Electromagnetic contactor

Abstract

An electromagnetic contactor includes a housing assembly that may be adapted for one, two, three or four poles. An armature is affixed to a contact carrier either by a flat leaf spring that passes through a slot in a laminated armature or by a press fit of a solid armature into the contact carrier. In one embodiment of the invention, a housing assembly snaps into a base to permit a maximum amount of automatic asssembly and a minimum number of components. These components include a base, a magnet assembly having at least one shading coil, a formed coil assembly, two symmetrically disposed springs to return a contact carrier to a neutral position when the coil is de-energized, an armature to complete the magnetic circuit that is attached to the contact carrier, a contact block that supports terminals and stationary contacts, and a contact carrier that carries one or more moving contacts into engagement with the fixed contacts. A coil spring for each contact applies a force when the electromagnet is energized to draw the removable contacts to the fixed contacts to close an electric circuit. A magnet clip secures the magnet assembly by latching in place without screws or rivets. In an alternate embodiment, a molded cantilever supports a coil assembly under spring tension.