Reed and reed switch therefor

Abstract

A reed for a reed switch which comprises a body of conductive material having a contact section, an intermediate spring section, and a support section with the intermediate section being foil-thin and a contact section being substantially rigid and non-flexible and thicker than the intermediate section, and the intermediate section comprises a leaf spring having a flexibility permitting one end of the leaf spring to flex a substantial distance through an arc with respect to the other end of the leaf spring without exceeding the elastic limits of the spring, and the intermediate section being cold-worked to a point where said conductive material assumes a substantial change in physical characteristics, and said intermediate section is substantially harder, less ductile, and more dense than the contact section, and the body of said reed being of magnetic material. The invention also includes a reed switch in which the reed is mounted in association with a second conductive non-magnetic material reed and further is intended to include a magnetic operator for moving the magnetic reed into contact with the non-magnetic reed.