Abstract: A thermal cutoff having a mushroom-shaped floating contact member with an enlarged head and an elongated shank. The outwardly facing end of the enlarged head has a centrally located depression for reducing the area of the head end surface that engages a sliding contact for the purpose of increasing contact pressure and thereby reducing electrical resistance. The shank has a necked-in terminal end portion to facilitate assembly by minimizing the possibility that the shank end will hang up on a bushing that receives the shank. The head is enlarged sufficiently to accept a straight coil spring as well as a tapered coil spring.

Abstract: An elongated electrical lead has a first part of a hard and brittle arc quenching metal integrally joined to an easily bendable second part of a ductile metal. The lead is used in a thermal cutoff with the first part being inside of the thermal cutoff housing and having an end portion defining an electrical contact. The second part of the lead extends outwardly from the thermal cutoff for connecting same in an electrical circuit.

Abstract: A device for holding a thermal cutoff device and a resistor in assembled relationship to each other in a housing and biasing the thermal cutoff device and the resistor into heat tansfer relationship with each other in the housing. Metal clips are attached to each housing half such that when the housing halves are mated, the clips are in opposing relationship to each other. Arcuate ends are formed on the clip such that when the opposing ones of the clips face each other in the housing, the arcuate ends substantially encircle one-half of the thermal cutoff device. Resilient fingers are formed on the other end of each of the clips such that when the opposing clips face each other, the resilient fingers grasp the resistor and pull it into engagement with the thermal cutout device for heat transfer relationship. The resilient fingers deflect sufficiently to allow resistors of different diameter to be used in the housing.

Abstract: A thermal cutoff and a heating resistor are assembled in heat transfer relationship with one another by a metal clip. The assembly is mounted on a base of dielectric material. Electric leads on the thermal cutoff and resistor extend through holes in the base for connection to a printed circuit board.