Safety switch assemblies

Abstract

A safety switch assembly comprises a safety switch for securement to an enclosure having an openable closure, and an actuator for operating the safety switch for securement to the closure. The safety switch comprises a housing, containing electrical contacts, and a cam arrangement for operating the electrical contacts and formed with peripheral inwardly directed radial pockets. An axially-movable rod connects the electrical contacts and the cam arrangement. The housing has openings adjacent the cam arrangement for insertion of the actuator. The cam arrangement comprises a shaft bridging lateral walls of the housing, and an actuating cam rotatably supported on the shaft and connected to the rod by a cam follower pin connected to the rod and engaged in cam grooves in the actuating cam. An axially-movable locking cam is supported on the shaft, at each side of the actuating cam, and a spring is disposed between each locking cam and an adjacent housing wall to urge the respective locking cam towards the actuating cam and into engagement with the cam follower pin to lock the actuating cam against rotation. The actuator comprises laterally-spaced limbs insertible between the actuating cam and the locking cams axially to space same apart, and engageable with the actuating cam to rotate same axially to move the rod to operate the electrical contacts.