Abstract: A compact electrical control, such as a potentiometer, a rheostat, or a switch includes a housing and a shaft rotatably mounted within the housing. The housing has a cavity for receiving a resilient annular seal surrounding the shaft, and the shaft is provided with a radial pressure plate that bears against the seal. A rotary assembly composed of resistance or switch elements is mounted on the shaft between the pressure plate and a journaled end of the shaft, and the resistance or switch elements are contacted by stationary contacts held in the housing. The seal is axially compressed between the pressure plate on the shaft and a cavity end wall, and is radially compressed between a circumferential side wall and the shaft, so that the seal both prevents liquid from entering the housing along the shaft and controls axial end play of the shaft.

Abstract: A potentiometer comprises a housing one end of which is closed by an insulating board which carries associated resistive and highly conductive areas or tracks arranged to be bridged by a metallic wiper loosely fitted to a wiper carrier part of an actuator such as an actuating spindle which is rotatably supported by the housing from which the spindle may project and which is preferably also rotatably supported by the insulating board.

Abstract: An electrical resistor comprising a base having a resistance element supported thereon. A pair of terminals for connecting the element into an electrical circuit are bonded to the resistance element. The bond comprises a conductive thermoplastic bondable material applied to the resistance element before the terminals are secured thereto. Heat applied to the terminals causes the bondable material to flow and bond the terminals to the resistance element. In one embodiment, a rotatable knob, a contactor and a collector are assembled to the resistor to produce a variable resistance control. The knob is provided with a first skirt extending toward the base and in slideable engagement therewith. The first skirt supports the knob in spaced relationship with the base and a second skirt extends toward the resistance element carried by the base. The distal end of the second skirt is disposed proximate to the resistance element and encloses and protects the resistance element against external contaminants.

Abstract: A potentiometer and switch combination including a rotatable control cap positioned over a potentiometer body to form a housing. The cap is provided with an annular flange which abuts an annular shoulder on the body, either the flange or the shoulder being formed from stiffly flexible, resilient material. The body holds the cap in place by means of a post having a chevron at its upper end which mates with a recess in the cap. The cap is positioned to deform the stiffly flexible, resilient material into frictional sealing relation with its abutting member and thereby seal the interior of the housing. The sealing arrangement also introduces a torque which opposes rotation of the cap. The switch includes a conductive strip held by the body, one portion of the strip forming a first contact and another portion forming a spring detent.

Abstract: A potentiometer contained within a housing is operated from the outside by means of an operating member which extends inward through an orifice in a housing wall. The operating member engages the potentiometer drive stem with the aid of an O-ring slip clutch, and includes a flange which is spring-urged against the interior housing wall to inhibit internal explosions from propagating to the outside.

Abstract: A coupling between a linear motion drive shaft and a driven member, suitable for use in a linear motion potentiometer in which the driven member comprises a contact spring mounting block. An O-ring formed from a stiffly deformable, spring material is mounted on the drive shaft and held against a transverse wall on the driven member so as to absorb transverse and angular misalignments of the drive shaft and transmit to the driven member longitudinal drive shaft movements. The coupling exhibits low backlash when the motion of the drive shaft is reversed, and accommodates to both angular and transverse deviations of the shaft away from a linear drive orientation.

Abstract: An insulating casing is formed with one open end and a longitudinal slot through one wall. A plug member is detachably fixed to the casing by means of interlocking projections and arms to close the open end of the casing. The plug member is formed with a shield plate which coextensively extends through the interior of the casing. A slider member is formed with a slot through which the shield plate slidably extends and an actuating handle extending through the longitudinal slot in the casing. A resistance plate is disposed between the slider and a wall of the casing opposite to the wall through which the longitudinal slot is formed. The resistance plate is formed with a resistance element with which a slider contact fixed to the slider member slidingly engages.

Abstract: A sliding resistor comprises a case bored with a groove in which a slider is slidably received, the slider having a sliding element formed of a leaf spring provided on the bottom plane for abutment against resistance elements mounted on a base plate. The case and slider are both molded, for example, from plastic material. The inner wall of the groove of the case has a cross section formed of a curved plane including a fractional circular portion or a polygonal plane except for the rectangular plane. The peripheral surface of the slider contacting with the inner wall of the groove has substantially the same form as that of the cross section of the inner wall of the groove of the case.

Abstract: An electrical device is disclosed which is small in size and easily assembled. The device employs a rotatable housing and a grooved geometrically programmed disc to locate a ball contact at a desired position on a substrate. The substrate may comprise a resistor, spaced contacts or other conductive surface, and the movable ball contact may change circuit conditions incrementally when compared with the degree of movement of the drive for the ball. The ball has two points of contact with the grooved disc reducing noise and wear. The grooved disc is readily replaceable for changing the operating characteristics of the device.

Abstract: A variable resistance device of the type wherein a worm screw is utilized to move a contact bearing member through a path of travel relative to conductive and resistive tracks. The variable resistor includes a ratchet member having a single elongated spring section attached to a body portion. The body portion has two rigid legs extending therefrom. The spring portion of the ratchet member is disposed within a groove formed in a surface of the contact bearing member. The rigid legs of the ratchet member are the sole elements in contact with the worm screw when the contact member reaches the end of its travel relative to the resistive and conductive tracks.

Abstract: Bearing surfaces are provided for a shaft and a rotor carried by the shaft as both are rotated against the base of a cup shaped member which forms part of the housing for a variable resistance control.

Abstract: A slidable avriable resistor to be used in television receiver and in stereophonic set comprises a lower case member of an insulating material having a resistor member and a conductor on it disposed in lengthwise direction, a upper metallic cover having a long opening in lengthwise direction at the top of the cover, a slidable member of an insulating material with an arm projecting through the opening from the top of the slidable member having a brush extending from the lower side of the slidable member and sliding on the resistor and the conductor for electric conduction, and a flat rectangular plate of insulating material slidably disposed through a passage in the slidable body. By this construction should any metallic piece enter through the opening, the metallic piece is prevented from making contact with the resistor member or the conductor. Thus unexpected electric shock or damage can be prevented.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a variable resistor device which may be used as a tuner in an electric appliance such as a television receiver and a stereophonograph, which resistor device comprises a support member having a base wall portion and at least one end wall portion perpendicular to the base wall portion, an elongate resistance element on the inner face of the base wall portion, a control shaft rotatable on the end wall portion and having a threaded axial portion extending over the resistance element, a slider having a contact portion elastically forced against the resistance element and an edge portion in mating engagement with the threaded axial portion of the control shaft for providing electrical connection between the resistance element and the shaft, and an electrically conductive retainer for holding the control shaft in position relative to the support member while permitting the control shaft to rotate about its axis. Features of the device include ease of assemblage and reliability of operation.

Abstract: A variable resistance control containing a one-piece stamped mounting bracket having an integral collector ring for positioning a rotatable gear and having a pair of integral yokes for aligning a lead screw in driving relationship with the rotatable gear. A contactor constrained to rotate with the gear wipingly engages a resistance element. Each of the yokes comprises a pair of arms arcuately clinched around the lead screw to secure the lead screw to the mounting bracket. Integral with the gear are two outwardly extending resilient fingers for engagement with a respective one of the yokes to arrest rotation of the gear. Continued rotation of the lead screw after rotation of the gear has been arrested flexes the resilient finger toward the lead screw for driving the gear out of engagement with the lead screw. An aperture is provided in the lead screw for insertion of a shaft or tool for remote actuation of the control or for actuation of another control.

Abstract: A D.C. potential controller is provided for controlling the magnitude and polarity of a D.C. potential applied to a D.C. drive motor. The controller includes a supply device for producing a potential having a predetermined polarity and magnitude and including a first fixed terminal referenced to said predetermined polarity and potential and a second fixed terminal referenced to a reference potential. A regulating element is displaceable between first and second polarity selecting positions, and is further coordinately displaceable from either first or second polarity selecting positions through a third position.

Abstract: A device for controlling the amount of resistance in an electric circuit. A variable resistor is fixedly attached to a carriage slidably mounted on a pair of spaced apart guide rods within a hollow frame. A pinion gear is fixedly attached to a shaft of the variable resistor for allowing the resistance of the variable resistor to be varied by rotation thereof. A rack gear is fixedly attached to the frame in engagement with the pinion gear whereby manual lineal movement of the carriage back and forth upon the guide rods will cause rotary movement of the shaft of the variable resistor thereby varying the resistance of the variable resistor.

Abstract: A housing having a central bore therein receives a rotor rotatably mounted therein and secured thereto having an enlarged round base portion. A thrust plate is mounted for limited axial reciprocation within a recessed opening in the housing concentric with the rotor and adjacent the rotor base. The rotor base and thrust plate are formed with cooperating detents and notches to provide indexing means for rotationally positioning the rotor. The internal recess of the housing and the exterior of the thrust plate are configured with matching shapes to prevent rotational movement therebetween, rotation of the rotor moving the detents from one pair of diametrically opposed notches to the next adjacent pair of said notches, while the thrust plate reciprocates against the action of a biasing means. The lower end of the rotor carries a contactor mounted for fixed rotation therewith and having a pair of downward extending arms.