Bell Telephone Laboratories

At&t Bell Laboratories

Wendel E Archer

Norman Wasserman

Paul W Renaut

Michael L Thieken

Douglas H Yano

James M Luther

James L Milton

Nelson H Winquist

A multi-positional mercury switch (1, 2, 3) for use with miniature relays (4). The mercury switch apparatus has mercury wettable magnetic contact structures (11, 12, 211, 212, 221, 222, 311, 312) supported in a sealed envelope member (10, 20, 30) supporting the magnetic contact structures with ends thereof extending from the envelope member for interconnection with terminals of the relay. A mercury holding assembly (13, 14, 23, 24, 33, 34) is slidably located within the sealed envelope member adjacent the magnetic contact structures and is responsive to an external magnetic field generated by electrical signals in a coil (410) surrounding the sealed envelope member for engaging the magnetic contact structures and establishing an electrical conducting path between the magnetic contact structures.

Relay switch apparatus

Actuating apparatus for an optical fiber switch in which a single fiber array (19) retained in a retaining block (20, 21) is movable within a housing (17) to align the single array (19) with one (10) or the other (11) of two fixed fiber arrays. A shuttle element (25) slidably extending through the housing (17) has provided at each end a disc (30, 31) the inner surfaces of which control the movement of a pair of push-rods (42, 43), also extending through the housing (17), which push-rods (42, 43) are bearable on opposite sides of the retaining blocks (20, 21). Reciprocal movement of the shuttle element (25) causes the same movement of the push-rods (42, 43) to move the movable fiber array (19) between its two switch positions. Movement of the shuttle element (25) is caused by the selective energization of two electromagnets (50, 51) mounted in opposite walls (40, 41) of an hermetically sealed outer housing (18). A pair of permanent magnets (35, 36) also mounted at opposite ends of the shuttle element (25) make possible a latching action of the apparatus.

Optical fiber switch, electromagnetic actuating apparatus with permanent

An electrical reed spring relay construction in which a single pair of reed springs are controlled to complete simultaneously two distinct conducting paths. A pair of yoke members each comprising a pair of parallel legs connected at one end by a transverse base member are suspended by the other ends of the legs at opposite ends of an encapsulating envelope. Between the legs of each yoke member is arranged a reed spring member also suspended at one end of the envelope. The yoke assemblies are suspended at the envelope ends so that the other ends and base members overlap and are spaced apart to present the contact gaps. Upon the application of a magnetic field, the other end of the reed spring member of each yoke member is urged into contact with the base member of the other yoke member. Two distinct conducting paths are thus completed between opposite ends of the envelope: one via the reed spring member lying between the legs of one yoke member and a leg of the other yoke member and the other via the reed spring member lying between the legs of the latter yoke member and a leg of the former yoke member. In a second embodiment, the terminal elements of each conducting path emerge at the same end of the envelope. The transverse base member of each yoke is interrupted and the reed springs are operative to make connections between the yoke member legs which form the conducting paths.

Twin path reed spring relay construction

A sealed reed spring switch in which a single pair of contacting springs carries two or more electrically insulated conducting paths. The electrically conductive, magnetically responsive springs are coated with an insulating material at least on opposing surfaces over which two or more distinct conductive coatings are formed. Two circuits such as a telephone tip and ring circuit, for example, may be simultaneously controlled by a single sealed two-path switch unit.

Multiple path sealed spring switch

A sealed contact includes a capsule enclosing a pair of magnetic reeds. Each reed has a fixed end sealed in the capsule and a flat movable portion with side edges substantially parallel to one another for a predetermined length and tapered toward one another from the end of the predetermined length to the tip of the movable portion. The reeds are positioned so that the movable portions overlap one another by an overlap length and define an overlap area which is less sensitive to variation in overlap length than a conventional sealed contact having reeds cut substantially normal to the parallel side edges.

Growing community of inventors

Gahanna, OH, United States of America

Wendel E Archer