Split armature relay

Abstract

A relay coil is fixed in a housing adjacent a pair of vertically spaced, stationary contacts, which are electrically insulated from one another, and which have associated terminals that project exteriorly of the housing. A pair of resilient switch arms project from a stationary metal plate in the housing transversely across one end of the armature coil in spaced, parallel relation to each other. At their ends remote from the metal plate the switch arms carry a pair of contacts which register with the stationary contacts in the housing. An armature member is secured to and extends along the inside surface of each switch arm in confronting relation to the adjacent end of the armature coil. Curved, resilient portions of the switch arms adjacent the metal mounting plate normally hold the arms resiliently in switch-open positions, but when the armature coil is energized the two armatures are drawn toward the coil, thus pivoting the spring arms into positions in which their contacts engage the stationary contacts to close the circuit. Both the armatures and the switch arms are capable of moving independently of one another.