Jan. 5, 1960 A. A. GOFFSTEIN 2,920,260 BATTERY CHARGER AND POWER INVERTER SySTEM Filed Nov. 10, 1953 INVENTOR ----- A bert A. Goffstein n By 2k) in assus ATTORNEY - 2,920,260 United States Patent Office Faiented Jan. 5, 1960 1 2 In the drawings forming a part of the specification: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the circuit arrange - 2,920,260 ment embodying the principles of my invention. BATTERY CHARGERAND POWER INVERTER Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of a modification of the system of Figure 1. Albert A. Goffstein, St. Paul, Minn, assignor to Ameri Referring to the circuit illustrated in the figure 1, I pro can Television & Radio Co., Ramsey County, Minn., a vide a vibrator interrupter which is indicated in general corporation of Minnesota by the letter A. This interrupter A includes a reed 2 which is provided with suitable contacts thereon adapted Application November 10, 1953, Serial No. 391,335 O to vibrate between oppositely disposed contacts 3 and 4. The reed 2 is driven by an electromagnet 5 which is in 12 Claims. (CI.321-8) series with driving contacts 1. - Co-operating with the vibrator interrupter is a trans This invention relates to an improvement in battery former which is indicated in general by the letter D. charger and power inverter system, and deals particularly 5 This transformer is provided with low tension windings with a device capable of charging a battery from a source provided with a pair of connected coil sections 7 and 8. of alternating current and also capable of inverting the While the coil sections 7 and 8 are shown as having termi battery current so that alternating current consuming de nal connections on opposite sides of a center tap, each vices can be used therewith. coil Section may have intermediate taps or extensions on In recent years the use of an automobile battery as a 20 the winding for the purpose of providing lesser or greater source of power for dictating machines, electric razors, alternating current voltage to the rectifier which is recorders and the like has become increasingly popular. indicated in general by the letter C. One terminal of the The use of battery current for operating automobile heat coil 7 is connected by the conductor 9 to the stationary ing systems, defrosting systems, radios, seat controls and vibrator contact 3. One terminal of the coil section 8 window controls has also increased, thereby placing a 25 is connected by conductor 10 to the stationary vibrator greater strain upon these batteries. The present device contact. 4. In effect, the coil sections provide a low ten is designed to permit the battery to be conveniently sion winding having a center tap 11. charged when the car is near a source of supply of al The center tap 11 is connected by a conductor 12 to ternating current. Conversely, it permits alternating cur the fuse 13 which in turn is connected by conductor 14 rent consuming devices to be operated from battery cur 30 to one side of the battery B. The other terminal of the rent when other alternating current supplies are not battery B, is connected by conductors 15, 16 and 17 to available. .. the reed 2 of the vibrator which is defined by the dotted An important feature of the present invention lies in outline A. This completes the primary low tension power the provision of an apparatus of the class described which circuit. - is safe to use, and which cannot accidentally cause injury 35 The rectifier C consists of rectifier sections having to the user. The charging circuit and the inverter circuit terminals 19 and 20 which are respectively connected to are controlled by a simple switching device which iso the stationary contacts 3 and 4 of the vibrator. These lates either the alternating current input plug or the alter connections are either direct or through taps or exten nating current outlet of the inverter circuit. As a result, sions of the low tension windings 7 and 8 to provide suit the chance of injury to the user is eliminated or materially 40 able arc suppression circuit across the stationary contacts reduced. 3 and 4. In addition the rectifier sections, having termi An object of the present invention lies in providing a nals 19 and 20, are permanently connected across the battery charging and power inverter system having a low tension transformer winding, either directly or single transformer utilized in both a charging circuit for through taps or extensions of said winding, and the asso a battery and a power output circuit from the battery. ciated vibrator contacts 3 and 4 attached to provide a This system comprises, exclusive of the battery, a trans 45 charging circuit to the battery. former having a high tension winding and low tension In addition to the center tapped rectifier circuit as illus winding, a rectifier, and a charging circuit for said bat trated in Figure 1, it is readily apparent that a full wave tery including said low tension winding and said rectifier bridge rectifier circuit as shown in Figure 2 may be easily permanently connected together. The system also in 50 Substituted. In the arrangement of Figure 2, the rectifier cludes a vibrator, a power output circuit, including a I is connected to the low tension windings 7 and 8 at buffer, from said battery including said low tension wind terminals. 19 and 20. One rectifier output terminal is ing and said vibrator, all permanently connected together. connected by conductors 17, 16 and 15 to one terminal The system also incorporates a means for selectively clos of the battery B and through conductor 17 leading to reed ing said charging circuit and said power output circuit, 55 2. The other rectifier output terminal is connected by and a circuit for said high tension winding or portion conductor 18 to the center tap 11 of the low tension coil, thereof adapted to be selectively connected to an alter and through conductor 12, fuse 13, and conductor 14 to nating current source or an alternating current load with the other side of the battery. voltages properly removed to prevent shocks and to Figure 2 merely shows the manner in which the full provide safe operation. - - - - - Wave rectifier may be used in place of rectifiers of other One of the objects of the invention is to provide a recti 60 types. For simplicity of explanation, similar numbers are fier permanently connected to the low tension winding used for similar parts. and associated vibrator power contacts. A further ob The high tension winding 21 of transformer D is -ject of the invention is to provide a means for selectively adapted to deliver an alternating current to the load switching from charging circuit to inverter circuit where through the output socket or receptacle F. To this end by, when inverter circuit is, operating, no high voltage 65 one terminal of the secondary winding 21 is connected f's appears at the charging circuit A.C. input plug and like through a selector switch E, the arm of which is con -wise, when the charging circuit is operating, no A.C. volt nected by conductor 23 to one terminal 24 of the output age will appear at the inverter A.C. receptacle. receptacle F. The other terminal 25 of the high tension Further objects and advantages of the invention will winding 21 is connected through conductor 26 to the appear more fully hereafter in the accompanying specifi 70 switch arm 27 which may be pivoted into contact with cation and claims. - the terminal 29 of the switch G. Terminal 29 is con 2,920,260 3 4. nected by conductor 30 to the second terminal 31 of the current supply, the vibrator reed produces alternately op output receptacle F. A buffer condenser 32 is connected positely directed current flow in the low tension windings between the conductor 26 and a tap 33 of the selector to produce a relatively high voltage alternating current switch E. The selector switch E is selectively connect output. When at least a portion of the high tension coil able to any of a series of taps 33, 34, 35 and 36 to pro is connected to a source of high voltage alternating cur vide a suitable alternating current voltage to the load rent, the opposed rectifiers form a full wave rectifier con connected to the output receptacle F. nected to opposite terminals of the battery for battery The vibrating reed 2 is connected to battery B through charging purposes. The switch arrangement is such that conductors 17, 16 and 15. The contact 1 on the vi high voltage current never appears at the input plug dur brator is connected through the series driving coil 5, O ing generation of alternating current from the battery conductor 37, switch 39, and conductor 40, to contact and the circuit to the output receptacle is broken during 4 of switch G. An arm 42 of switch G which rotates battery charging operations. - in unison with the arm 27 is engageable with terminal In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described 41 and is connected through conductor 43 to fuse 13 the principles of construction and operation of my bat which is connected through conductor 14 to the second 5 tery charger and power inverter system, and while I have terminal of the battery B. The closing of switch 39 endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I provides power to the series driving coil 5 to actuate the desire to have it understood that obvious changes may vibrator interrupter reed 2.