Tower Manufacturing Corporation

Alden Products Company

Bryan A Thurston

Chepur P Rao

Robert J Carreiro

A breakaway locking connector system includes a first body having a rotatable collar mounted thereon and a second body configured to mate with the first body and automatically disengage from the first body when a predetermined force is applied to the connector system. The first and second bodies include telescopingly engaged body portions and axially mating contacts. The connector system further includes an annular collar encircling the telescoping body portions and rotatively held on the first body and a spring inside the collar. The ends of the spring are confined between the first body and the collar so as yieldingly to resist rotation of the collar relative to the first body. Axially aligned tabs are provided on the collar and the second body for latching the first body and the second body together through a predetermined range of forces. The tabs include opposed flaring cam surfaces, which cause the collar to rotate relative to the second body as the first and second body are telescoped to a mated contact position and at least one tab includes an angled back surface. The cam surfaces guide the collar tab around the body tab, and the coiled spring yields as the collar is rotated by the cam tabs during contact mating to allow the collar tab to slide past the body tab. The spring then rotates the collar tab to a latching position axially behind the body tab, thereby locking the connector bodies in mated contact position. When a predetermined pulling force is applied to the mated bodies, the body tab and the collar tab are configured to automatically disengage without damaging the components of the connector.

Breakaway locking connector

A rotary electric switch having push-in wire terminals includes a hollow plastic housing having a recessed base and a cover, the base having a plurality of wire receiving openings. A plurality of resilient stationary contacts are positioned in the base, each resilient stationary contact being generally Z-shaped and having a locking tongue at one end, an intermediate arm, and a spring finger at the opposite end from the locking tongue. Each resilient stationary contact is positioned in the base with its locking tongue overlying a wire receiving opening in a side wall in the housing. A rotatable contactor is mounted in the base between the spring fingers of the resilient stationary contacts. A plurality of conductive plates are disposed in the base, one conductive plate associated with each resilient stationary contact, each conductive contacting the resilient stationary contact at a location its intermediate arm and in addition preventing a wire inserted into the opening from touching the sidewall of the housing. The housing includes a number of projections and standoffs to provide adequate spacing between current carrying components on the switch.

Rotary electric switch with conductive plates

A miniature rotary electric switch having push-in wire terminals comprises a housing which is about 1 inch in length, 1 inch in width and 0.2 inches in thickness and which includes a plurality of wire receiving openings. A plurality of Z-shaped stationary contacts are positioned inside the housing and a rotatable contactor is disposed inside the housing for selectively contacting the stationary contacts. Each stationary contact is positioned to overlie at least a portion of one of the wire receiving openings for locking engagement with a wire to be inserted therethrough. Each stationary contact includes a locking tongue, a spring finger and an intermediate arm, the intermediate arm linking the locking tongue to the spring finger. The locking tongue is connected to the intermediate arm at a first bend and the intermediate arm is connected to the spring finger at a second bend. The housing of the switch is configured to include a plurality of pairs of corners and a plurality of posts, one post being adjacent but spaced away from each corner. Each stationary contact is disposed in the housing with its first bend wedged in one corner in a pair of corners and extending around the post adjacent that corner and its second bend wedged in the other corner in the pair of corners and extending around its post adjacent that corner. Each stationary contact further includes a third bend in the intermediate arm, the third bend having an angle of about 130 degrees to about 140 degrees. The spring finger of each stationary contact comprises a straight member and a bent tip, the straight member and the bent tip forming a bend angle at the junction thereof of about 80 degrees.

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Johnston, RI, United States of America

Bryan A Thurston