Robertshaw Controls Company

Frank Payne

Douglas R Scott

William N Smith

Roscoe M Ailor

An electrical switch construction and method of making the same are provided, the construction comprising a housing, a pair of electrical switching units carried by the housing, and a condition responsive actuator carried by the housing and being operatively associated with the units to serially operate the units as the sensed condition respectively reaches two different predetermined conditions. The actuator comprises an axially movable plunger for operating one of the units and a snap disc for operating the other of the units when snapped overcenter, the actuator having a spring operatively associated with the plunger and the snap disc to move the snap disc overcenter when the plunger is moved to a certain axial position thereof by the actuator sensing one of the conditions. The actuator has a tubular member telescopically disposed on the plunger and operatively interconnecting the snap disc to the other unit when the snap disc is snapped overcenter.

Method of making an electrical switch

A fluid pressure actuator construction and method of making the same are provided, the method comprising the steps of forming a housing with an annular surface, securing an outer peripheral portion of a flexible diaphragm to the annular surface to define a fluid chamber with the housing whereby certain pressure differentials acting across the diaphragm cause movement thereof relative to the housing for actuation purposes or the like, and before the step of securing the diaphragm disposing a compression spring in the chamber to act between the housing and the diaphragm to tend to move the diaphragm in a direction away from the chamber, disposing a backup plate in the chamber so as to engage against the side of the diaphragm that faces the chamber, causing the spring to have one end thereof bearing against the backup plate, and forming the diaphragm to comprise a lamination having a polymeric layer defining the side thereof facing away from the chamber and a metallic layer defining the side thereof facing the chamber, and thereafter forming the diaphragm with an annular convolution adjacent the annular surface and inboard thereof by drawing the convolution in the diaphragm with a pressure differential created across the diaphragm after the diaphragm has been secured to the housing so as to have a convex side thereof facing the chamber.

Method of making a fluid pressure actuator

Electrical switch construction and method of making the same

A combined temperature responsive valve construction and an electrical switch construction wherein the valve construction has a thermally responsive device of the piston and cylinder type operating a movable valve member that is engaged by the piston of the device and operates an actuator of the switch construction, the valve member comprising an axially movable valve stem having opposed ends one of which is engaged by the piston of the device and the other of which operates the actuator. A coiled compression spring has one of the opposed ends thereof engaging a spring retaining part of the other end of the valve stem in a retained manner and the other opposed end thereof engaging the actuator whereby axial movement of the valve stem toward the actuator will tend to compress the spring therebetween.

Combined temperature responsive valve construction and electrical switch

An electrical switch construction having a one-piece substantially U-shaped flexible member having a cross member and a pair of legs extending from the cross member and defining pivot points that pivotally mount pivot members to the construction. The legs respectively have cam followers intermediate the pivot points thereof and the cross member thereof. A plunger is axially movable between the legs and has a cam that serially engages the cam followers to serially flex the legs and thereby move the pivot points thereof to cause the pivot members to serially pivot as the plunger is axially moved in one direction.

Electrical switch construction

A temperature responsive electrical switch construction having electrical contacts operated by a stem of a piston and cylinder type thermal device carried by the construction, the contacts comprising a plurality of pairs of cooperating contacts arranged to have each cooperating pair thereof operated serially by the stem as the thermal device senses different predetermined temperatures. Each pair of cooperating contacts comprises a fixed contact and a movable contact. The construction has a plurality of terminals projecting therefrom and being substantially parallel to each other and to the stem, the fixed contacts being respectively carried by the terminals.

Temperature responsive electrical switch construction, parts therefor

An electrical switch construction having a housing carrying an electrical switch and an actuator for actuating an operating plunger of the electrical switch, the construction having a flexible diaphragm seal disposed against the electrical switch to seal the same to a part of the housing and define a chamber with that part of the housing so that the electrical switch is sealed therein. The diaphragm seal has a portion thereof disposed between the plunger and the actuator. The diaphragm seal has means for preventing a pressure increase in the chamber thereof that would adversely act across the portion of the diaphragm seal when there is an increase in the volume of fluid in the chamber regardless of whether the increase in volume is caused by a change in temperature and/or an out gasing of the plastic parts of the switch.

Electrical switch construction diaphragm seal therefor and methods of

An apparatus and method having a first unit for creating mechanical movement with a certain frequency ofmovement. A second unit is operatively associated with the first unit for producing a pulsing electrical signal that has a pulse rate substantially proportional to the frequency of movement. A third unit is operatively associated with the second unit for producing a pneumatic signal that is substantially proportional to the pulse rate of the pulsing electrical signal.

Method and apparatus for translating frequency of mechanical movement

A corrosion sensor having a housing carrying an electrical switch that has an actuator normally held in one switch operating position thereof by a corrosion sensing member of the housing and moving to another switch operation position thereof when the corrosion sensing member ruptures through the corrosion thereof caused by being exposed to a corrosive area, the corrosion sensing member also comprising a seal member for normally sealing the switch structure from the corrosive area until the corrosion sensing member ruptures. The housing has a chamber therein containing the switch and has an end provided with an opening leading to the chamber. The corrosion sensing member spans the opening to seal the chamber from the corrosive area. A flexible diaphragm is carried by the housing in stacked engaging relation with the corrosion sensing member and also spans the opening immediately adjacent the corrosion sensing member and intermediate the corrosion sensing member and the switch to seal the chamber from the corrosive area when the corrosion sensing member ruptures.

Corrosion sensor

An electrical switch construction having a housing carrying a pair of spaced contact stops and a snap switch blade having a contact portion for being snapped between the stops when the blade is moved over center by an actuator spring member that is movable relative to the housing by an actuator plunger. The actuator spring member has opposed ends respectively and operatively interconnected to the housing and to the blade and being under tension between the ends thereof so as to have a resultant spring force normally tending to move the actuator spring member toward the plunger and thereby the switch blade toward one of the contact stops. The actuator spring member comprises a one-piece substantially L-shaped leaf spring member separate from the blade and having two legs respectively defining the opposed ends thereof, one of the legs being pivotally mounted to the housing to operatively interconnect that one leg to the housing.

Improved pollutant emission control system and a combined electric switch and temperature responsive valve therefor as utilized in an internal combustion engine wherein a specially arranged electric switch and valve of the combined switch and valve is respectively connected to a catalytic converter of the engine exhaust system and to certain engine portions such as the engine spark device in order that the thermo-responsive power element of the combined switch and valve controls the operation of both the specially arranged electric switch and valve to minimize noxious pollutant emission from the engine exhaust system.

Growing community of inventors

Knoxville, TN, United States of America

Frank Payne