Abstract: In an appliance such as an oven for cooking food, the invention contemplates a user rotatable, single knob oven control device which provides both discrete and continuous control signals to the appliance controller. The discrete outputs indicate selection of oven features, and the continuous output the desired baking temperature. These inputs are selected by a user in response to rotation of a user interface knob mounted on a control panel. The control panel provides visual indication of oven cooking temperature selections through a first arc around the knob, and user selectable oven features (such as, e.g., OFF/CANCEL, BROIL, and CLEAN) in a second arc around the knob. The control device comprises a hub having a portion adapted to be drivably coupled to the user interface knob. The hub also includes a flange which has at least one cam. The device also includes a variable resistance element having a rotatable shaft in driving engagement with the hub.

Abstract: An operation-staggered dual switch is provided having a casing, first and second switching mechanisms installed in the casing, the switching mechanisms being operatively connected such that operation of the first switching mechanism may follow operation of the second switching mechanism after a predetermined delay, wherein the operation-staggered dual switch includes delay means comprising a connection rod having indentations formed on one side, a train of toothed wheels having a leading toothed wheel and a trailing toothed wheel, the leading toothed wheel of the train of toothed wheels being engaged with selected indentations of the connection rod, and a rotary damper connected to the trailing toothed wheel of the train of toothed wheels, the connection rod being responsive to initiation of operation of the first switching mechanism for moving in a given direction.

Abstract: An electrical switch selectively controls an ignition circuit and accessory circuits of a motor vehicle. The electrical switch includes a segmented rotatable member with radially extending side walls having cam surfaces formed thereon for operably actuating electrically conductive leaf spring members to individually open and close electrical circuits in response to positioning the rotatable member in predefined angular positions. A segmented, asymmetrical rotary actuator and housing assembly permits placement of the switch in close proximity to other system components.

Abstract: A high-speed breaking switch of the seesaw type having an up-and-down contact plate balanced at the middle by the support of the switch body, a push member slidably attached to the up-and-down contact plate to push the up-and-down plate against the support all the time and at least one terminal formed on the switch body to permit one end of the up-and-down contact plate to abut thereon. The up-and-down contact plate has a raised fulcrum vertically at a level which is higher than the level at which the push member abuts on the up-and-down contact plate. The raised fulcrum is formed by a pair of raised fulcrum archs, one on each side of the contact plate. The up-and-down contact plate has a ramp-and-step plateau or inverted "V"-shaped projection formed thereon.

Abstract: A rocking member is swingably supported on one opening side of a cylindrical case, and a knob is attached to the rocking member. The rocking member is provided with a rocking arm extending therefrom in the longitudinal direction of the case. The rocking arm has a tip section for engaging projections of a contact holder. The contact holder is moved in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the case by the swinging action of the rocking arm, thereby switching a plurality of circuits. As a result, the switch can be made compact and its structure can be simplified.

Abstract: A rotary encoded switch having a plurality of stationary discrete micro switches operated by a rotor having a plurality of concentric cam tracks. The cam tracks and switches are disposed such that for each rotary position of the rotor at least two switches, on opposite sides of the rotor are actuated and a discrete combination of switches is actuated for each position of the rotor. The number of microswitches required is less than half the number of rotary positions.

Abstract: A shifter design for a child's ride-on vehicle is described. The shifter allows for selection of various speeds and directions while precluding the selection of undesirable speeds and directions. Preferably the shifter includes a housing mounted on the body of the vehicle, a speed and direction switch mounted on the housing and an actuator on the housing for selectively contacting the switches. The switches are conventional rocker switches pivotable about a central axis to two settings. In the preferred embodiment, the actuator is pivotally mounted to the housing and a depending selection member with longitudinally-spaced annular structure pivots about an axis generally perpendicular to the pivot axes of the switches to contact the switches. In other embodiments, the actuator is slidably mounted to the housing. The rocker switches are provided with concave contact surfaces to ensure the desired speed and direction are selected.

Abstract: A switch device includes a stationary contact, a movable contact member having a pair of arms on both sides through which the movable contact piece is swung so as to be brought selectively into or out of engagement with the stationary contact. The movable contact piece is sloping near the dead point thereof on a surface to be pushed. The device both includes an operating knob having a pusher adapted to apply a force the surface to be pushed, the pusher swinging the movable contact piece when the pusher, and sliding on the surface to be pushed, goes over the dead point, wherein the center of swing of the movable contact piece is substantially equal in level to the dead point on the surface which is to be pushed.

Abstract: An electrical switch selectively controls an ignition circuit and accessory circuits of a motor vehicle. The electrical switch includes a rotatable member with radially extending side walls having cam surfaces formed thereon for operably actuating electrically conductive leaf spring members to individually open and close electrical circuits in response to positioning the rotatable member in predefined angular positions. The electrical switch can include both high current and low current leaf spring members in a single switch assembly capable of being assembled from one side.

Abstract: In a rotary switch, a manually rotatable shaft turns a disk which has a plurality of riser cam segments on one of its faces. Stepwise rotation of the disk causes the cam segments to press down on flat spring contacts arranged in the switch to put the tip of one of the contacts at a time into contact with a stationary electrical contact bar that is coated with a noble metal. The spring contacts are configured such that when pressed by a cam the tips are caused to make contact with the stationary contact bar and then slide longitudinally so as the tip will pick up some of the noble metal coating from the contact bar. The tips are shaped with a traverse curve intersecting a longitudinal groove to thereby produce two points that make high unit stress contact with the stationary contact bar.

Abstract: In a rotary switch, a manually rotatable shaft turns a disk which has a plurality of riser cam segments on one of its face. Stepwise rotation of the disk causes the cam segments to press down on flat spring contacts arranged in the switch to put the tip of one of the contacts at a time into electric contact with a stationary electrical contact that is connected to a source of electric potential or, in the alternative, to relieve one of the contacts from being pressed onto the stationary contact. An index wheel mounts to the shaft and has equiangularly spaced grooves. A plastic spring having parallel legs is mounted on the base of the switch. The legs have convex detents which register in successive grooves as the rotor is indexed rotationally in a stepwise fashion. The radius of the detents is greater than the radius of the grooves between the teeth of the index wheel. The legs of the spring are prohibited from moving longitudinally and tension is maintained in the spring legs at all times.

Abstract: A manual switch (2) has a switching plate (9), which can be tilted to several sides and is mounted on a mounting (10). This switching plate (9) can move with star-shaped actuating arms that correspond to the contact arms of a contact spring (7) in the direction of a printed circuit board (6), so that it can close a circuit by means releasably, lockingly engaging the selected actuating arm against a respective contact arm and an electric contact on the printed circuit board. At any switch position one can switch back directly into the zero position by pressing an adjusting arm (13) which moves the switching plate (9) back into its non-tilted position.

Abstract: A power switch control module for a power window control circuit of a motor vehicle. The control module incorporates a printed circuit board, a plurality of switch contacts secured to the printed circuit board, a plurality of connector terminals also secured to the printed circuit board, a plurality of high current traces formed on an upper surface of the printed circuit board for coupling selected pairs of the switch contacts and connector terminals electrically together, and a switch control. The switch control is mounted in a frame member for pivotal movement relative to the printed circuit board and is movable between up and down positions. When in the up position the switch control electrically couples a first selected pair of switch contacts and when in the down position the switch control electrically couples a second selected pair of the switch contacts. The high current traces are capable of handling about 20-80 amps of current.

Abstract: An arm switch assembly, for an electrical instrument having a casing and electrical contacts, comprises an elongated insulating body member with a conductive member moved into engagement with and disengagement from the electrical contacts in response to operation of a camming mechanism. The camming mechanism is slidably mounted to the casing and has a cam surface movable between first and second positions. The insulating body member includes first and second ends, and a lateral arm connected to the first end permits the insulating body member to pivot relative to the casing. A cam follower is connected to and extends laterally from the second end of the insulating body member. The cam follower engages the cam surface in the first position and disengages the cam surface in the second position. The conductive member is mounted on the second end of the insulating body member and is positioned adjacent to the electrical contacts.

Abstract: A rotary switch includes a plurality of switching terminals exposed within a chamber in a housing. A fixed planar contact member, having a plurality of spring contact arms, is mounted in the chamber above the terminals. Each of the contact arms is movable out of the plane of the contact member to contact an associated one of the terminals. Each of the contact arms includes a cam follower, at least two of the cam followers being equidistant from the center of the contact member. The cam followers are operatively engaged, in a predetermined sequence, by camming elements extending axially from the bottom surface of a rotor mounted in the chamber above the contact member. The equidistant cam followers are engaged by camming elements that are spaced from the center of the rotor by a distance equal to the distance separating the equidistant cam followers from the center of the contact member.

Abstract: A movable contact piece support structure for a seesaw switch including guide portions formed in walls of the seesaw switch and slits formed by cutting the movable contact piece and bending back a pair of flaps to make a pair of bent portions. The size and shape of the guide portions and the angle at which the bent portions are bent are chosen so that the movable contact piece rests on the guide portions and on a central contact with the bent portions in contact with the guide portions. The guide portions are further shaped such that bent portions slide smoothly on the guide portions as the movable contact piece rocks back and forth between on and off positions of the seesaw switch.

Abstract: This invention is an electric switch, in particular, a turn-signal switch for motor vehicles for indicating a change of direction of a lane change. In this switch, a carrier mounted in a housing is movable out of a central position into opposite directions preferably by a switch lever which is swivellable about an axis of rotation fixed on the housing. A switch of this kind must be compact and equipped with so-called click elements as movable contacts. This is achieved in that a first snap contact bar is swivellably mounted on an outer end closely to one side wall of the switch housing and has a catch on its inner end.

Abstract: An improved structure of a socket switch is provided which includes a body housing (11), a contact point housing (12), and a rear clamping member (13). The contact point housing (12) has an internal chamber (15) on a bottom end and a substantially triangularly shaped switch member (14) having a shaft member (21) extending from opposing sides is insertable within a groove (19) of the contact point housing (12). The triangularly contoured switch member (14) has a first apex which is located in the path of an insertable plug for rotation of a second apex member from a first position to a second position to allow switching from a second contact member and first contact members (17, 18) to a second position where a third contact member (16) is contacted by the second contact member (17). The contact point housing (12) has a pair of pintle hooks (20) which secure the rear clamping member within the internal chamber (15).

Abstract: A rotary switch has a case, a housing, and a rotor rotatably arranged in a chamber of the housing. The housing carries a pair of projections on both side walls and a pair of corner projections together with a pair of grooves defined in the bottom center thereof, while the case has a pair of bent legs in the center of which are defined holes to receive the side wall projections of the housing and the undersurface of which extend to form a pair of depending lugs which may be crimped inwardly into a pair of grooves defined in the housing. A contact member positioned between the rotor and the housing carries a plurality of contact fingers provided with contact projections having contact points one of which may be contacted, in accordance with the rotation of the rotor, on one of the terminal lead contacts spaced around the housing chamber caused by slidable touching on one of the contact projections by means of a cam pattern provided on a circuit board attached to the rotor.

Abstract: An electrical switching device of the dual in-line package type. A multiple-pole switching device contains a plurality of independent switching elements aligned on individual pole planes. Each switching element includes first and second terminals and stationary contacts centered on the pole plane. A movable contact engages a first stationary contact and is held in position by a boss on a cover actuator. An actuator, captured in the cover-actuator, includes a cam that engages an intermediate portion of the movable contact to move the second end of the movable contact into engagement with the second stationary contact to complete an electrical circuit. The cam and movable contact are configured to produce a detent action as the actuator moves between open and closed positions.

Abstract: A DIP coded rotary switch which has a housing, a rotor, a base, a fixed contact and a series of contact portions. The base is formed by insert molding around a unitary metal stamping. The metal stamping is then separated into the contact portions and the fixed contact. The housing is box like and has an inner surface providing a cavity, an engagement wall which extends from a circular, through first aperture to a second through aperture, the engagement wall provides a convoluted configuration facing into the cavity. Each of the contact portions has a movable contact portion and each of the movable contact portions includes a free terminal end. The terminal end of each of the movable contact portions is positioned in superimposed, spaced relation to the fixed contact portion. The rotor includes first and second spring cam portions which flexibly bear against the convoluted configuration of the engagement wall.

Abstract: An infinitely adjustable control switch for controlling electric heaters in a domestic cooking range is disclosed. The control suited provides a boxlike housing which encloses two power switches and a switch for an indicator light. All of the switch components are supported by terminals positioned in a row along one side wall of the housing. Therefore, a unitary multiconductor can be used to simultaneously connect and disconnect all of the terminals. The terminals are installed in grooves formed in the side wall of the housing by lateral straight-end movement through lateral openings and without any movement lengthwise of the terminals. The terminals are then staked and a locking bar is installed to complete the mounting of the terminals and the switch components. Some of the terminals are provided with extension to support switch components at remote locations. Further the housing is provided with projections which position such extensions.

Abstract: A manually operated switch that combines spring and contact functions in a low profile, machine-insertable component. The switch readily mounts onto a printed wiring board. It includes a cantilevered leaf spring member having one free end and a pair of spaced-apart fulcrums at the other end; one of the fulcrums being at the point of attachment of the leaf spring to the printed wiring board and the other being a re-entrant bend in the leaf spring in the vicinity of its center. An actuator is positioned to apply a force between the fulcrums such that the free end moves in a direction opposite to the direction of the applied force. Each spring member in combination with suitably placed contact pads is capable of providing a separate switch operation such as: "make" operation, "break" operation, or make-before-break "transfer" operation. A single actuator operates one or more spring members, each independently providing a different one of the above-described switch operations.

Abstract: A double pole, double throw rocking contactor switch is operable as a reversing switch by particularly configured stationary contacts at the corresponding ends of the respective poles. Stationary contacts are formed electrically common out of a single member having the stationary contact of one pole formed to be disposed below the rocking contactor and the stationary contact of the other pole formed to be disposed above its respective contactor. Accordingly, one contactor engages the upper surface of a stationary contact while the other end of the other contactor engages the under surface of the opposite stationary contact for a given stable position of the actuator, thereby causing the respective contactors to engage stationary contacts at respective opposite ends of the contactors, accomplishing the reversing function internally of the switch without special cross connect conductors, thereby permitting press-in wire terminations to be utilized.

Abstract: A swich comprises pack-aligned switching units 9, each provided with fixed 30 and movable contacts 36 operable by a cam shaft 11 rotatably passing through the switching units 9 to close and break electric circuits to which said contacts lead off. The shaft is supported, at one free end thereof, by a terminal closure element 10 fixed to the switching units 9 and is connected, at its opposed end, to a trip mechanism 12 located in a trip unit 8 fastened to said switching units. The switching units, trip unit and terminal closure element constitute each a modular unit engageable with other modular units by restrained fixing and disengageable therefrom without bringing about the disassembly and division of said unit into its component parts. The cam shaft is comprised of several hub-shaped elements 40 consecutively engaged in a rotational direction and associated each with a switching unit.

Abstract: This electronic component of the rotary switch type may include: a casing; a disk shaped rotor, rotatably supported in the casing, and formed with a cam pattern system; a contact system which is actuated by the cam pattern system as the rotor is rotated; and a sheet spring. The sheet spring has: two pressure portions; a substantially flat portion, intermediate between the two pressure portions, which is stressed so as to press the two pressure portions against the cam pattern system as the rotor is rotated, for providing detent action for the rotor; and a fixing portion, fixed to the casing, and proximate and connected to the substantially flat portion. There may be two each of the substantially flat portion and the fixing portion.

Abstract: A sliding switch, for example a microswitch, comprises a membrane between an actuating member and a contact chamber, an intermediate sheet provided between the membrane and the actuating member has three tongues of which a middle tongue simultaneously acts on the first two ends of two double-arm contact bridges disposed parallel to one another, so that a double transfer with a close contact chamber is realized.

Abstract: The hub of a camstack is in the shape of a cone. There are ribs carried on the cone surface with the ribs having cam surfaces that are substantially parallel to the cone surface. The camstack is particularly adaptable for actuating a plurality of individual switches in a direction at an angle to the central axis and to the lines normal to the central axis. The individual switches are carried by a single common support member. The camstack permits the building of less expensive, smaller and more reliable appliance timers.

Abstract: A switch including a plunger adapted for reciprocal motion in a housing. A substantially rigid first wiper is fixedly mounted to a cam for selective rotation in the housing. One end of the plunger engages the cam for altering the position of the first wiper relative to an electrical contact. The first wiper and electrical contact are arranged to define a make-before-break switching action. A cam follower provides a detent action of the cam which facilitates high speed switching independent of the actuation speed of the plunger. A second wiper is interposed between opposed ends of the plunger and selectively actuates a flash-to-pass feature.

Abstract: A push-push type alternate action latching switch having low displacement and providing tactile feedback. The switch includes a push button actuator (80), a contact carrier (40) which is caused to rotate creating motion in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the push button, and a cycler (60) for effecting the desired motion are disclosed. The tactile feel is provided by displacing a terminal (34) over an extending detent rib (26) as it changes between switch positions. Low displacement is created by the translation of the in-out motion to the left-right motion to obtain the desired switching effect. A pair of interlocked push-push type alternate action latching switches is also disclosed.

Abstract: A compact, double-throw double-pole push-button electric switch is comprised of: a base; four electric terminals fixed to the base; a lower spring retainer pivoted on the base; a push-button key slidingly disposed and captively retain within a housing connected to the base; an upper retainer pivotally disposed within the push-button key and carrying a shorting bar between the opposing pairs of terminals; a coil compression spring captively retained at one end by the lower spring retainer and captively retained at its opposing end by the upper spring retainer; and a pair of double lobe cams connected to the lower spring. As the push-button is depressed, the camming surface within the push-button key comes into sliding contact with one of the two lobes of each of the cams. The cams rotate on the base and bring a fixed lever arm extending from the cam into contact with the shorting bar.

Abstract: An electrical switch for an appliance which includes a push-to-start control switch for starting a motor operation. The switch comprises a housing, a covering for the housing, a rotatable non-conductive cam positioned within the housing having a set of annular cam tracks thereon for controlling an appliance.

Abstract: A snap switch with a self-cleaning function having a switch body with a fixed contact and a movable contact for performing make-break operations. A knob, mounted on the switch body, operates a contact operation member causing the movable contact to abut the fixed contact when the knob is rotated by a predetermined rotational angle and further causing the movable contact to slide on the fixed contact when the knob is further rotated.

Abstract: The rotary switch consists of a plurality of switch decks and is designed to be mounted on a support (2) by a mounting plate (3). At one of its ends it is operated by a control shaft (4) which actuates contacts by cams (5) located in switch modules (9,10). The moving members of a plurality of electrical contacts are also located in the modules stacked about the control shaft. The switch body is provided with two through holes (13, 14) aligned with the axis of the control shaft (4). One of the holes goes through the mounting plate (3) and the other through an end plate (12), at the opposite end of the switch from the mounting plate. Each through hole allows the shaft to rotate therein as required. The mounting plate (3) and end plate (12) includes a ring recess (15 or 16) for ring (17) serving to limit the angle of shaft rotation. One of the through holes includes a lock (19) for locking against axial movement the assembly formed by the shaft and the cams it controls.

Abstract: A cam activated electrical switching means for an elastic multicircuit printed circuit board (PCB). A plurality of PCB reeds with disattached portions at one end nearest the edge of the PCB are cut out in the generally central portion of the PCB, and an electrical board, positioned adjacent to but separated from the PCB, made of elastic PCB-type material has the same number of plurality of flexible reeds cutout therefrom in its central portion. The PCB reeds and electrical board flexible reeds have electrical leads etched on the back sides thereof with the PCB reeds having an electrical contact pin on the front of the disattached end portion facing the etched electrical lead on the back of the disattached end of the flexible reed. An embossed mechanical rider is positioned on the front of the disattached end of the flexible reeds. The electrical etched lead on the back of the flexible reed may be connected to some electrical source on the electrical board.

Abstract: An inner rectangular housing insertable into a cavity of an outer rectangular housing has latching projections on sidewalls near the bottom to latch into latching recesses on inside surfaces of the sidewalls of the outer housing near the cavity entrance. Endwalls of the inner housing have stress ledges near the bottom to deflect outwardly the endwalls of the outer housing to generate permanent tension which is transferred by integral wall corners to the sidewalls of the outer housing to urge them inwardly to maintain the latched condition of the projections and recesses. Such latching and tensioning is useful in the type of electrical switch assemblies whose housings are under long-term stress, vibration and/or heat even when bonded and sealed.

Abstract: A switch section of a sliding-type DIP switch includes a slider and a pair of opposing contacts each consisting of a resilient metal plate member and having a V-shaped urged portion and a linear portion connected to the urged portion. When the slider is slid, each opposing side wall thereof presses the distal end of the respective urge portion of one contact into contact with the linear portion of the other contact to achieve a reliable electrical switching action. A number of these contact pairs are integrated with the bottom portion of a housing by insert molding to facilitate fabrication.

Abstract: An electrical switch on a chassis of a magnetic-tape-apparatus has a switching lever movable between a center switch open position, an unstable switched closed position to one side of center, and a stable switched closed position to the other side of center, with an over-center position between the center and stable closed positions. Spaced projections on a head-mounting plate engage the lever during movement between a playing position and a stop/ejection position, so as to cause the lever to move between the center and the stable closed position. With the plate in the stop/ejection position, an actuating rod can pass between the projections to move the lever to the unstable closed position and hold it in that position. When the plate is in the playing position, clearance of the projections from the lever is such that the plate can move a certain distance, for example for fast winding, without engaging the lever.

Abstract: A dual in-line package (DIP) switch includes movable terminals and fixed terminals all of which are inserted in a wafer by insert molding. The two rows of terminals have terminal portions including contact portions. The terminal portions of the two rows are disposed substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart a given distance within a casing in such a way that the corresponding contact portions can either make or break contact with each other.

Abstract: A switch, as for a windshield wiper, has a housing, a carriage rotatable in the housing in opposite directions from a first position to respective second and third positions, one or more electrical contacts mounted on and moving with the carriage, a conductive contact surface fixed in the housing for engagement by the contacts moving with the carriage, a primary actuation member which is manually actuatable from a first to a second position and may control a windshield washer, a drive member carried by the primary actuation member along a path, a resilient reaction member affixed to the carriage and extending into the path of the drive member for engagement therewith and displacement thereby, and wherein the carriage is displaced from the first to the second position by the displacement of the reaction member. The reaction member is the cantilevered arm of a torsion spring.

Abstract: An impulse generator includes two pairs of contacts and one indexing disk whose indexing notches are capable of moving a central resilient indexing element. The indexing element moves either toward the one or the other pair of contacts depending on the rotation of the indexing disk. Each pair of contacts is a separate contact spring assembly (15, 16; 17, 18). The indexing disk is positioned above the contact springs (15, 16; 17, 18). The indexing element is a spiral spring (10) clamped either at one or at both ends, and disposed in such a way that the centerline (14) thereof extends in relation to the indexing notches (12' and 12) so that the latter deflects the spiral spring (10) laterally toward the contact springs (15, 16; 17, 18). The spiral spring (10) is laterally deflected to actuate the respective inner contact spring (16, 17) of a contact spring assembly (15, 16; 17, 18). This results in reduced abrasive by wear of the indexing disk, and insures that a good electrical contact is reliably made.

Abstract: Apparatus for setting and displaying a numerical value to be encoded to an electronic device, including a molded plastic support structure, a printed circuit board membrane type switch assembly which is affixed to the support structure and which includes a plurality of rows of four switches, and a like plurality of molded plastic switch actuator shafts associated respectively with the rows of four switches. Each actuator shaft has a longitudinal axis extending parallel to the associated row of four switches, and is pivotally connected to the support structure for rotation about its axis. Each shaft includes a plurality of raised annular segments for opening and closing the four switches in the adjacent row. The segments are arranged so as to provide ten combinations of open and closed switches as the shaft is rotated, to provide a 4-bit binary code corresponding to one of ten numbers 0-9, depending on the rotary shaft position.

Abstract: Variations of individual components are selectively assembled to satisfy specified switch characteristics and functions. A self-contained switching unit (2) comprises an actuator (8) mounted for linear reciprocal movement in a first housing (4) and having an end projecting through an end wall of the first housing, a return spring (52) biasing the actuator (8) to an extending position, and contactors (46, 48; 76, 78) positioned in pockets (8a, 8b) in the actuator (8) above and below the return spring (52) to be cammed in opposite lateral directions upon depression of the actuator (8) to bridge large-mass stationary contacts (28, 30; 32, 34, 36) positioned firmly against sidewalls of the first housing (4). Camming arrangements carry the contactors (46, 48; 76, 78) into bridging engagement with the stationary contacts (28, 30; 32, 34, 36) and render contact pressure springs (86, 90) operative after such engagement.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electric switching device of the type having a contact system including two stationary contact bars and movable contact bridges for interconnecting the bars. To convert the switching device from a circuit maker to a circuit breaker, or vice versa, there is provided a control member in the form of a shiftable slide having insulating projections which in one end position of the slide are displaced between one bridge and a contact bar while the other projection is out of the range of movement of the bridges, and in the other end position the other insulating projection interrupts the contact between the other bridge and the assigned contact bar. In a modification, the converting member is in the form of a swingable arm cooperating with a slidably supported cam track which is turnable by 180.degree..

Abstract: A switch arrangement on an electrical apparatus includes a base with two parallel rows of receptacles, a switch module held plugged in, in the base, in which the pairs of contacts together with a switch rocker form a rocker switch, and a cover fastened releasably on the base in one single possible fastening position, which on the inside of its end wall carries operating lugs for the rocker switches.

Abstract: A simplified electric switch is disclosed which includes: an insulating base (3) which may include an electronic circuit and printed circuit board, a switch cover (4) mounted on the base; terminals (1a, 1b, 2a, 2b) disposed on the base, internal lead wires (16a, 16b, 17a, 17b) opposed to each other and connected to the terminals, a rocking type movable contact element (6) in the form of an electrically conductive plate and a push member (7) which may be a slide member, toggle member, or rotary member. The movable contact element has a gently curved belly portion (15), reversely bent shoulder portions (14) on opposite sides of the belly portion, and polygonal pyramidal shaped contact ends (8a, 8b, 9a, 9b). The belly portion is centrally provided with a projection (12). The movable contact element is mounted on the insulating base and rocks about the projection.

Abstract: A switch assembly of the rotary and/or push-pull type is made up of a plurality of stacked switch section including rotary switch sections and/or push-pull switch sections, all actuated by a common central shaft. In the rotary sections, there are at least one pair of terminals, a rotary cam rotatable with the shaft, a substantially rigid cam follower contact arm biased against the rotary cam and movable, with rotation of the cam, between open and closed positions. The contact arm is hinged on and electrically connected with one of the pair of terminals. The other end of the contact arm has a dog-leg section and a resilient conductive leaf, favorably formed of beryllium-copper, on which a movable contact is mounted. The flexing of the leaf brings about wiping action of the movable contact when it closes onto a fixed contact connected with the other terminal. The push-pull switch sections have an axially movable carrier also including a flexible resilient leaf member on which movable contacts are mounted.

Abstract: As a disc having teeth on its periphery is turned, one end of an engagement piece is engaged with a first lock member, a first protrusion provided on the engagement piece at that end portion is disengaged from the disc, and a second protrusion of the engagement piece at the other end portion thereof is engaged with one of the teeth of the disc. Each time one of the teeth of the disc crosses over the second protrusion, the latter pivots about the point of its engagement with the first lock member, driving the free end of the second resilient piece into and out of contact with the first contact piece. When the disc is turned in the opposite direction, the other end of the engagement piece is engaged with the second lock member to disengage the second protrusion from the disc and to engage the first protrusion with the periphery of the disc.

Abstract: A multicircuit rotary selector switch having no external terminals is disclosed. A two-part interlocking housing journals a user-rotatable shaft carrying a stack of coaxially oriented, multilobed cam discs, each disc defining a tier level within the housing. Engageable with each disc and lying in its tier level is a pair of elongated movable switching elements each having a wire gripping end portion, a moving contact end portion, and an intermediate cam follower portion riding the lobes of its associated cam disc, each movable switching element being configured as a third class lever. One or more fixed switching elements, each including a contact portion and a wire gripping portion, are located adjacent the contact end portions of each of the moving switching elements. Portions of the fixed and movable switching elements are sandwiched between the two parts of the housing to maintain them in proper position relative to each other and to the cam disc stack.

Abstract: A switch housing includes a body and a cap. The body contains terminal recesses housing respective terminal plates for fixed and movable contacts. A plurality of resilient contact fingers are mounted on one terminal plate and a single contact member is mounted to each of the remaining terminal plates. The body includes a switch shaft bearing. A switch actuating shaft is rotatably mounted in the bearing and projects outwardly from the body. The cap engages the (sic) switch shaft and terminal plates to retain the shaft and plates within the body. Latching structure on the cap and body cooperate to retain the cap and body in assembled relationship.