entrifugal switch assembly for a motor starting circuit

Claim 2

A centrifugal switch actuator assembly for an electrical motor including a main winding; a starting winding; a shaft; a housing enclosing said windings and rotatably supporting said shaft; and a rotor fixedly mounted to said shaft for rotation within said housing; said centrifugal switch actuator assembly comprising: an electrical switch assembly mounted on said housing and including first and second contacts having mutually engaging and disengaging positions; a series electrical circuit including said starting winding and said first and second contacts; a support member containing a centrally positioned aperture receiving said shaft; said support member including axially extending flanges; a basket-shaped switch actuator mounted within the flanges of said support member; guide means on both said support flanges and said basket switch actuator cooperating and preventing rotation of said actuator relative to said support member while guiding axial movement of said actuator relative to said support member; a peripheral rim on said switch actuator positioned for axial movement between a switch contact engaged position and a switch contact disengaged position; a coil spring positioned between said support and said actuator normally biasing the basket actuator away from said support to a contact engaged position; and a plurality of weights pivotally attached to said basket switch actuator whereby said weights respond to the centrifugal forces developed at a predetermined motor speed moving said actuator against the force of said biasing spring positioning said rim out of engagement with contacts opening the circuit to said starting winding.

Claim 3

A centrifugal switch actuator assembly for an electrical motor including a main winding; a starting winding; a shaft; a housing enclosing said windings and rotatably supporting said shaft; and a rotor fixedly mounted to said shaft for rotation within said housing; said centrifugal switch actuator assembly comprising: an electrical switch assembly mounted on said housing and including first and second contacts having mutually engaging and disengaging positions; a series electrical circuit including said starting winding and said first and second contacts; a support member containing a centrally positioned aperture receiving said shaft; diametrically opposed flanges extending axially of said motor and terminating in radially extending flanges on said support member; a basket-shaped switch actuator; said switch actuator including a bottom portion; an annular peripheral rim; a plurality of angularly extending web members securing said rim to said base; diametrically opposed vertical walls integral with said switch actuator extending between the bottom of said actuator and said annular rim; a guide lug on each of said vertical walls; said axially extending support flanges containing guide notches slidably receiving said lugs; a coil spring concentrically positioned about said shaft engaging said support member and the bottom of said switch actuator normally biasing said switch actuator away from said support member into a position engaging said first and second contacts; said vertical walls of said switch actuator each including spaced shoulders; said radial flanges of said support member each including spaced axially extending lugs; and two weight members each comprising a pair of spaced arcuate fingers engaging said shoulders on said walls and being retained by said axially extending lugs on said support member whereby a predetermined centrifugal force resulting from a predetermined motor speed causes said weights to move radially outward forcing said basket shaped switch actuator against the force of said coil spring moving said annular rim out of engagement with one of said switch contacts permitting disengagement of said first and second contacts thereby opening the series circuit to said starting winding.

Claim 4

A centrifugal switch actuator assembly for an electrical motor including a main winding; a starting winding; a shaft; a housing enclosing said windings and rotatably supporting said shaft; and a rotor fixedly mounted to said shaft for rotation within said housing; said centrifugal switch actuator assembly comprising: an electrical switch assembly mounted on said housing and including first and second contacts having mutually engaging and disengaging positions; a series electrical circuit including said starting winding and said first and second contacts; a support member containing a centrally positioned aperture receiving said shaft; diametrically opposed flanges extending axially of said motor and terminating in radially extending flanges on said support member; a basket-shaped switch actuator; said switch actuator including a bottom portion; an annular peripheral rim; a plurality of angularly extending web members securing said rim to said base; diametrically opposed vertical walls integral with said switch actuator extending between the bottom of said actuator and said annular rim; a guide lug on each of said vertical walls; said axially extending support flanges containing guide notches slidably receiving said lugs; a coil spring concentrically positioned about said shaft engaging said support member and the bottom of said switch actuator normally biasing said switch actuator away from said support member into a position engaging said first and second contacts; said vertical walls of said switch actuator each including spaced shoulders; said radial flanges of said support member each including spaced axially extending lugs; and two weight members each comprising a pair of spaced arcuate fingers engaging said shoulders on said walls and being retained by said axially extending lugs on said support member whereby a predetermined centrifugal force resulting from a predetermined motor speed causes said weights to move radially outward forcing said basket shaped switch actuator against the force of said coil spring moving said annular rim out of engagement with one of said switch contacts permitting disengagement of said first and second contacts thereby opening the series circuit to said starting winding.

Claim 5

A centrifugal switch actuator assembly for an electrical motor including a main winding; a starting winding; a shaft; a housing enclosing said windings and rotatably supporting said shaft; an annular flange fixed on said shaft; a thrust washer secured to said housing in contact with the outer face of said flange effectively sealing the interior of said housing from the atmosphere; and a rotor fixedly mounted to said shaft for rotation within said housing; said centrifugal switch actuator assembly comprising: an electrical switch assembly mounted on said housing; said switch assembly including first and second leaf spring switch members; a contact on each of said leaf spring members; and leaf spring members normally being inherently spring-biased to a circuit open position; a series electrical circuit including said starting winding and said leaf spring members; a support member containing a centrally positioned aperture providing for the positioning of said support member concentrically upon said shaft between said rotor and the inner side of said shaft annular flange; diametrically opposed flanges extending axially of said motor and terminating in radially extending flanges on said support member; a basket-shaped switch actuator; said switch actuator including a base; an annular peripheral rim secured to said base by a plurality of angularly extending web members; diametrically opposed vertical walls integral with said switch actuator extending between the base of said actuator and said annular rim; a guide lug on the outer side each of said vertical walls; said axially extending support flanges containing guide notches slidably receiving said lugs; the base of said actuator containing an aperture receiving said motor shaft; said lugs in said notches and said vertical walls in conjunction with said axially extending flanges all cooperating for concentrically positioning said basket-shaped switch actuator upon said shaft; a coil spring concentrically positioned about said shaft engaging said support member and the base of said switch actuator normally biasing the switch actuator away from said support member into a position engaging the contacts on said first and second leaf spring members; said vertical walls of said switch actuator each including spaced shoulders; said radial flanges of said support member each including spaced axially extending lugs; and two weight members each comprising a pair of spaced arcuate fingers engaging said shoulders on said walls and being retained by said axially extending lugs on said support member whereby a predetermined centrifugal force developed at predetermined motor speed moves said weights radially outwardly generating an axial force of a greater magnitude than the force of said coil spring positively forcing said basket-shaped switch actuator against the force of said coil spring moving said annular rim out of engagement with one of said leaf spring members permitting positive disengagement of their respective contacts opening the series circuit to said starting winding.

Claim 6

A centrifugal switch actuator assembly for an electrical motor including a main winding; a starting winding; a shaft; a housing enclosing said windings and rotatably supporting said shaft; an annular flange fixed on said shaft; a thrust washer secured to said housing in contact with the outer face of said flange effectively sealing the interior of said housing from the atmosphere; and a rotor fixedly mounted to said shaft for rotation within said housing; said centrifugal switch actuator assembly comprising: an electrical switch assembly mounted on said housing; said switch assembly including first and second leaf spring switch members; a contact on each of said leaf spring members; and leaf spring members normally being inherently spring-biased to a circuit open position; a series electrical circuit including said starting winding and said leaf spring members; a support member containing a centrally positioned aperture providing for the positioning of said support member concentrically upon said shaft between said rotor and the inner side of said shaft annular flange; diametrically opposed flanges extending axially of said motor and terminating in radially extending flanges on said support member; a basket-shaped switch actuator; said switch actuator including a base; an annular peripheral rim secured to said base by a plurality of angularly extending web members; diametrically opposed vertical walls integral with said switch actuator extending between the base of said actuator and said annular rim; a guide lug on the outer side each of said vertical walls; said axially extending support flanges containing guide notches slidably receiving said lugs; the base of said actuator containing an aperture receiving said motor shaft; said lugs in said notches and said vertical walls in conjunction with said axially extending flanges all cooperating for concentrically positioning said basket-shaped switch actuator upon said shaft; a coil spring concentrically positioned about said shaft engaging said support member and the base of said switch actuator normally biasing the switch actuator away from said support member into a position engaging the contacts on said first and second leaf spring members; said vertical walls of said switch actuator each including spaced shoulders; said radial flanges of said support member each including spaced axially extending lugs; and two weight members each comprising a pair of spaced arcuate fingers engaging said shoulders on said walls and being retained by said axially extending lugs on said support member whereby a predetermined centrifugal force developed at predetermined motor speed moves said weights radially outwardly generating an axial force of a greater magnitude than the force of said coil spring positively forcing said basket-shaped switch actuator against the force of said coil spring moving said annular rim out of engagement with one of said leaf spring members permitting positive disengagement of their respective contacts opening the series circuit to said starting winding.