Intermatic Incorporated

Eaton Corporation

Other

Donald M Berlin

Julius R Rosenski

Ole K Nilssen

Keith E Zukausky

Rudolph W Janda

Clifford E Mensing

Steve Baker

A photo-control apparatus comprising a photo-control circuit that includes two or more photo-cells connected in parallel that respond to ambient light. The circuit includes a switch that connects a power source to a load. When the photo-cells are exposed to ambient light, current flows through the parallel photo-cells operating the switch which disengages the load from the source. The plural parallel photo-cells in the photo-control circuit provide for improved reliability and have the potential to cost less to manufacture than a single photo-cell as used in a conventional photo-control circuit.

Photo-control apparatus and circuit

An outdoor weatherproof protective electrical outlet cover adapted to be attached in weatherproof connection to an electrical outlet comprising a base plate adapted to be attached in weatherproof connection with the electrical outlet, the base plate having an aperture of sufficient size to accommodate the electrical outlet positioned in a first orientation and a second orientation wherein only one electrical outlet orientation can be accommodated at a given time, an insert sized and adapted to fit within the aperture of the base plate in a first orientation and a second orientation, the aperture being of sufficient size to accommodate one electrical outlet orientation, and a protective housing defining a closed space enclosing the electrical outlet with at least one electrical plug present, the protective housing adapted to be mounted to the base plate. Also included is a latching mechanism for an outdoor outlet cover adapted to secure the housing in a closed position with respect to the base and having an optionally removable release button to facilitate opening of the cover.

Outdoor electrical outlet cover

A cam actuated valve is disclosed having a butterfly-type valve member (50) rotatably mounted in a fluid passageway (22) defined by a valve housing (20) with a crank member (16) attached to the valve member and extending beyond the housing. A rectangular bracket (12) is attached to one side of the valve housing and has a pivot hole (60) and a pair of arcuate slots (56, 58) concentric with the pivot hole. A cam (14) is rotatably mounted to the bracket by a pin (84) which projects from the face of the cam and extends into the bracket pivot hole. The cam is axially retained to the bracket by a pair of guide tabs (68, 70) formed around its periphery which extend through the guide slots and abut the valve side of the bracket and a bearing surface on the cam which abuts with the cam side of the bracket. The outer end (74) of the crank member extends through the bracket and into engagement with a cam surface defined by a slot (72) in the cam. The angular position of the crank and the configuration of the slot are such that valve fluid flow rate changes are directly proportional to cam angular displacement.

Cam actuated butterfly valve

A calibration mechanism for a pressure switch of the type utilizing a rotary cam which controls the setting of a spring-biased plunger to establish pressure levels required to actuate the switch. The calibration mechanism includes a support bracket mounted on the switch and a cam assembly including an integrally formed cam member and camshaft. A plunger adjustment mechanism includes a pivotally mounted lever having a cam follower in following engagement with the cam. The support bracket defines a bore adapted to receive the camshaft. The cam has a range of rotational orientations in which the cam follower engages the operative portion of the cam profile. The camshaft includes a projection extending radially therefrom which is axially disposed from the cam a predetermined distance greater than the axial length of the bore in the support bracket. The support bracket defines a slot extending from the bore. The cam assembly is assembled to the support bracket by orienting the cam assembly relative to the bracket such that the projection on the camshaft passes through the slot as the camshaft is inserted in the bore. The cam assembly is then rotated to the operable range of angular displacement in which the projection is angularly offset from the slot, thus axially retaining the shaft of the cam assembly in the bore of the support bracket.

Calibration mechanism for a pressure switch

A thin disc-like device for attachment to the base end of an incandescent light bulb to provide an auxiliary voltage reducing circuit interfaced between the central base contacts of the light bulb and its cooperating lampholder for purposes of extending the rated life of the light bulb. The device is made up of a generally annular insulator base, which protectively houses, locates and mounts a laminated contact assembly made up of a pair of registeringly disposed brass or copper foil electrical conductor contact plates separated by an intervening sheet insulator; the conductor plates having interfacial soldered connections with an interposed flat leaderless silicon rectifier chip. A compressible annular mounting gasket is adhesively secured to the upper side of the contact assembly, its base housing and the base of the light bulb. The uppermost contact plate is engageably exposed to the base contact of the light bulb while the lowermost contact plate is likewise exposed to the base contact of the lampholder in operation. Axial separation of the bulb and lampholder base contacts is limited to the thin laminated thickness of the contact plates and separating insulator so as to normally maintain the conductor base shell of the light bulb within the upper limits or outer end of the lampholder in operation. An auxiliary insulator shield is optionally provided to further protect the user from contacting 'live' metal of the bulb's base shell, due to inconsistency of bulb manufacture resulting in variations in the length or extent of the bulb bases.

Growing community of inventors

McHenry, IL, United States of America

Donald M Berlin