Abstract: A plastic switch actuator is fitted with a spring so as to impart sliding and rocking motion to a movable contact by virtue of direct engagement between spring and element. The actuator has a depending integral portion received in an opening of the element but it is the spring which keeps the element in contact with the fixed switch contacts. Other embodiments provide for a switch actuator having a movable contact element capable of retention in a "center-off" position wherein the movable contact is held in a stable "off" position in contact with only the center contact. The movable element is readily moved by the depending actuator portion through joint action by the actuator and the spring provided on said actuator.

Abstract: A pushbutton switch has a single spring for return of the button, and for the lost motion required to operate a movable contact element between two switch conditions. A staple shaped strut has its head portion loosely received in a recess of the button, and its leg portions cam the movable contact, against the force of the spring, to achieve a desired initial rocking and final sliding motion for the movable contact element relative to a fixed center contact.

Abstract: A plastic switch actuator is fitted with a spring so as to impart sliding and rocking motion to a movable contact by virtue of direct engagement between spring and element. The actuator has a depending integral portion received in an opening of the element but it is the spring which keeps the element in contact with the fixed switch contacts. Other embodiments provide for illuminating the rocker in the miniature switch made possible by this simplified switch construction of fewer component parts. Still further embodiments provide for a toggle style actuator having a movable contact capable of retention in a "center-off" position wherein the movable contact is releasably retained on shelf-like lands defined for this purpose in the switch base, and wherein this contact can be moved by the depending actuator portion through joint action by the actuator and the spring provided on said actuator.

Abstract: A push button switch including a housing, a depressible plunger spring-urged towards a rest position in the housing, and a pair of cooperating blade springs each fixed at one end and carrying respective electrical contacts at the other end. Each spring has a shoulder which is engageable by a respective shoulder portion of the plunger during depression to cause the springs to move inwardly toward each other such that the respective electrical contacts engage. The plunger includes an integral spacing member located between the blade springs such that the two springs, and hence their respective electrical contacts, are spaced apart by the spacing member when the plunger is in the rest position. The plunger shoulders, blade springs and spacing member combine to provide tactile feedback when the spacing member moves clear of the springs allowing the contacts to engage.

Abstract: An electric switch mechanism for portable electric motor drive type tools having a reciprocable contact carrier and a movable electrically conductive bridging contact carried by the contact carrier for making and breaking electrical contact with coacting stationary contacts in the switch mechanism. The bridging contact has a protuberance at each point of contact with the contact carrier to ensure that such contact therebetween at each such point is always at the same spot(s) on the bridging contact when the bridging contact is reciprocated by the contact carrier in either direction.

Abstract: A slide switch construction including two spaced-apart stationary contacts and a free-ended serpentine shaped leaf spring bridging contactor which undergoes both a rocking and sliding motion in making/breaking bridging contact across the stationary contacts. The slide actuator includes camming surfaces which in addition to urging the bridging contactor into the make/break position, coacts therewith to provide a detent holding of the switch in the "on" and "off" position.

Abstract: Four switches are arranged at 90.degree. to each other. Each switch has a reversely bent blade having a short leg pivoted on a center terminal and a long leg having its free end normally spaced from a normally open terminal while the reversely bent portion engages a normally closed terminal higher than the other two terminals whereby the normally open terminal of an adjacent switch can be positioned under the normally closed terminal. The actuator handle actuates opposed parallel pairs in unison whereby one of the pair is actuated to close on its normally open terminal when the actuator moves in one direction and the other of the pair is so actuated when the actuator is moved in the opposite direction.

Abstract: The circuit breaker comprises a case, a rocking lever pivotally mounted in the case, said rocking lever having at least one sharp pin at its end with the bottom of the case supporting at least two terminals, a two-arm blade substantially shaped as a hair-pin cooperating by means of the first arm thereof with the lever to move by swivelling and sliding and to bring the second arm of the blade in contact either with two terminals or, on the contrary, with only one terminal.

Abstract: An electric switch device is provided having angled contact surfaces. First and second contact members are supported for movement of the second member relative to the first between open and closed positions. Planar contact surfaces of the members are in flush engagement in the closed position with such surfaces being at an acute angle, preferably between five and ten degrees, relative to the direction of movement. The contact members are substantially rigid and are so guided that the contact surfaces are at the same acute angle at impact. Preferably, the second contact member has another contact surface engageable with a contact surface of another contact member with such contact surfaces being at the same acute angle and cooperating in the same manner. The angle is such as to prevent contact bounce and prevent separation under high surge currents providing low contact resistance and minimizing operating forces.

Abstract: The snap action switch has a spring biased plunger carrying directly or indirectly at least one articulated contact carrier extending laterally from opposite sides of the plunger and having two convex contacts of cylindrical, semi-circular or prism configuration. These contacts cooperate with stationary contacts arranged in pairs and including at least two pairs with a total of four contacts arranged in a near-rectangle; the contacts of each pair are inclined to each other for defining a trough-like configuration for concurrent engagement with one of the contacts on the carrier. This way, a total of four contact make and break points is defined for a single current path.

Abstract: A condition responsive electrical switch construction having a frame carrying an electrical switch and a condition responsive device having a movable wall for causing movement of a lever that is pivotally carried by the frame and is operatively associated with the switch to operate the same as the lever is moved by the wall to a certain position in opposition to the force of a range spring also carried by the frame. A cradle-like member has a base operatively associated with the range spring so as to be held thereby against the wall to be moved in unison with the wall and has arms engaging the lever to cause the lever to move in relation to movement of the wall. The switch has a pair of movable contact members disposed on opposite sides of a fixed contact member and each is biased in a direction to tend to place the same in contact with the fixed contact member and each having an offset loop therein.

Abstract: The invention concerns a miniature electrical push button contactor including a base carrying fixed contacts and having a cap which is formed integrally with the push button and which has a movable contact in the form of a thin disc which effects a wiping action on the fixed contacts. The invention also concerns electronic calculators fitted with contactors as aforesaid.

Abstract: A switch mechanism designed to overcome the problem of electrical noise employs a compound movable contact assembly, including a coil spring member and a smooth-surfaced wire contact member mounted thereon. The flexing of the coil spring provides an advantageous rolling, wiping motion for the wire contact member, without the noise-producing electrical discontinuities associated with earlier mechanisms in which the coil spring itself made direct electrical contact.

Abstract: A switch construction including opposed contacts positioned on a base and a bridging contactor slidable between different switch positions. The design of the contacts on the base includes an upper section defining a first surface engageable by a tab formed on the sliding contactor. Second surface portions offset relative to the first surface provide engagement with shoulders defined by the sliding contactor. Resilient means press the sliding contactor against this upper section in a fashion such that the shoulders operate to limit the movement of the sliding contactor. The separate engagement of the tab and shoulders provide separate available current paths for the switch.

Abstract: The invention provides a contact bridging member for an electric switch wherein, in use, a contact bridging member is slid by an actuator over a fulcrum and in so doing pivots thereabout to bring the leading end of the member into or out of contact with, or the trailing end out of or into contact with, an electrical contact; the contact bridging member having an abutment member adapted to be acted upon by the actuator in the aforesaid manner and wherein the abutment member projects from one side of the contact bridging member and is an outwardly struck portion thereof.The invention also provides switches incorporating that contact bridging member.The contact bridging member may be curved suitably for use in linearly, arcuately or rotary acting switches.

Abstract: A pressure responsive electrical switch uses precalibrated snap acting monometallic or bimetallic discs freely disposed in a disc seat formed on a base member. Over pressure protection in the form of a surface spaced just beyond the normal snapped position may be provided to avoid calibration changes. A flexible thin gasket is positioned over the disc and is sealed to the base by trapping between the base and a cap which is clamped to the base. Several seal variations are shown to provide varying degrees and types of seals. A rocker member having a specially curved surface rests on a movable contact arm and transfers motion from the disc to the movable arm. A support for the movable arm has a portion which is formed with a complementary curved portion which cooperates with the rocker member and a stationary contact to limit the amount of stress imparted to the movable contact arm.

Abstract: A rotary switch includes a contact bar movable between a switch-open and a switch-closed position and a rotatable circular cam member controlling the movement of said contact bar. Spring means urges the contact bar into operative engagement with the surface of said cam member. The cam member is rotatably contained within a cavity in the switch housing, the cavity having a wall surface guiding the cam member during rotation of the latter. Biasing action of the spring means upon said contact bar urges the cam member against the wall surface of said cavity, with said wall surface serving as the only bearing surface for said cam member during rotation of the latter. A pin and slot coupling is also provided as an integral portion of the cam member and housing to limit rotary movement of said cam member between precise switch-open and switch-closed positions.

Abstract: An interlocked push-lock push-button switch assembly of the type in which when one of the switch buttons each formed integral with an operating-bridging member is depressed, it is locked in pushed-down position so that the movable contacts are made into contact with the mating stationary contacts, but when another switch button is depressed, the switch which has been locked in position is released. An inverted U-shaped movable contact member with the movable contacts attached to the ends thereof is retained in position by a movable-contact-member retaining member formed integral with the operating-bridging member.

Abstract: A strip switch assembly or switch array formed in a flat configuration with minimal depth and of relatively small size wherein the array is formed of a number of individual switches and the switches are formed of components used in common, and wherein the number of components in the array effectively revolves itself into less than one component per switch.

Abstract: A switch has two wire like spring contacts which are cantilever mounted to act as return springs for a pivotable actuator which is urged against the springs when contact is to be made.

Abstract: A switching mechanism is disclosed which may be either a single pole or a multiple pole switch. Actuator means is provided to actuate first and second contact means between open and closed circuit conditions. This actuator means is shown as a lever which acts on an actuable portion of a contact blade or directly moves a contact portion into and out of engagement with an individual contact. For economy the actuator means lever may be unitary with a housing by means of a unitary hinge which not only permits movement of the lever but also provides a resilient force in first and second generally perpendicular directions. This resilient force is used to establish the contacts in a closed circuit condition and is also resisted by a detent so that the switch remains in that selected circuit condition. When the switching mechanism is constructed as a multiple pole switch, then a common conductor is provided which has individual contact portions actuated by a plurality of levers for an economically produced switch.

Abstract: A self-cleaning or wiping switch contact for use on machinery monitoring gages embodies a spring contact arm mounted directly on the gage movable pointer for wiping coaction with either high or low adjustable set contacts of the gage.

Abstract: An auxiliary interlock switch for a DC contactor has a reciprocable one-piece insulating contact carrier and plural bridging contacts interchangeably mounted thereon in alternative positions to provide different desired arrangements of normally open and normally closed contact sets with the stationary contact posts. The contact carrier has a return spring compressed within a spring-receiving cavity and elongated abutment-receiving apertures registering with opposite ends of said cavity through which an abutment member, that is releasably assembled to the contact carrier, may interchangeably freely extend to permit relative movement therebetween and against which one end of the return spring reacts to resiliently bias the contact carrier against reciprocation in one direction.

Abstract: An electric switch is disposed in a cavity of a buckle. The electric switch includes a stationary first contact member, a movable second contact member, and a biasing means for the second contact member. The biasing means biases the second contact member to the open position of the electric switch. The electric switch has means by which the contact end portion of the second contact member makes a wiping, self-cleaning contact with a part of the first contact member upon actuation by a tongue of the buckle.

Abstract: Extremely low bounce switching characteristics are achieved by biasing electrical switch conductors with a torsion beam member. The torsion beam member includes a torsion beam portion having an axis which is restrained from rotation thereabout at a first point and an operating beam portion connected to the torsion beam portion at a second point spaced from the first point. The axis of the operating beam is oriented at an angle with respect to the axis of the torsion beam such that displacement of the operating beam causes rotation of the torsion beam from a quiescent rotational state thus producing a torsional bias force against such displacement. At least one of the switch's electrical make/break conductors is operatively associated with the operating beam for displacement therewith while the remaining electrical conductor is disposed for making or breaking the electrical contact upon displacement of the operating beam.