Abstract: A DIP switch is disclosed comprising improved sliding actuator means receivable within a rectangular housing channel. The slide actuator comprises a dielectric body having a plurality of parallel arms projecting forward therefrom, with each of the arms having a free, reversely formed end segment projecting backward in superior relationship to the actuator body. The slide actuator further comprises a plurality of parallel conductive arms, electrically and mechanically connected at one end, and projecting rearwardly from the actuator body. Each of the conductive arms is formed to provide a reversely-bent depending end segment projecting downwardly for engaging and interconnecting appropriate circuitry in the housing channel. A cover is further provided for enclosing the top of the housing channel, and provides a series of corrugations along a bottom surface thereof which are engaged by the superior actuator arm segments to register the actuator slide body along the housing channel.

Abstract: The following specification describes a fusible switch assembly having a thermoplastic base supporting a plurality of pivotal knife blades. A one piece thermoplastic arc suppressor housing common to a plurality of phases is also described together with arc suppressor plates snap fit in the housing and a common one piece thermoplastic rotor for moving the blades. The rotor is retained by engagement with the knife blades and walls of the base.

Abstract: An on-off slide switch is arranged on a circuit board, preferably that of a battery-operated electronic clock, for actuating a stepping motor thereof. The slide switch can be moved to different positions and interacts with several electric paths of the circuit board. The switch is arranged movably along one edge of the circuit board and bears against such edge via guide elements. The switch carries at least one contact element for shunting a plurality of tracks of the board and a grip for its manual operation. The slide switch, together with all elements carried by it is designed in the form of a punched-out, flexible metal part and is easily installed on or removed from the circuit board without the need for separate fasteners.

Abstract: A pushbutton switch of the type utilizing contact blades. The blades are the fixed contacts of the switch and consist of a U-shaped contact part and a straight connecting part joined therewith. The connecting part extends through an opening in the base of the U-shaped contact part and projects from opposite sides of the switch housing. Accordingly, the respective parts can be made of different materials and in an inexpensive and simple manner.

Abstract: A printed circuit contact of the type for attachment to a control device such as a rotary switch and a method for forming the printed circuit contact, the printed circuit contact comprising an elongated rigid tail resistant to bending and an integrally connected spring clip comprised of a pair of resilient jaws, the jaws being formed from material having a thickness less than the thickness of the tail and wherein the jaws and the tail are formed from a single piece of material. The method of forming the printed circuit contact includes milling a longitudinal groove in one surface of a strip of sheet stock so that a portion of the sheet stock is substantially thinner than the remainder. The sheet stock is then stamped and subjected to bending operations such that the thinner milled portion of the sheet stock is employed to form the jaws of the clip and the thicker portion of the stock forms the tail.

Abstract: Modular contact elements are provided for a circuit breaker wherein the stationary main contacts and the disconnect contacts may all be constructed of pairs of contact jaws, each of the jaw elements being identical to the others, thereby facilitating manufacturing and assembly procedures. Various different members of sets of contact jaws may be used for each of the stationary and disconnect contacts depending on the rating and capacity of the circuit breaker.

Abstract: An electrical switch comprising two contacts each stamped and formed from a single piece of sheet metal stock and having a post and a receptacle portion comprising two opposed spring arms extending in flag fashion from the post, the two contacts being located in an insulating housing in spaced apart relation with mouths of their receptacle portions mutually opposed and the posts projecting out of the housing from the housing base, an elongate metal slider located in the housing in alignment with the mouths and slidable between first and second switching positions in which it is gripped by the arms of only one receptacle portion and of both receptacle portions respectively. The spring arms may be bowed inwardly to different radii at their free ends.

Abstract: Electric switches work with an electric arc when they switch on or off. A bridge of ionized gas builds up in an air gap between the metal contacts. The larger and the more open to the outside this air gap is, the easier the arc will break up; an air draft raised by heat will lift the gas bridge from the contacts quickly, if the gap is not cased in. The present invention is a switch, offering an all-around escape for ionized, hot gases out of that air gap. At the same time, by a large lever movement a flying contact is being latched between lugs of counter contacts which form a wedge holder, thus forestalling a return of the lever. This switch is simpler to make than the conventional fulcrum metal lever, pushing with its lower end a coilspring aside and pressing contact to contact.

Abstract: A contact device for an electric switch comprising at least two interconnectable contacts and at least two contact knives movable relative thereto and adapted, in the closed position of the switch, to clamp between themselves at least one of the contacts. The contact knives are enclosed in pairs by iron elements or similar which, when a short-circuit current passes through the contact knives, act as a magnets increasing the contact force.

Abstract: An improved support assembly for a circuit-interrupting device is disclosed. The device is of a type having first and second end fittings which define a major axis and which are selectively engageable and disengageable from matching first and second mountings spaced apart in the assembly in insulated relation. The device can be manipulated by a hookstick selectively attachable to the first end fitting and held by a human operator, and so manipulated as to selectively engage and disengage the end fittings and their respective mountings and to open and close the device. The second mounting has a noncircular pin which can be slideably received in a slot in the second end fitting only when the second end fitting and the device are in one particular orientation. The slot contains an enlargement which permits the second end fitting to rotate in the second mounting once the pin enters the enlargement.

Abstract: An electrical contact with a fixed conductor and a movable conductor, comprises a plurality of plate springs, a plurality of contacts, the plate springs and the contacts being mounted into a single unit with an arrangement of those members in a substantial orthogonal relation to each other. The opposite ends of each of the plate springs being supported so as to provide an arrangement of contacts spaced at a fixed interval.

Abstract: A switchable attenuator includes a split housing assembly formed of interlocking cover and support members. A plurality of rocker arms are mounted for pivotable movement between the cover and the support members and each rocker arm has lugs formed on opposite ends thereof which receive respective ones of a pair of shorting bars. Electrical circuit connectors, coupled to an attenuator circuit mounted adjacent to the support member, are aligned in pairs with each pair being positioned to receive a respective one of the pair of shorting bars associated with each rocker arm. The rocker arms are selectively pivoted to cause the shorting bars to move into and out of engagement with the electrical circuit connectors aligned therewith to selectively provide attenuation of different magnitudes to an external circuit.

Abstract: A stab assembly for a circuit interrupter for use in drawout switchgear characterized by a circuit breaker movable into and out of contact with bus bars and having spaced terminals in substantial alignment with the bus bars, each terminal comprising a base and a pair of flexible contacts disposed on opposite sides of an axis and engageable with opposite sides of a bus bar, the base comprising lateral portions extending from the sides of the axis corresponding to the flexible contacts, a dielectric housing in which the base is pivotally mounted to affect rotation laterally of said axis, and the housing having a projection spaced from each lateral portion for limiting rotation therein.

Abstract: A rotary electrical switch is provided of the type that includes a stator body of substantially cylindrical shape having a cylindrical opening coaxially disposed therein. The stator body includes a plurality of electrical contacts embedded in the stator body at circumferentially spaced positions therearound and extending radially inward from the cylindrical opening in the stator body and having a pair of parallel disposed planar contact surfaces, all of the contacts being disposed in a common plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical opening. A rotor body is rotatably disposed in the cylindrical opening and a contactor clip including a pair of contactors electrically and resiliently engaging both planar contact surfaces of respective ones of the contacts is constrained to rotate with the rotor body.

Abstract: Two integrally formed fixed contacts each have a lead portion with terminals at the opposite ends extending external of the switch housing and a contact portion connected to the lead portion by a connecting portion. A holder slidable in the housing retains a U-shaped movable contact which is movable to and from a position in which the opposed internal faces of the movable contact engage with the opposed external faces of the fixed contacts respectively to establish ohmic connection between the lead portions of the two fixed contacts.

Abstract: A spring contact assembly for an electrical switch is disclosed which permits the spring contacts and switch to withstand high close-into-fault current levels without adversely affecting the switch's continuous current rating during normal operation. The spring contact assembly includes a pair of spring contacts supported in opposed relation on a support fork, each spring contact having a symmetrical corrugated surface presenting a plurality of line contact surfaces to a contact bar when the spring contacts are brought into operative engagement with the contact bar, each spring contact further being supported in a manner to bias the corrugated contact surfaces against the contact bar. A protective shield may be provided for each spring contact to protect it from arc erosion.