Contactor with improved contact support means and guide means

Claim 2

A contactor comprising a stationary magnetic member, an armature movable toward said stationary magnetic member to an actuated position and away from said stationary magnetic member to an unactuated position, an insulating contact carrier operatively connected to said armature for movement upon movement of said armature, a pair of spaced stationary contacts, a bridging contact structure, contact support means comprising a spring support a contact-pressure spring and a damping spring, said damping spring being an elongated leaf spring, said contactpressure spring being disposed on one side of said bridging contact structure to bias said spring support against said damping spring intermediate the ends of said damping spring to bias said damping spring on the opposite side of said bridging contact structure against said bridging contact structure to bias said bridging contact structure against said contact carrier to thereby support said bridging contact structure on said contact carrier, upon movement of said armature and contact carrier to the actuated position said contact carrier carrying said bridging contact structure therewith until said bridging contact structure engages said spaced stationary contacts and said contact carrier moving an additional distance as said contact pressure spring is charged to operate through said spring support aNd damping spring to provide contact pressure between said bridging contact structure and said spaced stationary contacts.

Claim 3

A contactor according to claim 1, kickout spring means biasing said armature and contact carrier to said unactuated position, said armature and contact carrier moving to said actuated position against the bias of said kickout spring means, upon movement of said armature and contact carrier to said unactuated position said armature and contact carrier moving under the bias of said contact-pressure spring and kickout spring means until said bridging contact structure is engaged by said contact carrier and thereafter said armature said contact carrier and said bridging contact structure moving to said unactuated position under the bias of said kickout spring means.

Claim 4

A contactor according to claim 2, and a metallic shield supported on said insulating contact carrier between said insulating contact carrier and said bridging contact structure to protect said insulating contact carrier from the impacts and heat of said bridging contact structure.

Claim 5

A contactor according to claim 2, said insulating contact carrier comprising a tubular part, said bridging contact structure comprising an elongated bridging conductor and a pair of movable contacts supported on said elongated conductor in a spaced relationship, said spring support being positioned within said tubular part under said bridging conductor and extending along opposite sides of bridging conductor to a position over said bridging conductor, said contact-pressure spring comprising a coil spring positioned under said bridging conductor within said tubular part biased between a ledge portion on said tubular part and one end of said spring support, and said damping spring being positioned above said bridging conductor between said bridging conductor and the opposite end of said spring support whereby said coil spring biases said spring support to operate against said spring support and said damping spring to bias said bridging conductor against said contact carrier at one end of the said tubular part.

Claim 6

A contactor comprising a housing structure, a contactor-mechanism supported on said housing structure, said contactor-mechanism comprising a stationary magnetic member, a movable structure supported for movement relative to said stationary magnetic member, a pair of spaced stationary contacts, said movement structure comprising an armature and an insulating contact carrier operatively connected to said armature, said insulating contact carrier comprising a tubular part, a saddle support inserted into said tubular part from a first end of said tubular part, a spring support ledge in said tubular part on said insulating contact carrier, a coil spring supported between said spring support ledge and a first end of said saddle support, an elongated bridging contact structure extending across said tubular part at one end of said tubular part and extending through said saddle support, a damping spring at the opposite end of said saddle support between said opposite end of said saddle support and said bridging contact structure, said coil spring biasing said saddle support to operate through said saddle support and said damping spring to bias said bridging contact structure toward said one end of said tubular part to thereby resiliently mount said bridging contact structure on said contact carrier, conducting coil means energizable to effect movement of said movable structure from an unactuated position toward said stationary magnetic member to an actuated position, upon movement of said movable structure to said actuated position said contact carrier carrying said bridging contact structure therewith until said bridging contact structure engages said stationary contacts and thereafter said contact carrier moving an additional distance as said contact pressure spring is charged to operate through said saddle support and damping spring to provide contact pressure between said bridging contact Structure and said stationary contacts.

Claim 7

A contactor comprising a housing structure, a contactor-mechanism supported on said housing structure, said contactor-mechanism comprising a stationary magnetic member, a movable structure supported for movement relative to said stationary magnetic member, a pair of spaced stationary contacts, said movement structure comprising an armature and an insulating contact carrier operatively connected to said armature, said insulating contact carrier comprising a tubular part, a saddle support inserted into said tubular part from a first end of said tubular part, a spring support ledge in said tubular part on said insulating contact carrier, a coil spring supported between said spring support ledge and a first end of said saddle support, an elongated bridging contact structure extending across said tubular part at one end of said tubular part and extending through said saddle support, a damping spring at the opposite end of said saddle support between said opposite end of said saddle support and said bridging contact structure, said coil spring biasing said saddle support to operate through said saddle support and said damping spring to bias said bridging contact structure toward said one end of said tubular part to thereby resiliently mount said bridging contact structure on said contact carrier, conducting coil means energizable to effect movement of said movable structure from an unactuated position toward said stationary magnetic member to an actuated position, upon movement of said movable structure to said actuated position said contact carrier carrying said bridging contact structure therewith until said bridging contact structure engages said stationary contacts and thereafter said contact carrier moving an additional distance as said contact pressure spring is charged to operate through said saddle support and damping spring to provide contact pressure between said bridging contact Structure and said stationary contacts.

Claim 8

A contactor according to claim 5, kickout spring means biasing said movable structure to said unactuated position, said movable structure moving to said actuated position against the bias of said kickout spring means, upon deenergization of said coil said movable structure being movable to said unactuated position under the bias of said kickout spring means during which movement said contact carrier moves to engage said bridging contact structure and carries said bridging contact structure to said unactuated position.

Claim 9

A contactor comprising an insulating housing, a contactor structure supported in said insulating housing, said contactor structure comprising a stationary contact structure, a stationary magnetic member, a movable structure, said movable structure comprising a movable contact structure cooperable with said stationary contact structure, a movable magnetic armature, an insulating contact carrier connected to move with said movable magnetic armature and carrying said movable contact structure thereon, internal guide means in said insulating housing structure guiding said movable structure for movement between actuated and unactuated positions, said insulating housing having an opening therein, said movable structure comprising a protruding part protruding through said opening, externally adjustable guide means comprising a guide plate and externally adjustable mounting means mounting said guide plate on said housing in proximity to said protruding part, said guide plate comprising a guide surface that engages said protruding part to guide movement of said protruding part of said movable structure, and said externally adjustable mounting means permitting adjustment of said guide plate to selected adjusted stationary positions on said housing to vary the guiding action of said guide plate on said protruding part to thereby enable adjustment of the alignment of said movable magnetic armature with said stationary magnetic member.

Claim 10

A contactor comprising an insulating housing, a contactor structure supported in said insulating housing, said contactor structure comprising a stationary contact structure, a stationary magnetic member, a movable structure, said movable structure comprising a movable contact structure cooperable with said stationary contact structure, a movable magnetic armature, an insulating contact carrier connected to move with said movable magnetic armature and carrying said movable contact structure thereon, internal guide means in said insulating housing structure guiding said movable structure for movement between actuated and unactuated positions, said insulating housing having an opening therein, said movable structure comprising a protruding part protruding through said opening, externally adjustable guide means comprising a guide plate and externally adjustable mounting means mounting said guide plate on said housing in proximity to said protruding part, said guide plate comprising a guide surface that engages said protruding part to guide movement of said protruding part of said movable structure, and said externally adjustable mounting means permitting adjustment of said guide plate to selected adjusted stationary positions on said housing to vary the guiding action of said guide plate on said protruding part to thereby enable adjustment of the alignment of said movable magnetic armature with said stationary magnetic member.

Claim 11

A contactor according to claim 7, said guide plate comprising a first leg extending into said opening and a mounting leg positioned on the outside of said housing, said mounting leg having a pair of spaced slots therein, a separate mounting screw extending through each of said slots, said mounting screws securing said mounting plate to said housing.