Abstract: A rain-collection pad for ponds comprising a pan-shaped pad having a horizontal bottom and four vertical, contiguous side walls, said pad being adapted to float on the exposed surface of a pond and having a stiffening means attached to at least one wall.

Abstract: In a combination of a switching apparatus with a pivotable actuating lever, the apparatus includes an electrically conductive base having two opposing rising walls and an electrically conductive operating bar supported slidably between the rising walls of the base. The bar has a laterally projecting portion. A terminal is fixed to one of the rising walls of the base by an insulator. A spring wound about the bar causes an end of the operating bar to project outwardly from one of the rising walls and biases the operating bar in a direction, in which the lateral projecting portion of the operating bar contacts the terminal.

Abstract: An auxiliary winding cut-out switch for a sump pump motor having main windings and auxiliary windings. Controlled deflection means for positioning a contact carried on a terminal movable arm with respect to a fixed contact comprises a plunger, actuator, removable coil compression return spring and removable coil compression take-up spring, all concentric and colinear. The plunger slides in housing guide means and has a follower portion for following contact with a control surface carried on the motor rotor and axially movable responsive to rotor speed. The actuator slides in the housing guide means and has an offset coupler engaging the terminal movable arm. The take-up spring is seated between plunger and actuator; the return spring is seated between housing cover and actuator. The springs are electrically unconnected to the terminals.

Abstract: A pulse generator having a gear and an actuating member. The actuating member is made from insulating material. It is movable sideways and is forced against the gear by a compression spring, which also serves as a detent spring. This forces a projection into engagement with a tooth space in the rest position. The pulse generator is especially suited for producing current and voltage pulses for digital tuners.

Abstract: An index rotary switch including a rotary contact carrier journaled between a pair of thrust bearings solely for rotary motion. A rotary electrical contact including four contacts indexes with a stationary contact array forming an infinite number of ON-OFF positions and forms a redundant constant pressure electrical contact in each ON position.

Abstract: An apparatus for operating switches including a driving shaft having an operation lever portion supporting one end of a spring mechanism, with the driving shaft being separated from an operation shaft associated with a switch. A driving lever fixed to the driving shaft is connected to a main lever with a recess fixed to the operation shaft. An angle formed by central axes of these levers is set to an angle slightly exceeding 90.degree. when a switch opening or closing operation is completed. Members for regulating the opening and closing positions of the switch are provided at positions opposed to the driving lever. By setting the angle to the above value, in a side where the angle exceeds 90.degree., an operating force transmitted from the driving lever to the main lever acts in a direction opposite to a direction to which the operating force acts until the angle reaches 90.degree., thus cancelling operating inertia energy and residual energy in the driving lever.

Abstract: A composite, push-pull headlight and rotary switch (1) having a front bracket area (4) and a panel light dimming rheostat (62/91) for use in a vehicle with, for example, a dome light switch and a supplemental fluorescent panel light system switch, utilizing two, parallel, spaced panels (6 & 7) having three, laterally extended, operative planar surfaces, all located in the front bracket area. The front panel (6) has on its back side a rheostat planar surface including a series of circularly disposed, peripherally spaced, resistive layers (62), which, in conjunction with a rotatable, sweeping, rheostat contactor arm (91), serve the rheostat dimming function for the panel lights.

Abstract: A barrier assembly includes an intermediate barrier member which is inserted from the front side of a mounting panel and a fixing barrier member which is inserted from the rear side of the panel and connected to the intermediate barrier member. After a plurality of small-sized controlling devices has been secured to the mounting panel, the intermediate barrier member is inserted into the area between each pair of adjacent controlling devices from the front side of the panel. Then, the fixing barrier member is inserted into this area from the rear side of the panel and connected to the intermediate barrier member. Thus, it is possible to prevent the intermediate barrier member from being pulled out forward of the panel and also from being withdrawn rearward of the panel by virture of the fitting engagement with the fixing barrier member. It is possible to remove the two barrier members toward the opposite directions, from which they are inserted when assembled, by disengaging them from each other.

Abstract: A steering column switch for motor vehicles comprises a switch member guiding the bridging contact and being swivellably located around an axis. The stationary contacts, however, acted upon by this bridging contact are arranged along a straight line and in a plane repsectively in parallel to the axis of rotation of the switch member. The bridging contact is not directly guided by the switch member, but by a switching arm substantially radially swivellable in relation to the switch member so that the bridging contact is movable along a staight line despite the circular movement of the switch member.

Abstract: An electric switch cooperating with a steering wheel shaft provided with a control cam for controlling change of direction indicators of a motor vehicle includes a support casing and a control lever pivotally mounted on the support casing about a first pivot axis and a reversing plate pivotally mounted on the support about a second axis parallel to the first pivot axis. The lever includes an indexing stud which cooperates with a notched surface on the support casing. The reversing plate is resiliently urged toward the steering wheel shaft and faces the control cam to move relative to the second axis away from the control cam. Drive structures are provided on the reversing plate for cooperation with the lever so that the reversing plate is pivoted about the second axis into a working position when the control lever is itself pivoted about the first axis into a working position.

Abstract: A device is provided for closing off an interior portion of a pool skimmer when the pool is to be shut down for a prolonged period of time. The device includes an inflatable member of pliable, expansible, water-proof material. When the member is inflated, subsequent to being positioned within an interior portion of the skimmer, the member will close off a surface skimming inlet of the skimmer. The inflatable member is provided with a valve for controlling the inflating and deflating of the member. When the inflatable member is disposed within the skimmer interior portion, the valve is accessible through an access opening formed in the skimmer.

Abstract: A switching and/or signalling apparatus is provided including a case formed of a base and a lid in which at least one manually or remote controlled switching unit is housed, particularly a contactor with an electro-thermal relay which is associated therewith, and the control members provided on the lid for actuating the switching unit, wherein, between the control unit and the side walls of the case, there is provided at least one fixed support element for at least one control element associated with the switching unit and actuated by the corresponding control member.

Abstract: A powered tool controlled by an actuating lever is provided with a simplified structure combining lock-off and lock-on functions. A trigger is mounted on the actuating lever and is pivoted about an axis parallel to a pivot axis for the actuating lever. The trigger is displaceable in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of displacement of the actuating lever, reducing the dexterity required of an operator to permit operation of the actuating lever. A hooked lever element extends from the trigger and a blocking device, which may be a post or a ribbed structure, projects from the tool housing. The hooked lever and blocking device cooperate to (1) abut, to prevent actuation of the motor unless the trigger is first operated, and (2) lock the actuating lever in an operated state upon subsequent release of the trigger.

Abstract: The device for rendering contactors electrically and mechanically inoperative in accordance with the invention comprises a flat modular case, two movement take-offs adapted for coupling respectively with the mobile assemblies of two contactors, two mobile elements providing reciprocal inoperativeness, driven respectively by said movement take-offs and two switch devices whose mobile contact elements are respectively actuated by the mobile elements providing inoperativeness. These two switch devices are mounted in two through current lines directed transversely with respect to the sidewalls of the case.

Abstract: An electrical switch includes a rocker-type actuator adapted to be pivoted between first and second positions within a housing in order to close and open switch contacts. The actuator carries a latch which normally engages the housing to prevent the actuator from being pivoted to its switch-closed position. By pulling on the latch and then lifting on the actuator, the actuator may be pivoted to its switch-closed position; the two-step operation protecting against accidental actuation of the switch. The actuator may be returned to its switch-open position by a simple single motion thereby enabling rapid opening of the switch under emergency conditions. In one embodiment, the latch cannot be moved to an unlatched position and the switch cannot be actuated unless an authorized person with a key connects the key detachably to the latch.

Abstract: A contact is attached to a carrier and the carrier-contact assembly encapsulated in a chamber in a light guide, the chamber having an open end closed by a circuit board having traces on it. A lever fitting into a lever housing in the carrier passes through a slot in the light guide permitting the carrier to be manually slid within the chamber parallel to the circuit board, thereby moving the contact over the traces. The carrier contacts the light guide wholly along narrow ribs which are greased with a viscous grease. An opaque cover, having a slot through which the lever extends, encloses the light guide. An opaque tape located between the cover and the light guide and having an opening through which the lever extends, slides with the lever to prevent light from escaping through the slot in the cover as the lever is moved. A rim on the lever housing prevents light from escaping around the opening in the tape.

Abstract: A switch assembly for remote selection and two-way operation of individual motors for vehicle rearview mirror adjustment. A quadulateral touch frame is gimballed by means of a nested yoke on a housing for movement about two orthogonal axes and is superposed for contacting an actuator frame having four spaced pins extending commonly therefrom through the housing, each for actuation of an individual switch mounted on a circuit board. User movement of any one of the four sides of the touch bar actuates a pair of the switches, only one of which is snap-acting. A separate selector nested in the touch frame operates sliding wipers for selected switching between pairs of contacts on the circuit board for selection of operational mode for the four main switches.

Abstract: An electric switch including a stator with a plurality of contact studs, a shaft moving inside the stator and having at least one contact stud cooperting with the studs of the stator and a connector comprising a plurality of juxtaposed pins with each pin connected to one of the contact studs of the stator. The connector is fixed against the stator, the pins being disposed at the periphery of the connector so that they surround the stator with each pin extending along the stator and the arrangement of the studs on the stator and that of the pins on the connector is such that one end of each pin faces the corresponding stud and is fixed thereto.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an improved burglar alarm which is mounted on a base having a concaved space for receiving therein a ring-like magnet with an elongated resilient arm, vibratable as a result of external force, and a magnetic switch tube actuated in response to the vibrating magnet which changes either the magnet polarity or intensity of the magnetic force thereof so to produce signals to actuate a connected alarm apparatus.

Abstract: A membrane switch sheet is disposed on a base plate and an adhesive layer is formed all over the membrane switch sheet. A positioning sheet, which has positioning holes respectively corresponding to membrane switches arranged on the membrane switch sheet, is disposed on the adhesive layer, and a tact plate having a normally upward curved portion is bonded to the adhesive layer in each positioning hole. A mounting plate is disposed on the positioning sheet at a distance therefrom. The mounting plate has a sleeve at a position corresponding to each tact plate. A stem is slidably received in the sleeve. The stem is capped with a key top formed integrally therewith. An acutating coiled spring is fixed at one end and engaged at the other end with the tact plate. When the key top is depressed, the coiled spring presses down the corresponding membrane switch through the tact plate, turning on the switch.