Abstract: A fiber optic connector comprising a coupling shell encircling a glass end portion of a bushing disposed axially within an encircling ferrule having an end portion extended axially out of the shell and terminating in a dish-shaped end surface provided with a central aperture through which an optical fiber element extending axially through the glass end portion of the bushing and the ferrule protrudes to terminate at a planar end surface spaced axially from the aperture, the dish-shaped end surface being curved concavely and continuously from the aperture radially to a circular rim which is spaced a greater axial distance from the aperture than the planar end surface of the optical fiber element.

Abstract: An electrical connector having strain relief and integral means for clamping and manually unclamping an electrical cord. The connector includes a housing having a compartment, disposed within a forward portion of the housing, for receiving an electrical device. An array of ratchet teeth is disposed rearward of the forward portion and is disposed circumferentially about an inner wall portion of the compartment. An inner wall portion of the housing disposed between the array of ratchet teeth and a rear entrance aperture of the housing has formed therein a circumferential groove. A member inserted into the housing has a cord clamping component integrally connected to a strain relief component through a bushing component. The bushing component has a pawl engageable with the array of ratchet teeth to provide a ratchet.

Abstract: An optical fiber cleaving tool comprising a base supporting a sled which is biased to carry an optical fiber clamp thereon away from an inner surface of an orthogonal end wall having extending through it in alignment with the clamp an aperture disposed to receive a fiber optic connector end portion. The connector has a terminal end surface provided with a central aperture through which an optical fiber end portion extends to the clamp on the sled for axial tensioning. Aligned with the aperture in the wall is a recess having an end surface chordally disposed with respect to the aperture for abutting engagement with the terminal end surface of the connector and serving as a reference plane. A cutter rotatably mounted above the recess end surface has a peripheral portion from which protrudes resiliently a diamond-tipped end portion of a wafer-like blade which is slidably disposed in a slot extending diametrically of the disc and having a thickness greater than the thickness of the blade.

Abstract: A housing for panel mountable modules and comprising a base having dependent therefrom yieldable support pedestals disposed for pressing resiliently against an adjacent surface of a panel and latching projections disposed for engaging an opposing surface of the panel and, in cooperation with the support pedestals, locking the thickness of the panel therebetween.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector assembly comprising a tubular coupling device having an end portion disposed for encircling an end portion of a fiber optic cable, and a slidable apertured spacer axially disposed within the coupling device. The spacer has a central aperture disposed for alignment with a polished end surface of a filamentary light conductor in the cable, and has an annular surface encircling the aperture for abutting an end surface of an opaque sheath encircling the light conductor.

Abstract: An electrical switch is provided with a switch operator having a resilient pad on its distal end, the operator being mounted for axial movement in an operator housing to actuate contacts deposited in a double spiral pattern on a substrate coupled to the operator housing. The operator tip is moved first to contact the front side of a flexible membrane which is separated from the contacts by a spacer. The operator pad is then moved further to deflect the membrane and close the gap formed between the shorting patch and the switch contacts, the travel of the operator and the action of the pad providing a sensation of feel to the user. The switch is constructed in single units and in arrays.

Abstract: An electrical switch is provided with a switch operator having a resilient pad on its distal end, the operator being mounted for axial movement in an operator housing to actuate contacts deposited in a double spiral pattern on a substrate coupled to the operator housing. The operator tip is moved first to contact the front side of a flexible membrane which has a conductive shorting patch on its back side, and which is separated from the contacts by a spacer. The operator pad is then moved further to deflect the membrane and close the gap formed between the shorting patch and the switch contacts, the travel of the operator and the action of the pad providing a sensation of feel to the user. The switch is constructed in single units and in arrays, and a lighting circuit is added by forming a bulb socket in the switch operator with spring tipped contact members that engage lighting terminals in an individual switch on lighting contact areas on the front side of a membrane used in the array.

Abstract: A push button switch has an operator that is mounted for axial movement within a bezel towards its exit end. A contact assembly is disposed across the exit of the bezel. The contact assembly includes a pair of termination areas formed on a substrate and a shorting patch disposed on a flexible membrane, the shorting patch being separated from the termination areas by a spacer to provide a switch air gap. A second spacer is disposed on the other side of the substrate and forms an air reservoir that communicates with the switch air gap through an aperture in the substrate. When the operator is moved against the membrane to close the switch air gap, air is circulated into the air reservoir increasing the pressure therein, and returns to break the contact of the termination areas with the shorting patch when the operator is retracted.

Abstract: An electrically conductive annular elastic contactor is trapped in a cavity in a housing defined by a bottom wall and left and right side walls. A movable operator cammingly engages the contactor, compressively deforming it until an overcenter position is passed, after which the contactor snaps against the opposite side wall to make and/or break contact with stationary contacts mounted on at least one of the walls.The contactor acts both as the movable contact for engaging stationary contacts and as snap action biasing means for effecting switching operations. Due to the resilient deformation of the contactor, there is afforded a torsional shearing of contact welds.

Abstract: A trigger switch for portable tools that provides safety disconnect under contact-weld conditions. The switch is a manual close, return spring open, double-snap type wherein the actuator acts on a double-inclined surface of a cam to snap the switch contacts closed or open as the actuator passes the center high point of the cam in one direction or the other. The safety disconnect feature provides in series with the switch contacts a connector biased to flip open that is normally held closed by actuator reactance force on the cam in combination with tripping means therefor. This tripping means includes coacting means between the cam and a contact carrier on which the cam is normally spring-restrained from shifting in the switch opening movement direction of the actuator.

Abstract: An electric snap-action switch is disclosed having a movable contactor with oppositely inclined camming surfaces meeting at an apex on the top thereof. The contactor is centrally biased upwardly from below and cammed downwardly from above by a laterally movable operator traversing the inclined camming surfaces such that the contactor snaps laterally against vertical stationary contacts as the apex is crossed by the operator.