Abstract: An elastomeric protective cover for use with an electrical switch of the type including a movable actuator, such as a rocker switch. A housing region of the protective cover defines an interior cavity for sealing and receiving a portion of the movable actuator of the switch. An interior surface of the cavity includes a projection such as a reinforcing rib which is positionable above the movable actuator. The projection coacts with the surface of the actuator upon application of tactile pressure near the engaging means which deforms the cover. The cover which is made from a flexibly resilient material returns to its original shape upon removal of the tactile pressure. The cover includes a flange for mounting the cover to the outside of a panel or other surface.

Abstract: A safety device for minimizing electrical shock to a user is taught. Briefly stated, a ground plane is disposed inside an electrical tool or device. Should the device become immersed in water or become unreasonably wet, the plane provides a path of electrical current, which energizes an interrupt device contained therein. The interrupt device disconnects power from the device. Further, reset can only be accomplish by a special purpose tool being urged through an aperture in the device case.

Abstract: A safety device adapted for use in a hand held tool for minimizing electrical shock to a user includes a ground plane disposed inside the electrical tool, which, should the tool become immersed in water or become unreasonaly wet, provides a path for electrical current, which energizes a solenoid which, in turn, interrupts the AC power supply. The safety device is preferably encased in a variety of module. The safety device contains a power supply, such as a battery and/or electret, that is independent of the AC power supply. Thus, the safety device can be tripped even if the tool is not turned on.

Abstract: A safety device adapted for use in a hand held tool for minimizing electrical shock from an AC power supply to a user includes a gound plane disposed inside the electrical tool, which, should the tool become immersed in water or become unreasonably wet, provides a path for electrical current, which energizes a solenoid which, in turn, disconnects the AC power supply. The safety device is encased in a cartridge or module. The safety device contains a power supply, such as a electret and/or a battery, that is independent of the AC power supply. Thus, the safety device can be tripped even if the tool is not plugged in or turned on.

Abstract: Spring-loaded rollers for a mold have an axle mount which passes through the roller into a supporting portion of the seats in the platen to prevent the roller from rotating, twisting or otherwise moving in the set, thereby reducing wear in the roller assemby and in the mold. The roller assembly is easily removed from its seat through the use of a removal device cooperating with screw threads in the roller. A plurality of rollers are used to permit a mold to be easily moved into and out of position in a press. The mold is thus mounted in position since the rollers limit the ability of the mold to move laterally.

Abstract: An axially displaceable armored sealing apparatus for push button switches and the like. The apparatus includes a sealed nut unit connected to an anvil for actuating the plunger of a switch by means of a flexible elastomeric member forming a cavity for the plunger of the switch. The anvil is connected to a moveable armored cap that fits over the end of a stationary metal cylinder supported by the nut and which cap is axially displaceable with respect to the stationary cylindrical portion of the sealing apparatus. The displacement required to actuate the switch is less than the displacement necessary to cause the movable armored cap to contact either the flexible elastomeric member or the stationary cylindrical portion of the sealing apparatus.

Abstract: Spring-loaded rollers for a mold have a sealed axle mount which passes through the roller into a supporting portion of the seats in the platen to prevent the roller from rotating, twisting or otherwise moving in the seat in the roller assembly and in the mold. The roller assembly is easily removed from its seat through the use of a removal device cooperating with a threaded aperture extending through the roller to the axle. This also permits lubrication to be placed between the roller and the axle. A plurality of rollers are used to permit a mold to be easily moved into and out of position in a press. The mold is thus mounted in position since the rollers limit the ability of the mold to move laterally. The seals are dished TEFLON disks which overfit the axle and interfit either against the sides of the roller or within slots cut circumferentially on either side of the roller. The walls of the slot may be undercut and/or otherwise shaped.

Abstract: Spring-loaded rollers for a mold have a sealed axle mount which passes through the roller into a supporting portion of the seats in the platen to prevent the roller from rotating, twisting or otherwise moving in the seat in the roller assembly and in the mold. The roller assembly is easily removed from its seat through the use of a removal device cooperating with screw threads in the roller. A plurality of rollers are used to permit a mold to be easily moved into and out of position in a press. The mold is thus mounted in position since the rollers limit the ability of the mold to move laterally. The seals are dished TEFLON disks which overfit the axle and interfit either against the sides of the roller or within slots cut circumferentially on either side of the roller. The walls of the slot may be undercut and/or otherwise shaped. The invention makes it very easy to move the heavy molds into and out of the press thereby reducing operator fatigue.

Abstract: A shielded electrical switch includes a pressure-actuated switch comprised of three layers, the top and bottom layer of which are electrically-conductive and the intermediate layer of which is a spacer layer containing apertures at the switch points. A sealing membrane is coupled over the layered switch, the membrane having thickened push-button supports overlying the switch points. The thickened push-button supports are spaced from the membrane via frustro-conical mounting portions on the membrane. This frustro-conical mounting gives the buttons the sufficient "feel" or resistance when depressed, and also insures that the switch-actuating portions of the membrane will make contact with the upper surface of the switch to insure that the switch points of the upper and lower layers of the switch will make contact via the intermediate layer. The membrane and the sealed, layered switch are, in turn, enclosed in an armored, sealed push-button enclosure.

Abstract: A sealing cap is provided for a lock having a key receiving passage therein. The sealing cap comprises a sealing member which overlies the passage. The sealing member has a first slit therein extending from the outer surface of the sealing member to about the midline thereof at a first oblique angle. A second slit extends from the midline of the member to the inner surface of the member at a second oblique angle. The size of the slits, position of the openings at the ends of the slits and the midline, and the flexibility of the walls of the slits with respect to each other are adapted to seal the passage and permit the insertion of a key through the slits into the passage. The sealing member is sealingly mounted on the lock for rotation in unison with the key. Optionally, a key skirt is also provided which sealingly fits on the key and sealingly mates with the outer surface of the sealing member while the key is in the slit and the key receiving passage.

Abstract: A standard keypad comprises a rigid support plate having a front face and formed with an array of throughgoing apertures, respective push-buttons projecting at the apertures through the plate past the front face thereof, and a continuous flexible membrane overlying the front face and formed in front of each of the push-buttons with a relatively thick projecting portion. Thus the membrane seals the apertures around the buttons while allowing same to be depressed via the projecting portions. The switch associated with the push-buttons urges the push-buttons and the overlying thick portions forward from the front face. A shield assembly has a rigid shield plate formed with an array of throughgoing apertures aligned with and generally identical to those of the support plate and having a rear face confronting the front face of the support plate and an opposite front face. The projecting portions of the membrane project forward through the apertures of the shield plate past the front face thereof.

Abstract: A protective cover for the push-button array of a push-button telephone set having a planar surface through the push-buttons extend, comprise a flexible elastomeric sheet having at least one recessed portion with side walls forming a pocket which overlies each of the push-buttons on said telephone set and permits individual displacement of the underlying telephone set push-buttons. The sheet has a skirt portion extending laterally beyond the side walls of the pocket and the sheet is continuous between its lateral edges, whereby the entire push-button array is overlaid by the cover and thereby protected against spilled liquids or other environmental hazards. Surrounding the sheet is a metal frame having a channel on the internal periphery into which the sheet extends and is permanently secured.

Abstract: A protective cover is disclosed for the push button array of a push button dial telephone set. The cover comprises a flexible elastomeric sheet having a grid of upwardly-directed pockets, the lower-facing ends of which are open for snugly receiving and thereby overlying the corresponding array of push buttons on said telephone set. The pockets are elastically depressible independently of one another toward their open ends to permit individual displacement of the underlying telephone set push buttons received in the pockets. The sheet includes a skirt portion extending laterally beyond the grid and the sheet is continuous between its lateral edges whereby the entire push button array is overlaid by the cover and thereby protected against spilled liquids or other environmental hazards. The outwardly facing parts of the pocket portions carry readable indicia thereupon corresponding to the indicia on the underlying push buttons.

Abstract: A gasket is disclosed for use in effectively sealing to communications equipment, a protective cover for a key-actuated switching array which projects through a generally planar surface on the equipment. The protective cover is of the type comprising a flexible elastomeric sheet having one or more recessed pockets adapted to overlie and receive the array of key-actuated switches, whereby each of switches is independently depressible through the sheet. The sheet includes a skirt-like border portion extending laterally beyond the pockets, and the sheet is continuous between its lateral edges, whereby the key switch array may be overlaid by the one or more pockets, with the skirt-like border portion contacting the planar surface beyond the array. The array is thereby protected from spillage of liquids or the like. The gasket is adapted to extend completely around the periphery of the sheet in overlying relation to the border portion.

Abstract: A vending machine capable of dispensing individual beverage cups incorporating a soluble component, selectively from one of a plurality of stacks, each stack containing cups having a particular type of soluble component. The cups are positioned in inverted position within a stack, and are dispensed in such inverted position from the top of the stack. A claw mechanism, selectively positionable along a horizontal track which is tiltable about its own horizontal axis for actuating the claw mechanisms, is employed to engage a cup which is delivered to a chute structure carrying the same to a location where it may be manually engaged for subsequent filling with a liquid. With the removal of a cup from the top of a given stack, the stack is elevated to position the next succeeding cup of the stack within the path of movement of the claw mechanism, so that the operation may be repeated.

Abstract: An improved toggle switch seal for sealing the opening in a panel through which the toggle switch projects. As contrasted with prior art devices, the portion of the seal surrounding the toggle is relatively thick-walled to prevent ballooning, and is provided with plural annular thin-walled sections to facilitate easy lateral flexing of the seal with movement of the switch toggle, with minimum back-torque tending to return the switch to its initial position. As distinguished with stretching of the thin-walled sections, common in prior art devices, with lateral movement, the seal tends to execute a folding motion in the thin-walled sections tending to reduce the generated resilient forces tending to restore the seal to unstressed condition.

Abstract: A synthetic resinous nesting cup construction suitable for manual or mechanical or serial dispensing. The cups, in nested condition, each define a recess capable of retaining a dehydrated commestible above a lower wall thereof, the recess being sealed by the engagement of each cup with another nested therein over a predetermined peripheral area adjacent the upper edge of the cup, whereby a substantially uniform force along the axis of a stack of cups is required for each successive separation. The cups are substantially free of other contact when nested. In alternate forms of the invention, the recess is sealed by a soluble or frangible wafer, permitting the cup to be stacked in upside down condition for manual or mechanical separation from a console of table height.