The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 29, 1979
Filed:
Aug. 26, 1977
Earl T Piber, Milwaukee, WI (US);
Cutler-Hammer, Inc., Milwaukee, WI (US);
Abstract
The snap-in mounting means includes a garter spring retained in an annular groove provided near the outer end of a bushing which extends from a switch frame on a switch base of an electrical toggle switch assembly and pivotally supports a toggle lever for actuating switch contacts housed in the switch. The garter spring has a helical diameter and an outermost toroidal diameter which is larger than the diameter of the mounting hole in a support panel on which the switch assembly is to be mounted. The bushing groove has an upper portion for retaining the garter spring in its normally expanded state, a lower portion of sufficient radial depth to receive the garter spring, when squeezed radially inwardly to a compressed state of reduced toroidal diameter without reducing the helical diameter, wherein the garter spring/bushing subassembly can pass through the panel mounting hole, and a tapered inner wall extending between the upper and lower portions. As the subassembly is pushed as a unit through the mounting hole from the rear of the panel, the garter spring engages the back rim of the hole and is squeezed into the compressed state in the lower portion of the bushing groove. The garter spring subsequently returns to its normally expanded state in the upper portion of the groove where a portion of the outer helical surface engages a front end of the mounting hole to retain the switch on the panel.