Solenoid operated switching device
AssigneePED Limited
InventorsRichard A. Connell, Alan Godfrey, Brian Darlow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A switching device (FIGS. 5 A and 5B) employs as actuator a bistable solenoid which includes a plunger (16) movable within a winding (12) between end positions in each of which it is held by permanent magnets (18, 20). The plunger (16) of the actuator is engageable with an insulated lever (86) which in turn actuates a contact blade (76) via a spring (108). The lever may be cranked, and may have an extension (90) outside of the casing (70) to enable the device to be manually operated or to provide a visual indication of the state of the switch. Other types of solenoid may be employed as the actuator.
Claims18
A switching device comprising
- a solenoid actuator,
- a lever made of electrically insulating material pivotally mounted for movement by the actuator,
- a flexible switch contact bearing element having a movable contact at one end for engagement with a fixed contact,
- connection means connecting the lever to the contact bearing element to move the contacts between open and closed states, and
- means adjustably mounting the solenoid actuator to enable contact separation between the fixed and movable contacts to be readily adjusted.
A switching device comprising
- a solenoid actuator,
- a lever made of electrically insulating material pivotally mounted for movement by the actuator,
- a flexible switch contact bearing element having a movable contact at one end for engagement with a fixed contact,
- connection means connecting the lever to the contact bearing element to move the contacts between open and closed states, and
- the device being mounted in a casing and the lever being formed with an extension outside of the casing to enable the device to be manually operated, the extension of the lever being separable from the lever which moves as the solenoid actuator is operated, the end of the lever being visible through a window in the casing, whereby when the extension is removed there remains a means for indicating whether the switch is open or closed.
In a method of manufacturing a switching device including a solenoid actuator, a lever made of electrically insulating material pivotally mounted for movement by the actuator, a flexible switch contact bearing element having a movable contact at one end for engagement with a fixed contact, and connection means connecting the lever to the contact bearing element to move the contact between open and closed state, the improvement comprising the steps of providing adjustment means for adjusting the position of the solenoid actuator at least along its direction of actuation, releasing the adjustment means, moving the actuator to provide the correct position for the movable contact, and securing the adjustment means.
A method according to claim 19 comprising the further steps of temporarily replacing the fixed contact by a thinner contact, setting the movable contact until in its closed state it just touches the movable contact, securing the adjustment means, and replacing the thinner contact with the original contact to provide contact pressure between the contacts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.