Patent US3636414A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3636414A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Relay apparatus
Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Co
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Filing: 1970-01-28
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Granted: 1972-01-18
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Expires: 1990-01-28
Abstract
Abstract A relay apparatus to operate in response to an induction from an electric current in a conductor and including a housing having a first contact mounted thereon. A flexible blade is carried by one end from the housing and carries a movable contact on its free end. Sensing means is responsive to a predetermined electrical current in the lead to provide a signal which is amplified to operate an actuator which flexes the blade to engage the movable contact with the first contact. The blade may be of nonlinear configuration and the actuator may move transversely thereto and engage such blade intermediate its ends to cause flexing thereof to engage the movable contact with the stationary contact and to continue flexing of such blade to move the movable contact across the surface of the first contact whereby the blade will remain flexed during contact closure and will tend to unflex when the actuator is retracted to apply a shearing force to any weld that may have developed between the contacts to thereby break such weld.
Inventors
- 👤 Harold A Mcintosh
- 👤 Hollis L Randolph
- 👤 William W Chambers
- 👤 Marvin M Graham
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 17:07
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H47/00; H01H47/001; H01H1/00; H01H1/12; H01H1/14; H01H1/18; H01H3/00; H01H3/001
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A current-sensing relay for operating in response to a predetermined electric current in a lead, said relay comprising: a housing including a ferromagnetic loop formed with a ferromagnetic bar; a first contact mounted on said housing; a movable contact disposed in engageable alignment with said first contact; a blade carrying said movable contact; electrical actuator means for moving said blade to selectively engage and disengage said contacts; sensiNg coil means wound on said bar and mounted in circuit with said actuator means for sensing the current in said lead and responsive to said predetermined electrical current to produce an electrical signal; amplifier means in circuit with said actuator means and sensing means and responsive to said signal to operate said actuator means and move said blade whereby said relay will operate in response to said predetermined electrical current.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A current-sensing relay for operating in response to a predetermined electric current in a lead, said relay comprising: a housing including a ferromagnetic loop formed with a ferromagnetic bar; a first contact mounted on said housing; a movable contact disposed in engageable alignment with said first contact; a blade carrying said movable contact; electrical actuator means for moving said blade to selectively engage and disengage said contacts; sensiNg coil means wound on said bar and mounted in circuit with said actuator means for sensing the current in said lead and responsive to said predetermined electrical current to produce an electrical signal; amplifier means in circuit with said actuator means and sensing means and responsive to said signal to operate said actuator means and move said blade whereby said relay will operate in response to said predetermined electrical current.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
145 words
A current-sensing relay as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said blade is elongated, flexible and crooked and has one end affixed to said housing and carries said movable contact on its free end; and said actuator means operatively engages said blade intermediate said one end and said movable contact to move said free end transversely and engage said movable contact with said first contact, and then continue transverse movement of the intermediate portion of said blade to further flex said blade and slide said movable contact across said first contact a sliding distance greater than it would be slid by an equivalent amount of transverse movement of the intermediate portion of a straight blade whereby when said actuator is released said blade will unflex and move said movable contact said sliding distance across said first contact to provide a relatively large contact breaking force.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A current-sensing relay as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said amplifier means includes a silicon-controlled rectifier having its gate in circuit with said sensing means and its power circuit in circuit with said actuator means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
69 words
A current-sensing relay as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said actuator means includes an arm having its front extremity projecting over said blade for engagement therewith, a mount carried on said housing for supporting the rear extremity of said arm and including a resilient holding clip projecting forwardly over the rear extremity of said arm and beyond said mount to bias said front extremity downwardly toward said blade.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
100 words
A current-sensing relay as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said housing includes a terminal receiving passage formed with a depression in one side for defining a keyway; and said relay includes a plug terminal in circuit with one of said contacts and projecting through said passage to form a plug prong, said terminal being formed with a reduced-in-cross-section portion defining a key for complimentally interfitting said keyway whereby said terminal may be inserted in said passage, shifted laterally therein to fit said key in said keyway, and affixed to said housing to mount said terminal firmly on said housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
A current-sensing relay as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said housing is formed with a terminal receiving passage; and said relay includes a terminal for insertion in said passage and including a malleable rivet forming portion whereby said terminal may be inserted in said passage and said rivet forming portion riveted over to hold said terminal captive in said passage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
72 words
A current-sensing relay as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said housing includes a base formed with a pair of oppositely disposed sidewalls formed on their exterior with respective clip-receiving recesses, said housing further including a cover formed with a pair of oppositely disposed downwardly projecting sidewalls in juxtaposition with the walls of said base and formed with resilient clips for receipt in said recesses to lock said cover to said base.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
84 words
A current-sensing relay as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said housing includes a blade mount; said actuator includes an arm formed on its rear extremity with a pair of spaced apart legs carried on said mount, and is formed intermediately with a downwardly projecting apex; and said housing includes a stop disposed adjacent said apex for engagement thereby to limit travel of said arm toward its contact closing position whereby said arm will be supported at three points when said relay is actuated.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
A current-sensing relay as set forth in claim 1 that includes: a bobbin formed with a spool for winding said coil thereon and with a passage extending through the center of such spool for receipt of a magnetic conductor disposed in electrical inductive relationship with said lead.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
A current-sensing relay as set forth in claim 2 wherein: said blade is formed intermediately with a peg-receiving opening; and said actuator means includes a peg which loosely interfits said opening whereby the intermediate portion of said blade will be free to shift forwardly and rearwardly during actuation of said relay to facilitate alignment between said blade and actuator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A current-sensing relay as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said housing includes a mounting bar having its opposite ends connected with said loop and having said coil wound therearound.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
74 words
A current-sensing relay as set forth in claim 11 wherein: said housing is formed with a pair of slots for receiving the opposite extremities of said loop; said loop is generally U-shaped and has its opposite extremities projecting through said slots and said opposite extremities are formed with openings; and the opposite extremities of said mounting bar project through said openings and are secured to said housing to affix said loop to said housing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
A current-sensing relay as set forth in claim 9 wherein: said actuator means includes a plurality of electrical components; and said bobbin includes a plurality of holding tabs forming cavities for receipt of said respective components.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
103 words
An electrical switch as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said actuator means includes an electromagnet having its core formed on one end with a stop, an arm coupled with said blade and overlying said core and formed with a V-shaped ferromagnetic portion disposed adjacent said stop and having its apex engageable therewith when said electromagnet is energized whereby said V-shaped portion will form a plate for a relatively large portion of the magnetic flux from said electromagnet thereby leaving a relatively small portion of the magnetic flux to assume a path across the composite airgap between said V-shaped portion and said stop.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
A current-sensing relay as set forth in claim 1 that includes: a second contact mounted from said housing, disposed on the opposite side of said blade from said first contact, and in engageable alignment with said movable contact.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
A current-sensing relay as set forth in claim 1 that includes: an auxiliary plug terminal mounted on said housing and connected in circuit electrical actuator for connection to a lead from an auxiliary actuator whereby said relay may be actuated by said auxiliary actuator.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-01-17 | 1975-07-19 | 1976-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-17 | 1979-07-19 | 1980-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-17 | 1983-07-19 | 1984-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |