General Electric Company

Elmwood Sensors, Inc.

Stephen P Short

Philip R Lichtman

John J Gizienski

Robert J Mellen

A thermostat includes a housing having a cavity formed therein, a temperature responsive bimetallic disc located in the housing, a stationary contact member which is electrically interconnected to a first terminal external to the housing, and a movable contact member which is electrically interconnected to a second terminal external to the housing. The movable contact member movable between a switch-closed position and a switch-open position. An actuating member is located in the housing and is responsive to flexing movement of the disc for moving the movable contact member from the switch-closed position to the switch-open position. A reset assembly is provided for resetting the disc, and includes a reset element which is movable between a first position in which it is spaced from the actuating member and a second position in which it is axially moved to engage the actuating member for moving the disc back to its pre-flexed position. The reset assembly further includes a rocker element engageable with the movable contact member for maintaining the movable contact member in its switch-open position while the reset element is in its second position.

Trip-free, manual reset thermostat

A thermostatic switch has a housing and a temperature responsive bimetallic disc located in the housing and responsive to a predetermined temperature for exerting a flexing action. A fixed contact member is located in the cavity along with a movable contact member which is biased and movable between a switch-closed position in which it makes electrical contact with the fixed contact member and a switch-open position in which it is spaced from the fixed contact member. An actuating member is located in the housing, and is responsive to flexing movement of the disc for moving the movable contact member from the switch-closed position to the switch-open position. A hook portion is mounted within the cavity of the housing, the hook portion engaging an arm portion of the movable contact member upon the movement of the movable contact member to its switch-open position and entering an opening of the arm portion for retaining and maintaining the movable contact member in its switch open position.

Thermostat with one-piece reset mechanism and contact assembly

An electrical receptacle is provided with a shutter mechanism to block spurious insertion of a foreign object through one of the receptacle slots short of the receptacle power circuit contacts. This mechanism includes either one or two slides supported for movement between closed-latched and open positions. Access to the contacts requires the slides first be unlatched by a blade penetrating one receptacle slot and then cammed to open positions by another blade penetrating the other receptacle slot, as occurs incident to the insertion of a standard electrical plug into the receptacle.

Safety electrical receptacle

An electrical power tap is provided with at least one shutter mechanism to block spurious insertion of a foreign object through one blade slot short of the power circuit contacts of an adjacent pair of plug receptacles. This mechanism includes a pair slides supported for independent movement between closed-latched and open positions. Access to the contacts of either power tap plug receptacle requires that its slide first be unlatched by a blade penetrating one slot and then cammed to the open position by another blade penetrating the other slot, as occurs incident to the insertion of a standard electrical plug.

Safety electrical tap

A female plug body for an electric cord set with at least two contact openings, one opening smaller than the other, has an insert made of a more rigid insulating material than the plug body, disposed within the plug body. The insert has a pair of cavities providing clearance for one side of each of a pair of contacts embedded within the plug body, so that the resistance to insertion of a male plug is not affected by the ambient temperature. The insert also provides a channel providing rigid support for the opening in the plug for the 'hot' contact of the female plug which resists insertion of an oversized plug blade into the 'hot' contact.

Growing community of inventors

Johnston, RI, United States of America

Stephen P Short