Polarized electromagnetic relays having a floating armature

Claim 2

In a polarized electromagnetic relay having switching means including a floating armature Which is movable about its center of gravity and which is made of an electrically conductive magnetic metal, permanent magnetic field producing means for producing a reference field for holding the armature in a stable position, four contact elements of nonmagnetic electrically conductive metal arranged to provide two diagonally positioned pairs of contacts which contact the opposite ends of the armature, act as end of travel stops and provide residual airgaps in each of two switching positions of the armature, and electromagnetic field producing means arranged to provide a magnetic field for controlling the switching of the armature, the permanent magnetic field producing means including elements positioned on both sides of the ends of the armature and at each end of the electromagnetic field producing means.

Claim 3

A polarized electromagnetic relay according to claim 1 having a sealed enclosure wherein the floating armature and the four contact elements are positioned within the enclosure, the said enclosure being positioned within the electromagnetic field producing means.

Claim 4

A polarized electromagnetic relay according to claim 1 having a sealed enclosure wherein the floating armature and the four contact elements are positioned within the enclosure, the said enclosure being positioned within the electromagnetic field producing means.

Claim 5

A polarized electromagnetic relay according to claim 1 wherein the freely movable armature is of metal and constitutes a permanent magnet.

Claim 6

In a polarized electromagnetic relay comprising a floating armature movable about its center of gravity, made from a magnetic electrically conducting metal, and held in stable contact positions by permanent magnet means and at least one control winding the field of which acts on the said armature to control the movement thereof to provide a required switching operation, the improvement comprising permanent magnets so arranged on both sides of the ends of the armature and in the longitudinal axis of the control winding at opposite ends of the armature that the action of the said magnets places the armature in the said axis in the absence of a field produced by the said winding, and four elements, which are made from nonmagnetic electrically conductive metal for making contact to a circuit to be switched, which are so positioned that diagonally opposed pairs of the elements are in contact with the opposite ends of the movable armature upon the movement of the armature about its center of gravity under the control of the field from the said winding and which constitute end of travel stops, wherein, in the absence of a field produced by the control winding, the armature is located in a position in which it is not in contact with any of the contact and stop elements.

Claim 7

In a polarized electromagnetic relay comprising a floating armature movable about its center of gravity, made from a magnetic electrically conducting metal, and held in stable contact positions by permanent magnet means and at least one control winding the field of which acts on the said armature to control the movement thereof to provide a required switching operation, the improvement comprising permanent magnets so arranged on both sides of the ends of the armature and in the longitudinal axis of the control winding at opposite ends of the armature that the action of the said magnets places the armature in the said axis in the absence of a field produced by the said winding, and four elements, which are made from nonmagnetic electrically conductive metal for making contact to a circuit to be switched, which are so positioned that diagonally opposed pairs of the elements are in contact with the opposite ends of the movable armature upon the movement of the armature about its center of gravity under the control of the field from the said winding and which constitute end of travel stops, wherein, in the absence of a field produced by the control winding, the armature is located in a position in which it is not in contact with any of the contact and stop elements.