US2262777A - Quick acting positive contact switch - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 18, I941. I J, ROPER 2,262,777

QUICK ACTING POSITIVE CONTACT SWITCH Filed Sept. 21, 1940 INVENTOR JOHN I1. ROPE/Q Patented Nov. v18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE QUICK ACTING POSITIVE CONTACT SWITCH John M. Roper, Washington, D. 0. Application September 21, 194o, sriai No. 357,687

4 Claims. (01. 200-159) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) This invention relates to a quick acting positive contact switch, and has for an object to provide a reliable positive 'quick acting contact switch for use in the electrical circuits of armament and other equipment on airplanes or elsewhere.

A further object of this invention is to provide a snap action switch for instantaneously making and breaking a circuit, thereby preventing delayed action in armament equipment, as in the release of bombs or the firing of guns.

A further object of this invention is to provide a quick action switch which may be located conveniently, such as on the end of the joy stick of a single place airplane.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a switch of simple construction and free from defective parts or parts liable to become defective in use, one sample switch of this inven- I tion having already been tested for 50,000 operations without any noticeable sign of deterioration or wear.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through the switch of this invention; and

Fig. 2 is a partly sectional and partly elevational view of the grounding flanged ring and its attached contact.

There is shown at III the contact switch of this invention which includes a snap action con cave-convex disc II constructed of bronze or other resilient metal, and has its peripheral edge supported on a grounding flanged ring I2 to which is secured, as by silver solder I3, one of the contact poles I4. A tungsten contact point I5 is fastened to the disc II by means of a rivet I6 for making contact, when depressed by a finger button ll of insulating material, with the tungsten contact point I8 integrally mounted on a metal sleeve secured on the other contact pole 2|. This sleeve 20 has a projecting flange 22 formore securely anchoring it within the molded lower housing portion 23, in which is also secured the grounding flanged ring I2 and its attached contact pole I4. The upper molded housing portion 24 is secured to the lower housing portion 23 by means of a pressed metal casting 25 thereabouts, the upper housing portion 24 having a counterbored opening 26 through which the finger button I'I extends, the finger'button against the counterbored shoulder 28 by the pressure of the contact disc II and its rivet I6.

In operation, the electrical conductors of the desired circuit are suitably connected to the conto press against the top of rivet I6 and then the contact disc yields with a snap action, permitting a quick and positive contact of the tungsten contact point I5 with the tungsten contact point I8, thereby completing the circuit from the contact pole I4 through the grounding flanged ring I2, disc II, the tungsten contact points I 5 and I8, the sleeve 20 and the contact pole 2|. These tungsten contact points I5 and I8 are normally held one-sixteenth of aninch apart, sumcient to interrupt the circuit yet short enough to make practically an instantaneous completion of the circuit when the finger button I1 is depressed.

As shown in Fig. 2, it will be observed that the grounding flanged ring I2 has a recessed surface 30 on whichv the peripheral edge of the disc II rests and over which it moves with a wiping motion as the finger button I1 is depressed, thereby assuring a certain and clean connection between the disc I and the ring I2.

Other modifications and changes in the number and arrangements of the parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the nature of the invention, within the scope of what is hereinafter claimed.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and/or used by or for the Government of the United States of America for govemmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A quick acting push button positive contact switch comprising a concavo-convex disc, a flanged ring on which said concavo-convex disc rests, the peripheral edge of said disc be in wiping, self-cleaning contact with said ring, a contact point secured to the center of the concave side of said disc, push button means for depressing said disc to cause it to snap, a sec- II being provided with a flanged base 21 held 0nd contact point spaced from said first con- 2 i 2,262,777 r v i flanged ring, and an insulating housing molded tact point within the path of movement of said first contact point as it is moved by the snap action of said disc. and a contact pole member to which said second contact point is connected. 2. A quick acting push button contact switch comprising a concavo-convex disc. a flanged ring on which said concave-convex disc rests, a contact point secured to the center of the concave side of said disc, push button means for depressing said disc to cause it to snap, a second contact point spaced from saidflrst contact point within the path of movement of said first contact point as it is moved by the snap action of said disc, a contact pole member to which said second contact point is connected, a second contact pole member connected to said flanged ring,

and an insulating housing molded about said contact pole members and said flanged ring portion securing them in proper spaced relation.

3. A quick acting push button positive contact switch comprising a concavo-convex disc, 9.,

flanged ring on which said concavo-convex disc rests, a contact point secured to the center of the concave side-of said disc, push button means for depressing saidvdisc to cause it to snap, a second contact point spaced from said flrst contact point within the path of movement of said 5 first contact point as it is moved by the snap,

action 01' said disc. 8. contact pole member to which said second contact point is connected, 8. second contact pole member connected to said about said contact pole members and said flanged ring portion securing them in proper spaced relation, the peripheral edge of said concavo-convex disc resting in a recessed surface of said flanged ring, thereby providing a self-cleaning contact between said disc and said flanged ring.

4. A quick acting push button positive contact switch comprising a concavo-convex disc, a flanged ring on which said concavo-convex disc rests, a contact point secured to the center of the concave side of said disc, push button means flanged ring, an insulating housing portion molded about said contact pole members and said flanged ring portion securing them in proper spaced relation, 8. second insulating housing portion, said second portion being counterbored, said disc depressing push button means comprising a flanged flnger button extending through said counterbored housing portion, and a pressed metal casing securing said housing portions into a unitary structure.

' JOHN M. ROPER.

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