Jan. 27, v1948.
I
o. s. FIELD
2,435,000
RELAY BEARING STRUCTURE
Original Filed Oct. 14, 1-940
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Patented Jan. 27, 1948
2,435,000
UNITED STATES’ PATENT- OFFICE
2,435,000
_
RELAY BEARING STRUCTURE 7
Oscar S. Field, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to
General Railway Signal Company, Rochester,
N. Y.
'
Original application October 14, 1940, Serial No.
361,060. Divided and this application August
7, 1944, Serial No. 548,354
.
9 Claims. (Cl. 175-345)
1
2
This invention relates to electromagnetic op
erating means, and more particularly to improved
pivoting means for the armatures of electromag
netic relays, and like devices.
'
Fig. 2 is a sectional side view of one of the
electromagnets showing its armature provided
with a pivot bearing constituting the embodiment
of the present invention, such section being taken
This application is a division of my prior ap
plication Ser. No. 361,060, ?led October 14, 1940,
now Patent No. 2,376,534, granted May 22, 1945
and entitled “Light signals for railroads”; and
.
parts removed so as to show the pivot bearing
means forgthe armature constituting one embodi
ment of the present invention.
1 on line 2—2 of Fig. 1.
the invention of this application is to be con
Fig, 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the ar
sidered in the nature of an improvement over the 10 mature bearing shown in Fig. 1 with the section
disclosure of my prior Patent No. 2,360,664, dated
'being taken on line 3--3 as indicated in Fig. 4.
October 17, 1944.
Fig, 4 is an enlarged sectional View of the pivot
In a light signal of the searchlight type as dis
bearing of the present invention as taken on line
closed in the above mentioned parent application,
4-4 looking in the direction of the arrows in
two electromagnetic operating means are pro 15 Fig. 3.
a
v
vided for operating a movable spectacle to its
Fig.- 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on
different positions as well as operating associated
lines 5-5 of Fig. 4.
contacts to front and back point positions. The
‘ Referring now to the drawings, the present in
armature of each of such electromagnetic operat
vention has been disclosed as embodied in a light
ing means is of the tractive type, that is, such 20 signal operating mechanism, and in general such
armature is pivoted at one end and so associated
mechanism ‘constitutes an outer casing which is
with 1‘he electromagnetic structure as to bepivot
constructed to receive the operating mechanism
ally op:rated between a biased released position
case to thereby provide a proper housing for the
and an actuated position. Similarly, various neu
mechani'm case and to make it possible to replace
tral and polarized relays employ armatures of the
the mechanism case with a substitute case, if
tractive type, and one of the objects of the present
necessary, and yet have the signal properly
invention is to provide an improved pivoting
‘aligned and focused for its particular signal loca
means for such armatures which will not only be
tion. The complete structure of such a signal has
substantially frictionless but which will also show
not been disclosed herein, since it is believed that
practically no Wear although operated over long
the present invention may be understood without
periods of time.
a detailed description of such a complete signal
Another object of the present invention is to
structure.
.
.
provide an improved pivoting means for an arma
'
ture of an electromagnet which adjustably asso
ciates the armature with the pole faces of its
this description to point out that the signal mech
anism includes the operating mechanism case MC
electro-magnet in such a way that the normal re- '
leased air gap may be readily adjusted to obtain
the desired operating characteristics.
It is believed to be suf?cient for the purposes of
shown in Fig. 1 which has a groove 24 on each side
to serve as a guide for entering and supporting the
. mechanism in the outer casing of the signal.
A further object of the present invention is to
This mechanism case MC includes a light proj ect
provide pivoting means which is readily remov 40 ing unit which has not been shown in detail, and
able for inspection and readily adjustable upon
with which a movable spectacle arm 68 is asso
the restoration of the parts in reassembly, or upon
ciated. Red, yellow and green roundels R, Y and
the replacement of parts in the event that such
G respectively are located on the spectacle arm
replacement might become necessary over a rela
for determining the color of the indication dis
tively long period of time.
. .
45 play by the signal, and are moved into proper po
Further objects, purposes and characteristic
sitions by the movable spectacle arm 68 which is
features of this invention will appear as the de
carried on a horizontally rockable axle upon
scription progresses, reference being made to the
which it is operated to its several positions by a
accompanying drawings, showing in a wholly
suitable operating mechanism connecting it with
diagrammatic manner, and in no way whatsoever
the armature assemblies Ga and Ya.
in a limiting sense one form of the present inven
. q‘i‘hej rockable axle for the movable spectacle
tion. In the drawings:
army 68 may also have a bearing of the type dis
Fig, 1 is a sectional View of a light signal spec
closed herein for the armature assemblies Ya and
tacle operating mechanism as disclosed in the
‘Gm-but such structure has not been shown herein
above mentioned'parent application with certain
for the sake of simplicity in the disclosure, such a
2,435,000
3
4
‘structure having been disclosed in detail in the
rod-like or needle bearing member I08 is placed
in position in the V-slot I 09, and then the arma
above mentioned parent application Ser. No.
361,060, now Patent No. 2,376,534.
A shelf member ‘I5 is connected to the mech
ture is moved so that such needle bearing I08 is
pressed against the bearing plate I05.
anism casing MC by suitable screws and acts as
Coil spring members IIO are placed over their
a support both forthe axle of the movable spec
tacle 68 and for the two operating‘ eleetromatgnets.
‘respective legs I04a and I041) and are held in
The two electromagnets are provided with coils
is pressed against the lower portion of its re
:spective spring by shoulders I I2 of the head of a
90 and 9|, placed side by side and extending from
the rear to the front of the mechanism casing.
Since these two electromagnets of the‘ signal are
identical so far as the mountings $9.1‘ their arma-v
tures are concerned, onlyone oi" them"will be
described in detail.
position by cup-shaped stops III. Each stop III
'u-shaped clip “4 fastened at its lower end by
atom I I3.
‘Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be seen that
Ejthe‘low'er" face oi‘the armature is provided with
recesses beneath each slot I01 for the respective
Referring to Fig. 2, it can be seen that a core 15 “legs _I04a and I041), which recesses provide hold
92 carries a winding 9|, andispositioned-above flllngf mans fori‘the upper ends of their respective
the shelf member ‘I5 by being'mount‘ed' to" the ex.
"spring members IIO. Each U-shaped clip mem
tending legs 93 and 94 of the magnetic structure
ber II4‘extends upwardly so that its legs termi
nate 'iust- short of the lower face of such recess,
pole shoes 95 and 96 respectively with an air gap 20 and thus provide a limit against which the arma
of the electromagnet, which legs 93 and 84 carry
between their inner ends- These pole, shoes are
suitably attached to the shelf member'li and
thus serve as support for the extending legs’93
and 9.4 and the interconnecting core member ‘92.
The pole shoes 95 and 98 have ‘the armature
assembly Ga associated therewith; and this‘ar
mature assembly Ga includes the flat plate-like
armature 98 Whichis pivotally Supported at the
right-hand end and ‘rests, against the back stop
screw 99 at its left-hand end.’ Attached tothe
ture 90 can abut to’ prevent its being pulled
idewnwardlygaseinst the spring tension. This
limited-distance of movement for the armature
98 is not sufficient to allow the removal of the
needle bearing I08 enter? its V~shaped notch in
the upper face of the armature. 'In other words,
the clips [I4 must be removed if the bearing rod
I00 is‘ to be"lifted-out~~ of its V-shaped notch or
grqove, in theiarmature.
ljReferr’ingtowFig. 3, it will be seen that the legs
armature 98 is e residuel'pin Blister, maintaining
l04gz and‘ I04bof the supp0rt member I03 provide
a minimum air sea when the. armature 9? is. in
an attracted. positionv e?utiieblestrueture is also
a stop against which the endwise motion of the
for transmitting the armature assembly mcve- _
needle bearing‘l??ds limited, since the slots
through which the respective legs pass are in line
with the V-shaped slot containing the needle
ment to cause the operation of the movable spec
healing '(see Fig. 5) .
tacle arm 68.
With the pivot bearing thus assembled, the ar
mature ,SB'can then‘ be brought into proper posi
tions; that is, the‘ air gap at the right-hand end
connected to, the armature Bit-as imlicetediat I“
v
_
The PivQi bearing at the right-hand end of the
armature 98 has been shown. in the enlarged views
of Figs 3 and 4; and this pivoted bearing acts
to allow the free movement of the armature as
sembly between the back stop screw 99 and. its
attracted position as limited by the residual pins
.91. For the purposes of the present disclosure,
the armature‘assembly is assumed to be biased to 4.5
its released pesition by the action of gravity, but
of the armatureas seen in Fig. 2 may be made
larger or smaller to obtain the desired operating
characteristics.
All that is necessary to obtain
theadiustment is'toloosen the stud bolts I00
and move-the support member I03 to the desired
position; and then tighten the bolts I00 to hold
the bearing in such adjusted position.
it is to be understood‘ that the armature‘ can be
_'Ii3' should be noted that the U -shaped member
I03'and‘the“ clip members II4 are preferably
Referring to Fig. 4, it will’ be seen that a‘ stud
formed of some suitable non-magnetic material
bolt I00=passes through ahole in “a clamp plate 50 although this is not'entirely necessary to obtain
IOI and an enlarged slot‘ I02’ of'a‘U-shaped'?at
the proper operation of the electromagnetic struc
support member I03. This slot I02 inv support
ture, but facilitates in maintaining a minimum
member I03 can best'be seen in Figs. 1 and 3; and
amount of leakage of the magnetic flux of the
these slots-one for'each of ‘the studbolts I00,
structure. ‘The upper bearing surface member
permit the U-shaped support member I03 to be 55 I051is preferably formed of some hardened ma
moved vertically for adjustment of the armature
terial which is very durable and which‘ has a
as will presently be described in detail.
verysmooth'surface against which the needle
The U-shaped support member I03 has two ex
member I08'may'bear. The needle bearing mem
tending legs I04a' and‘ I04b which‘ pass through
her ‘I 08 is also'preferably formed of some suitably
two spaced slots or rectangular holes I01 near
hardened material,‘ which will be very durable,
the rear edge of the armature 98. The'armature
and which will provide a minimum of ‘wear with
98 is also provided with a Vr-sh‘aped slot I00 in
respect‘ to the bearing member I 05.
the top surface of the-armature'andalong its
“As viewed'in' Fig. 4, it will be seen that the
rear edge in line with the two spaced rectangular
needle bearing‘ member I00 “hasa diameter of
slots I01, as best seen in the fragmentary view '0: 65 such a value with respect ‘to the depth of the V
Fig. 5.
.
.
slot in‘the armature, that the upper surface of
In assembling the armature on its pivot bear~
the needle member I “extends a slight dis
ing, an upper bearing plate I05 having slotted
tance above the surface of the armature. This
ends IDS, is ?rst passed between the two legs
distance need be relatively small, since the move
“Ma and M42) and ‘against the cross portionv of 70 ment‘of the armature vis relatively slight when
the support member I03. ' Assuming that the sup
considered in the number of degrees moved on
port member I03 is held imposition by a rough
its pivot point. It can also be seen that the di
adjustment, then the armature 98 is moved into
ameter of‘the needle ‘member I08 may be select
otherwise biased by suitably resilient means.
position with "the legs‘ I'04a‘ and I04b passing
through their respective'siots ‘I01. “A- cylindrical
ed toccooperate \withvthe‘ V slot,v and yet any
desired air gap’ between‘ the armature and the
111a;
'6
?eetmmagnetic- relay structure,
‘hnd'fadiustmmto’ithe-snpportmmbee“I. -
,Y>maml; pivot meansior the armature. in“
‘since
hearth: "member 1|" contacts‘the 1V
slot
'two surface. lines,
only contacts the
hoe In‘! the immature, a. needle-like "hearing.
in open transverse. groove in the upper
loosely
.in’the vgrooveand proj eating, above
simian: sod :the armature, :a, ,hole extending
movement
motion of
member
the
of;
thethe
uppersbeating
needle.
"armature
vleli on
bearing
one‘surface.
r'surface
member
cause»105,32:
aJline,
at”:
this ways-a minimumdamonnt
duoed.
armature; near each ‘end of the
groove. fl. U-ishaped holder having its legs 46X
ftendin'g downward through the holes, an upper
isumfw
organization-lot hearingmeansdur- I.
'
bel-riwznlatecslidahle on the legs andjpnsix
?he‘twieen theneedle bearing and the‘. head
nishes 1a veryffsim'ple and; omen
"is practically .trictionless, and which has an ‘ivory
long, life :aithoughgsuhjected "to severe
conditions,
"
nguyu, spring :stop at the end of each leg‘, as.
spring :on each leg and hearing
against the stop and the lower face of the ,ar—
'
rnml‘ireiiahie.
with: theitpresent
willrbellneadtlysanpzrent
:invention, :is. ‘wary'th ' jith'e
maturaian'aznnature operating means, andmeans
zndiiustahly iihdldinz' :fthe lU-shaped holder to :the
operating ‘means, the legs of the ‘U-shaped
:hoideribeinmpositionedon the axis of ‘the. needle
:onérgiza'iti’on ro‘f'
"bettin‘gi'to‘prcvent the needle from sliding :outfof
Thedoperation of
3mm‘;
I
armature withca. l'hearingxiconstmctedi
Windihgi?‘
115g. 2?)
its.
‘byiendwiseimovement.
v,12_.>.,1In»‘an.-.relaectromagnetic> 'relay structure, an
produce of :almagnetie ??ux; Tin
1cm.
cuit. Yofthe structure, which, won
of
force in the air» gap Jhetween' the'poie ‘shoes: and
2a 'npivot ‘means for the armature :Jin
chl'diing' an open ‘longitudinal groove in the up
:periacerof the-armature, a needle-like bearing
the armature“; whichilinesiomome tend-tarot.
tract' the armature i'away'lnom ‘Tithe ii’o'ack stop
screw- >39 toward vthe
shoes :‘Siand "lilimizcn
der to reduce the reluctance ot the
:en
edit in; the insual ‘way lior lltractiveitype :re‘lays.
The, movement of ‘the armature as! ‘toward the
pole-shoes 85 and-196313 limited by }the ‘il‘QSill-tih‘!
loosely restingiin 2thegroove and projectingabove
the surface ‘inf ‘the armature, a hole extending
.t'ihmugh the armature near ‘each end of ‘the
groove, :2, M~shaped ‘holder having its ‘legs ex
tending .‘iiownward through the holes, an upper
pins 195! sand'fthe hearing ‘adjustment *aztfrithetig‘ihv i”. ‘bearing. piste rnotched ‘for vslidable reception be‘
‘end. ‘It may be ‘desirable "fto?vary “theoair
‘gap ‘of i'the-carmature'lso'ias‘rtoobtatn?the desired
tween
on
legs‘ ‘and positioned between
‘thefnee‘dle i-bearing and "the head of the U, a
springfrstopvat‘ the :free end of ‘each log, a com»
two vways-11mm“ely, :hy-ftneadtnstment anthem-ex
stop-screw £93‘, *or by <changing-ithe-lsdius'nnent or
the apes-ring limembe'r. ‘Changing iz-the libac‘k stop
memos, 'zof'leoursefcha'nges the amplitude orthe
‘the: lower face of" ‘the armature, "means adjust
a'B)y?1%holdmgitherudshaped"holder to a "?xed sup~
roperstingwai-ues. ‘mhisxmaylbefidonefin. thereof
movement of ‘:‘the armature; awhile! lthelfchang'ing
of ‘f-the- fairlégap ‘by. the fa'dlustment'nf ‘the hear‘
piessiomgpningoneach leg‘ between the stop and
vir‘worlt, ian'c'i'ia?stopllann-on each spring stop exg
' tending toward 'the armature and terminating
ing, does ‘fnot 'imaterially fanect’the amplitude or; \
the immature ‘movement.- ‘Withthese :itwo ind
jostments, the'ext'ent orthe rarmatureimcvement
and its ‘operatingwcharacteristics "may ibe- treads
ily?adius'te’d l'tc ‘suitlthe resonances-or practice;
"short or the armature, whereby to prevent
“h'idViIIgI-tl‘l‘Q‘hIl'Ii'dtiI-il‘e {against the spring tension
farienoughitoallow the needle bearing to be “re
moved-hom?tsgroove 'byisidew-ise movement.
_
.‘In :an- velectromagnetic ‘relay structure, an
armature, :a pivot :means 'for the armature, ‘in
:Having thus shown fon‘e Tform :6! I a, 'bea-ringr‘dor 45 eludinglian open "V-shaped "groove in the upper
face or lathe armature, a ‘needle-like ‘bearing
vtra:ct'ive itype armstnres'ranii'the ‘like, as“ cnei'spe
embodiments! itnel'present'imvemion, lit‘is'to
loosely ‘resting in ‘the ‘groove and projecting
"be vinnde'rsto'od“that such embodiment ‘is shown‘
:s‘bove the surface “ofthe armature, a hole ex
vis ‘to "he understood “that ‘ various "modi?cations;
-extending‘downwardwthroughthe holes, an up
adaptations and ‘filter-alarms ‘can The» “applied ‘to;
the embodiment ‘tithe-present iinventionto'meet.
‘the, Treqiiirements 'l'o’f- "practice "without ion-any
iionsli‘dmg ‘the plate (upon and "between the legs
tending through the armature near each end‘
solely-‘libs! ‘may or example and‘fisinotfiintended'in
snyemenner “whatsoever-tin a 'limlti'ngesense. flt, 50 of‘itheigroove, :‘a-U-shaped holder having its ‘legs
‘manner departinglfrom?thef-spirit?or 'scopev-off’the '
invention. Iexcept ‘as ‘limited "E'by fthe
claims.
H
Having thus-described my invention I now
claim:
I’
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1. In an eleotromagnetio‘rélay structure, an
annaturaazpivot means viorthezarmatnreyincindj
ing, an open transverse groovefzimthe npperkfa'ce»
of the armaturaa needle-like-besring resting
loosely in "the "groove andprojectin'g ~‘above the
surfacero’f- the armature, a'holevextendingithrough
the-tarmatnm at each end
groove, "a 3B;
shspedsrhoidermhaving its iegsve'xtending-idomr
word through the-holes, ‘an .nppenlibearing?plate
slidable on'the. legs and positioned between the
needle bearing and the head of the U, a spring 70
stop at the free end of each leg, a compression
spring on each leg between the stop and‘ the
lower face of the armature, armature operat
ing means, and means adjustably mounting the
U-shaped holder on the operating means. .
penhearing'plate, notches‘ in the bearing plate
"forte-‘positioned 2between "the top of the‘needl'e
"bea?ng?andthe‘headofthe U, a spring, stop at;
itllief'errd sofea'ch leg, a compression spring on
“ea'chdeg‘between- the stop "and the lower "face
nit-‘the "armature, vasupport means adjustably
holdingetheitl shaped holder to the support, the
‘-*shaped holder vbeing positioned’
on "the axis of the “needle to ‘prevent the needle
i’rom “s'lidingont-oi' its ‘groove ‘by en'dwise move~
merit-sander stoplarm ‘oneach' spring'stopextend
ing,v toward the armature and terminating ‘near
-=enou'g'h“to "the "armature ‘to prevent movement-of
the'ama'ture?onthe legs ‘and against the spring
stimcl'ent ‘to allow the "needle bearing
.t'o'~“be lremoved‘fromits groove by lateral'mova
ment.
5. In a needle type bearing for plvotally mount
ing a movable ?at-like member with respect to a
?xed support, an elongated groove in one surface
of said movable member, a plane hardened sur
face bearing member adjustably mounted to said
‘ " ‘ 75 support, a cylindrical rod bearing loosely received
2,435,000
in said groove and having a-diameter such that
its outer surface projects above the surface of said
means adjustably mounting said support mem
ber with respect to the electromagnet, a bearing
movable member, two legs projecting from said
adjustably mounted bearing member and re
spectively passing through a hole at each end of
- between said armature and the support member
said groove to limit the lateral movement of said
movable member and to provide an abutmentat
each end of the groove for the full diameter of
said cylindrical rod to prevent more than limited‘
member, an elongated groove in the armature on
that side facing said support member, a hard
ened cylindrical rod loosely located in said groove
and having a diameter such that its surface is
endwise movement of said cylindrical rod,’and
spring biasing means mounted on each of said:
leg members to cause said movable member tov
press said cylindrical rod against said bearing‘!
comprising, a hardened plane surface bearing
member held between the legs of said support
raised above the surface of said armature, said
armature having two receiving holes at the ends
of .. said" groove
and
in
line
therewith
and
mounted-on said support member with said ex;
member.
tending legs passing through said holes to there
6. In an electromagnetic relay structure, an 15 by prevent endwise movement of said cylindrical
electromagnet having extending pole faces, a flat '
plane-like armature associated with said pole
faces, a support member having an elongated
hardened plane surface, means adjustably
rodand to also allow only a limited lateral move
ment of said armature, compression spring means
on each of said extending legs for causing said
armature to press the surface of said rod against
mounting said support member with respect to 20 said bearing member, and a removable stop
said electromagnet pole faces, a, bearing between
means mounted on each leg for limiting the move
said armature and said support member compris
ment of said armature longitudinally of said legs
ing, an elongated groove in one face of said arma
against the compression of said springs to there
ture extending along its pivotal axis, a hardened
by prevent the displacement of said cylindrical
cylindrical rod loosely received in said groove 25 rod out of said groove without ?rst demounting
and having a diameter sufiicient to bring its sursaid removable stop means.
face outside of the surface of said armature,
9. ‘In an electromagnetic relay structure, a flat
means limiting endwise movement of said rod,
armature-adapted to cooperate with the elec
and spring means acting adjacent each endof
tromagnet of the. relay structure, a ?at-like sup
said groove and in line therewith for pressing 30 port member having two extending ‘leg portions,
said armature toward said support member to
means adjustably' mounting said support mem
provide for a rocking motion of the armature-with
respect to said pole faces by a rolling contact of ’
beer with respect to the electromagnet, a bearing
between said armature and the support member
comprising, a hardened ?at-like bearing member
said rod on the hardened plane surface of said
support member, whereby said armature can 35 slotted at each end so as to ?t between the legs
have the air gap between it and said pole faces
of‘said support member'with said legs being re
adjustably determined without materially chang
ing the extent of armature movement.
_
ceived by said slots, a V-shaped groove extending
across the armature on that side facing said
7. In a needle type bearing‘ for pivotally
support member, two receiving holes in- said ar
mounting a movable ?at-like member with re 40 mature near the ends of said groove and in line
spect to a ?xed support, a V-shaped elongated
therewith so that said armature can be mounted
groove in one surface of said movable member,
on said support member with said extending
a hardened plane bearing surface member ad
legs passing through-said holes, a hardened cy
justably mounted to said support, a hardened
lindrical rod loosely located in said groove be
cylindrical rod loosely received in said groove and
tween said holes and having a diameter such
having a diameter su?icient» to bring its surface
that its surface is raised above the surface of said
outside of the surface of said movable member,
armature, whereby endwise movement of said
two legs projecting from said adjustably mounted
cylindrical rod is prevented by said extending
bearing and passing through holes at each end
legs, compressionspring means on each of said
of said groove to thereby provide only limited 50 extending legs for causing said armature to press
amount of lateral movement of said movable
the surface of said rod against said bearing mem
member and at the same time to prevent endwise
ber. and a removable stop means mounted on each
movement of said cylindrical rod, spring biasing
leg for limiting the movement of said armature
means on each leg member for acting'when com
longitudinally of said legs against the compres
pressed to cause said movable member to press 55 sion of said springs to thereby prevent the dis
said cylindrical rod against said bearing surface
placement of said cylindrical rod out of said
member, and a removable stop means mounted on
each leg for compressing its respective spring
means and also acting to prevent movement'of
groove.
i
'
'
\
OSCAR S. FIELD.
said movable member longitudinally of said leg 60
REFERENCES CITED
members against the compression of said springs,
The
following
references are of record in the
whereby said cylindrical rod bearingcan be re
file of this patent:
moved only upon the demounting of said rem0v~
able stop means.
'
-
8. In an electromagnetic relay structure, a ?at 65 Number
plane-like armature adapted to cooperate with
the electromagnet of the relay structure, a sup~
port member having two extending leg portions,
‘UNITED STATES PATENTS
1,714,336
Name
Date
Yaxley -__--__'___>___ May 21, 1929
1,883,773
Erickson __________ .._ Oct. 18, 1932
2,360,664
Field ______ _'_..'_..-'__ Oct. 17, 1944’