Safety disconnect switch

Claim 2

A safety switch for opening and closing high amperage circuits comprising a frame; a rotor; means for rotating said rotor through a limited arc around its axis; means for securing said rotor against substantial axial movement; an axially movable support element adjacent said rotor; said rotor and said support element having mating alignment means for maintaining the alignment of said support element with said rotor, during the axial movement of said support element and rotation of said rotor, said alignment means comprising an annular element which is concentric with the axis of rotation of said rotor, and a mating element extending axially and closely fitting said annular element, cooperating cam means on adjacent faces of said rotor and said support element for moving said support element axially in a first direction in response to rotation of said rotor in a first rotational direction through said predetermined arc; movable switch contact means for completing said circuit carried on said support element; circuit connector means fixed with respect to said frame and positioned for contacting said contact means at the limit of the axial motion of the switch contact means in said first axial direction, primary biasing means for biasing said switch contact means away from said connector means, and secondary biasing means for biasing said contact means toward said connector means.

Claim 3

A safety switch for opening and closing high amperage electrical circuits comprising a frame; a rotor; means for rotating said rotor through a limited arc around its axis; means for securing said rotor against substantial axial movement; an axially movable support element adjacent said rotor said rotor and said support element having mating alignment means for maintaining the alignment of said support element with said rotor, during the axial movement of said support element and rotation of said rotor, said alignment means comprising an annular element which is concentric with the axis of rotation of said rotor, and a mating element extending axially and closely fitting said annular element; cam means on adjacent surfaces of said rotor and said support element for moving said support element axially in the direction away from said rotor as said rotor is rotated through a predetermined arc about said axis in a first direction; movable switch contact means for completing said circuit carried on said support element; circuit connector means fixed with respect to said frame and positioned for contacting said contact means as said support element is moved axially in the direction away from said rotor; primary biasing means for biasing said contact means away from said connectors, and secondary biasing means for biasing said contact means away from said support element and towards said connector means; said cam means including means for compressing said secondary biasinG means after said contact means electrically connects with said connectors; and locking means for axially immobilizing said support element in the position in which said secondary biasing means is under compression, and said contact means is electrically connected with said conductors; and means for moving the electrically connected contact means away from said connectors when said rotor is rotated through a predetermined arc in a direction opposite said first direction.

Claim 4

A safety switch for opening and closing high amperage electrical circuits comprising a frame; a rotor; means for rotating said rotor through a limited arc around its axis; means for securing said rotor against substantial axial movement; an axially movable support element adjacent said rotor said rotor and said support element having mating alignment means for maintaining the alignment of said support element with said rotor, during the axial movement of said support element and rotation of said rotor, said alignment means comprising an annular element which is concentric with the axis of rotation of said rotor, and a mating element extending axially and closely fitting said annular element; cam means on adjacent surfaces of said rotor and said support element for moving said support element axially in the direction away from said rotor as said rotor is rotated through a predetermined arc about said axis in a first direction; movable switch contact means for completing said circuit carried on said support element; circuit connector means fixed with respect to said frame and positioned for contacting said contact means as said support element is moved axially in the direction away from said rotor; primary biasing means for biasing said contact means away from said connectors, and secondary biasing means for biasing said contact means away from said support element and towards said connector means; said cam means including means for compressing said secondary biasinG means after said contact means electrically connects with said connectors; and locking means for axially immobilizing said support element in the position in which said secondary biasing means is under compression, and said contact means is electrically connected with said conductors; and means for moving the electrically connected contact means away from said connectors when said rotor is rotated through a predetermined arc in a direction opposite said first direction.

Claim 5

The switch of claim 2 which includes secondary cam means for positively disengaging said contact means from said connector means comprising a first cam element fixed with respect to said contact, and extending axially in the direction toward said rotor, said first cam element including cam follower means, and in which said secondary cam system includes cam surfaces on said rotor which are adapted to engage said cam follower means as the rotor is rotated about said axis in a switch-opening direction.

Claim 6

A safety switch for opening and closing high amperage circuits comprising: an insulating rectangular base element, said base element having pairs of electrical connectors fixed at each side thereof, said base element including posts extending upwardly from each corner of said base element, said base element including a pair of recesses extending into said base element from the top thereof, each of said recesses being aligned with respective pairs of said connecting elements; coil spring biasing means residing in said recesses; an axially movable switch contact-carrying support element to which is secured a pair of cups adapted to mate over said coil spring biasing means, and mate within said recesses, said support element comprising a pair of contact means for bridging across and electrically connecting pairs of said respective connector means, said contact means extending between and being positioned closely adjacent to said posts, whereby rotation of said support elements around the rotors axis of rotation is substantially prevented; means for biasing said contact bars away from said support element; a rotor member, said support element and said rotor having alignment means for maintaining these elements in operating alignment with respect to each other; said alignment means comprising an annular element which is concentric with the axis of rotation of said rotor, and a mating element extending axially and closely fitting said annular element; said rotor and said support element having at the adjacent faces thereof cam means for driving said element in an axial direction away from said rotor, as the rotor is moved through a predetermined arc around its central axis, handle means for rotating said rotor, plate means adapted to be secured against the top of said posts maintaining compression of the respective biasing spring means.

Claim 7

A safety switch for opening and closing high amperage circuits comprising: an insulating rectangular base element, said base element having pairs of electrical connectors fixed at each side thereof, said base element including posts extending upwardly from each corner of said base element, said base element including a pair of recesses extending into said base element from the top thereof, each of said recesses being aligned with respective pairs of said connecting elements; coil spring biasing means residing in said recesses; an axially movable switch contact-carrying support element to which is secured a pair of cups adapted to mate over said coil spring biasing means, and mate within said recesses, said support element comprising a pair of contact means for bridging across and electrically connecting pairs of said respective connector means, said contact means extending between and being positioned closely adjacent to said posts, whereby rotation of said support elements around the rotors axis of rotation is substantially prevented; means for biasing said contact bars away from said support element; a rotor member, said support element and said rotor having alignment means for maintaining these elements in operating alignment with respect to each other; said alignment means comprising an annular element which is concentric with the axis of rotation of said rotor, and a mating element extending axially and closely fitting said annular element; said rotor and said support element having at the adjacent faces thereof cam means for driving said element in an axial direction away from said rotor, as the rotor is moved through a predetermined arc around its central axis, handle means for rotating said rotor, plate means adapted to be secured against the top of said posts maintaining compression of the respective biasing spring means.

Claim 8

The switch of claim 4 includes axially extending secondary cam follower means carried by said support element and substantially fixed with respect to said contact means, and secondary cam means on said rotor for engaging said secondary cam follower means as said rotor is rotated about its axis in a switch opening direction, said secondary cam follower means being positioned to engage said secondary cam surfaces in the event that said contacts stick to said connectors as said rotor is rotated in the switch opening direction to a position at which the contact carrier element would normally begin to move axially away from said connectors under the bias of said biasing means.

Claim 9

The switch of claim 4 wherein said secondary biasing means comprises a pair of coil springs situated to bear against each of said contacts on each side of each primary biasing means, and wherein said secondary cam means includes a plurality of arm means which extend axially away from said contact carrier element through slots in said rotor, and wherein said secondary cam follower means comprises cam follower members extending from either side of said arm means radially, and wherein secondary caM surface comprises an inclined plane situated at the walls of said slots which are trailing said slots as the rotor is moved in the switch opening direction, said inclined plane being sloped in the direction in which said cam follower means is urged in the direction away from said connectors.

Claim 10

A safety switch for opening and closing high amperage circuits comprising a frame; a rotor; means for rotating said rotor through a limited arc around its axis; means for securing said rotor against substantial axial movement; an axially movable support element adjacent said rotor; said rotor and said support element having mating alignment means for maintaining the alignment of said support element with said rotor, during the axial movement of said support element and rotation of said rotor, said aligment means comprising an annular element which is concentric with the axis of rotation of said rotor, and a mating element extending axially and closely fitting said annular element, cooperating cam means on said rotor and said support element for moving said support element axially in a first direction in response to rotation of said rotor through said predetermined arc; movable switch contact means for completing said circuit carried on said support element; circuit connector means fixed with respect to said frame and positioned for contacting said contact means at the limit of the motion of said switch contact means in an axial direction opposite said first direction, and means for moving said contact means in said first direction to abutt said connector means.

Claim 11

A safety switch for opening and closing high amperage circuits comprising a frame; a rotor; means for rotating said rotor through a limited arc around its axis; means for securing said rotor against substantial axial movement; an axially movable support element adjacent said rotor; said rotor and said support element having mating alignment means for maintaining the alignment of said support element with said rotor, during the axial movement of said support element and rotation of said rotor, said aligment means comprising an annular element which is concentric with the axis of rotation of said rotor, and a mating element extending axially and closely fitting said annular element, cooperating cam means on said rotor and said support element for moving said support element axially in a first direction in response to rotation of said rotor through said predetermined arc; movable switch contact means for completing said circuit carried on said support element; circuit connector means fixed with respect to said frame and positioned for contacting said contact means at the limit of the motion of said switch contact means in an axial direction opposite said first direction, and means for moving said contact means in said first direction to abutt said connector means.

Claim 12

A safety switch for opening and closing high amperage electrical circuits comprising a frame; a rotor; means for rotating said rotor through a limited arc around its axis; means for securing said rotor against substantial axial movement; an axially movable support element adjacent said rotor; cam means on adjacent surfaces of said rotor and said support element for moving said support element axially in the direction away from said rotor as said rotor is rotated through a predetermined arc about said axis in a first direction; movable switch contact means for completing said circuit responsive to the movement of said support element; circuit connector means fixed with respect to said frame and positioned for contacting said contact means as said support element is moved axially in the direction away from said rotor; primary biasing means for biasing said contact means away from said connectors, and secondary biasing means for biasing said contact means away from said support element and towards said connector means; said cam means including means for compressing said secondary biasing means after said contact means electrically connects with said connectors; and locking means for axially immobilizing said support element in the position in which said secondary biasing means is under compression, and said contact means is electrically connected with said conductors; means for moving the electrically connected contact means away from said connectors when said rotor is rotated through a predetermined arc in a direction opposite said first direction; secondary cam means for positively disengaging said contact means from said connector means comprising a first cam element fixed with respect to said contact, and extending axially in the direction toward said rotor, said first cam element including cam follower means, and in which said secondary cam system includes cam surfaces on said rotor which are adapted to engage said cam follower means as the rotor is rotated about said axis in a switch-opening direction.

Claim 13

A safety switch for opening and closing high amperage electrical circuits comprising a frame; a rotor; means for rotating said rotor through a limited arc around its axis; means for securing said rotor against substantial axial movement; an axially movable support element adjacent said rotor; cam means on adjacent surfaces of said rotor and said support element for moving said support element axially in the direction away from said rotor as said rotor is rotated through a predetermined arc about said axis in a first direction; movable switch contact means for completing said circuit responsive to the movement of said support element; circuit connector means fixed with respect to said frame and positioned for contacting said contact means as said support element is moved axially in the direction away from said rotor; primary biasing means for biasing said contact means away from said connectors, and secondary biasing means for biasing said contact means away from said support element and towards said connector means; said cam means including means for compressing said secondary biasing means after said contact means electrically connects with said connectors; and locking means for axially immobilizing said support element in the position in which said secondary biasing means is under compression, and said contact means is electrically connected with said conductors; means for moving the electrically connected contact means away from said connectors when said rotor is rotated through a predetermined arc in a direction opposite said first direction; secondary cam means for positively disengaging said contact means from said connector means comprising a first cam element fixed with respect to said contact, and extending axially in the direction toward said rotor, said first cam element including cam follower means, and in which said secondary cam system includes cam surfaces on said rotor which are adapted to engage said cam follower means as the rotor is rotated about said axis in a switch-opening direction.

Claim 14

A safety switch for opening and closing high amperage circuits comprising: an insulating rectangular base element, said base element having pairs of electrical connectors fixed at each side thereof, said base element including posts extending upwardly from each corner of said base element, said base element including a pair of recesses extending into said base element from the top thereof, each of said recesseS being aligned with respective pairs of said connecting elements; coil spring biasing means residing in said recesses; an axially movable switch contact carrying support element to which is secured a pair of cups adapted to mate over said coil spring biasing means, and mate within said recesses, said support element comprising a pair of contact means for bridging across and electrically connecting pairs of said respective connector means; means for biasing said contact bars away from said support element; a rotor member, said support element and said rotor having means for maintaining these elements in operating alignment with respect to each other, said rotor and said support element having at the adjacent faces thereof cam means for driving said element in an axial direction away from said rotor, as the rotor is moved through a predetermined arc around its central axis, handle means for rotating said rotor, plate means adapted to be secured against the top of said posts maintaining compression of the respective biasing spring means; axially extending secondary cam follower means carried by said support element and substantially fixed with respect to said contact means, and a secondary cam means on said rotor for engaging said secondary cam follower means as said rotor is rotated about its axis in a switch opening direction, said secondary cam follower means being positioned to engage said secondary cam surfaces in the event that said contacts stick to said connectors as said rotor is rotated in the switch opening direction to a position at which the contact carrier element would normally begin to move axially away from said connectors under the bias of said biasing means.

Claim 15

A safety switch for opening and closing high amperage circuits comprising: an insulating rectangular base element, said base element having pairs of electrical connectors fixed at each side thereof, said base element including posts extending upwardly from each corner of said base element, said base element including a pair of recesses extending into said base element from the top thereof, each of said recesseS being aligned with respective pairs of said connecting elements; coil spring biasing means residing in said recesses; an axially movable switch contact carrying support element to which is secured a pair of cups adapted to mate over said coil spring biasing means, and mate within said recesses, said support element comprising a pair of contact means for bridging across and electrically connecting pairs of said respective connector means; means for biasing said contact bars away from said support element; a rotor member, said support element and said rotor having means for maintaining these elements in operating alignment with respect to each other, said rotor and said support element having at the adjacent faces thereof cam means for driving said element in an axial direction away from said rotor, as the rotor is moved through a predetermined arc around its central axis, handle means for rotating said rotor, plate means adapted to be secured against the top of said posts maintaining compression of the respective biasing spring means; axially extending secondary cam follower means carried by said support element and substantially fixed with respect to said contact means, and a secondary cam means on said rotor for engaging said secondary cam follower means as said rotor is rotated about its axis in a switch opening direction, said secondary cam follower means being positioned to engage said secondary cam surfaces in the event that said contacts stick to said connectors as said rotor is rotated in the switch opening direction to a position at which the contact carrier element would normally begin to move axially away from said connectors under the bias of said biasing means.

Claim 16

A safety switch for opening and closing high amperage circuits comprising: an insulating rectangular base element, said base element having pairs of electrical connectors fixed at each side thereof, said base element including posts extending upwardly from each corner of said base element, said base element including a pair of recesses extending into said base element from the top thereof, each of said recesses being aligned with respective pairs of said connecting elements; coil spring biasing means residing in said recesses; an axially movable switch contact-carrying support element to which is secured a pair of cups adapted to mate over said coil spring biasing means, and mate within said recesses, said support element comprising a pair of contact means for bridging across and electrically connecting pairs of said respective connector means; means for biasing said contact bars away from said support element; a rotor member, said support element and said rotor having means for maintaining these elements in operating alignment with respect to each other, said rotor and said support element having at the adjacent faces thereof cam means for driving said element in an axial direction away from said rotor, as the rotor is moved through a predetermined arc around its central axis, handle means for rotating said rotor, plate means adapted to be secured against the top of said posts maintaining compression of the respective biasing spring means; secondary biasing means comprises a pair of coil springs situated to bear against each of said contacts on each side of each primary biasing means, and wherein said secondary cam means includes a plurality of arm means which extend axially away from said contact carrier element through slots in said rotor, and wherein said secondary cam follower means comprises cam follower members extending from either side of said arm means radially, and wherein secondary cam surface comprises an inclined plane situated at the walls of said slots which are trialing said slots as the rotor is moved in the switch opening direction, said inclined plane being sloped in the direction in which said cam follower means is urged in the direction away from said connectors.

Claim 17

A safety switch for opening and closing high amperage circuits comprising: an insulating rectangular base element, said base element having pairs of electrical connectors fixed at each side thereof, said base element including posts extending upwardly from each corner of said base element, said base element including a pair of recesses extending into said base element from the top thereof, each of said recesses being aligned with respective pairs of said connecting elements; coil spring biasing means residing in said recesses; an axially movable switch contact-carrying support element to which is secured a pair of cups adapted to mate over said coil spring biasing means, and mate within said recesses, said support element comprising a pair of contact means for bridging across and electrically connecting pairs of said respective connector means; means for biasing said contact bars away from said support element; a rotor member, said support element and said rotor having means for maintaining these elements in operating alignment with respect to each other, said rotor and said support element having at the adjacent faces thereof cam means for driving said element in an axial direction away from said rotor, as the rotor is moved through a predetermined arc around its central axis, handle means for rotating said rotor, plate means adapted to be secured against the top of said posts maintaining compression of the respective biasing spring means; secondary biasing means comprises a pair of coil springs situated to bear against each of said contacts on each side of each primary biasing means, and wherein said secondary cam means includes a plurality of arm means which extend axially away from said contact carrier element through slots in said rotor, and wherein said secondary cam follower means comprises cam follower members extending from either side of said arm means radially, and wherein secondary cam surface comprises an inclined plane situated at the walls of said slots which are trialing said slots as the rotor is moved in the switch opening direction, said inclined plane being sloped in the direction in which said cam follower means is urged in the direction away from said connectors.