Abstract: A control-key device is provided for use as a controller for a video game including a direction specifying key mounted on a housing which an operator manipulates to control the play of a video game, where the surface of said direction specifying key comprises a combination of concave portions to facilitate use of the direction specifying key. The unit preferably comprises a push button and a housing including a hole through which the push button protrudes. The housing extends along a plane wherein said plane intersects a plane perpendicular to an axis of said push button at a predetermined angle, and said plane of said housing also extending parallel to a plane defined by the surface of said push button.

Abstract: A lock-off mechanism (80) for a power tool (2) comprises a longitudinally extended locking member (80) pivotally mounted within the power tool and having one end (86) resiliently biased into engagement with a power switch (12). The mechanism further comprising an actuation member extending substantially perpendicular to the locking member (80) so as to be displaceable transversely with respect to the locking member (80) and engagable therewith to effect cam engagement between a cam surface (300) of the actuation member and a cam surface (90) of the lever member (80) upon such transverse displacement of the actuation member, so as to pivotally displace the locking member (80) out of engagement with the switch (12).

Abstract: A method for operating a stored energy circuit breaker actuation apparatus comprising the step of selecting from among manual locked, manual unlocked or automatic operations. If manual unlocked operation is selected, the method further comprises the steps of selecting local or remote operation. If local operation is selected, the stored energy circuit breaker actuation apparatus may be used by depressing a local ON switch and to turn off the circuit breaker assembly by depressing a local OFF switch and operating an operator handle. If remote operation is selected, the circuit breaker assembly may not be turned on or off. If manual locked operation is selected, the method comprises the further steps of selecting local or remote operation. The stored energy assembly may not be used to turn the circuit breaker assembly on or off either remotely or locally. If automatic operation is selected, the method comprises the further steps of selecting local or remote operation.

Abstract: A vacuum switch 1 includes a grounded vacuum vessel 2. The reliability of monitoring and measuring the vacuum pressure is improved by providing a vacuum pressure measuring terminal 30 at a side plane of the vacuum vessel 2 such that a main circuit 13 and the measuring terminal 30 are electrically separated from each other.

Abstract: An erosion gauge tool for measuring the erosion of a movable contact in a circuit breaker having a stationary contact and movable contact, both of which are sealed in a housing. The movable contact is coupled to a drive insulator. An erosion mark is etched on the housing adjacent to the drive insulator. The erosion gauge tool has a handle, a tab, and a pointer. The tab is adapted to rest on the drive insulator. The pointer is disposed adjacent to erosion mark when said tab is resting on said drive insulator. As the moveable contact erodes, the pointer moves closer to the erosion mark. The erosion gauge is sized to indicate when the moveable contact needs to be replaced, e.g. when the pointer is immediately adjacent to or above the erosion mark.

Abstract: A door switch assembly for a refrigerator. The door switch assembly includes a housing mounted to one of the walls of the refrigerator and further has an electrical circuit for switching on or off electrical equipment mounted within the refrigerator. The door switch includes a ball retractably mounted in the housing and biased to project partially outward from the at least one wall for engagement with the door. A pusher is slidably mounted adjacent the ball and biased to remain in contact with the ball. A flexible strip contact element is supported within the housing which is moved by the pusher in such a way as to open or close the electrical circuit. The housing includes a projecting portion which extends through an opening provided in the at least one wall, the projection portion includes a deformable flange.

Abstract: A footpedal suitable for use as an accelerator type pedal or a toe activated pedal includes a frame having a heel portion and a toe portion with the heel and toe portions being disposed at an angle with one another. A wedge having a generally triangular cross section is provided with first and second sides subtending a front of the wedge. A hinge pivotally mounts the wedge to the frame for enabling the wedge to be flipped between a first position having the wedge first side generally aligned with the frame heel portion and extending therefrom and a second position having the wedge second side generally aligned with the frame toe portion and extending therefrom. In each opposition, a substantially planar relationship is established for a user in either the accelerator configuration or toe configuration. A switch lever is mounted on either side of the pedal for actuating a switch by lateral movement of the user's foot.

Abstract: A switch assembly has a reversible switch with an activation member, electronics, and a plurality of contacts to couple the electronics with a power source. A connector assembly is coupled with the switch assembly contacts. The connector assembly includes a first one-piece connector having a circuit portion coupled with a plurality of contacts. Also, the first connector includes a terminal portion continuous with the circuit portion and connected directly with a positive terminal of the power source. A second one-piece connector has a circuit portion coupled with a second plurality of contacts. The second connector also includes a terminal portion continuous with the circuit portion and directly coupled with a negative terminal of a power source.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an outlet for connecting a vacuum-cleaning hose to a centralized vacuum-cleaning installation. The outlet comprises a tubular body mounted in a surface of a fitted-out room at right angles to the surface and includes an open end which is plugged elastically and sealed by retractable member. The tubular body is connected by a member (e.g., pipe) to the vacuum cleaning unit, and the tubular body further includes a means of relaying control information for switching the unit on. At one end of a vacuum-cleaning hose is an end-fitting which is intended to be engaged in the tubular body. The end-fitting includes means for angularly positioning the end-fitting and means of fixing it in the tubular body at the end of its engagement travel therein. The end-fitting also includes an opening arranged opposite the pipe which is connected to the vaccuum-cleaning unit.

Abstract: A hand dryer timer assembly including a plate with a timer motor mounted on one side of the plate and a switch mounted on an opposite side of the plate. The switch is in electrical communication with, and controls the operation of, the timer motor. A cam is mounted on a drive shaft of the timer motor such that the cam rotates with the drive shaft and also slides longitudinally over the drive shaft. The cam extends through an opening in the plate and has a flange at one end located adjacent the one side of the plate to prevent the one end of the cam from moving past the one side of the plate. The cam further has a cam lobe located on the opposite side of the plate adjacent an actuating arm of the switch. A biasing element is located between the timer motor and the cam and biases the cam to a first position aligning the cam lobe with the actuating arm of the switch.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a switch with a magnetic drive having an armature movable linearly between two end positions and connected to at least one switch contact, which is under the influence of magnetically generated forces in the end positions. The armature and a ferromagnetic element or shunt are arranged one behind the other in a space between a first and second stop. The stops are pole faces of magnetic circuits with a permanent magnet which exerts a force retaining the armature, movable toward the first stop by the force of an electromagnet, in the first stable end position when the shunt is in its end position at the second stop. Through the application of the shunt to the armature, the force exerted on the armature by the permanent magnet is reversed and transferred to the shunt, so that the shunt is moved to the second stop and the armature to the second stable end position on the shunt and held there by the force of the permanent magnet.

Abstract: A load interrupter switch for voltages in the kV range and having a vacuum interrupter chamber which is embraced without any air gaps by a sleeve formed from elastomeric material of high dielectric strength. The sleeve is clamped by half housings of the load interrupter switch. In this way, an external flashover of the high voltage between the end plates of the vacuum interrupter chamber is effectively suppressed during the switching operation without the need for liquid or gaseous media for this purpose. As a result, unlike conventional load interrupter switches there is no need for an extensive level of monitoring. Furthermore, the load interrupter switch does not pose the risk of leaking unobjectionable fluids or gases which may cause environmental hazards.

Abstract: A stored energy apparatus for association with an operating handle of a circuit breaker contains springs that store energy when charged and that release energy when discharged. Energy is stored when a movement translation assembly is moved in a charging direction by an operator gear, and stored energy is released when a release apparatus releases the operator gear, causing the movement translation assembly to move in a discharging direction. The circuit breaker operating handle is moved to ON position by the charging movement of the movement translation assembly, and as stored energy is released, the discharging movement of the movement translation assembly moves the operating handle to OFF position. The operator gear is operated via an operator handle, operator shaft, and pinion gear assembly. The pinion gear assembly has a carrier pivotally associated with the operator shaft and a pinion gear that rotates the operator gear.

Abstract: An attachment of high-voltage lead-in insulators (1, 1') on enclosure housings (1, 1') using elbow-shaped additional housings which have rotary joints to allow the insulators to rotate in order to maintain a connection distance.

Abstract: The switchgear comprises a circuit breaker connected between a generator and a transformer, together with a disconnector connected between the circuit breaker and the transformer, the disconnector having a fixed pole common to three positions: a first position and a second position respectively for connecting together or isolating the transformer and the circuit breaker when the circuit breaker is respectively closed or open; and a third position for grounding the fixed pole when the circuit breaker is open. The fixed pole of the disconnector is electrically connected to the transformer, thereby making it possible to interconnect or to isolate or to ground the tranformer while using only one disconnector included in the switchgear.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved keyswitch structure to overcome the shaking and friction problem in the conventional keyswitch. The improved keyswitch structure is characterized in that at least one guiding slit is formed on the outer wall of the frame, at least one guiding body is formed on the inner wall of the guiding groove and corresponding to the guiding slit; and two slim flanges are provided on each corner of the outer wall of the frame whereby the slim flanges are in contact with the four corners of the inner wall of the guiding stage and can move upward and downward smoothly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a switch comprising a carrier which is manufactured substantially from plastic and in which fixed contacts are arranged, and a part which is movable relative to the carrier and in which movable contacts are arranged, wherein the fixed contacts are enclosed by plastic on at least a part of all their sides, so that the fixed contacts are fixed in plastic. According to a first preferred embodiment at least one plastic element extends at least on a first side of the fixed contacts, which plastic element leaves clear a part of the surface on the first side of the fixed contacts. Sufficient fixation is herein obtained by the plastic element, while it will be apparent that a contact face of the contacts must remain free in order to be able to function as a contact.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improvement made on the structure of a switch manipulator for a liquid-crystal display apparatus. In a liquid-crystal display apparatus includes a liquid-crystal display unit accommodating a liquid-crystal panel and switches used to control the operation of the liquid-crystal display unit are stowed in a case, and at least an image display unit and a switch manipulator used to manipulate the switches are located on the face of the case, the switch manipulator includes at least two switches, the switches are separated from each other, a manipulation button is placed over the separated switches, and first and second button pressers are located near both ends of the manipulation button with substantially the center of said manipulation button as a fulcrum. When the manipulation button is pressed, one of the two switches is selectively turned on or off by the first or second button presser.

Abstract: Extending between a fixed tulip contact (1) and a slide tulip (4) is an arcing chamber (5) which is occupied in the closed position by a movable contact pin (3) which fills up both an exhaust (9) surrounded by the slide tulip (4) and a blowout opening (7) which is surrounded by the tulip contact (1) and connects the arcing chamber (5) to a pressure chamber (6). The arcing chamber (5) is surrounded by an annular heating volume (13) open toward the same. Arranged in the pressure chamber (6) is a charge (10) of explosive which is for the most part converted within approximately 10-30 ms after ignition to extinguishing gas, preferably predominantly nitrogen, the gas pressure moving the contact pin (3) toward the open position. After clearance of the blowout opening (7) and the exhaust (9), the arc drawn between the contact pin (3) and tulip contact (1) is blown out, something which is supported by the pressure buildup, to which the arc contributes, in the heating volume (13).

Abstract: An electrical switch comprises a housing provided with at least one fixed contact part and one switching contact part, which moves in cooperation therewith. At least one actuating element is movably mounted in the housing. The actuating element influences switching positions of the switching contact part. Also disclosed is a camform which defines the switching positions and which interacts with a spring-loaded plunger associated with the actuating element in order to create operating forces. Moreover, a displaceable spring-loaded retaining device is disposed within the housing which enables the electrical switch to be held firmly in a locked position .Iadd.within a receptacle.Iaddend.. Finally, at least one actuating element cooperates with a retaining device through a transfer device so that by use of increased force, the actuating element is brought into a functional position which does not correspond with any of the switching positions. The retaining device is brought into its unlocked position .Iadd.