Abstract: An appliance leakage current interrupter (ALCI) comprising a ground fault detecting circuit and a trip mechanism that is automatically actuated in response to the presence of a ground fault. Actuation of the trip mechanism automatically interrupts the flow of current to the appliance and permits movement of a reset button to take place to visually signal that current to the appliance has been interrupted, although interruption of current flow is not in any way dependent on movement of the reset button, whereupon if movement of the reset button is prevented for any reason, flow of current to the appliance is still automatically and instantaneously interrupted in response to the presence of a ground fault. A test button is provided, actuation of which simulates a ground fault to enable a user at any time to determine whether the ALCI is working properly.

Abstract: A rotary switch for small appliances such as electric fans comprising base and cover assemblies, the former having low, medium and high output terminals and a splice terminal in side-by-side relation along one edge thereof for wedgingly receiving the bared ends of a ribbon cable, or alternatively receiving the bared ends of separate leads, and with the input terminal and the opposite end of the splice terminal being located at the opposite edge of the base. The cover assembly carries a rotor having contacts connected thereto whereby the rotor may be rotated so as to effect an electrical connection between either the low, medium or high output terminal and the input terminal. The cover further has a plurality of partitions which serve to isolate from each other the bared ends of the leads that engage the output terminals, when the cover and base are assembled to each other.

Abstract: An electrical switch construction includes a housing having an aperture therein, fixed and movable contacts in the housing, an actuator in the housing, and an O-ring in the housing. The actuator includes a substantially hemispherical portion and an actuator arm which extends outwardly from the substantially hemispherical portion and through the aperture in the housing. The actuator arm is pivotably mounted in the housing, and it is manipulatable from the exterior of the housing for moving the movable contact between a position of engagement with the fixed contact and a position of spaced disengagement therefrom. The O-ring is mounted in the interior of the housing so that it extends around the aperture therein, and so that it engages the surface of the substantially hemispherical portion of the actuator to provide a water-resistant seal between the actuator and the housing.

Abstract: A switch construction comprises a waterproof housing and first and second contact assemblies in the housing which are operative for effecting and interrupting electrical continuity in first and second lines, respectively, of an electrical circuit connected to the switch. The switch is operable by manually depressing a rubberized cover on the housing to effect continuity in the first and second contact assemblies; and when pressure is released from the cover, the contact assemblies are resiliently returned to their original positions and continuity is interrupted in the switch.

Abstract: A multi-position switch comprising a housing which positions and generally encloses a rotator having a plurality of axially spaced cam tracks provided with collective, circumferentially staggered primary recesses for cooperating with detent portions of resilient conductors also positioned within the housing and in operational contact with the rotor so that the several circuits of the device may be selectively activated by the engagement of a selected conductor with a common contact. Each of the rotor cams is further provided with a plurality of intermediate, secondary recesses for resilient engagement with the remaining conductor detents so as to assure the switch will not become inadvertently positioned between contact positions thereof, and to further impart a more positive feel to the rotor as it is moved through its multiple positions by the appliance operator.

Abstract: An electrical switch assembly of the type having a recessed base provided with a centrally rotatable contact member adapted to contact a plurality of spaced resilient contacts mounted in said base and spaced about the periphery of said contact member. The improvement resides in the use of an integral one-piece cover construction which serves to eliminate the need of a separate insulator sheet, a separate cover enclosure and a separate bushing element, thus not only eliminating the aforementioned separate components but furthermore eliminating the time and labor necessary to assemble and/or preassemble such components.