Electrical switch method operating such and indexing system

An electrical switch comprising a housing having at least one wall;

• a switch operating member rotatably mounted in the housing including a peripheral portion spaced from the one wall, and a plurality of detents on the switch operating member disposed in generally annular relation thereabout;
• resilient means mounted to the housing including an abutment portion for releasable holding engagement with the detents, the resilient means being operable generally to urge the abutment portion toward engagement with the switch operating member and toward the releasable holding engagement with each of the detents thereby to respectively define indexed positions of the switch operating member upon its rotation in response to a force applied thereto;
• and means for retarding the angular velocity of the applied force rotation of the switch operating member between its indexed positions including means associated with one of the switch operating member and the at least one wall for frictional engagement with the other of the switch operating member and the at least one wall only during a predetermined portion of the applied force rotation of the switch operating means from one of its indexed positions toward another thereof.

An electrical switch comprising a housing, a switch operator mounted in the housing for rotation in response to an applied force between a plurality of switch operating positions, yieldable means for indexing engagement with the switch operator and operable generally to releasably hold the switch operator in its switch operating positions, and means for retarding the angular velocity of the switch operator only during a predetermined portion of its applied force rotation from one of the switch operating positions toward another thereof.

A method of operating an electrical switch having a housing, and a switch operator adapted for rotation in the housing between a plurality of distinct switch operating positions comprising the steps of:

• a. applying a force to the switch operator for rotating it from one of its switch operating positions toward another thereof;
• and
• retarding the applied force rotation of the switch operator during only a preselected portion of its rotation between its one and another switch operating positions.

A method of operating an electrical switch having a switch operator therein adapted for rotation between a plurality of switch operating positions, and means for releasably holding the switch operator in each of its switch operating positions comprising the steps of:

• a. rotating the switch operator from one of its switch operating positions toward another thereof and driving the releasable holding means to effect its release as the switch operator is rotated;
• and
• b. retarding the angular velocity of the switch operator only during a predetermined portion of the switch operator rotation between its one and other switch operating positions.

An indexing system for an electrical switch having a plurality of circuits and means adapted to be rotated between a plurality of indexed positions in the switch in response to an applied force for controlling the making and breaking of the circuits, the indexing system comprising means engaged with the controlling means and operable generally for releasably holding it in each of its indexed positions, and means for retarding the rotation of the controlling means so as to increase the total mechanical and electrical transfer time of the controlling means in its travel from one of its indexed position toward another thereof without affecting the operation of said releasably maintaining means when the applied force having a magnitude great enough to effect the release of said releasable maintaining means is exerted on the controlling means to rotate it between its indexed positions.

An electrical switch comprising a housing, a switch operator disposed in the housing for rotation in response to an applied force between a plurality of switch operating positions, and means for retarding the applied force rotation of the switch operator including at least one friction element movably mounted in the housing, a plurality of means on the switch operator for frictionally engaging the at least one friction element upon the applied force rotation of the switch operator from one of its switch operating positions toward another thereof, and means for opposing movement in the housing of the at least one friction element upon the frictional engagement therewith of the frictionally engaging means.

An indexing system for an electrical switch having switch operating means adapted for rotatable movement therein between a plurality of discrete switch operating positions, the indexing system comprising means associated with the switch operating means for releasably holding it in the switch operating positions thereof, and means operable independently of said releasably holding means for retarding the switch operating means only during a predetermined portion of its rotatable movement from one of the switch operating positions to another thereof.

An electrical switch comprising a housing, means operable generally for switching power through the switch, means rotatable in the housing between a plurality of indexed positions for actuating the switching means, means engaged with the actuating means during its rotation and operable generally for releasably holding the actuating means in each of its indexed positions, and a plurality of friction elements on the actuating means at least adjacent the periphery thereof, the friction elements being movable into frictional engagement with at least one associated part of the housing so as to retard the rotation of the actuating means from at least one of its indexed positions toward another thereof.

An electrical switch comprising a housing, means operable generally for switching power through the switch, means rotatable in the housing between a plurality of indexed positions for actuating the switching means, means engaged with the actuating means during its rotation and operable generally for releasably holding the actuating means in each of its indexed positions, and means associated with the housing for frictional engagement with at least one portion of the actuating means extending therefrom at least generally adjacent the periphery of the actuating means so as to retard the actuating means upon the rotation thereof from at least one of its indexed positions toward another thereof.

An electrical switch comprising a housing, means operable generally for switching power through the switch, means rotatable in the housing between a plurality of indexed positions for actuating the switching means, means engaged with the actuating means during its rotation and operable generally for releasably holding the actuating means in each of its indexed positions, a plurality of spaced apart friction elements disposed in the housing, and at least one extension on the actuating means for frictional engagement with the friction elements so as to effect retardation of the actuating means as it is rotated from at least one of its indexed positions toward another thereof.

An electrical switch comprising a housing, means operable generally for switching power through the switch, means rotatable in the housing between a plurality of indexed positions for actuating the switching means, means engaged with the actuating means during its rotation and operable generally for releasably holding the actuating means in each of its indexed positions, at least one friction element disposed in the housing, and a plurality of means on the actuating means for respective frictional engagement with the at least one friction element so as to effect retardation of the actuating means upon its rotation from at least one of its indexed positions toward another thereof.