Abstract: A manually rotatable latch of a control unit has an oblong cross-section shalt extending through a keyhole slot in a slider, the wide dimension of the shaft being greater than the narrow portion of the slider, to block movement of the slider when the latch is extended to lock the unit to the cabinet or block insertion of the unit to the cabinet. A link from the slider extends into the path of movement of an operator to block movement of the operator to an ON position of switching apparatus of the control unit when the latch is extended. The link takes advantage of optimal latch location substantially centered in the control unit to minimize twisting of the unit within the cabinet when removal is attempted without releasing the latch.

Abstract: A rectangular cavity is provided in an actuator lever intersecting with an upper edge of a shaft-receiving hole in the lever and receives a linearly slidable hard metal rectangular key having a cam on one edge for clamping the lever to the shaft. A screw engages threads on the key and is slidable with the key to a position where a distal end of the key is flush with or projects from a side surface of the lever, at which position the cam is free of the shaft-receiving opening, the key providing visual indication that the lever assembly may be positioned over the shaft without interference.

Abstract: A power pod enclosure having an electrical cord exit passage communicating with an open side of the enclosure has a brush seal attached to the enclosure whereby bristles project to a cover closing the open side, the bristles filling the passage to impede entrance to the enclosure through the passage and closely conform to cords exiting the enclosure through the passage.

Abstract: A flexible movable contact having fulcrums for pivoting the contact within notches of a terminal has a tab between the fulcrums offset downwardly and projecting outwardly that extends through an aperture in a flat U-shaped insulating contact carrier to attach one end of the contact to the carrier. A right-angle flat transition surface between the offset tab and primary plane of the contact abuts a convex surface forming an edge of the aperture to permit the contact to pivot relative to the carrier for self-alignment of the fulcrums in the notches. A beam of the contact extends obliquely away from the carrier and has lateral arms terminating in hook portions engaging an opposite side of the carrier. Ears bent over on the free end of the contact beam arrest overtravel movement of the carrier, which movement can be closely controlled by tolerances between the ears and hook portions during manufacture of the movable contact.

Abstract: A plate pivotally mounted to a padlock hasp adjacent a reciprocally movable operator handle is pivotable from a stored position to one covering the opening of the hasp, the plate having a hole aligned with the opening and smaller than the opening to receive the shackle of a single, scissors-type safety lockout and maintain the shackle in position to block movement of the operator handle to an operated position. The hole is preferably rectangular to conform to the flat, thin shape of the safety lockout shackle to maintain the shackle properly oriented. An additional round hole for a smaller diameter padlock shackle may be provided in said plate.

Abstract: A low cost assembly comprising only three major components: a circuit board assembly, a molded plastic housing and a molded plastic cover. The plastic parts are transparent polycarbonate (natural "Lexan") wherein the housing has an integrally molded optical quality lens. Mounting features are integrally molded on the housing and cover. The circuit board assembly uses a common board, trace pattern and terminals and can be either a source or detector by appropriate selection of electronic components mounted to the board. A plurality of rounded bosses on the housing and larger round recesses in edges of the circuit board provide a light interference fit between housing and board to firmly hold the board in place and provide correct orientation of the board relative to the housing. The board may be readily removed and replaced for field repair of the sensor.

Abstract: A contact carrying portion of a plunger assembly is adjusted linearly in the direction of switch operating movement by a rotatable cam in the plunger assembly to change an initial gap dimension between stationary and movable contacts. The cam is rotatable about an axis parallel to the direction of switch operating movement and comprises a plurality of angularly spaced diametrically oriented grooves, each of a different depth, in an end surface cooperating with a diametrically disposed rib on the contact carrying portion to vary the axial length of the plunger assembly and provide a detent for the cam adjustment. A housing is provided with a window through a lateral wall for accessing slots in the cam to rotate the cam. The pushbutton switch is resiliently disposed in a supplementary housing to accommodate significant overtravel of a switch operating element.

Abstract: A bypass contactor usable in a solid state motor starter for shunting current around a fully-conducting solid state switching device comprising an electromagnetic contactor housed in a molded insulating enclosure having a plurality of bridging contacts movable into and out of engagement with a pair of stationary contacts to provide plural parallel current paths within the contactor, the stationary contacts having rigid terminal portions projecting externally of the insulating enclosure connectable to the heat sinks of the solid state motor starter in a preferred manner to suspend the contactor above the panel, permitting other components to be mounted below the bypass contacts. Alternate embodiments have the contactor mounted to the same support as the starter power pole component assembly and electrically connected thereto by rigid preformed connectors or flexible braided straps.

Abstract: A plastic panel has a central row of openings, each having a forwardly facing shelf at one end, a plurality of rearwardly directed posts having forwardly facing shoulders, a plurality of projections proximate the respective openings, each projection having a forward facing shoulder a plurality of resilient latches integrally molded in the panel, and lateral sidewalls extending rearwardly well beyond a main body portion of the panel, the sidewalls being parallel to the row of openings. A bus bar selected from two different width bus bars has a plurality of holes to be disposed over the posts and a plurality of branch circuit fingers extending transversely to the bus bar.

Abstract: A pair of pushbuttons on opposite sides of a release pushbutton are individually depressible to operate a respective set of normally open contacts to a closed position. A rotatably mounted latch is spring biased against a medial surface of one of the pair of pushbuttons to engage a latch surface upon depression sufficient to close the contacts. The release pushbutton overlies a lever arm of the latch and depression of the release pushbutton rotates the latch free of the latch surface to release the depressed pushbutton. A solid bar interlock is pivotally mounted on the release pushbutton, and opposite ends of the interlock extend into the paths of the pair of pushbuttons. Latched depression of one outer pushbutton draws the release pushbutton down close to the latch lever arm, whereupon little movement of the other outer pushbutton is required to operate the latch to a release condition. Simultaneous depression of both outer pushbuttons is blocked by a limit stop prior to closure of either contact set.

Abstract: A pivoted-actuator switch having two subassemblies snap-in mounted together. An operator subassembly includes an operating member which may be a toggle lever (24) or a rocker button (32), and LED indicator lamp (22, 34) mounted in a hole in the operating member, a double-sided PC board inserted into notches (24d, 24e) or a notch (32b) in the opening member and connected to the leads (22a, 34a) of the LED, and an actuator (16) snap-in mounted to the operating member to retain the PC board therein with its lower portion extending down through the actuator. A housing subassembly includes an insulating base 2 supporting sets of stationary switch contact-terminals (4, 6) and LED contact-terminals (8, 10), and movable contacts (12) therein, switch mounting clips (40) on opposite ends of the base for snap-in mounting the switch in a hole in a mounting panel, and a bezel (42) snap-in secured to the upper rim of the base.

Abstract: An A.C. electric power usage measuring and display system using microcomputer based digital processing. Power usage pulses optically sensed from a watthour meter rotary disc and time pulses sensed from the 60 Hz A.C. power line are input to a microprocessor that is programmed to calculate and display the day of the week 1 to 7, the time of day on a 24-hour clock basis, the total watthours and kilowatthours since the start of a billing period on a decimal basis, the peak interval watthours and kilowatthours on a decimal basis, the peak interval start time and end time on a 24-hour clock basis for a peak interval of predetermined time, the peak power demand in kilowatts on a decimal basis, the day of the peak demand on a weekly 1 to 7 basis, the time of the peak demand on a 24-hour clock basis, and the present demand in kilowatts on a decimal basis.