Tri-tech Corporation

Haydon Switch & Instrument, Inc.

Leo F Geremia

A switch assembly of the rotary and/or push-pull type is made up of a plurality of stacked switch section including rotary switch sections and/or push-pull switch sections, all actuated by a common central shaft. In the rotary sections, there are at least one pair of terminals, a rotary cam rotatable with the shaft, a substantially rigid cam follower contact arm biased against the rotary cam and movable, with rotation of the cam, between open and closed positions. The contact arm is hinged on and electrically connected with one of the pair of terminals. The other end of the contact arm has a dog-leg section and a resilient conductive leaf, favorably formed of beryllium-copper, on which a movable contact is mounted. The flexing of the leaf brings about wiping action of the movable contact when it closes onto a fixed contact connected with the other terminal. The push-pull switch sections have an axially movable carrier also including a flexible resilient leaf member on which movable contacts are mounted. The movable contacts of the push-pull switching sections also close with a wiping action on their mating fixed contacts.

Rotary and/or push-pull wiping switch

A sealed toggle switch is formed of a hollow thermosetting plastic base, a metal cover closing off the base, a rocking blade, and a bat actuator handle having a ball disposed to rotate in a socket bushing in the cover and a resiliently biased finger pushing against the blade to rock it from one position to another when the bat actuator is moved. Sealing is accomplished by an O-ring seated in a groove on an upper surface of the base and extending around the periphery of the same. This O-ring is compressed by the cover to form a seal. Another O-ring is seated in an annular groove in the bushing and is compressed against the ball of the actuator handle. Contacts of the switch are selectively connectable by rocking of the blade, and these extend through the base. Seals, such as O-rings or flat rubber seals, are provided between these contacts and the base. The toggle switch of this invention can favorably be constructed as a single-pole, double-throw two-position switch or a single-pole, double-throw, center-off three-position switch.

Sealed toggle switch

A environmentally sealed snap action switch mechanism suitable for use in high temperature (900.degree. F.+) environments comprises a casing having a flex area formed on one surface so as to be susceptible to snap-action movement. A switch is situated inside the casing. An inner actuator leaf affixed at one end to the flex area links the latter with the switch. An outer actuator leaf is affixed to the flex area on the outside of the casing. The outer and inner actuator leaves move in concert to open and close the switch and cause the flex area to snap between normal and actuated conditions. To ensure proper performance at high temperatures, a helper leaf spring extends between the outer actuator arm and the exterior surface of the casing to bias the outer actuator arm away from the casing. Preferably, the switch includes a flexible steel blade, and, in one version, includes a two-layer blade to achieve extended switch life.

High temperature switch

A rotary switch comprises a control shaft rotatable clockwise from a neutral position to a first switch actuating position and beyond it to an overtravel position, and counter-clockwise to a second switch actuating position and beyond it to another overtravel position; a centering arrangement for biasing the control shaft to its neutral position; first and second switch mechanisms; a housing enclosing the switch mechanisms; and a switch actuating arrangement. The latter arrangement includes a pair of cams mounted on the control shaft, a pivotally-mounted blade for actuating the first and second switch mechanisms, and first and second cam followers formed on the blade for slidably contacting respective ones of the cams. The cams are preferably formed as plate cams each having a cam finger that is bendable in the circumferential direction, in relation to the control shaft, to adjust the contact position thereof on the respective cam follower.

Growing community of inventors

Wallingford, CT, United States of America

Leo F Geremia