Abstract: An ignition distributor is disclosed which comprises an input terminal, output terminals, a rotor adapted to rotate with rotation of an engine and provided at its one end with a magnet, a first electrode facing the rotor and coupled to the input terminal, a piezo-conductive plate placed on the surface of the first electrode opposite to the rotor, second electrodes formed of magnetic material and connected to the output terminals, respectively, and the second electrodes circumferentially arranged on the piezo-conductive plate. When the rotor rotates to bring the magnet below one of the second electrodes, the one second electrode is attracted to exert a pressure on the piezo-conductive plate so as to render it conductive thereby establishing an electrical connection between the input terminal and the output terminal connected to the one second electrode.

Abstract: An improved puffer-type, compressed-gas circuit-interrupter is provided having an improved double-flow operation, and improved cooling means for cooling the compressed gas prior to its ejection through the insulating movable nozzle and into the established arc. Additionally, the instant invention comprises the use of flexible movable arcing contact fingers with a surrounding cylindrical guide-valve sleeve to prevent premature leakage of compressed gas through the longitudinal finger slots provided in the movable arcing contact fingers during the opening operation. Such movable cylindrical guide-valve sleeve may be either insulating or metallic, as desired.

Abstract: First and second cover plates are snapped together in parallelism to sealingly define therebetween a switch chamber. First and second sets of contacts are fixed to the first and second cover plates inside the switch chamber and a rotor disc formed with electrically conductive patterns on both sides is rotatably supported inside the switch chamber so that the first and second sets of contacts engage with the patterns on the opposite sides of the rotor disc respectively. The switch contacts are retained by interlocking projections of the first and second cover plates which also serve to prevent transverse relative movement between the cover plates.

Abstract: An improved high-voltage, single-shot circuit-protector device, having fuse-like characteristics, and having a chemical operating mechanism, is provided to protect, at low-cost, transmission-line circuits. Preferably, the device contemplates the use of a single-pressure puffer-interrupter having a driving piston attached to the movable contact structure and operated by a chemical operator having an explosive element. Also, preferably, the aforesaid device is self-contained and self-operable, utilizing, preferably, a current-transformer, which triggers a self-contained static control circuit, the latter effecting the "firing" of the explosive element of the chemical operator to thereby generate gas pressure very quickly, and thus effect an opening operation of the contact-operating piston and the attached movable contact structure. For repetitive use, a manual reset lever is preferably provided which is capable of manual hook-stick operation.

Abstract: The invention provides a current interrupter employing a liquified dielectric medium such as sulfur hexafluoride to effect rapid arc extinction. A pump cylinder forces the dielectric liquid into the vicinity of a fixed contact. The pump cylinder is refilled from within the contact enclosure after each current interruption to allow for repeated operations. Check valves are provided for preventing any dielectric gas from entering the pump cylinder. The interrupter system further includes a pressure absorbing accumulator for smoothing pressure changes and a cooler for removing heat from the dielectric medium.

Abstract: A circuit interrupter consisting of a pair of contacts being relatively movable to be detachable in an arc extinct chamber filled with a fluid for arc extinction is disclosed. Also included are a chamber for storing the fluid pressurized in an arc space in which the arc is formed by the departing operation of the contacts and means for forming magnetic field in the arc space. The fluid for arc extinction is discharged from said chamber by opening a passage after departing the contacts for a specific distance and the arc is interrupted by puffing the fluid.

Abstract: In a joystick controller for electric switches, a resilient bias is provided, biasing the joystick to its neutral position, by means of a garter spring which encircles and embraces two ring members, one ring member being displaced in its own plane in response to pivoting the joystick about its pivot and the other ring member being secured to a fixed housing part. The two ring members are profiled so that the garter spring rides from them upon pivoting the joystick through greater than a threshold angle from its neutral position, so that the bias is removed and the joystick stays put.

Abstract: A multi-contact rotary switch in which arcuate cam lobes on the planar faces of a rotatable disc-shaped cam rotor selectively engage a plurality of switch elements. Each switch element is attached to one of two switch blocks positioned adjacent to either cam rotor face. Slots in the switch blocks laterally confine the switch elements to preserve their alignment. A raised annular bearing on the cam rotor face maintains the position of the cam rotor relative to the switch blocks. Terminal extensions from the switch elements extend perpendicular to and away from the planar faces of the cam rotor.

Abstract: An electrodynamic operating mechanism is connected to a vacuum interrupter to produce an interrupter with a switching time of about one millisecond. Magnetic latch means are provided to hold the contacts open after interrupter operation.

Abstract: A keyboard assembly for electronic musical instruments such as electronic pianos is constructed from a key switch unit and a resilient holder block for mounting the key switch unit to a key frame via simple snap coupling. The key switch unit includes a resiliently deformable movable contact common to all keys in combination with given printed circuits including a plurality of fixed contacts so that, when any key is depressed, the movable contact is locally depressed by an actuator accompanying the key and brought into provisional contact with a corresponding fixed contact in order to selectively switch on a corresponding printed circuit for generation of a musical tone.

Abstract: Electrical vacuum switch having two contact members carried by contact rods for moving the contact members in and out of engagement with each other, in which each contact rod is partly surrounded by a yoke of magnetic permeable material, closely adjacent each contact member, each yoke leaving a gap between the yoke legs, so that upon moving the contact members out of engagement, the magnetic flux lines, generated in each yoke by the current through the contact rods, will traverse the arcing gap between the contact members, towards the opposing yoke, resulting in a magnetic field in the arcing gap.

Abstract: A self-propelled, walk-behind snowblower includes a pair of deadman control levers respectively pivotally mounted on a pair of handle bars of a guide handle structure. The levers are each spring biased to a normally released position and manually movable to an active position. A switch element is mounted for movement with each lever and completes an ignition circuit by engaging the associated handle bar when the lever is moved to its active position. The ignition circuit is also completed when a further interlock switch is closed by placing a collector-impeller control lever in a drive-disengage position.

Abstract: An electrical switch comprises a base (1) of electrically insulating material carrying an input contact (2) and a plurality of output contacts (3); a bridging contact (5) fixedly mounted on the base (1) in permanent connection with the input contact (2), and having a plurality of resilient contact arms (6) respectively associated with the output contacts (3), and an operating member mounted on the base and formed with a plurality of cam projections (11) adapted and arranged to engage the contact arms (6) of the bridging contact (5) as the operating member (8) is moved relative to the base (1), thereby to urge the contact arms (6) into contact with the associated output contacts (3).

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an improved acceleration switch, of the type having a mass suspended within a chamber, having little fluid damping at low g levels and high fluid damping at high g levels.

Abstract: In a machine which includes a motor and a housing, and wherein the machine is adapted to be connected to a source of supply of power for energizing the motor, and the housing has an opening formed therein and a door pivotably movable between a closed position and an opened position for respectively covering and uncovering the opening, there is provided safety control apparatus including a manually inaccessibly mounted switch which is operable in a power-on mode permitting motor energization and a power-off mode preventing motor energization. The safety apparatus also includes an actuator which is pivotably attached to the housing and disposed in engagement with the switch, and includes a cam follower movable between a first position, wherein the actuator is disposed for operation of the switch in its power-on mode, and a second position, wherein the actuator is disposed for operation of the switch in its power-off mode.

Abstract: An outer arc extinguishing compartment is disposed coaxially with an inner arc extinguishing compartment and partly projects under one end thereof. A movable contact member extends through both compartments and separably engages a stationary contact member located within the inner compartment. A plurality of arc suppressors of spindle-shaped cross section are disposed at equal angular intervals in the projecting portion of the outer compartment adjacent to and about the movable contact member to extend axially and radially of the latter. The circumferential minimum distance between the arc suppressors is smaller than the diameter of a positive column of an electric arc struck across both contact members.

Abstract: The tail gate of a station wagon carries an electric lamp for automatically illuminating the adjacent portion of the body compartment when the tail gate is open. The lamp is energized from the battery of the vehicle through a pneumatic spring which biases the tail gate toward the open position. The two fastening eyes of the spring insulate the piston rod and cylinder of the spring from the tail gate and body of the vehicle respectively. A switch sealed in the spring conductively connects the piston rod and cylinder, otherwise insulated from each other, when the spring holds the tail gate open, terminals on the piston rod and cylinder outside the cylinder cavity being connected to the battery and the lamp respectively.

Abstract: In an enclosed-type switching device having at least a pair of electric contacts, a method for checking the contacts without visual inspection wherein with the contacts closed, the resistance value between outer terminals connected to the contacts is measured and compared with a reference resistance value, so that the result of comparison is used to determine the degree of damage of the contacts. Also disclosed is an auxiliary apparatus for use with an enclosed-type switching device to facilitate application of the above-mentioned method, especially when the switching device is equipped with a plurality of parallel-connected sequentially closed or opened contact pairs. The auxiliary apparatus is arranged to interrupt the sequential operation of the contact pairs so that the resistance is measured during the interruption of the operation.

Abstract: A reciprocating rod bears a bridge which is movable on the rod with initial movement of the rod in a given direction completing closure of bridge carried moving contacts onto stationary contacts for inserting a resistance in a circuit during closure. Linkage between the rod and main contacts functions to subsequently close the main contacts of the cut-out switch, thereby shorting the resistor. Continued movement of the rod in a given direction subsequently causes the bridge borne contacts to move away from the stationary contacts, thereby opening the circuit through the resistors.

Abstract: The pneumatic spring which holds the rear gate of a station wagon in the open position transmits electric current to heating filaments in the window of the rear gate by way of terminals on the piston rod and the cylinder of the spring, the terminals being connected by a contact spring in the cylinder cavity in the closed position of the rear gate.