range and is kept closed
: w~th an adequate strength, there is a danger of
. considerable overheating of the magnet and thus a danger
... of fire in the buildin~ having such lighting installa-
' ~'.';!. `. 30 " tions where there is a load in the range of the peaks
... or even in the middle range of the load variations.
.~ In addition thereto, magnetic switches of this type
have to be so large that it is no longer possible to
.. house the indivldual switches produced therewith in
conventional sized counter-sinkable wall boxes~
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However~ it is a particular object of an embodiment o~ the
present invention to design the individual light points
or groups of individual light points to be able to be
switched on and off while using available two-wire lighting
installations with conventionaily-sized connection boxes
and without additional devices, i.e. exchanging the old
switches for the new individual switches in lighting
installations controlled centrally by a current pulse.
An~ther embodiment of the lighting installation
according to the invention ancl of its individual light
switches relates to the magnet:ic switches 9, 10, 11, 12 or
13, 14, 15, or 18, 19 of the individual switches. It is
schematically illustrated in Figure 2, for the magnetic
switches 13, 14, 15 or 18, 19 o the individual switches
(see also Fig. 7 and 8). This applies accordingly to the
magnetic switch 9, 10, 11, 12 of embodiment a~ ~see also
Fig. 6)~
The embodiment t which i5 improved with respect to
heat control and is therefore particularly preferred, is
characterised in that the magnetic switch is designed in
the form of a double magnet havin~ a common magnet core
and two connected magnet coils ga and ~b connected in
parallel or 14a and 14b or l9a and l9b having respectively
a switch contact lla and llb or 13a and 13b or 18a and 18b
operated by the respective magnetic switch and connected
in series to each magnet coil. One magnet coil is de-
signed for low magnet power and it closes i~s contact
when energised and keeps it closed, whereas the other
coil and optionally also the contact lever of the switch
contact associated with this coil is designed such that
its switch contact only closes the contact and keeps it
closed at a current intensity which corresponds to at
least approximately three times, preferably four times~
the mini~um current intensity at which the magnetic switch
with the magnet
$~L~
co~l for low magnet power closes the swltch contact
a~soclated therewith and keéps it closed,
According to a prefcrred embodiment, the two
magnet coils of the double magnet connected in parallel
to each o-ther are wound one upon the other over a
common magnet core.
It is most par-ticularly preferred for -the
common magnet core of the double magnet to~be,formed
from sheets mounted in parallel~
In these preferred embodiments with clouble
magn~t, the varia-tion range of the magnet po~ler due to
the load swi1;ehing o~ the magnet coil is thus subdi-
vided so tha~ it is not necessary to construe the magnet
coi~ to meet the highest magnet power demand with in
this variation range in order to avoid the generation
of anexces.sive amount of hea-t, The ~xact div1sion of
the total power range is appropriately effected in -that
the magnet coil designed for low magnet po~Jer covers
approximately one third of the total variation range
2~ and approximately two thirds o~ t~e range i.s controlled
by the magne-t coil designed ~or greater magnet powerJ
In this operation, the best division is to be estab-
li~hed empirically for the respective design o~ the
double magnet and switch contacts~ '
Instead of the magnetic switch9 other switch
elements whîch may be operated by a temporary current
pulse, such as relays controlled by a transistor, may
also be used, in particular in the embodiment c) of
the lighting installation according to the invention7 as
~o long as the relay is opened by this current pulse
retransmitted via the mains of the lighting installation
~nd may be opened and closed according to the individual
embodiments ~rom outside 9 and also separately for each
~ndividual light point, whether it is fully mechanical,
according t;o embodiment a), partly mechanical according
~o embodiment b) or fully non-mechanical by suitable
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pulse transmitters associated with the individual light
points according to embodiment c). However, the switch
element 2 must then also be replaced by a suitable central
pulse transroitter. The embodiIi~ent illustrated, in which
the control pulse is provided by a temporary interruption
in the current, allows, however, a particularly simple
design and is theref~re preferableO
The central switch e].ement 2 may be operated
manually or using suitable control devices~ According
to a particularly preferred embmodiment, the central
switch element 2 constitutes a switch element which may
be operated by the energising of a magnet coil and this
switch element is oontrolled both by a conventional switch
clock having at least two adjustable switch positions for
actuating the switch of the switch clock as well as by a
dimness switch connected in parallel thereto and optionally
adjustable with respect to the light sensitivity.
Figures 3 to S show the individual light switches 4,
6 and 8 in the circuit diagram of Figure 1 schematically
separate from the rest of the lighting installation in ~he
preferred embodiment, Figures 6 to 8 show the individual
light switches 4, 6 and 8 in the embodiment of Figure 2.
Thus, Fig. 6 shows the individual llght switch assigned
to the lighting point 3 of Fig. 2, Fig. 8 shows the indi
vidual light swi~ch assigned to the group 5 of lighting
points of Fig. 2 and Fig~ 7 shows the individual light
switch assigned to the lighting point 7 of Fig~ 2. Figs.
3 to 5 show in the same way the individual liyht switches
assigned to the lighting points 3, 5 and 7 of Fig~ 1.
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