Abstract: There is disclosed a paddle switch operated by pushing on the lower portion of a rocker paddle to turn the switch “on” or “off”. The lower edge of the paddle pivots in and out about its upper edge. The switch includes articulated driver means coupled to be driven by the rocker paddle. When the rocker paddle is pushed in, it urges the articulated driver means to rotate a cam means in a first, clock wise direction, or a second, counter clock wise direction. Alternate rotation of the cam drives a slider member having a cam follower back and forth along a linear axis. A shaped leaf spring cooperates with the cam follower to assist in the movement of the slider and determines its rest positions. An indicator such as an LED is used to indicate the state of conduction of the switch. When the rocker paddle is released, it is biased by a spring to pivot back to its initial position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a paddle switch operated by pushing on the lower portion of a rocker paddle to turn the switch “on” or “off”. The lower edge of the paddle pivots in and out about its upper edge. The switch includes semi-rigid spiral wound driver means having a conical end coupled to be driven by the rocker paddle. When the rocker paddle is pushed in, the paddle urges the semi-rigid driver means to rotate a cam means in a first, clock wise direction, or a second, counter clock wise direction. Alternate rotation of the cam drives a slider member having a cam follower back and forth along a linear axis. A shaped leaf spring cooperates with the cam follower to assist in the movement of the slider and determines its rest positions. An indicator such as an LED is used to indicate the state of conduction of the switch. When the rocker paddle is released, it is biased by a spring to pivot back to its initial position.

Abstract: There is disclosed structure which overcomes the difficulties encountered with respect to mounting wiring devices such as a receptacle and/or a switch to a box and then attaching a wall plate. Some of the difficulties encountered are positioning the wiring devices to be in alignment with each other, locating the wiring devices to be parallel to each other, adjusting the spacing between the different devices to be equal and uniform and fixing all of the devices to be flat against the wall. These deficiencies are overcome by an alignment plate having a single centrally located opening sized to receive one of more wiring devices and a set of alignment pins for each wiring device. Each set of alignment pins on the alignment plate is located on a vertical axis which defines the center for a wiring device and each wiring device has openings for frictionally receiving and holding captive a set of alignment pins.

Abstract: There is disclosed a paddle switch operated by pushing on the lower portion of a rocker paddle to turn the switch “on” or “off”. The lower edge of the paddle pivots in and out about its upper edge. The switch includes articulated driver means coupled to be driven by the rocker paddle when it is depressed and to urge the rocker paddle back to its out position. When the rocker paddle is pushed in, it urges the articulated driver means to rotate a cam means in a first, clock wise direction, or a second, counter clockwise direction. Alternate rotation of the cam drives a slider member having a cam follower back and forth along a linear axis. A shaped leaf spring cooperates with the cam follower to assist in the movement of the slider and to determine its rest positions. An indicator such as an LED is used to indicate the state of conduction of the switch. When the rocker paddle is released, it is biased by the articulated drive means to pivot back to its initial position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a paddle switch operated by pushing on the lower portion of a rocker paddle to turn the switch “on” or “off”. The lower edge of the paddle pivots in and out about its upper edge. The switch includes flexible driver means coupled to be driven by the rocker paddle. When the rocker paddle is pushed in, it urges the flexible driver means to rotate a cam means in a first, clock wise direction, or a second, counter clock wise direction. Alternate rotation of the cam drives a slider member having a cam follower back and forth along a linear axis. A shaped leaf spring cooperates with the cam follower to assist in the movement of the slider and determines its rest positions. An indicator such as an LED is used to indicate the state of conduction of the switch. When the rocker paddle is released, it is biased by a spring to pivot back to its initial position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a single unit triplex receptacle having three sockets that can be mounted in a single box, does not require separate interconnecting wiring and can be covered by a single wall plate. There is also disclosed a single unit sixplex receptacle having six sockets that can be mounted in a double box, does not require separate interconnecting wiring and can be covered by a single wall plate.

Abstract: There is disclosed a single unit triplex receptacle having three sockets that can be mounted in a single box, does not require separate interconnecting wiring and can be covered by a single wall plate. There is also disclosed a single unit sixplex receptacle having six sockets that can be mounted in a double box, does not require separate interconnecting wiring and can be covered by a single wall plate.

Abstract: The instant invention discloses a receptacle where the surface of the face along its width is flat in one plane and along its length has a constant radius. The shape of the face of the receptacle allows for the proper seating of an inserted plug. The receptacle is adapter to be located in a wall plate having a vertical axis of positive first differential and zero second differential, comprised of a combination of splines drawn between points of varying distance from a datum plane and zero second differential when the rate of height increase of individual splines is constant. The receptacle can be placed next to a switch, the front face of which follows the shape of the wall plate.

Abstract: The instant invention overcomes the difficulties encountered with respect to mounting electrical wiring devices to a common box and then positioning the devices relative to each other prior to attaching a wall plate. Some of the difficulties encountered are positioning the wiring devices to be in alignment with each other, locating the wiring devices to be parallel to each other, adjusting the spacing between the different devices to be equal and uniform and fixing all of the devices to be flat against the wall. In the prior art, the wiring devices are first loosely attached to a box and then moved back and forth, and up and down to fit within cut outs in a wall plate which is then attached to the wiring devices with screws. A time consuming and tedious job. This invention overcomes these deficiencies by providing wiring devices that have locating openings for engaging alignment pins located on a plate that is subsequently attached to a box.

Abstract: There is disclosed structure which overcomes the difficulties encountered with respect to mounting wiring devices such as a receptacle and/or a switch to a box and then attaching a wall plate. Some of the difficulties encountered are positioning the wiring devices to be in alignment with each other, locating the wiring devices to be parallel to each other, adjusting the spacing between the different devices to be equal and uniform and fixing all of the devices to be flat against the wall. These deficiencies are overcome by an alignment plate having a single centrally located opening sized to receive one of more wiring devices and a set of alignment pins for each wiring device. Each set of alignment pins on the alignment plate is located on a vertical axis which defines the center for a wiring device and each wiring device has openings for frictionally receiving and holding captive a set of alignment pins.

Abstract: There is disclosed a wall plate for a wiring device. The wall plate has a single opening for receiving one or a gang of two or more wiring devices within the single opening. The wall plate has along its vertical axis, a surface of positive first differential and zero second differential, comprised of a combination of splines drawn between points of varying distance from a datum plane. The surface has zero second differential when the rate of height increase of individual splines is constant. The wall plate, when composed of non-conducting material, has a conductive coating on its front surface, on its back surface or on both its front and back surfaces. When the wiring device is a switch, the surface of the switch face follows that of the wall plate. When the wiring device is a receptacle, the surface along the receptacle face is flat in one plane to allow for the proper seating of an inserted plug.

Abstract: There is disclosed structure which overcomes the deficiencies with respect to prior art devices by providing a wiring device such as a switch having a paddle that pivots about its upper end and is biased to assume the same at rest position when either in its on position or off position. Repeated pressing and releasing the lower portion of the face of the switch paddle alternately closes and opens a set of contacts within the switch to alternately connect and disconnect a load from a source of electricity each time the paddle is pressed. Thus, regardless of whether adjacent switches are on-off switches or 3-way switches, they will always be in alignment. An on-off indicator such as a small light is provided to indicate to a user when the contacts of the switch are opened or closed. The paddle of the switch has a length-width ratio dimension that is proportioned to provide a finger contact surface of increased area to allow a user to more easily and quickly identify and operate a particular switch.

Abstract: There is disclosed a paddle switch operated by pushing on the lower portion of a rocker paddle to turn the switch “on” or “off”. The lower edge of the paddle pivots in and out about its upper edge. The switch includes articulated driver means coupled to be driven by the rocker paddle when it is depressed and to urge the rocker paddle back to its out position. When the rocker paddle is pushed in, it urges the articulated driver means to rotate a cam means in a first, clock wise direction, or a second, counter clockwise direction. Alternate rotation of the cam drives a slider member having a cam follower back and forth along a linear axis. A shaped leaf spring cooperates with the cam follower to assist in the movement of the slider and to determine its rest positions. An indicator such as an LED is used to indicate the state of conduction of the switch. When the rocker paddle is released, it is biased by the articulated drive means to pivot back to its initial position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a paddle switch operated by pushing on the lower portion of a rocker paddle to turn the switch “on” or “off”. The lower edge of the paddle pivots in and out about its upper edge. The switch includes semi-rigid spiral wound driver means having a conical end coupled to be driven by the rocker paddle. When the rocker paddle is pushed in, the paddle urges the semi-rigid driver means to rotate a cam means in a first, clock wise direction, or a second, counter clock wise direction. Alternate rotation of the cam drives a slider member having a cam follower back and forth along a linear axis. A shaped leaf spring cooperates with the cam follower to assist in the movement of the slider and determine its rest positions. An indicator such as an LED is used to indicate the state of conduction of the switch. When the rocker paddle is released, it is biased by a spring to pivot back to its initial position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a wall plate with a single opening for receiving one or a gang of wiring devices within the single opening. The wall plate has along its vertical axis, a surface of positive first differential and zero second differential, comprised of a combination of splines drawn between points of varying distance from a datum plane. The surface has zero second differential when the rate of height increase of individual splines is constant. The wall plate, when composed of non-conducting material, has a conductive coating on its front surface, on its back surface or on both its front and back surfaces. When the wiring device is a switch, the surface of the switch face follows that of the wall plate. When the wiring device is a receptacle, the surface along the receptacle face is flat in one plane to allow for the proper seating of an inserted plug.

Abstract: There is disclosed a paddle switch operated by pushing on the lower portion of a rocker paddle to turn the switch “on” or “off”. The lower edge of the paddle pivots in and out about its upper edge. The switch includes flexible driver means coupled to be driven by the rocker paddle. When the rocker paddle is pushed in, it urges the flexible driver means to rotate a cam means in a first, clock wise direction, or a second, counter clock wise direction. Alternate rotation of the cam drives a slider member having a cam follower back and forth along a linear axis. A shaped leaf spring cooperates with the cam follower to assist in the movement of the slider and determines its rest positions. An indicator such as an LED is used to indicate the state of conduction of the switch. When the rocker paddle is released, it is biased by a spring to pivot back to its initial position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a robust on-off rocker paddle switch operated by pushing on the lower portion of a rocker paddle to turn the switch “on” or “off”. The lower edge of the rocker paddle pivots in and out about its top or upper edge. Bias means urges the lower portion of the rocker paddle to always be in its out position whether the switch is in the “on” state or position or the “off” state or position. The rocker paddle of the switch is not located within a frame and the surface of the switch has, along its vertical axis, a contour of positive first differential and zero second differential, comprised of a combination of splines which extend between points of varying distances from a datum plane. The contour has zero second differential when the rate of height increase of individual splines is constant. An actuator coupled to the rocker paddle (the face) of the switch causes a cam to rotate in a clockwise direction and in a counter clockwise direction as the rocker paddle is alternately depressed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a robust on-off rocker paddle switch operated by pushing on the lower portion of a rocker paddle to turn the switch “on” or “off”. The lower edge of the rocker paddle pivots in and out about its top or upper edge. Bias means urges the lower portion of the rocker paddle to always be in its out position whether the switch is in the “on” state or position or the “off”state or position. The rocker paddle of the switch is not located within a frame and the surface of the switch has, along its vertical axis, a contour of positive first differential and zero second differential, comprised of a combination of splines which extend between points of varying distances from a datum plane. The contour has zero second differential when the rate of height increase of individual splines is constant. An actuator coupled to the rocker paddle (the face) of the switch causes a cam to rotate in a clockwise direction and in a counter clockwise direction as the rocker paddle is alternately depressed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a single unit triplex receptacle having three sockets that can be mounted in a single box, does not require separate interconnecting wiring and can be covered by a single wall plate. There is also disclosed a single unit sixplex receptacle having six sockets that can be mounted in a double box, does not require separate interconnecting wiring and can be covered by a single wall plate. The receptacles, the single unit triplex receptacle and the single unit sixplex receptacle each has an isolated ground and uninterrupted top members.

Abstract: There is disclosed structure which overcomes the difficulties encountered with respect to mounting wiring devices such as a receptacle and/or a switch to a box and then attaching a cover plate. Some of the difficulties encountered are positioning the wiring devices to be in alignment with each other, locating the wiring devices to be parallel to each other, adjusting the spacing between the different devices to be equal and uniform and fixing all of the devices to be flat against the wall. These deficiencies are overcome by an alignment plate having a single centrally located opening sized to receive one of more wiring devices and a set of alignment pins for each wiring device. Each set of alignment pins on the alignment plate is located on a vertical axis which defines the center for a wiring device and each wiring device has openings for frictionally receiving and holding captive a set of alignment pins.