Abstract: A transistor (20) is mounted to a plug-in socket (22) and this assembly is in turn attached by a bolted (24) connection to a heat sink (18) which is slidably inserted within a housing (16) open to a bottom side and attached to a vertical tube (10) of an electric outboard motor near the lower unit (6) thereof and has its electrical connections (22d, 22e) with a multiwire conductor (26) sealed (27) in a watertight manner, the conductor extending through an opening (10a) in the sidewall of the tube (10) to the interior of the tube for connection with an upper unit (2) of the motor, the conductor (26) and sidewall opening (10a) also being sealed (28) in a watertight manner.

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: A system is provided for producing plasma pinch X-rays usable in X-ray lithography. Ionized heated plasma is repeatably generated in a first area directly from solid material without exploding the latter. X-rays are generated in a second area by passing high current through the plasma causing radial inward magnetic field pinching. Accurate control and improved intensity performance, and greater flexibility in selection of X-ray emitting materials, are provided by the separation of the plasma generating and the X-ray pinch generating functions. Common electrode structure is provided for plasma generating and for plasma pinching, which common electrode also provides a cylindrical plasma communication passage from the first to the second area, and provides an X-ray emission passage of desired axial orientation.

Abstract: A meter center enclosure (4) is divided into a metering section (8) and service disconnect section (10) by a barrier (6,12,14) which is laterally supported along a back wall of the enclosure by brackets (30) cooperatively engaging slots (22) in the barrier. Grooved insulator supports (24) are slidingly received in the slots (22) and are locked in a forward position by the brackets (30). Bus conductors (26,28) extend from the metering section (8) into the service disconnect section (10) through openings in the insulators (24) and are supported by the insulators (24). In one embodiment, insulator (24) provides the sole support (24e) for a service disconnect circuit breaker, and connectors (44) are provided for the bus conductors (26,28) which may selectively receive either plug-in (CBP) or bolt-in (CBB) circuit breakers. In another embodiment, the insulator (52) cooperates with a reversible bracket (58) to support a selected one of two dimensionally different circuit breakers (CB').

Abstract: A contact structure (40, 44; 62, 63) is arranged to provide oppositely directed parallel current paths within a closed loop magnetic flux amplifier (46) to be directly separable under high overload current conditions, the flux amplifier (46) functioning to arrest the movable contact (62, 63) momentum. Manufacturing economies are realized by subassembling the stationary contact structure (40, 42, 44) and flux amplifier (46) and subsequently trapping one end (42a) of that assembly within the base (4a) and securing the other end with a single screw (68). The movable contact arm (62) comprises a plurality of blanked laminations assembled to provide improved contact (63) mounting and bearing (62d) surfaces. The molded case sidewalls are strengthened in the contact separation area by offsetting the parting line (PL) between cover (6) and base (4) closer to the bottom of base (4) and overlapping the thinner base sidewalls with thicker cover sidewalls at the offset (4e, 6e).

Abstract: A pair of springs (14, 22) provide counteracting rotational bias to a movable contact arm (8) pivotally supported on a latched lever (10). A handle (4) is manually operable for reducing the force applied by one spring (22) to effect contact (6a, 8b) opening as a result of force applied by the other spring (14). Current sensing means (28, 34, 28a) are operable to release the latched lever (10) for releasing the pivot point (12) of the movable contact arm (8) whereby both springs (14, 22) work in a common direction to rapidly separate the contacts (6a, 8b). Arc gases are exhausted in the direction of separating movement of the movable contact arm (8) to utilize forces associated with arc gas pressure in a cummulative manner with the forces provided by springs (14, 22) to further increase the contact separation speed.

Abstract: A thermally responsive shape memory effect (SME) element (4) is positioned adjacent a fixed heater (40) for moving away from the heater to a switch actuating "memory" position as current induced temperature increases, thereby establishing changes in heat transfer coefficient between the heater (40) and thermally responsive element (4) for each increment of movement. An intermediate switch actuating lever (22) is carried on a movable range adjustment lever (16) to vary pretravel of an SME driven plunger (12). The SME element is resettable against a fixed stop (2c) for achieving accurate repetitive resetting of the device.

Abstract: A solenoid (28) is mounted to a frame (26) secured to panel mounting clips (24) of a pushbutton switch for snap-on attachment to the switch housing (2). The switch has a hollow central chamber and a hole (32) is formed in the lower end (6) adjacent the solenoid (28) whereby an operator cap (10) may be removed and a headed coupling rod (34) inserted through the hollow chamber of the switch to project out the hole (32) for connection to the solenoid plunger (28b). The operator cap (10) is subsequently replaced to permit manual operation of the switch or remote operation wherein the solenoid (28) is energized to pull the pushbutton operator (4) to a depressed position.

Abstract: A fluid jet ejector, such as is used in an inkjet printer head, is provided by a pair of spaced capacitor plates, one of which is a thin diaphragm, preferably of semiconductor material, such as silicon. The capacitor plates may be photolithographically developed. Impressing a time varying voltage on the capacitor causes the diaphragm to be set into mechanical motion. A reservoir containing fluid, such as ink, is contiguous the diaphragm and has a nozzle through which fluid exits responsive to diaphragm motion.

Abstract: A shape memory effect (SME) spring (20) is thermally responsive to currents sensed in itself or in a heater element (66) to pivot an actuator (16) against a bias spring (22) to operate a switch (32) in response to sensed currents above a given level. The actuator (16), bias spring (22) and SME spring (20) are carried by a pivotally mounted support beam (12) which is driven by an ambient temperature compensation mechanism (40,52) to change the amount of switch actuating travel of the actuator (16) in response to ambient temperature changes. The ambient temperature compensation mechanism comprises a pivotal lever (42,54) translationally coupled (42a,54a, 12b) to the support beam (12). In a first embodiment the lever (42,54) is driven by a temperature sensitive bimetal (46), and in a second embodiment it is driven by a temperature sensitive SME spring (58) biased to a reference position by an adjustable (62) spring (60).

Abstract: A transistor circuit (18) is series connected with a solid state switching device (14) and a load (4) controlled by that device (14) to protect that device (14) from overcurrents resulting from short circuits such as across the load (4). The transistor circuit (18) detects the overcurrent and switches to a high impedance state in response to that detection. The circuit (18) is self-resettable to restore to the low impedance state each half-cycle of applied voltage, thereby to automatically restore the switching device (14) to normal operation immediately upon removal of the short, and is set to initially respond to a level of current sufficiently high to preclude switching in response to inrush currents. Initial switching of the circuit (18) to its high impedance state latches a reduced level detection circuit (R1-R2-Q4) in the transistor circuitry (18) whereby the latter switches to its high impedance state upon detecting lower overcurrent values for each successive half-cycle until the short is removed.

Abstract: A screw (14) axially abuts an oblique surface (10a) of a clamping member (10) to drive that member at a right angle to the axis of the screw (14) to clamp a conductor (6) against a conductive terminal member (4a) within an electrical switching device. A coiled band spring (12) has the coiled ends received within recesses (10a) in the opposite surfaces of a clamping member (10) and the central portion of the band spring looped around a supporting member (8) for the screw (14) to bias the oblique surface (10a) into engagement with the end of the screw (14). The band spring (12) is received within shallow grooves (8b and 10b) in the supporting and clamping members to cooperate with the grooves in restricting movement of the clamping member (10) to linear movement at right angles to the axis of screw (14). The restrictive and guiding functions of the band spring and grooves can be supplemented or substituted for by the configuration of a surrounding housing for the connector members.

Abstract: An arc extinguishing structure for a circuit breaker (2) wherein an arc chute is provided with a pair of transverse barrier plates (38) spaced apart to provide a centrally located opening (40) and spaced away from an upstanding wall (4a) of the breaker housing (4) so as to direct ionized gases associated with an electric arc drawn between separating contacts (8,20) through the arc plates (36) and central opening (40) against the upstanding wall (4a) thereby to be redirected along the wall (4a) and exhausted to the atmosphere through unrestricted openings (6a,4b) provided at opposite upper and lower ends of the wall. The barriers (38) project into the areas of the passageways (6a,4b) to prevent direct access to the switch contacts (8,20) through the passageways and to increase the length of the exhaust path for the arc gases.

Abstract: Current limiting stationary (2) and movable (6) contacts are arranged to provide spaced, parallel oppositely directed current paths therein whereby fault currents generate electromagnetic forces for repelling the movable contact (6) from the stationary contact (2). An electrically resistive arc runner (20) has an arc transfer segment (20a) disposed along the path of movement of the movable contact (6) and is biased at one end (20b) into current carrying engagement with a stop (22) on stationary contact (2). The other end of the transfer segment (20a) is connected through a major length of the arc runner (20) to the stationary contact (2) at a point distinct from stop (22). An arc drawn between the contacts (2, 6) at separation initially passes current to the transfer segment (20a) and the stationary contact (2) through stop (22).

Abstract: A variable resistor (44) and conductors (36,38,42,46) for the speed control circuit are printed on a flexible insulating film (28) held against a flat heat sink (24) in an upright plane by a deflected conductive tab (34) protruding within an aperture (30) in the film pressed over the anode of a thyristor (26) soldered to the heat sink (24). The resistance (44) and collector (46) elements of the variable resistor are formed on a flap (32) which is folded over in a horizontal plane to present uniformly disposed surfaces for engagement by a trigger-carried wiping contactor (54). A chip capacitor (48) is soldered to conductive segments (36,38) of the printed circuit.

Abstract: A panelboard (2) is divided into segments for three-pole industrial frame circuit breakers (30,46). Bus bars (A,B,C) in each segment have two sets of mountng holes (18,20,22; 20,24,26,28) for replaceably receiving branch circuit connectors (34,36,38; 42,44; 58,60) for either industrial or residential frame circuit breakers, thereby enabling residential frame circuit breakers (52,54) to be installed at any segment. A dead front cover (68) having a single opening (72) encompassing all segments, and kits comprising branch circuit connectors, insulating barriers (62) and filler plates (76,78,80,84,86,88) provide complete flexibility to the circuit breaker arrangement. An auxiliary main circuit breaker (96) kit enables the panelboard to be readily converted from a lug main to a breaker main panelboard.

Abstract: An insulating contact holder (26) is reciprocally movable in sliding engagement between flexible stationary contacts (22, 24) to interrupt the circuit therebetween in one position of the holder and to carry a contact (32) into bridging engagement with said stationary contacts in another position of the holder. A wedge formation (40) on the holder separates the stationary contacts a predetermined distance in the circuit interrupting position, and movement therefrom to the bridging position causes said stationary contacts (22, 24) to converge immediately prior to engagement by the bridging contact (32), thereby to relieve the bias in the stationary contacts prior to said bridging engagement to reduce contact bounce. The wedge surfaces (42) are provided with a matte surface for cleaning the stationary contacts.

Abstract: A contact structure (40, 44; 62, 63) is arranged to provide oppositely directed parallel current paths within a closed loop magnetic flux amplifier (46) to be directly separable under high overload current conditions, the flux amplifier (46) functioning to arrest the movable contact (62, 63) momentum. Manufacturing economies are realized by subassembling the stationary contact structure (40, 42, 44) and flux amplifier (46) and subsequently trapping one end (42a) of that assembly within the base (4a) and securing the other end with a single screw (68). The movable contact arm (62) comprises a plurality of blanked laminations assembled to provide improved contact (63) mounting and bearing (62d) surfaces. The molded case sidewalls are strengthened in the contact separation area by offsetting the parting line (PL) between cover (6) and base (4) closer to the bottom of base (4) and overlapping the thinner base sidewalls with thicker cover sidewalls at the offset (4e, 6e).

Abstract: A plurality of coil springs (6) are secured to the flat inner surfaces (4a) of a jaw type connector (12) to receive a flat conductor (20, 24) such as a bus bar between the opposed springs, the individual coils of each spring (6) engaging the surfaces of the connector (4) and bus bar (20, 24) to provide a compliant, multiple path electrical connection between the connector and bus bar. The springs are plated with a material having a low interface resistance (Rp) with respect to the resistance of the spring wire (Rw) to minimize the net change in resistance of any individual current path in the event of contact interface breakdown between a spring coil and bus bar or connector, thereby reducing or eliminating harmful damage to the spring.

Abstract: An electric switch having two pushbuttons for rocking a pivotal actuator alternately in opposite directions for alternately closing double-throw contacts. The pivotal actuator is snap-in assembled to a switch frame which is snap-in assembled to a switch base or housing that supports the contacts. The two pushbuttons are alike and are guided in their vertical reciprocal motion by the switch frame and by one another. To allow use of minimum height pushbuttons while having ample finger-engaging surface, the pushbuttons are provided with like but complementary guiding structures integrally molded thereon to guide one another in their relative vertically reciprocal movements without binding or "window-locking" with respect to one another or the switch frame.