Claims
- 1. A toggle device comprising a support, a pair of abutments on the support, a toggle arm mounted on the support and pivotally movable in response to a variable motive force applied thereon between the abutments into motion limiting engagement therewith, respectively, a toggle spring having one of a pair of opposite ends thereof engaged with the toggle arm and adapted to be compressed for transmitting a force applied thereto onto the toggle arm generally in opposition to the motive force so as to urge the toggle arm toward engagement with one of the abutments, adjusting means pivotally mounted on the support and engaged with the other of the opposite ends of the toggle spring so as to compress the one opposite end thereof against the toggle arm for adjustably establishing the magnitude of applied force, and other adjusting means mounted on the support and engaged with the first named adjusting means for pivoting it and the toggle spring so as to adjust the other opposite end thereof with respect to the opposite end and angularly direct the applied force through the toggle spring onto the toggle arm.
- 2. A toggle device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first named adjusting means includes means for adjustably selecting the magnitude of the applied force.
- 3. A toggle device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first named adjusting means includes an adjustable link having opposite end portions, one of said end portions being engaged with the one opposite end of the toggle spring and the other of the opposite end portions being pivotally mounted to the support.
- 4. A toggle device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the other adjusting means includes means for adjustably selecting the angle at which the applied force is directed onto the toggle spring.
- 5. A toggle device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the other adjusting means includes means for movably mounting it to the support.
- 6. A toggle device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first named adjusting means includes a pair of opposite end portions, one of the opposite end portions being pivotally mounted to the support, and the other means including means adjustably engaged with the the other of the opposite end portions of the first named adjusting means for pivoting it so as to adjust the angle at which the applied force is directed onto the toggle spring.
- 7. A toggle device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the other adjusting means includes means for movably mounting it to the support, and means adjustably mounted to the movably mounting means and engaged with the first named adjusting means for pivoting it so as to adjust the angle at which the applied force is directed onto the toggle spring.
- 8. A toggle device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first named adjusting means includes means for adjustably selecting the magnitude of the applied force.
- 9. A toggle device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first named adjusting means includes means for adjustably selecting the magnitude of the applied force which primarily predetermines a differential between the values of the motive force necessary to initiate the movement of the toggle arm into engagement with one of the abutments and its return movement into engagement with the other of the abutments, and the other adjusting means including means for adjustably selecting the angularity of the applied force directed through the toggle spring onto the toggle arm which primarily predetermines the values of the motive force at which the movements of the toggle arm toward its engagement with the one and other abutments are respectively initiated.
- 10. A toggle device comprising a toggle arm pivotally mounted in the device and adapted for movement between a pair of predetermined opposite positions, a toggle spring having one of a pair of opposite ends engaged with the toggle arm and adapted to be compressed for transmitting an applied force to the toggle arm, the toggle arm being pivotally movable in response to a motive force toward one of the opposite positions against the toggle spring and the applied force thereon and the toggle spring and the applied force thereon assisting the return pivotal movement of the toggle arm toward the other of the opposite positions upon a predetermined reduction in the magnitude of the motive force, adjusting means pivotally mounted in the device and adjustably engaged with the other of the opposite ends of the toggle spring for establishing the applied force on the toggle spring so as to primarily predetermine a differential between the values of the motive force necessary to initiate the respective pivotal movements of the toggle arm toward its opposite positions, and other adjusting means adjustably mounted on the support and engaged with the first named adjusting means for pivoting it so as to adjust the other opposite end of the toggle spring with respect to the one opposite end thereof and angularly direct the applied force through the toggle spring onto the toggle arm to primarily predetermine the values of the motive force at which the pivotal movements of the toggle arm toward its opposite positions are respectively initiated.
- 11. A toggle device comprising a fixed support, a pair of fixed abutments on the support, a toggle arm pivotally mounted to the support and movable between the abutments for engagement therewith, a toggle spring having one of a pair of opposite ends engaged with the toggle arm and adapted to be compressed for transmitting a directed applied force onto the toggle so as to urge it toward engagement with one of the abutments, means for establishing the directed applied force including a member extending generally adjacent both the toggle spring and the toggle arm and engaged with the other of the opposite ends of the toggle spring, and a first adjusting screw pivotally mounted to the support and threadedly engaged with the member, the first adjusting screw being operable generally to threadedly drive the member against the other opposite end of the toggle spring to compress it against the toggle arm thereby to establish the magnitude of the applied force, and means for directing the applied force generally angularly onto the toggle arm including a second adjusting screw mounted on the support and drivingly engaged with the member, the second adjusting screw being operable generally to drive the member and conjointly pivot the first adjusting screw on the support so that the member displaces the other opposite end of the toggle spring relative to its one opposite end thereby to angularly direct the applied force onto the toggle arm, the toggle arm being pivotally movable in response to a motive force acting thereon in excess of the directed applied force toward engagement with the other of the abutments, and the angularity between the opposite ends of the toggle spring being reduced when the toggle arm is engaged with the other abutment thereby to reduce proportionally the value of the directed applied force necessary for returning the toggle arm toward re-engagement with the one abutment upon a subsequent reduction of the motive force to a value less than the reduced value of the directed applied force.
- 12. An electrical switch comprising a housing, a pair of contacts mounted to the housing and adapted for relative movement between make and break positions, a pair of abutments in the housing, means pivotally mounted in the housing and movable between the abutments for actuating one of the contacts between its make and break positions, means for exerting a variable motive force on the actuating means, resilient toggle means having one of a pair of opposite ends engaged with the actuating means and adapted to be compressed for transmitting an applied force onto the actuating means generally in opposition to the motive force acting thereon, adjusting means pivotally mounted to the housing and engaged with the other of the opposite ends of the resilient toggle means so as to compress the one opposite end thereof against the actuating means for adjustably establishing the magnitude of the applied force thereon, and other adjusting means movably mounted in the housing and adjustably engaged with the first named adjusting means for pivoting it to adjust the angle between the opposite ends of the resilient toggle means and direct the applied force generally angularly therethrough onto the actuating means in opposition to the motive force.
- 13. An electrical switch as set forth in claim 12 wherein the first named adjusting means includes means for adjustably selecting the magnitude of the applied force.
- 14. An electrical switch as set forth in claim 12 wherein the other adjusting means includes means engaged with the first named adjusting means for pivoting it so as to adjustably vary the angle through which the applied force is directed onto the resilient toggle means.
- 15. An electrical switch as set forth in claim 12, further comprising a pair of abutments within the housing for engagement with the actuating means the actuating means being pivotally movable in response to the motive force against the resilient toggle means and the applied force thereon toward engagement with one of the abutments to effect the movement of the one contact to one of its make and break positions and the resilient toggle means and the applied force acting to return the actuating means towards engagement with the other of the abutments to effect the movement of the one contact to the other of its make and break positions upon a reduction in the magnitude of the motive force to a value less than the applied force.
- 16. An electrical switch comprising a housing, a stationary contact mounted to the housing, a movable contact mounted to the housing for making and breaking engagement with the stationary contact, a pair of spaced apart abutments in the housing, a toggle arm pivotally mounted in the housing and movable between the abutments for engagement therewith, means adapted to be actuated for exerting a variable motive force on the toggle arm, a link movable in the housing and connected between the toggle arm and the movable contact, a toggle spring having one of a pair of opposite ends engaged with the toggle arm and adapted to be compressed for transmitting a directed applied force onto the toggle arm, the toggle arm being urged in one direction in response to the directed applied force thereon toward engagement with one of the abutments and to urge the movable contact toward its breaking engagement from the stationary contact, means pivotally mounted in the housing and adjustably engaged with the other of the opposite ends of the toggle spring so as to compress it against the toggle arm for selectively establishing the magnitude of the applied force, and means mounted in the housing and adjustably engaged with the establishing means for positioning it pivotally so as to displace the other opposite end of the toggle spring relative to its one opposite end thereby to generally angularly direct the applied force through the toggle spring onto the toggle arm, the toggle arm being pivotally movable in response to the motive force thereon having a value in excess of that of the applied force generally against the toggle spring toward engagement with the other of the abutments and to effect the making engagement of the movable contact with the stationary contact upon the actuation of the exerting means, and the movement of the toggle arm toward engagement with the other abutment being effective to displace the other opposite end of the toggle spring relative to its one opposite end to reduce the angularity therebetween so as to reduce proportionally the value of the applied force necessary for returning the toggle arm toward re-engagement with the one abutment upon a subsequent reduction of the motive force to a value less than the reduced value of the applied force.
Parent Case Info
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
This patent application is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 442,838 filed Feb. 15, 1974, now abandoned the contents of which are specifically incorporated by reference.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
427,015 |
Jan 1934 |
UK |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
442838 |
Feb 1974 |
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