Abstract: A circuit breaker mounting arrangement for use in a device such as a transfer switch includes a mounting member adapted for securement to the transfer switch. The circuit breaker includes a head portion having a reset member, and a rearwardly extending body portion which terminates in a rear end wall from which a pair of contact prongs extend. A mounting member is provided for each circuit breaker, and includes an internal recess or cavity adapted to receive the circuit breaker body portion. The mounting member further includes an end wall which in part defines the recess, and a pair of engagement members are mounted to the end wall. The engagement members are configured to receive the circuit breaker prongs when the circuit breaker is inserted into the passage of the mounting member, for establishing an electrical connection between the circuit breaker prongs and the engagement members.

Abstract: A switch having a contact lever and a compression member connected so as to bias the contact lever into a contact position. The contact lever includes a joint-receiving opening disposed therein. A bearing is insertable into the joint-receiving opening of the contact lever and supports a pivot which forms a connection between the compression member and the contact lever. The joint-receiving opening includes two portions configured one behind the other in the direction of compression of the compression member. The bearing is insertable into the first opening portion in a direction different from the direction of compression and then movable in the direction of compression to produce an interlock connection with the second opening portion of the opening.

Abstract: A clutch assembly for an electrical switching apparatus which has a close spring working in conjunction with a cam disposed on a cam shaft, wherein the close spring provides a rotational force to the cam shaft in a forward direction. The spring clutch is disposed on the cam shaft and allows the cam shaft to rotate in the forward direction but prevents rotation of the cam shaft in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A miniature, planar, inertially-damped, inertially-actuated delay slider uator is micromachined on a substrate and consists of a "slider", with zig-zag or stair-step-like patterns on the side edges, interacting with similar vertical-edged zig-zag patterns on "racks" which are positioned across a small gap on each side. The slider has been released from the substrate, and is captured vertically in its track by a non-interfering lattice or cover or other feature that bridges across from the top of one rack to the other. The racks are fixed to the substrate and the slider is forced axially down the "track" by an inertial load in the slider's axial direction. The slider is drawn along the track such that the "teeth" on the right edge of the slider engage with the teeth on the right rack. The slider is forced to move to the left as it slides down the faces on the right rack, until it is thrown clear of the right rack and goes across to engage similarly with the left rack.

Abstract: A foot switch which comprises a housing member defining a hollow cavity bounded by front, back and side walls with a pair of spaced apart rib members within the housing spaced intermediate the side walls. Journaled between each side wall and a rib are generally U-shaped members having a first treadle and a second operating arm. The second arms are journaled in the housing and one of the ribs and the first treadle arms are accessible without the housing and adapted to rotate the first arms upon application of pressure. A torsion spring is positioned about each of the second arms between a side wall and a rib and arranged to bias the second arms into a predetermined position. At least one switch having an actuating arm is secured in the housing member. Switch arm actuating members are also secured within within the housing to act on the switch arms and are actuated by the second arms of the U-shaped members when the first arms are depressed under foot pressure.

Abstract: A rotary switch of the type assembled in steering column switches. In switches of that type it is frequently necessary to safeguard that in small angular switching distances they reliable take the switching positions in which the desired indexing operations take place. The present invention uses a replaceable locking ring which through its equidistantly arranged teeth fixes the possible angular positions of the rotary switch in that at least one tooth of the support, in the different angular positions, respectively engages between the locking teeth. Advantageous developments of the invention are concerned with means to lock the switch against twisting by inadvertence in that a gate valve is to be placed in its unlocking position before the switch can be indexed by one rotating step to the next position.

Abstract: A multiphase reactor-switching tap selector has a single geneva mechanism operating three shafts which traverse phase plates carrying all of the contacts and the vacuum switching cell and rapid release mechanism for each of the phases. The geneva mechanism operates the tap selection contacts directly through its shaft and is coupled to other shafts for operating the preseslector contacts, the bypass contacts and the vacuum switching cells. All three shafts traverse all of the phase plates.

Abstract: A keyswitch assembly generally comprises a substrate having an opening defined therein. The substrate further forms two pair of supporting lugs adjacent to the opening. A keycap has two pair of mounting lugs that can be attached to the substrate by means of a pair of supporting linkages. One end of each supporting linkage is pivotally supported by the corresponding pair of supporting lugs of the substrate and the other end of each supporting linkage is movably supported by the corresponding pair of mounting lugs of the keycap, wherein said first and second pivoting buds are arranged at a first side defined by said centerline.

Abstract: A disposable sterile cover, for the control lever of an instrument, comes packaged into a disposable sterile envelope. A central raised area of the cover fits loosely over the control lever while the remaining peripheral flat area of the cover remains in contact with the surrounding control panel portion, allowing the control lever to be manipulated during a surgical procedure by the surgeon without compromising the sterility of her hands.

Abstract: The elastomeric keyboard incorporating a novel interconnect and back-lighting architecture of the present invention includes a printed circuit board and a novel multi-layer membrane switch matrix interconnect structure. The printed circuit board contains a control circuit for powering and controlling the back-lighting of the elastomeric keyboard. The electrical components which make up the control circuit are mounted on a top side of the printed circuit board. The multi-layer switch matrix interconnect structure contains multiple holes arranged to coincide with the components of said control circuit. The multi-layer switch matrix interconnect structure also contains a number of electrical connectors, a number of conductive contacts, and a number of electrical nets for electrically connecting the conductive contacts to each other and to the electrical connectors.

Abstract: A keyswitch including a keycap, a switch element, a rubber sheet, a housing, a balance lever is provided. The switch element, responsive to the reciprocal movement of the keycap, selectively turns ON. The rubber sheet is disposed on the switch element. The housing includes a pair of hook devices. The hook device and the housing constitutes a slot. A opening is provided on the housing at location corresponding to the hook device. The balance lever includes a longitudinal portion connected to two traverse portions forming an "U" shape. The end of the traverse portion is disposed into the slot corresponding to the hook device. A protrusion is provided integrally on the rubber sheet at location corresponding to the hook device. The protrusion passed the opening and contacts with the end terminals of the traverse portions of the balance lever to lower the noise.

Abstract: A MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) electrostatically operated device is provided that can switch high voltages while providing improved arcing tolerance. The MEMS device comprises a microelectronic substrate, a substrate electrode, first and second contact sets, an insulator, and a moveable composite. The moveable composite overlies the substrate and substrate electrode. In cross section, the moveable composite comprises an electrode layer and a biasing layer. In length, the moveable composite comprises a fixed portion attached to the underlying substrate, a medial portion, and a distal portion moveable with respect to the substrate electrode. Each contact set has at least one composite contact attached to the moveable composite, and preferably at least one substrate contact attached to the substrate. One of the contact sets is closer to the composite distal portion. The distal and/or medial portions of the moveable composite are biased in position when no electrostatic force is applied.

Abstract: A return device for an electronic system push button. The return device includes a torsion bar for storing torsion energy when a push button is moved from a non actuating position to an actuating position. The return device includes an arm extending from the torsion bar for receiving a user generated force on the push button and for providing a return force for the push button. One end is rotatably coupled to a housing panel and the other end is coupled to the panel to restrict rotation of the end with respect to the housing. In one example of a return device, the push button and an actuator are fixably coupled to the arm. The return device can be used with a variety of push buttons which perform different operations for an electronic system. For example, a return device may be utilized with a push button that actuates a panel retention mechanism of a housing.

Abstract: An improved snap action or sump pump switch is disclosed which conventionally includes a housing defining a depression therein and being open on a bottom side thereof; a movable, U-shaped contact support bridge, a coiled actuator spring containing a standard pivot bushing on one end thereof and having an opposite end fitted against the bridge, and an elongated actuator arm or operating lever having a rounded end projecting into the pivot bushing and a pair of laterally projecting, cylindrically shaped ears adapted for disposition in sockets contained in and defined by the housing. Once assembled, these components are held in a stable cooperative relationship relative to one another due to the actuator ears being disposed in forwardly opening, rearwardly projecting slots defined by shoulders projecting from rear inside walls of the housing such that the compressed spring continually urges the ears of the actuator arm rearwardly against the bases of the slots.

Abstract: Apparatus having a wall and a button arranged in an area of the wall, button actuating means, a switch which is remote from the button actuating means, switch actuating means, and transmission means arranged between the button actuating means and the switch actuating means. The button actuating means is formed by a bell-crank lever which is pivotable about a pivot which is displaced toward the switch in a direction parallel to the wall of the apparatus. The transmission means is formed by a transmission bar supported so as to be movable at least substantially in a direction parallel to the wall and which extends substantially in that direction.

Abstract: A power locking mechanism provides a structure for supporting a physically manipulable lock, and is in communication with a permanently installed switching connector fitting within the confines of an alternating current power socket typically found at the rear of a personal computer. The switching connector has a male portion which becomes a male locking portion with the addition of a locking clip member which positively engages the alternating current socket of a computer, an intermediate portion containing circuitry to insure proper switched on and off operation, and a female socket portion for interfitting with the end of the power cord which was previously used to connect into the alternating power socket.

Abstract: A multiple electric switch is formed by inserting a plurality of electrical contacts in a plurality of spaced apart holes in a base of electrically non-conductive elastomeric material, in groups of two pairs per group, and mounting a control member in the base for movement to move one of the pair of contacts of a group resiliently into engagement with the other pair of contacts of the group, to effect closing of the electric switch. A second group of electrical contacts are spaced apart in a circular pattern adjacent a circular, electrically conductive contact ring, and a cam member on the base is rotatable to engage and move each of the contacts, one at a time, resiliently into engagement with the contact ring. The second group of contacts are included in the electric circuit of the first groups of contact pairs to effect control of multiple movements of each of a plurality of electric loads.

Abstract: A switch assembly includes a housing having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis. The housing has a pair of spaced apart longitudinally extending walls each having a control curve. An actuating element is mounted to the housing. The actuating element is longitudinally movable along the longitudinal axis between two switching positions and is pivotable about the transverse axis between two other switching positions. A first switching piece is coupled to the actuating element to pivot as the actuating element pivots. A first pair of movable electrical switching contacts is associated with the first switching piece. The first switching piece moves one of the first pair of switching contacts as the actuating element pivots. A second switching piece is coupled to the actuating element to pivot as the actuating element longitudinally moves. A second pair of movable electrical contacts is associated with the second switching piece.

Abstract: An apparatus for interlocking horizontally adjacent first and second circuit breakers and preventing the circuit breakers from simultaneously being in a closed operating position. The circuit breakers each have a pivotable actuating handle movable between a closed position which is proximal to the other circuit breaker, and a open position which is distal to the other circuit breaker. A housing lies between the first and second circuit breakers and an interlock bar is slidably retained in the housing. In operation, the interlock bar is slidable between a first position where the interlock bar prevents the first circuit breaker handle from pivoting into the closed position and a second position where the interlock bar prevents the second circuit breaker handle from pivoting into the closed position.

Abstract: A switch system for a vehicle seat for use while adjusting a vehicle seat, is composed essentially of an operating part and individual switch bodies. By adjusting the operating part, the position of the entire vehicle seat (relative to the interior of the vehicle) can be changed. By moving the individual switch bodies located on operating part, the positions of the respective elements of the vehicle seat are changed relative to the vehicle seat. Typical elements of the vehicle seat represented by the switch bodies are a seat cushion, a seat back, and a headrest.