Honeywell G.m.b.h.

James P Miller

Ronald G Cox

Gregory L Laue

John E Wardrop

William J Kipp

A ball bearing plunger actuator for a limit switch is provided with an insert between the ball bearing and the actuator. The insert is disposed into an opening in the distal end of the actuator before insertion of the sphere. After swaging the sphere is captivated within the opening of the actuator with the low friction insert disposed at the bottom of the opening between the sphere and the actuator. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the low friction insert is made of a fluorocarbon, such as TFE. Several embodiments of the present invention incorporate inserts which are differently shaped to provide certain advantages in particular adaptations. Two of the embodiments utilized either a generally cylindrical insert with a conical concave part of the insert shaped at one end to receive the ball bearing or, alternatively, a generally flat circular disc of fluorocarbon material which conforms to the bottom of the opening and is inserted into the opening prior to insertion of the sphere.

Ball bearing plunger actuator for a switch

A timed contact switch apparatus has a conventional pushbutton placing a main switch in an actuated state when the pushbutton is depressed. A timing circuit is activated by the pushbutton to provide power to activate an electromechanical latch which holds the main switch in its actuated state while the timing circuit times out. Preferably the timing circuit operation is initiated by output of a Hall sensor which is controlled by a magnet whose position is mechanically linked to the position of the pushbutton.

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Freeport, IL, United States of America

James P Miller