US3064105A - Coaxial switch - Google Patents

Description

Nov. -13, 1962 s. LAPlDUS 3,064,105

COAXIAL SWITCH Filed Nov. 4; 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 F/GJ g1; INV EN TOR. 501 ONO/V [A P/Dl/S BY M M A rro /yns s. LAPIDUS 3,064,105

COAXIAL SWITCH 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 50L OMOA/ 1 Nov. 13,1962

Filed Nov. 4, 1960 IN VEN TOR.

Af TOR/Vt" Y5 Nov. 13, 1962 s. LAPIDUS 3,064,105

COAXIAL SWITCH Filed Nov. 4, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. ,//4 9 sozo/vo/v LAP/00.5

M ATTORNEYS Nov. 13, 1962 s. LAPIDUS COAXIAL SWITCH 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 4, 1960 7w .m m NL E FVN mm m n 6 H ATTOAM/SYS United States Patent 3,064,105 COAXIAL SWITCH Solomon Lapidus, Flushing, N.Y., assignor to Bogart Manufacturing Corporation, Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 67,200 28 Claims. (Cl. 200-153) This invention relates to electrical switches for high frequency power, and more particularly to a three-port coaxial switch.

The general object of the invention is to improve coaxial switches, especially switches for handling a large amount of high frequency power carried on coaxial line of large dimension.

A more particular object is to provide improved control mechanism for operating such a switch. A still more particular object is to provide a manually operable handle which turns a half revolution, and which is so mounted that it points toward that branch of the switch which has been connected to the common port.

Still another general object is to provide a switch which handles high power efficiently over a relatively wide frequency range, with a small VSWR (voltage standing wave ratio), and which provides a very high degree of isolation.

To accomplish the foregoing objects, and other objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the couial switch elements and their relation one to another, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a switch embodying features of my invention, with the cover plate and handle removed;

FIG. 2a is a view showing the movable member in a dead center position;

' FIG. 2 is a partly sectioned front eievation looking toward the common and branch ports;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the mechanism of the switch, with the handle and a top bearing plate removed;

FIG. 4 is a section taken approximately in the plane of the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section through one of the stationary ports;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation of the movable U-shaped movable coaxial switch member, for brevity called a U bend;

FIG. 7 is a section therethrough taken approximately in the plane of the line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a transverse section taken approximately in the plane of the line 8-8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary section drawn to enlarged scale and taken in the plane of the line 99 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary section drawn to enlarged scale and explanatory of the operation of a spring contact ring used for the outer conductor;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary section explanatory of a support element for the U bend;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view showing a part of the operating handle;

FIG. 13 shows the detent plate of the handle, and is taken on the line 13-13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary section at the outer end of one of the over-the-center pull springs; and

FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 are schematic views explanatory of the operation of the switch.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to FiGS. l and 2, the switch comprises a housing 12 having a common coaxial port 14, a branch coaxial port 16 on one side of the common port, and another branch coaxial port 13 on the other side of the common port.

3,064,105 Patented Nov. 13, 1952 These branch ports 16 and 18 are equally spaced from the common port 14. In the present case the ports have flange connections for use with standard 3% inch coaxial line, and the particular connections shown are male connections, but it will be understood that one or more of the connections may, if desired, be changed to be a female connection, in which case the resilient male projection 26 for the center conductor is replaced by a hollow or cup-shaped seat, and a flanged outer-conductor exten sion is added to the flange 22 to provide a similar flange located outwardly or beyond the female seat, the said parts then being adapted to receive a standard male connection like that here shown.

Referring to FIG. 2, the enclosed switch housing is provided with a manually operable handle 24. In FIG. 1 the handle 24 and the cover plate 26 (FIG. 2) have been removed to expose some of the mechanism. In FIG. 1 attention is directed to a U bend coaxial member 30, which, in the position shown, serves to connect port 14 to port 18, but which may be bodily moved to a position in which it connects port 14 to port 16.

Referring now to FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 of the drawing, the movable member 30 is carried by a parallelogram linkage schematically indicated by links 32 and 34. The link 32 is pivoted in a fixed bearing at 36, and the link 34 is pivoted in a fixed bearing 38. At their opposite ends they are pivoted on the movable U bend 30, so that the links act as cranks. The location of the parts is indicated by broken line brackets. By turning the cranks degrees the U bend 30 is moved away from the ports 14 and 18, as shown by the change from FIG. 15 to FIG. 16, and by continuing the rotation of the cranks for another 90 degrees the U bend is moved to a position connecting the ports 14 and 16, as shown in FIG. 17, instead of connecting the ports 14 and 18, as shown in FIG. 15.

In the particular arrangement here shown the shafts 36 and 38 are parallel shafts extending transversely of and between the coaxial conductors on either side of the common port 14. There are two cranks 32 on shaft 36, straddling the U bend 3t), and two additional cranks 34 on shaft 38 also straddling the U bend. The free ends of all four shafts are pivotally connected to the U bend, and thus by rotation of the shafts the U bend is bodily moved between positions connecting the common port 14 with either branch port 16 or 13.

In the present case the shafts 36 and 38 carry gears 49 and 42 of equal diameter. An intermediate gear 44 meshes with both gears 40 and 42, and insures equal rotation of the same. A suitable drive means may be applied to any of the shafts or gears, and in the present case the manual handle 24, previously referred to, is applied to the shaft 46 of intermediate gear 44. In preferred form the gear 44 has the same diameter as the gears 49 and 42, so that the handle turns through a half revolution, and as an additional refinement the handle is so mounted or oriented on shaft 46 that it points toward that branch port to which the common port has been connected.

The switch mechanism is preferably provided with over-the-center springs to put the mechanism in one end position or the other. In the present case there are two relatively powerful pull springs 50 and 52 (FIG. 15). These are stationarily anchored at 54 and 56, and are connected to the gears 40 and 42 at points 69 and 62, which are located diametrically away from the cranks 32 and 34. Thus in FIG. 15 the pull springs urge the U bend 30 toward the ports 14 and 18. In FIG. 16 the pull springs are on dead center, and the mechanism is in a highly unstable condition. In FIG. 17 the pull springs urge the U bend 30" toward the ports 14 and 16.

The parts referred to in FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 are also shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, where they have the same reference numbers and will be readily recognizable.

To further assure good electrical contact between the movable U bend and the mating seats formed at the inner ends of the ports, I provide resilient contact elements which may be described with initial reference to FIG. 7 of the drawing. The U bend 30 comprises an inner conductor 64 and outer conductor 66. The inner conductor is tubular or hollow in order to conserve weight and metal, for we deal here with a sizable coaxial line, specifically a 3%" line. The inner conductor 64 is coaxially located within the outer conductor 66 by means of insulation spacer discs or so-called beads 68 and 70, and by two additional spacer rods at 72. The rods 72 and beads 68 are made of a suitable insulation, preferably Teflon (tetrafluoroethylene resin) The detailed construction of spacer rod 72 is better shown in FIG. 8. The inner conductor 64 has diametrical holes receiving the stepped inner ends of the spacers, while the correspondingly stepped outer ends are received in threaded locating plugs 74 received in bosses 76 and 78 formed integrally with the cast outer conductor 66. The boss 76 is elliptical, rather than circular as in the case of boss 7-8, it extending upward to receive a grooved stud 89, the purpose of which is described later.

Reverting to FIG. 7, the inner conductor 64 is closed at its ends by metal plugs 82 which pass through the beads 68, and which threadedly receive metal seats 84. They also receive screws 86 which hold contact springs 90. These are thin resilient metal discs made of beryllium copper, preferably silver plated with a rhodium flash on top of the silver. The periphery is radially slotted, as shown at 92 in FIG. 6, and is bent away from its seat 84 as shown in FIG. 7. Thus the resilient disc serves as a contact spring for the inner conductor 64.

There is also a contact spring for the outer conductor 66, and this is a ring 94 of thin resilient sheet metal, the inner periphery of which is radially slotted, as shown at 96 in FIG. 6, and which is bent away from its seat 98 as shown in FIG. 7. The material and plating are the same as for the disc 88. The outer periphery or base of the ring 94 is secured to the seat, and in the present case this is done in simple fashion by merely tucking the outer periphery beneath the inner ends of a few retainer pins. In this case there are four retainer pins, shown at 100 in FIG. 6. One of these pins is shown to much larger scale in FIG. 9, in which it will be seen that a pin 100 driven through a hole 182 has its inner end 104 overlying the outer or base portion of the ring 94, while the slotted inner portion 96 is bent away from the solid metal seat 98. With this method of retaining the contact ring it is readily removable and replaceable, it being simply warped or sprung out of or into position beneath the pins.

Ready changeability of the contact springs is desirable because mishandling of the switch may cause arcing and consequent burning of the contact springs. Power is supposed to be shut off before operating a switch of this character, but an operator may forget and change the switch without cutting off the power, in which case severe arcing may result, with possible damage to the contact springs.

Such casual mounting of the outer spring might be thought to provide poor, instead of good electrical contact, by reason'of failure to fixedly secure the base of the ring to resist cantilever movement of the inner or slotted periphery of the spring. However this is taken care of in the present switch by giving the opposed seat not only rigid contact parts which bear against the slotted parts of the contact springs, but also rigid base parts which bear against the unslotted base parts of the contact springs, with the rigid contact parts and the rigid base parts being so relatively stepped that the slotted spring parts are deflected, while the unslotted spring parts are supported.

This will be clear from inspection of FIG. 10, in which the seat 98 carries contact spring 94, the slotted portion of which normally assumes the broken line position 96. The mating seat formed at the inner end of a switch port is stepped to provide a rigid contact part 112 and a rigid base part 114. These parts are so relatively stepped that the unslotted periphery of contact spring 94 is tightly clamped between its seat 98 and the base part 114 at the same time that the contact part 112. bears against and defleets the slotted part from the broken line position 96 to the solid line position 96. The tight clamping of the contact spring between the parts 98 and 114 eliminates the need for a better or more rigid mounting of the spring contact ring.

The relation of the seat of a port to the exposed connector of the port will be seen with reference to FIG. 5, in which the seat for the inner conductor is shown at 120, while the seat for the outer conductor is shown at 112, 114. On examination of the seat 126 it will be seen that it is hollowed at the center to clear the mounting screw of the spring contact disc (90 in FIGS. 6 and 7), and that it too is stepped to clamp and hold the unslotted base portion of the contact spring while bearing against the slotted pe ripheral portion of the contact spring. While not visible in FIG. 5, the annular seat 114 is radially notched at four points on its periphery to clear the inner ends of the four pins 108 shown in FIGS. 6 and 9.

Other details shown in FIG. 5 are the assembly of hollow inner conductor 122 with end plugs 124. These parts are held assembled with the seat and the bullet 2% by means of a center screw 126 acting as a tie rod. This inner conductor assembly is centered within the flanged outer conductor 128 by means of insulation beads 13%).

Reference has previously been made to the deeply grooved stud 80 shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. This is mounted near the outermost part of the U bend, and referring to FIG. 1, it cooperates with one or another of two spaced support plates 132 and 134. Referring to FIG. 2, plate 134 is secured to a boss 136 cast integrally with the wall 138 of the switch housing. The plates 132 and 134 are so located that they receive the grooved stud 80 in the manner shown in FIG. 11, it being understood that plate 134 is used when the U bend 30 is in the position shown in FIG. 1, and plate 132 is used when the- U bend is in the opposite position. This construction holds the U bend against lateral movement at its outer or curved portion, which portion is somewhat remote from the cranks carrying the inner portion of the bend.

Referring now to FIG. 12 of the drawing, the handle 24 is preferably provided with a locking means. Specifically there is a pilot pin 140 moved by a thumb button 142 connected to a lever 144 pivoted at 146 and con nected at 148 to pilot 140. The button is normally moved outward by a compression spring 151). The pilot 140 is received in either of two diametrically related holes 152 or 154 in a detent plate 156. This plate is mounted directly on the cover plate 26 of the switch. The handle is secured to the shaft 46 of the intermediate gear, as by means of a locking pin or screw 158.

The particular handle here shown is one which is commercially available, it being made by Barkelew Electric Manufacturing Co. of Middletown, Ohio.

Referring to FIG. 13, the pilot plate 156 differs from the usual practice in that the pilot holes 152 and 154 are not truly diametrical. They are offset slightly to one side, and specifically to that side which increases the travel of the operating handle so that it is somewhat more than 180. The holes are tapered to facilitate entry of the pilot, and the effect is to insure tight seating of the U bend.

Referring to FIG. 3, the pull exerted by the springs 5i) and 52 creates friction at the books at the ends of the springs. To minimize this friction I line the grooves receiving the books with nylon rings, shown at 160 in FIGS. 3 and 4. One of the rings 160 also is shown in FIG. 14. I have found that a very simple way to apply such nylon rings is to employ rings which are large enough to slip over the posts 54, 56 or studs 60, 62 receiving the same. In such case the ring is substantially larger in diameter than the groove intended to receive the same, but I have found that the hook of the spring simply deforms the ring to elliptical configuration, with the ex cess part of the ellipse idle, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 14, and that the resulting assembly functions just as well as with the nylon ring fitted to the bottom of the groove.

Reverting to FIG. 1, the mechanism is mounted on a subframe comprising a rectangular mounting plate 164 which is secured to the cast housing by means of a row of four screws shown at 166. This plate 164 provides upper bearings for the gear shafts 36 and 38, as is best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, where the mounting plate 164 and associated mechanism has been removed from the switch housing. The lower ends of shafts 36 and 38 are received in bearings cast integrally with the bottom wall 138 of the housing, such bearings being shown in broken lines at 168 in FIG. 4, and in solid lines in FIG. 2.

Reverting to FIG. 1, the subassembly further includes a top plate 170 which is mounted above the mounting plate 164 by means of three spacers and bolts. In FIG. 14 it will be seen that spacer 54 and its associated bolt 55 act also to anchor the stationary hook of spring 50. Reverting to FIG. 1, the top plate 170 is triangular at its forward end, which is held by a single spacer and bolt 172. In FIG. 3 the top plate has been removed to better expose the mechanism, but the three spacers and bolts are indicated at 54, 56 and 57, it being understood that the nuts shown are actually located above, rather than below the top plate.

The top plate 170 acts as an additional bearing for the intermediate gear shaft 46 which carries the operating handle.

Referring to FIG. 4, the cranks 32, 33, 34, and each has a hub portion 180 which is secured to its operating shaft. It further has a crank pin portion 182. These parts may be made integral or may be brazed or welded together. The inner ends of the crank pins 182 are received in bushings or bearings 184 set into the cast U bend 30.

FIG. 4 also shows bearings 186 in mounting plate 164 for the gear shafts, and it shows the upper ends of spacers 54 and 56 with their grooves and nylon liners 160 for receiving the hooks of the pull springs. For clarity the pull springs themselves have been omitted in FIG. 4. Although the spacers 54 and 56 are aligned with the shafts 36 and 38, it will be understood that they are far apart, as shown in FIG. 3, and that the gears and 42 are overhung secured at the very ends of their shafts. This is necessary because the pull springs move past the ends of the shafts when the gears turn 180 degrees, as was explained in connection with FIGS. 15, 16, and 17, and the dead center position in which the springs pass the ends of the shafts is shown in FIG. 16.

It may be mentioned that when the cover plate 26 is applied to the housing, a rectangular gasket 190 (FIG. 12) is preferably interposed, and the parts are drawn together by a large number of closely spaced screws (3&2 in FIG. 2), the holes for which are indicated at 194 in FIG. 1. Thus the unit may be made gas-tight, which is desirable when the system is to be pressurized. In such case appropriate gaskets are also employed at the flanges 22, and an O ring is used on handle shaft 46 as shown .at 194 in FIGS. 2 and 12.

The present switch is dimensioned to be received directly in a 3% inch coaxial line with standard E.I.A. flange connections. However, other connections may be used, for example, the Marmann quick disconnect flange.

The switch was designed to operate over a frequency range of from 755 to 985 mc., and to handle up to 10 kw. average power. The VSWR was not to exceed 1.1 maximum; the insertion loss was not to exceed 0.15 db; and the isolation between branches 16 and 18 was to be 70 db minimum. In actual practice the switch greatly exceeds these requirements. It operates efficiently over the entire frequency range of the transmission line.

The switch so far has been described as a single-pole double-throw switch, but the same construction may be used for a double-pole double-throw switch, or a triplepole double throw switch, and so on. This is done by placing the ports and the U bends side by side, and lengthening the shafts to provide linkage for simultaneously moving all of the U bends. This is schematically illustrated in FIG. 2a, in which there are two U bends 30 and 239, disposed side by side for simultaneous movement. The shaft 236 corresponds to the shaft'36 previously described; the gear 240 corresponds to the gear 40; the cranks 232 and 233 correspond to the cranks 32 and 33; and an extra double crank 232' is disposed between the two U bends. In FIG. 2a the cranks are shown in dead center position, with the over-the-center spring 259 extended, so that the linkage is in unstable position. This has been done to more clearly show the cranks. It will be understood that there are two such shafts and sets of cranks, with gears and springs, all as previously described, that is, a view such as FIG. 3 could remain unchanged. It will also be understood that by rigidly connecting the U bend 30 to the U bend 230 the intermediate crank 232' could be omitted.

It is believed that the construction, operation, and method of use of my improved coaxial switch, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. It will also be apparent that, while I have shown and described the switch in preferred form, changes may be made in the structure shown without departing from the scope of the invention as sought to be defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A switch for microwave energy comprising a common port, a branch port on one side of the common port, a branch port on the opposite side of the common port, said branch ports being equally spaced from said common port, a U bend dimensioned to join the common port and either branch port, parallel shafts extending transversely of the aforesaid ports on either side of the common port, a crank on each shaft adjacent the U bend with the free ends of the cranks pivotally carrying the U bend to form a parallelogram linkage, and means to rotate said shafts in order to bodily move the U bend on an arcuate path between positions connecting the common port with either branch port.

2. A coaxial switch comprising a common coaxial port, a branch coaxial port on one side of the com-mon port, a branch coaxial port on the opposite side of the common port, said branch ports being equally spaced from said common port, a U bend coaxial connector dimensioned to join the common port and either branch port, parallel shafts extending transversely of the coaxial conductors on either side of the common port, two cranks on each shaft straddling the U bend with their free ends pivotally carrying the U bend to form a parallelogram linkage, and means to rotate said shafts in order to bodily move the U bend on an arcuate path between positions connecting the common port with either branch port.

3. A coaxial switch comprising a com-mon coaxial port, a branch coaxial port on one side of the common port, a branch coaxial port on the opposite side of the common port, said branch ports being equally spaced from said common port, a U bend coaxial connector dimensioned to join the common port and either branch port; parallel shafts extending transversely of the coaxial conductors on either side of the com-mon port, two cranks on each shaft straddling the U bend with their free ends pivo-tally carrying the U bend to form parallelogram linkage, and means to rotate said shafts in order to bodily move the U bend on an arcuate path between positions connecting the common port with either branch port, said means including gears of equal diameter on said shafts,

an intermediate gear for driving said shaft gears, and a means for turning one of the gears.

4. A coaxial switch comprising a common coaxial port, a branch coaxial port on one side of the common port, a branch coaxial port on the opposite side of the common port, said branch ports being equally spaced from said common port, a U bend coaxial connector dimensioned to join the common port and either branch port, parallel shafts extending transversely of the coaxial conductors on either side of the common port, two cranks on each shaft straddling the U bend with their free ends pivotally carrying the U bend to form parallelogram linkage, and means to rotate said shafts in order to bodily move the U bend on an arcuate path between positions connecting the common port with either branch port, said means including gears of equal diameter on said shafts, an intermediate gear for driving said shaft gears, and a handle for turning said intermediate gear.

5. A coaxial switch comprising a common coaxial port, a branch coaxial port on one side of the common port, a branch co-axial port on the opposite side of the common port, said branch ports being equally spaced from said common port, a U bend coaxial connector dimensioned to join the common port and either branch port, parallel shafts extending transversely of the coaxial conductors on either side of the common port, two cranks on each shaft straddling the U bend with their free ends pivotally carrying the U bend to form parallelogram linkage, and means to rotate said shafts in order to bodily move the U bend on an arcuate path between positions connecting the common port with either branch port, said means including gears of equal diameter on said shafts, an intermediate gear for driving said shaft gears, and a handle for turning one of the gears, said inter-mediate gear having the same diameter as the shaft gears, whereby a half-turn of the handle changes the switch from one position to the other.

6. A coaxial switch comprising a common coaxial port, a branch coaxial port on one side of the common port, a branch coaxial port on the opposite side of the common port, said branch ports being equally spaced from said common port, a U bend coaxial connector dimensioned to joint the common port and either branch port, parallel shafts extending transversely of the coaxial conductors on either side of the common port, two cranks on each shaft straddling the U bend with their free ends pivotally carrying the U bend to form parallelogram linkage, and means to rotate said shafts in order to bodily move the U bend on an arcuate path between positions connecting the common port with either branch port, said means including gears of equal diameter on said shafts, an intermediate gear for driving said shaft gears, and a handle for turning said intermediate gear, said-intermediate gear having the same diameter as the shaft gears, whereby a half-turn of the handle changes the switch from one position to the other, said handle being so oriented on said gear that it points to the branch port to which the common port has been connected.

7. A switch as defined in claim 1 in which the linkage is provided with relatively powerful over-the-center pull springs which urge the U bend toward the ports connected thereby.

8. A coaxial switch as defined in claim 2 in which relatively powerful pull springs are so connected to said shafts at points located diametrically away from the cranks of the parallelogram linkage that the pull springs act as overthe-center springs to urge the U bend toward the ports connected thereby.

9. A coaxial switch as defined in claim 4 in which the shaft gears are overhung at the ends of their shafts and have crank pins, and in which relatively powerful pull springs are connected to said crank pins, said crank pins being located diametrically away from the cranks of the parallelogram linkage, whereby the pull springs act as over-the-center springs to urge the U bend toward the ports connected thereby.

10. A coaxial switch as defined in claim 2 in which the ports lead to seats, and in which the ends of the U bend provide mating seats, and in which the seats are provided with contact springs to insure good electrical contact between the ports and the U bend, said contact springs including a disc for the inner conductor, said disc being a relatively thin resilient metal disc the contact periphery of which is radially slotted and dished away from its seat and the center base of which is secured to its seat.

11. A coaxial switch as defined in claim 2 in which the ports lead to seats, and in which the ends of the U bend provide mating seats, and in which the seats are provided with contact springs to insure good electrical contact between the ports and the U bend, said contact springs including a disc for the inner conductor, said disc being a relatively thin resilient metal disc the contact periphery of which is radially slotted and dished away from its seat and the center base of which is secured to its seat, the opposed seat having a rigid contact part which bears against the slotted contact part of said contact spring, and having a rigid base part which bears against the base part of said contact spring, the said rigid contact part and rigid base part being so stepped that the slotted contact parts of said spring contact are deflected while the base part of said spring contact is fixedly supported.

12. A switch as defined in claim 1 in which the ports lead to seats, and in which the ends of the U bend provide mating seats, and in which the seats are provided with contact springs to insure good electrical contact between the ports and the U bend, said contact springs including a ring for the outer conductor, said ring being a ring of thin resilient sheet metal the contact periphery of which is radially slotted and bent away from its seat and the base periphery of which is secured to its seat.

13. A switch as defined in claim 1 in which the ports lead to seats, and in which the ends of the U bend provide mating seats, and in which the seats are provided with contact springs to insure good electrical contact between the ports and the U bend, said contact springs including a ring for the outer conductor, said ring being a ring of thin resilient sheet metal the contact periphery of which is radially slotted and bent away from its seat and the base periphery of which is secured to its seat, the opposed seat having a rigid contact part which bears against the slotted contact part of said contact spring, and having a rigid base part which bears against the base part of said contact spring, the said rigid contact part and rigid base part being so stepped that the slotted contact parts of said spring contact are deflected while the base part of said spring contact is fixedly supported.

14. A coaxial switch as defined in claim 2 in which the ports lead to seats, and in which the ends of the U bend provide mating seats, and in which the seats are provided with contact springs to insure good electrical contact between the ports and the U bend, said contact springs including a disc for the inner conductor and a ring for the outer conductor, said disc being a relatively thin resilient metal disc the contact periphery of which is radially slotted and dished away from its seat and the center base of which is secured to its seat, and said ring being a ring of thin resilient sheet metal the contact periphery of which is radially slotted and bent away from its seat and the base periphery of which is secured to its seat.

15. A coaxial switch as defined in claim 2 in which the ports lead to seats, and in which the ends of the U bend provide mating seats, and in which the seats are provided with contact springs to insure good electrical contact between the ports and the U bend, said contact springs including a disc for the inner conductor and a ring for the outer conductor, said disc being a relatively thin resilient metal disc the contact periphery of which is radially slotted and dished away from its seat and the center base of which is secured to its seat, and said ring being a ring of thin resilient sheet metal the contact periphery of which is radially slotted and bent away from its seat and the base periphery of which is secured to its seat, the opposed seat having rigid contact parts which bear against the slotted contact parts of said contact springs, and having rigid base parts which bear against the base parts of said contact springs, the said rigid contact parts and rigid base parts being so stepped that the slotted contact parts of said spring contacts are deflected while the base parts of said spring contacts are fixedly supported.

16. A switch as defined in claim 1, in which the switch has a stationary frame, and in which the outer part of the U bend includes a deeply grooved stud, and in which the frame of the switch has locating plates which receive the grooved stud to locate the outer part of the U bend.

17. A coaxial switch as defined in claim 2 in which the switch has a stationary frame, and in which the outer part of the U bend includes a deeply grooved stud, and in which the frame of the switch has locating plates which receive the grooved stud to locate the outer part of the U bend.

18. A coaxial switch as defined in claim 4 in which the handle has a pilot pin, a push button to release said pilot pin, and pilot holes to receive the pilot pin, said pilot holes having tapered mouths.

19. A coaxial switch as defined in claim 5 in which the handle has a pilot pin, a push button to release said pilot pin, and pilot holes to receive the pilot pin, said pilot holes having tapered mouths and being located slightly offset from a diametrical relation, such as to cause a little more than 180 travel of the operating handle.

20. A switch as defined in claim 1 in which the linkage is provided with relatively powerful over-the-center pull springs which urge the U bend toward the ports connected thereby, and in which the ends of the over-thecenter pull springs have hooks received in grooves, and in which the grooves are lined by nylon rings to reduce friction.

21. A coaxial switch as defined in claim 2 in which relatively powerful pull springs are so connected to said shafts at points located diametrically away from the cranks of the parallelogram linkage that the pull springs act as over-the-center springs to urge the U bend toward the ports connected thereby, and in which the ends of the over-the-center pull springs have hooks received in grooves, and in which the grooves are lined by nylon rings to reduce friction.

22. A coaxial switch as defined in claim 2 in which relatively powerful pull springs are so connected to said shafts at points located diametrically away from the cranks of the parallelogram linkage that the pull springs act as over-the-center springs to urge the U bend toward the ports connected thereby, and in which the ends of the over-the-center pull springs have hooks received in grooves, and in which the grooves are lined by nylon rings to reduce friction, and in which the rings have a diameter large enough to be received over the pins to reach the grooves, and in which the hooks deform the rings from circular to elliptical configuration.

23. A switch as defined in claim 1 in which there are two collateral branch ports on each side of two collateral common ports, and two collateral U bends, and in which the parallelogram linkage bodily moves both U bends simultaneously, thereby providing a double-pole doublethrow switch.

24. A switch as defined in claim 2 in which there are two collateral branch ports on each side of two collateral common ports, and two collateral U bends, and in which the parallelogram linkage bodily moves both U bends simultaneously, thereby providing a double-pole doublethrow switch.

25. A switch for microwave energy comprising a common port, a branch port on one side of the common port,

a branch port on the opposite side of the common port, said branch ports being equally spaced from said common port, a U bend dimensioned to join the common port and either branch port, a parallelogram linkage movably carrying said U bend for bodily movement on an arcuate path between positions joining the common port with either branch port, said ports leading to seats, the ends of the U bend providing mating seats, and said seats being provided with contact springs to insure good electrical contact between the ports and the U bend, said contact springs including a ring for the outer conductor, said ring being a ring of thin resilient sheet metal the contact periphery of which is radially slotted and bent away from its seat and the base periphery of which is secured to its seat.

26. A switch for microwave energy comprising a common port, a branch port on one side of the common port, a branch port on the opposite side of the common port, said branch ports being equally spaced from said common port, a U bend dimensioned to join the common port and either branch port, a parallelogram linkage movably carrying said U bend for bodily movement on an arcuate path between positions joining the common port with either branch port, said ports leading to seats, the ends of the U bend providing mating seats, said seats being provided with contact springs to insure good electrical contact between the ports and the U bend, said contact springs including a ring for the outer conductor, said ring being a ring of thin resilient sheet metal the contact pe ripheiy of which is radially slotted and bent away from its seat and the base periphery of which is secured to its seat, the opposed seat having a rigid contact part which bears against the slotted contact part of said contact spring, and having a rigid base part which bears against the base part of said contact spring, the said rigid contact part and rigid base part being so stepped that the slotted contact parts of said spring contact are deflected while the base part of said spring contact is fixedly supported.

27. A switch for microwave energy comprising a common port, a branch port on one side of the common port, a branch port on the opposite side of the common port, said branch ports being equally spaced from said common port, a U bend dimensioned to join the common port and either branch port, a parallelogram linkage movably carrying said U bend for bodily movement on an arcuate path between positions joining the common port with either branch port, a'stationary frame carrying the aforesaid ports, the outer part of the U bend including a deeply grooved stud, and the frame having locating plates which receive the grooved stud to locate the outer part of the U bend.

28. A switch for microwave energy comprising a comprising a common port, a branch port on one side of the common port, a branch port on the opposite side of the common port, said branch ports being equally spaced from said common port, a U bend dimensioned to join the common port and either branch port, a parallelogram linkage movably carrying said U bend for bodily movement on an arcuate path between positions joining the common port with either branch port, said linkage being provided with relatively powerful over-the-center pull springs which urge the U bend toward the ports connected thereby, and the ends of the over-the-center pull springs having hooks received in grooves, and the said grooves being lined by nylon rings to reduce friction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,893,046 Austin Ian. 3, 1933 2,709,725 Bieber et al. May 31, 1955 2,825,775 Constantine et al. Mar. 4, 1958

Images