Abstract: A segment holder is mounted in a casing for rotational movement therein, and a plurality of contact wires extend substantially perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the segment holder and are spaced from each other along the said axis of rotation, the segment holder being biased to turn in a direction under the resiliency of the contact wires. When a driver connected to the segment holder is actuated from the exterior of the casing, the segment holder is rotated against the biasing force applied thereto to make break electrical contact between the contact wires via a conductive segment(s) mounted on the segment holder.

Abstract: This is an electrical switch mechanism actuated by a piano-style key of a musical instrument. The switch consists of a pair of cross-bar contacts, at least one of which is resiliently flexible. This resilience permits a moveable contact member to be driven into engagement with a fixed contact member, and also keeps it firmly biased against the fixed contact member for electrical communication therewith whenever the key is in its actuated position. When the key is released, an actuator member on the key captures the moveable contact and moves it away from the fixed contact. Upon actuation, the key over-travels beyond the point of contact engagement, but the actuator decouples from the contact so as to avoid any increase in contact pressure and prevent double-keying. Various techniques for minimizing impact noise during contact recapture, and for mounting the contacts upon a circuit board, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A lighted toggle lever switch having a pair of like insulator halves (14, 16) with short trunnions (14a, 16a) that pivot a toggle lever (8) at opposite ends of a lateral hole 10b therethrough, these insulator halves lining the metal cover (4) and bushing (6) and each having a channel (14j, 14k) for a lamp terminal. Coaxial helical spring connectors (20, 22) separated by an insulating tube (26) electrically connect the terminals to a lamp bulb (18) within the hollow toggle lever handle that has a threaded-in lens cap (12) at its external end.

Abstract: A push-button key switch for keyboards, having an actuating member, and a helical spring which functions as a return spring for the actuating member and as a movable contact element. The helical spring comprises two sections, one of which is employed as the return spring, and which engages a seating surface on the actuating member. The other section of the spring extends beyond the seating surface and is adapted to engage a cooperable stationary counter-contact upon actuation of the actuating member. The switch may be readily designed as a single pole-single throw switch or a single pole-double throw switch, and may be designed to provide predetermined contact pressures between closed contacts.

Abstract: A pair of electrical switches are arranged to be engaged by a respective pivoted carriage member, to indicate the end of tape in correlation with the diameter of a tape reel mounted on each carriage member. Each switch is generally contained within a housing having a longitudinal axis. A pair of electrical contacts, each interconnected to the circuitry of the system, are positioned within the housing adjacent to the axis. A plunger is adapted to be operable along the longitudinal axis between the two contacts and has one end extending from the housing to act as an actuator. A yoke has a base threadedly secured to the plunger and has a body extending parallel with the plunger within the housing. An elastic shorting member is partially compressed and positioned within the body of the yoke. The elastic shorting member is adapted to engage the electrical contacts to conduct electricity through the switch.

Abstract: An acceleration actuated switch is disclosed which is capable of distinguishing between random and brief acceleration forces on the one hand and sustained acceleration forces on the other hand. The device comprises a stationary electrical contact and a movable contact held in position by biasing means. Sustained acceleration forces in a particular direction will drive the movable contact along a fixed path to a position whereat the biasing means may bring the movable contact into proximity with the stationary contact thereby closing the switch. If the acceleration force is not in the proper direction or is not applied to the switch for a sufficient length of time, the biasing means will return the movable contact to its original position thereby maintaining the switch in an open condition.

Abstract: A safety locking switch that can connect a selected wire to a grounded plate, on which the switch is mounted, has a metallic housing, a key operated lock mounted in the housing, an insulator affixed to the housing and an electrical lead extending through the insulator into the housing. In the locked position, the lock is in contact with both the electrical lead and the housing thereby grounding the selected wire connected to the lead. When unlocked by the key, the lock moves away from the end of the lead within the housing thereby open circuiting the path between the grounded plate and the selected wire.

Abstract: A momentary contact switch having low bounce switching characteristics achieved by maintaining a contact arm continuously biased in accordance with a predetermined force characteristic against a stationary conductor during a wiping contact. An embodiment utilizing a stationary primary contact and a unitary conductive spring contact disposed on a base, is disclosed. The unitary spring contact comprises a spring body portion arranged for compression along an axis normal to the base, and a contact arm portion extending transversely to the spring body portion. The primary contact includes a striking portion disposed at an angle with respect to the axis of compression disposed to cooperate in wiping contact with the contact arm as the spring body is compressed. The angular disposition of the striking plate causes the contact arm to be biased thereagainst with ever increasing force during the wiping contact.

Abstract: A miniaturized electric switch particularly suitable for electronic keyboard control applications includes at least one coil spring having a laterally extending coil spring end contact where spring compression biases the switch toward an unoperated condition and spring torsion urges the end contact relative to a second contact and a switch housing mounted cam engages the coil spring end contact incident operation of the switch between operated and unoperated conditions to urge the end contact relative to the second contact.

Abstract: A momentary push button switch having a helical spring contact with tangentially extending opposite ends. The spring is seated over a vertical post on a base member and the lower tangential end of the spring permanently engages one stationary contact in the base. The upper tangential end of the spring contact selectively engages a horizontal arm of a second stationary contact on the base.A plunger (push button) fits over the vertical post and engages the top end of the helical spring. A keyway on the plunger slidingly engages a guide post on the base. Depression of the plunger disengages the upper tangential end of the spring from the arm of the second stationary contact.Two alternative embodiments for normally open switch configurations are disclosed.

Abstract: A push button having a housing supporting therein a key member actuatable between an initial position and an enabled position. Inside the body a pressure spring is located for resetting the actuated key member to the initial position when pressure on the key member ceases. The spring is provided with an elongated portion which is movable in response to actuation of the key member and the elongated then engages an electrical contact member supported adjacent to the elongated portion of the spring in order to allow current to flow through the spring.

Abstract: A low-resistance electro-mechanical switch with snap-action tactile feel is disclosed comprising a base carrying one contact, a stepped guide post projecting from the base and carrying an opposing contact, and a conductive ring-like helical spring looped under tension around the guide post and serving as the bridging contactor. Instant complete switching is achieved with a snap action by advancing the spring against and abruptly past the step on the post, switching transients accompanying such snap action being avoided by the redundancy parallel paths that the several spring coils afford while settling in bridging position between the switch contacts.

Abstract: An electric switch assembly having at least one movable contact element and a plurality of fixed contact elements. The movable contact element can electrically connect at least one of the fixed contact elements to any one of the remaining fixed contacts. The electric switch assembly herein disclosed utilizes intermediate contact pieces each adapted to connect one of the fixed contact elements to the movable contact element therethrough and also to connect the movable contact element to any one of the fixed contact element.

Abstract: A dual-in-line switch package having a plurality of momentary contact switching stations and a plurality of indicating lights is disclosed. The switching mechanism of the switches is provided by a close wound coil spring having one end that encloses one contact and another end that is bent by the depression of a pushbutton so that it makes contact with a second contact in order to complete the circuit. The indicating lights may be light-emitting diodes which have lead extensions that are brought out of the package in line with the contacts for the switches. The light-emitting diodes rest on a support guide rail and are held in place in the switch when the cover is snapped on.

Abstract: A transducer switching system for, in effect, removing electrical energy from a transducer without breaking the electrical circuit. A resistor is in series with the transducer. An electro-mechanical switch shunts the resistor. The switch is within the enclosure containing the transducer. When the acoustic connector of a use-element, such as a stethoscope type headset for a listener, is inserted into the enclosure the switch is changed from its normally open state to a closed state, thereby shorting out the resistor and allowing an effective level of electrical power to operate the transducer. Two systems may be simultaneously actuated for stereophonic sound.

Abstract: A slider arrangement for potentiometers is presented, which provides good contact between the potentiometer resistor and the slider with low friction and low wear. With each position of slider guide means, the slider contacts the potentiometer resistor in an associated well defined point regardless of the direction of movement of the guide means. To this end the slider comprises a wire helix in crossed relation to the potentiometer resistor. The wire helix is urged into engagement with the potentiometer resistor by a strap extending into the wire helix and engaging the inner side thereof under spring tension, whereby engagement between helix and strap and the required contact pressure between helix and potentiometer resistor is established. The strap has bays or recesses in the area of the potentiometer resistor to permit the turns of the wire helix to conform to the cross sectional contour of the resistor.

Abstract: A self-sufficient three-piece structure constituting an open top metal housing within which there is mounted a pushbutton lever and a V-shaped leaf-type spring between lever and base of housing. A single plastic insert providing a crush resistent wall between base of housing and plastic cover also holds an electrical switching arrangement. The electrical switching arrangement includes a rotatable shaft and a radially outward extending finger which is actuated by insertion of the mating clip.

Abstract: A push-button switch having an electrically conductive body forming a chamber, having a fixed contact supported in the chamber, having a passage communicating with the chamber, having a flexible diaphragm sealing said chamber from said passage, and having an operating member slidably movable in said passage for depressing the diaphragm, has a flat spiral spring disposed within the chamber with the perimeter of the spring in electrical engagement with the body and with a central portion of the spring disposed in selected spaced relation to the fixed contact between the fixed contact and the diaphragm for permitting movement of the operating member to depress the central portion of the flat spiral spring through the flexible diaphragm into electrical engagement with the fixed contact to close an electrical circuit between the fixed contact and the body.

Abstract: A switch assembly which has a pair of electrically non-conductive sheets which are maintained spaced from each other by a suitable spacer structure. One sheet is formed with an opening passing therethrough and the spacer structure is clear of this opening so that the sheets have inner surface regions directed toward each other with one of these surface regions surrounding the opening and the other surface region being directed toward the opening. A switch-operating structure is freely movable through this opening and is electrically conductive. This switch-operating structure has between the sheets an inner enlarged electrically conductive head end which has a thickness less than the space between the sheets so that this inner head end is movable between the inner surface regions of the sheets. The switch-operating structure has an outer enlarged electrically conductive head end situated at the exterior of the sheet which is formed with the opening, at the side of the latter opposite from the other sheet.

Abstract: A base is provided defining an upwardly opening socket for seatingly receiving the lower end of an upright storage battery and a mount defining a downwardly opening socket and including lower marginally extending clamp structure is also provided and telescopable downwardly over the upper end of an upright storage battery and clampably engageable therewith. The downwardly opening socket defined by the mount includes portions thereof through which light rays may be transmitted and a dielectric horizontally disposed panel is received within an upper portion of the socket and has a pair of contact terminals secured therethrough in horizontally spaced relation.

Abstract: A switching mechanism has at least two terminals partly positioned within a housing and a reciprocal actuator movable within the housing. A coil spring, under endwise buckling pressure, is mounted between spaced portions of one of the terminals, with movement of the actuator causing the coil spring to pivotally move toward and away from another terminal. A slider is positioned in one end of the coil spring and arranged for contact with the actuator to cause pivotal movement of the coil spring. The actuator and slider have cooperating means for latching the actuator in an operated position.

Abstract: A collision detection device in which a column-shaped member with a contact spring is solely permitted to be moved only in the predetermined direction regardless of the direction of the deflection of a mass and usually holding the mass on one end thereof. The contact spring serves as a connector between two fixed contacts.

Abstract: A fluid filter system includes housing means, including a housing body and a terminal fixed thereto, a filter element and a bypass associated with the housing body, a piston movable in first and second directions relative to the housing body and resilient means for urging the piston in the first direction. The piston is also movable in the second direction against the resilience of the resilient means. The piston is movable in the first direction to a position directing fluid through the filter element, and movable in the second direction upon buildup of fluid pressure thereon due to blockage of fluid flow in the filter element, against the resilience of the resilient means, to a position wherein the fluid flow may bypass the filter element.