US3831118A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mercury switch
Assignee: PNC Bank NA
•
Filing: 1972-05-12
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Granted: 1974-08-20
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Expires: 1992-05-12
Abstract
Abstract An attitude insensitive mercury relay including a hermetically sealed non-magnetic enclosure composed of a header and header cap, welded together in a high pressure hydrogen atmosphere, including one or more stationary contacts extending insulatedly into the enclosure and a magnetic diaphragm as armature, in the form of a single planar tight spiral having physically separated turns. In one form of the device, the interior of the enclosure and the diaphragm may be mercury wettable, excluding only an insulating feedthrough button as provided for a stationary contact, and also excluding a portion of the face of the contact which is intended to sustain impact by the armature, the mercury wettable portion of that face being indented with respect to the impact area, and the quantity of mercury in the enclosure being sufficient, but only sufficient, to sustain a thin layer of mercury on the mercury wettable surfaces. In other forms the enclosure may be non-metallic, e.g., ceramic, provided with mercury wettable screen surfaces or fabricated of non-mercury wettable material, e.g., magnetic material.
Inventors
- 👤 S Bitko
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 12:26
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H51/00; H01H51/28; H01H51/284; H01H1/00; H01H1/06; H01H1/08; H01H36/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
A switch comprising an enclosure, said enclosure consisting essentially of a cap and a header welded peripherally to said cap, a reed armature located in said enclosure, and hydrogen gas at a pressure of 200 lb per sq. in. located within said enclosure, wherein said armature is a disc and said enclosure is cylindrical, wherein said disc has a slightly smaller diameter than has the interior of said enclosure, and a fillet of mercury located along the periphery of said interior of said enclosure, the periphery of said disc floating free in said fillet of mercury.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
A switch comprising an enclosure, said enclosure consisting essentially of a cap and a header welded peripherally to said cap, a reed armature located in said enclosure, and hydrogen gas at a pressure of 200 lb per sq. in. located within said enclosure, wherein said armature is a disc and said enclosure is cylindrical, wherein said disc has a slightly smaller diameter than has the interior of said enclosure, and a fillet of mercury located along the periphery of said interior of said enclosure, the periphery of said disc floating free in said fillet of mercury.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
92 words
A switch, consisting of a concave dish of resistance weldable metal, a magnetic armature located in said dish and electrically connected to said dish, a stationary contact, an insulator extending insulatedly through said dish from exteriorly to interiorly of said dish, said stationary contact extending through said insulator, a closure of resistance weldable metal peripherally welded about the periphery of said dish to form a hermetically sealed enclosure, wherein said armature is a spiral spring having substantially the outer diameter of the interior of said enclosure and secured peripherally to said enclosure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
92 words
A switch, consisting of a concave dish of resistance weldable metal, a magnetic armature located in said dish and electrically connected to said dish, a stationary contact, an insulator extending insulatedly through said dish from exteriorly to interiorly of said dish, said stationary contact extending through said insulator, a closure of resistance weldable metal peripherally welded about the periphery of said dish to form a hermetically sealed enclosure, wherein said armature is a spiral spring having substantially the outer diameter of the interior of said enclosure and secured peripherally to said enclosure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
101 words
A switch, consisting of a concave dish of resistance weldable metal, a magnetic armature located in said dish and electrically connected to said dish, a stationary contact, an insulator extending insulatedly through said dish from exteriorly to interiorly of said dish, said stationary contact extending through said insulator, a closure of resistance weldable metal peripherally welded about the periphery of said dish to form a hermetically sealed enclosure, wherein said armature is a spiral spring having substantially the outer diameter of the interior of said enclosure and secured peripherally to said enclosure, wherein said armature is secured peripherally to said enclosure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
101 words
A switch, consisting of a concave dish of resistance weldable metal, a magnetic armature located in said dish and electrically connected to said dish, a stationary contact, an insulator extending insulatedly through said dish from exteriorly to interiorly of said dish, said stationary contact extending through said insulator, a closure of resistance weldable metal peripherally welded about the periphery of said dish to form a hermetically sealed enclosure, wherein said armature is a spiral spring having substantially the outer diameter of the interior of said enclosure and secured peripherally to said enclosure, wherein said armature is secured peripherally to said enclosure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
106 words
A switch comprising an enclosure consisting of a unitary concave dish of resistance metal, a unitary closure plate of resistance weldable metal, said unitary concave dish and said unitary closure plate being peripherally resistance welded to each other to form and complete said enclosure, at least one electrode extending insulatedly through one of said concave dish and said closure plate, and an armature located interiorly of said enclosure in proximity to said at least one electrode, wherein said armature is laminar and includes at least one layer of magnetic material and at least one layer of non-magnetic material, said non-magnetic material having lower resistivity than mercury.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
106 words
A switch comprising an enclosure consisting of a unitary concave dish of resistance metal, a unitary closure plate of resistance weldable metal, said unitary concave dish and said unitary closure plate being peripherally resistance welded to each other to form and complete said enclosure, at least one electrode extending insulatedly through one of said concave dish and said closure plate, and an armature located interiorly of said enclosure in proximity to said at least one electrode, wherein said armature is laminar and includes at least one layer of magnetic material and at least one layer of non-magnetic material, said non-magnetic material having lower resistivity than mercury.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
113 words
A switch comprising an enclosUre consisting of a unitary concave dish of resistance metal, a unitary closure plate of resistance weldable metal, said unitary concave dish and said unitary closure plate being peripherally resistance welded to each other to form and complete said enclosure, at least one electrode extending insulatedly through one of said concave dish and said closure plate, and an armature located interiorly of said enclosure in proximity to said at least one electrode, wherein said armature is laminar and includes at least one layer of magnetic material and at least one layer of non-magnetic material, said non-magnetic material having lower resistivity than mercury, wherein said armature includes mercury wettable surfaces.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
113 words
A switch comprising an enclosUre consisting of a unitary concave dish of resistance metal, a unitary closure plate of resistance weldable metal, said unitary concave dish and said unitary closure plate being peripherally resistance welded to each other to form and complete said enclosure, at least one electrode extending insulatedly through one of said concave dish and said closure plate, and an armature located interiorly of said enclosure in proximity to said at least one electrode, wherein said armature is laminar and includes at least one layer of magnetic material and at least one layer of non-magnetic material, said non-magnetic material having lower resistivity than mercury, wherein said armature includes mercury wettable surfaces.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
126 words
A switch comprising an enclosure consisting of a unitary concave dish of resistance metal, a unitary closure plate of resistance weldable metal, said unitary concave dish and said unitary closure plate being peripherally resistance welded to each other to form and complete said enclosure, at least one electrode extending insulatedly through one of said concave dish and said closure plate, and an armature located interiorly of said enclosure in proximity to said at least one electrode, wherein said armature is laminar and includes at least one layer of magnetic material and at least one layer of non-magnetic material, said non-magnetic material having lower resistivity than mercury, wherein said armature includes mercury wettable surfaces, wherein the inside surfaces of said dish and closure plate are mercury wettable.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
126 words
A switch comprising an enclosure consisting of a unitary concave dish of resistance metal, a unitary closure plate of resistance weldable metal, said unitary concave dish and said unitary closure plate being peripherally resistance welded to each other to form and complete said enclosure, at least one electrode extending insulatedly through one of said concave dish and said closure plate, and an armature located interiorly of said enclosure in proximity to said at least one electrode, wherein said armature is laminar and includes at least one layer of magnetic material and at least one layer of non-magnetic material, said non-magnetic material having lower resistivity than mercury, wherein said armature includes mercury wettable surfaces, wherein the inside surfaces of said dish and closure plate are mercury wettable.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
127 words
A switch comprising an enclosure consisting of a unitary concave dish of resistance metal, a unitary closure plate of resistance weldable metal, said unitary concave dish and said unitary closure plate being peripherally resistance welded to each other to form and complete said enclosure, at least one electrode extending insulatedly through one of said concave dish and said closure plate, and an armature located interiorly of said enclosure in proximity to said at least one electrode, wherein said armature is laminar and includes at least one layer of magnetic material and at least one layer of non-magnetic material, said non-magnetic material having lower resistivity than mercury, wherein said said armature includes mercury wettable surfaces, wherein the inside surfaces of said dish and closure plate are non-mercury wettable.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
127 words
A switch comprising an enclosure consisting of a unitary concave dish of resistance metal, a unitary closure plate of resistance weldable metal, said unitary concave dish and said unitary closure plate being peripherally resistance welded to each other to form and complete said enclosure, at least one electrode extending insulatedly through one of said concave dish and said closure plate, and an armature located interiorly of said enclosure in proximity to said at least one electrode, wherein said armature is laminar and includes at least one layer of magnetic material and at least one layer of non-magnetic material, said non-magnetic material having lower resistivity than mercury, wherein said said armature includes mercury wettable surfaces, wherein the inside surfaces of said dish and closure plate are non-mercury wettable.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
137 words
A switch comprising an enclosure consisting of a unitary concave dish of resistance metal, a unitary closure plate of resistance weldable metal, said unitary concave dish and said unitary closure plate being peripherally resistance welded to each other to form and complete said enclosure, at least one electrode extending insulatedly through one of said concave dish and said closure plate, and an armature located interiorly of said enclosure in proximity to said at least one electrode, wherein said armature is laminar and includes at least one layer of magnetic material and at least one layer of non-magnetic material, said non-magnetic material having lower resistivity than mercury, wherein said armature includes mercury wettable surfaces, wherein is included in said enclosure a quantity of mercury only sufficient to sustain a thin layer of mercury on said mercury wettable surfaces.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
137 words
A switch comprising an enclosure consisting of a unitary concave dish of resistance metal, a unitary closure plate of resistance weldable metal, said unitary concave dish and said unitary closure plate being peripherally resistance welded to each other to form and complete said enclosure, at least one electrode extending insulatedly through one of said concave dish and said closure plate, and an armature located interiorly of said enclosure in proximity to said at least one electrode, wherein said armature is laminar and includes at least one layer of magnetic material and at least one layer of non-magnetic material, said non-magnetic material having lower resistivity than mercury, wherein said armature includes mercury wettable surfaces, wherein is included in said enclosure a quantity of mercury only sufficient to sustain a thin layer of mercury on said mercury wettable surfaces.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
148 words
A switch comprising an enclosure consisting of a unitary concave dish of resistance metal, a unitary closure plate of resistance weldable metal, said unitary concave dish and said unitary closure plate being peripherally resistance welded to each other to form and complete said enclosure, at least one electrode extending insulatedly through one of said concave dish and said closure plate, and an armature located interiorly of said enclosure in proximity to said at least one electrode, wherein said armature is laminar and includes at least one layer of magnetic material and at least one layer of non-magnetic material, said non-magnetic material having lower resistivity than mercury, wherein said armature includes mercury wettAble surfaces, wherein said armature is sufficiently close to an inner surface of said enclosure that in response to actuation of said armature contact is made by said armature with said inner surface, thereby assisting mercury redistribution.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
148 words
A switch comprising an enclosure consisting of a unitary concave dish of resistance metal, a unitary closure plate of resistance weldable metal, said unitary concave dish and said unitary closure plate being peripherally resistance welded to each other to form and complete said enclosure, at least one electrode extending insulatedly through one of said concave dish and said closure plate, and an armature located interiorly of said enclosure in proximity to said at least one electrode, wherein said armature is laminar and includes at least one layer of magnetic material and at least one layer of non-magnetic material, said non-magnetic material having lower resistivity than mercury, wherein said armature includes mercury wettAble surfaces, wherein said armature is sufficiently close to an inner surface of said enclosure that in response to actuation of said armature contact is made by said armature with said inner surface, thereby assisting mercury redistribution.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
134 words
A switch comprising an enclosure consisting of a unitary concave dish of resistance metal, a unitary closure plate of resistance weldable metal, said unitary concave dish and said unitary closure plate being peripherally resistance welded to each other to form and complete said enclosure, at least one electrode extending insulatedly through one of said concave dish and said closure plate, and an armature located interiorly of said enclosure in proximity to said at least one electrode, wherein said armature is laminar and includes at least one layer of magnetic material and at least one layer of non-magnetic material, said non-magnetic material having lower resistivity than mercury, wherein said armature includes mercury wettable surfaces, wherein the inside surfaces of said dish and closure plate are mercury wettable, wherein said armature floats freely in said mercury.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
134 words
A switch comprising an enclosure consisting of a unitary concave dish of resistance metal, a unitary closure plate of resistance weldable metal, said unitary concave dish and said unitary closure plate being peripherally resistance welded to each other to form and complete said enclosure, at least one electrode extending insulatedly through one of said concave dish and said closure plate, and an armature located interiorly of said enclosure in proximity to said at least one electrode, wherein said armature is laminar and includes at least one layer of magnetic material and at least one layer of non-magnetic material, said non-magnetic material having lower resistivity than mercury, wherein said armature includes mercury wettable surfaces, wherein the inside surfaces of said dish and closure plate are mercury wettable, wherein said armature floats freely in said mercury.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
126 words
A switch comprising an enclosure consisting of a unitary concave dish of resistance metal, a unitary closure plate of resistance weldable metal, said unitary concave dish and said unitary closure plate being peripherally resistance welded to each other to form and complete said enclosure, at least one electrode extending insulatedly through one of said concave dish and said closure plate, and an armature located interiorly or said enclosure in proximity to said at least one electrode, wherein said armature is laminar and includes at least one layer of magnetic material and at least one layer of non-magnetic material, said non-magnetic material having lower resistivity than mercury, wherein said armature includes mercury wettable surfaces, wherein said armature is spiral and includes turn spacings which are mercury wettable.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
126 words
A switch comprising an enclosure consisting of a unitary concave dish of resistance metal, a unitary closure plate of resistance weldable metal, said unitary concave dish and said unitary closure plate being peripherally resistance welded to each other to form and complete said enclosure, at least one electrode extending insulatedly through one of said concave dish and said closure plate, and an armature located interiorly or said enclosure in proximity to said at least one electrode, wherein said armature is laminar and includes at least one layer of magnetic material and at least one layer of non-magnetic material, said non-magnetic material having lower resistivity than mercury, wherein said armature includes mercury wettable surfaces, wherein said armature is spiral and includes turn spacings which are mercury wettable.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-08-19 | 1978-02-18 | 1978-08-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-08-19 | 1982-02-18 | 1982-08-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-08-19 | 1986-02-18 | 1986-08-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |