Abstract: A tilt switch includes a casing in which a shorting element, such as a ball, is freely movable. An inside surface of the casing forms one fixed electrode surface, and an element projecting into the casing forms a second fixed electrode surface. The shorting element rolls along the first fixed electrode surface toward and away from the second fixed electrode surface. The chamber contains a dielectric liquid which is wettable to the first and second fixed electrode surfaces, and to the surface of the shorting element. The liquid is either a non-polar liquid or a weakly charged polar liquid. Surface tension acting on the liquid causes the surface of the shorting element to be pulled into close intimate relationship with the fixed electrode surfaces, sufficiently for an electric current to be enhanced by a quantum tunneling effect.

Abstract: A shock sensor comprises a housing defining an interior space. The space includes a cylindrical side surface and an end surface, the surfaces being formed of an electrically conductive material. An insert is positioned in the space and includes an electrically conductive support surface which defines a recess facing the conductive end surface. A volume of mercury is contained in the recess. The support surface is wetted to the liquid, and the end and side surfaces are not wetted to the liquid, so that the liquid moves into electrical contact with the end surface and/or side surface in response to shocks and is thereafter restored.

Abstract: A jitter switch comprises a casing defining therein a chamber in which an armature is freely movable in longitudinal and transverse directions. Positive and negative terminals communicate with the chamber. The armature is freely movable longitudinally to make contact with either of the positive and negative terminals. In every longitudinal position of the armature, the armature and terminals define transversely opposite conductors. The armature is freely movable in the transverse direction to bring the transversely opposite conductors into engagement.

Abstract: A glass-to-metal seal including a metal member such as Pd or a Pd-Ru alloy and a glass member wherein the glass member is in contact with the metal member and forms a glass-to-metal seal therewith. The seal can include an outer body surrounding the glass member and forming a seal therewith. The outer body has a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than that of the glass member and the seals between the outer body, the glass member and metal member are compression seals. The glass-to-metal seal is made by directly glassing onto the metal member in a furnace having an atmosphere which prevents outgassing of hydrogen from the metal member into the interface between the glass member and metal member. After the glass-to-metal seal forming step, the outer body can be metallurgically bonded to another component without chemically cleaning the outer body and the metal member can be metallurgically bonded to another member such as a gold wire without plating the metal member prior to the bonding step.

Abstract: A tilt switch comprises a housing forming a cylindrical inner chamber and having two electric terminals extending through an end wall of the chamber. A mercury mass of less volume than the chamber is disposed within the chamber and is arranged to electrically interconnect the terminals when the switch is in a first position relative to vertical, and to break the electrical contact when the switch is tilted to a second position relative to vertical. A spherical body of less density than the liquid and including a non-electrically conductive outer surface floats upon a surface of the liquid and is pushed upwardly against a surface of the chamber. The spherical body has a smaller diameter than the diameter of the chamber to define a restriction passage which inhibits the flow of liquid when the switch is subjected to shock.

Abstract: A shock sensor has a mercury wetted insert for supporting a mercury mass normally spaced from a terminal or terminals. The mercury and the terminal or terminals are contained within a sealed housing. When the sensor is subjected to a shock, the mercury is redistributed and protrudes from the insert so as to make contact the terminal or terminals and complete a circuit. By providing a mercury-non-wettable surface ahead of the mercury wetted insert, a closure delay time or operation time is selectively set. Additionally, the porosity of various membranes within the housing can be pre-selected to vary the speed in which the mercury is redistributed and thus also adjust the closure delay time. Also, a constriction in the non-wettable surface ahead of the mercury wetted insert can be utilized to provide a time delay by introducing a dash-pot effect.

Abstract: An electric resistance welder comprises a frame and a movable arm mounted to the frame for gravitational movement relative thereto. A movable electrode is carried at an end of the movable arm. A stationary electrode is spaced opposite the movable electrode to accommodate a plurality of workpieces therebetween, with the movable electrode resting against the workpieces and gravitationally biased toward the stationary electrode. An electric pulse is conducted through the electrodes and workpieces for heating and softening the workpieces to enable the arm to accelerate toward the stationary electrode at the acceleration of gravity, whereby the movable electrode collapses the workpieces toward one another. A stop is arranged to be engaged by the arm for terminating travel of the arm when the movable electrode has traveled a predetermined distance toward the stationary electrode, and subsequent to termination of the electric pulse.

Abstract: A shock sensor has a mercury-wetted insert for supporting a mercury mass normally space from a terminal. The mercury and terminal are contained within a sealed housing. When the sensor is subjected to a shock, the mercury is redistributed and protrudes from the insert so as to contact the terminal and complete a circuit between that terminal and another terminal that is normally in communication with the mercury.

Abstract: An alarm system for indicating unauthorized movement of an article includes a pendulum type motion responsive switch having a conically shaped suspended contact disposed within an annular contact. Adjustment of the height of the two contacts relative to each other provides for a variation in the sensitivity of the switch. A plurality of single-pole, double-throw switches connected in parallel with each other and having one output terminal cut or disabled to provide an open circuit condition provides for the selective disabling of the alarm system only by setting each of the switches in accordance with a predetermined key combination. All of the components of the system are self-contained on a cover that is secured to a casing which encloses the components and is attached to the article being protected. The cover is secured to the casing by bolts which form an operative component of tamper detection switches for actuating the alarm when an unauthorized attempt is made to remove the cover from the casing.

Abstract: A switch and alarm system capable of detecting any one or more of the conditions of angular tilt, vibration or sudden movement includes a conically shaped movable contact suspended within an aperture in a fixed contact. The cone forming the movable contact is preferably suspended with its apex down to thereby render it inherently unstable, and hence sensitive to any applied vibrations. The sensitivity of the switch to the conditions to be detected can be adjusted by varying the height of the movable contact relative to the stationary contact to thereby vary the spacing between the two contacts. In addition, the radial position of the cone relative to the aperture in the stationary contact can be adjusted to permit the switch to be used in a variety of applications.

Abstract: A position insensitive mercury relay switch includes a generally cylindrical hollow common contact assembly and a pair of stationary contacts disposed respectively at each end of the common contact assembly. An armature movably disposed within the common contact assembly establishes electrical contact between the common contact assembly and one of the stationary contacts, in dependence upon the position of the armature. Glass insulators are sealingly engaged to the ends of the common contact assembly and the stationary contacts to insulate the respective contacts from one another. The glass insulators also forms bearings which maintain the armature radially spaced from the common contact assembly. The common contact assembly includes an outer sleeve made from a magnetic material which forms a good seal with the glass insulators, and an inner sleeve made from a mercury wet material.

Abstract: An omnidirectional tilt switch includes an enclosure for a gravity response conductive ball. An annular shelf surrounds a central depression where at least one switch contact passing into the housing is exposed. The shelf is operable to support the ball in a position resting against a cup-shaped portion of the switch housing, with the ball centroid located within a imaginary right cylinder having the inner shelf periphery as a base. In response to tilting of the switch, the ball is movable away from the cup-shaped housing to the depression where it engages the aforementioned contact and closes a circuit between that and another contact.A switch holder mounts the switch on a substrate located, for example, in an electro-optical display-type watch. The holder includes a base with a positioning edge or surface and tabs for securing the base to the substrate. Remote from the positioning edge or surface, the switch is supported at an angle relative to the positioning edge or surface.

Abstract: A tilt switch of the mercury type wherein at least one electrode extends into the switch chamber containing a mercury-like globule which is movable back and forth between a first position resulting in the switch being in a state of conductivity or non-conductivity when it is oriented within a first solid angle and the opposite state when it is oriented outside that solid angle. The chamber is of at least generally dry wall construction and may be of small size for use in activating a LED or LCD display of a battery-powered wristwatch.

Abstract: A tilt switch formed of a cap and header welded together at their rims to form an enclosure, and assuming the rims to be horizontal, on electrode passing vertically through one of the cap and header via an insulator. The inside of the enclosure and the electrode are mercury wettable and only enough mercury is provided to wet the inner surface of the enclosure with a thin layer of mercury, plus a small pool of mercury into which the electrode extends while the electrode is vertical or within a predetermined small conical angle from the vertical, the pool of mercury responding to gravity to bare the electrode when the predetermined conical angle is exceeded by tilting the switch.

Abstract: An attitude insensitive mercury relay including a hermetically sealed non-magnetic enclosure composed of a header and header cap welded together in a high pressure hydrogen atmosphere, including one or more stationary contacts extending insulatedly into the enclosure and a magnetic diaphragm as armature, in the form of a single planar tight spiral having physically separated turns. In one form of a the device, the interior of the enclosure and the diaphragm may be mercury wettable, excluding only an insulating feedthrough button as provided for a stationary contact, and also excluding a portion of the face of the contact, which is intended to sustain impact by the armature, the mercury wettable portion of that face being indented with respect to the impact area, and the quantity of mercury in the enclosure being sufficient, but only sufficient, to sustain a thin layer of mercury on the mercury wettable surfaces. In other forms the enclosure may be non-metallic, e.g.