Abstract: A single-pole single-throw electric switch having a fewer number of simple parts more easily adapted for automatic assembly, and having a low base height due to a leaf spring biased roller contact actuated by a double-incline apex on the operating lever movable overcenter on the roller contact to snap it into or out of bridging engagement with a pair of stationary contacts. A single insulating plate held in vertical grooves in opposite walls of an open-top base retains in place a pair of press-in lead leaf-spring connectors and also supports the stationary contacts in place up against the cover, the terminal portions of which are retained by their opposite edges in spaced vertical grooves in opposite walls of a pair of terminal compartments in the base. The arrangement is such that all the parts can be lowered down into the base in predetermined order thereby affording automatic assembly.

Abstract: A latching attachment for rocker switches is disclosed which is manually shiftable to selectively allow depression of only one or the other end of the rocker button. The attachment includes an elongated slider member disposed alongside the rocker button and slidable transversely of the pivotal axis. At the distal ends of the attachment there are extended lower interference ear portions which, upon shifting of the attachment, alternately protrude below, and into the path of motion of, a respective end of the rocker button to prevent depression thereof.

Abstract: The snap-in mounting means includes a snap-in grommet carried on the shank of a bushing which extends from a switch frame mounted on a switch base of an electrical toggle switch assembly and pivotally supports a toggle lever for actuating switch contacts housed in the switch base. The snap-in grommet includes a radially yieldable sleeve slidably mounted on the lower end portion of the bushing shank, a tapered locking collar carried on the outer end of the sleeve and having a radially extending shoulder which engages the front of the panel around the panel mounting hole, after the collar has been squeezed through the hole during mounting, and a pair of opposed resilient back-up elements which are biased against the back of the panel to keep the locking collar shoulder in tight engagement with the front side of the panel. The bushing is pulled back after the locking collar has been squeezed through the panel mounting hole.

Abstract: The snap-in mounting means includes a garter spring retained in an annular groove provided near the outer end of a bushing which extends from a switch frame on a switch base of an electrical toggle switch assembly and pivotally supports a toggle lever for actuating switch contacts housed in the switch. The garter spring has a helical diameter and an outermost toroidal diameter which is larger than the diameter of the mounting hole in a support panel on which the switch assembly is to be mounted. The bushing groove has an upper portion for retaining the garter spring in its normally expanded state, a lower portion of sufficient radial depth to receive the garter spring, when squeezed radially inwardly to a compressed state of reduced toroidal diameter without reducing the helical diameter, wherein the garter spring/bushing subassembly can pass through the panel mounting hole, and a tapered inner wall extending between the upper and lower portions.

Abstract: An electric power tool mounted switch that provides safety-disconnect under contact-weld conditions, and is of the manual close, manual open, or momentary (spring return), double-pole type having an actuator of the toggle lever, trigger or other suitable type. The operating member actuates one end of an intermediate lever normally pivoted at its other end on a slidable safety-disconnect bar that is normally held to the base by a first spring-loaded detent. The intermediate lever is coupled and pivotally mounted at its midportion to a slidable contact carrier through a firing spring and positive action mechanism. The contact carrier slides along and is held to the safety-disconnect bar by a second spring-loaded detent in either its contacts closed or contacts open position.

Abstract: A toggle switch having an insulating housing that completely encloses all metal parts enabling connection of "live" wires to the switch terminals safely. The housing includes a molded base and a molded snap-in cover. A toggle lever supporting bushing is clamped between the base and cover and is provided with a snap-in collar for snap-in mounting the switch in a hole in a mounting panel. The toggle lever actuates an over-center wire link that imparts shear and wiping motion and snap-action to butt contacts. The terminals have insulation shearing slots into which unstripped wires are forced to make electrical connections. An integrally molded plug overlies a hole in the cover and is connected to the cover by thin sections which break when the plug is depressed into such hole to force the wires into the connectors.

Abstract: A chopper for adjustably controlling the average value of the voltage supplied from a D.C. battery source to a motor load for adjustable speed control. The chopper comprises manually-operable spring-biasing means for applying force to close a contact to energize the motor and electromagnetic means simultaneously energized for re-opening the contact. This occurs at a high repetition rate so that the average value of the voltage across the motor determines the motor speed. This average value of voltage is proportional to the closed-to-open time ratio of the contact and is adjustable by manual control. Two versions are disclosed. In the first version, the spring-biasing force is applied to the contact by depressing a trigger. In the second version, the spring-biasing force is applied to the contact by rotation of a knob. Both versions may use either tension or compression spring force.

Abstract: The snap-in mounting means includes a ring-like retainer member disposed in an annular groove provided near the outer end of an elongated bushing which extends from a switch frame member on a switch base of an electrical toggle switch assembly and pivotally supports a toggle lever for actuating switch contacts housed in the switch base. The retainer member is radially compressible and expandable in the bushing groove between a normally expanded position where its outer dimension is larger than the dimension of the mounting hole in a support panel on which a switch assembly is to be mounted and a compressed position where it can pass through the mounting hole.As the bushing is initially inserted into the mounting hole from the rear of the panel during mounting, a portion of the retainer member engages the rim of the mounting hole and it is cammed thereby to the compressed position inside the groove.

Abstract: A toggle switch having a molded insulating frame including a pair of depending legs between which the insulating switch base is snap-in mounted and retained. The frame includes a bushing having a resilient collar for snap-in mounting of the switch in a hole in a mounting panel. This bushing pivotally retains the toggle lever for operating the switch contacts within the base. The legs of the frame are inwardly curved and tapered so that bases of varying tolerances may be retained thereby rigidly and securely.

Abstract: Two embodiments of industrial grade trigger switches are disclosed. Each has an on-off switch and a resistor controlled speed control circuit operated by trigger depression and a reversing switch provided with an operating lever overlying the trigger, and characterized by modular construction with snap-in coupling of reversing switch and base to the frame, a large heat sink area for the solid state current control elements for continuous service, higher current rating double-pole contacts having sufficient wiping action to effect good electrical contact, and the capability of being mounted also in consumer grade tools. The first embodiment has a horizontally disposed substrate that supports the speed control circuit thereby providing a large amount of space within the base for the on-off and shunting contacts. The second embodiment has a large vertically disposed substrate affording a large area for the speed control circuit.

Abstract: An industrial grade trigger switch having an on-off switch and a resistor controlled speed control circuit both controlled by trigger depression and a reversing switch provided with an operating lever overlying the trigger, and characterized by a large heat sink for the solid state current control elements for continuous service, a large substrate area for the speed control circuit, higher current rating double-pole wiping contacts, relatively simple metal parts, and the capability of being mounted also in consumer grade tools. The switch has modular construction with snap-in coupling of reversing switch and base to the frame.

Abstract: An industrial grade trigger switch having an on-off switch and a resistor controlled speed control circuit both controlled by trigger depression, and characterized by a reciprocal button reversing switch integrally within the trigger, a heftier trigger, longer trigger travel, double-pole contacts for the on-off switch, higher current rating, larger heat sink area for the solid state current control element for continuous service, better dust proofing and double insulation.

Abstract: A light-transmissive insert mounted in a tunnel in a pivotal operating handle transmitts light from a light source mounted internally of a housing through the handle to appear as a lighted bar at the tip of the handle. The handle is rigidly mounted to an actuator in snap-on relation to allow front of panel relamping. The actuator is of generally inverted L-shape, pivotally mounted to the housing at ends of the horizontal leg of the L, with the vertical leg of the L extending downwardly into the housing to actuate a set of contacts. A stationary light source is mounted in the housing adjacent the vertical leg and extends upwardly through an aperture in the horizontal leg. The aperture is made wide enough to allow clearance of the light source during pivoting of the actuator. The tunnel extends through the handle from the outer end thereof to communicate with the aperture in the horizontal leg of the actuator and thus be exposed to the light source.

Abstract: A toggle switch having a snap-in bushing for mounting in a hole in a panel. A one-piece foldable housing has slots for the switch parts. These parts are assembled in one housing half and the other housing half is folded over and sonically bonded to the first half. Quick-connect terminals are provided by a hinged door on one housing half that allows the terminals to be pivoted up, an insulated conductor pair inserted therebelow and the door pinched shut by pliers or the like whereby the connectors pierce the insulation to make the connections. Resilient stationary contacts and a spherical movable contact provide snap-action closing and opening of the contacts.

Abstract: The snap-in mounting means includes a ring-like retainer member disposed in an annular groove provided near the outer end of an elongated bushing which extends from a switch frame member on a switch base of an electrical toggle switch assembly and pivotally supports a toggle lever for actuating switch contacts housed in the switch base. The retainer member is radially compressible and expandable in the bushing groove between a normally expanded position where its outer dimension is larger than the dimension of the mounting hole in a support panel on which a switch assembly is to be mounted and a compressed position where it can pass through the mounting hole.As the bushing is initially inserted into the mounting hole from the rear of the panel during mounting, a portion of the retainer member engages the rim of the mounting hole and it is cammed thereby to the compressed position inside the groove.

Abstract: A toggle lever switch having a central longitudinal bore in the outer handle for housing an LED (light emitting diode) with terminals extending down through the handle and bent laterally outward along the pivotal axis through lateral holes in the spherical portion of the toggle lever to engage inwardly biased stationary terminals extending up through the bushing adjacently facing the lateral holes. The LED terminals themslves are used as the commutating connectors. Commutation means are provided for spacing the LED terminals and for maintaining good electrical contact with the stationary terminals, and in preferred form comprises an insulating plug having a pigtail.

Abstract: A tool for removing a snap-in bushing type toggle switch or the like from a hole in a mounting panel. The tool is molded of plastic material and is provided with a spring-biased self-opening slidable chuck snap-in assembled within a compressor tube and is adapted to squeeze the snap-in collar or skirt of the snap-in bushing so that it becomes released from the mounting panel. The outer compressor tube having a mushroom handle at one end is adapted to slide forwardly over the chuck to compress or squeeze it and the snap-in collar therewithin. A spring-biased ejector pin slidable within the chuck is depressed by the toggle lever of the switch and is loaded by its spring compressed by the compressor tube and serves to snap the switch from the panel hole upon release of the snap-in collar.A first version has an integrally-molded resilient lug on the chuck that snaps out into an elongated slot in the compressor tube wall to snap-in assemble the chuck within the compressor tube for limited sliding movement.

Abstract: An electrical toggle switch assembly adapted for mounting from the rear of a bulkhead or support panel includes a bushing which pivotally supports an actuating lever and is inserted into a mounting hole in the panel. Secured on the outer peripheral surface of the bushing is a retainer made from an oriented fiber material including a plurality of short, relatively stiff, normally straight fibers which slant downwardly at an acute angle, preferably less than 45.degree., and normally extend outwardly from the bushing beyond the inner periphery of the panel mounting hole. As the bushing is pressed through the mounting hole, the fibers are deflected inwardly and a portion thereafter spring back to their normally extended position and grip the front of the panel in the area surrounding the mounting hole to hold the switch assembly on the panel.

Abstract: A rocker switch having non-illuminated indicator means comprising a ribbon or sheet member which effectively slides along the interior surface of a rocker cap having a window visually exposing the appropriate indicia on the ribbon as the rocker is pivoted. The ribbon is flexible enough to assume the interior shape of the rocker cap and stiff enough to slide therealong during rocking operation. A window or lens may assume various positions on the rocker cap with appropriate positioning of indicia on the ribbon therebeneath.

Abstract: A trigger switch for portable tools such as circular saws, chain saws, and the like having a return-spring biased trigger that is actuated by the forefinger of the user to turn the tool on and upon release returns to and locks in off position under spring action. The trigger switch which may be of the inline or pivoted (overhanging) type is provided with a built-in spring biased lock that automatically locks the trigger whenever the trigger returns to its off position. A manual release button is arranged to be depressed by the thumb of the user to release the lock and allow reactuation of the trigger. The lock-off feature is characterized by a strong lock to prevent forcing and requiring only minimum modification of the conventional trigger switches.