Thermal time-delay switch

A thermal time-delay switch comprising:

• a pair of opposed contacts connected in series with a load;
• at least one heating resistor connected in parallel with the load;
• cooperating bimetallic elements which are heated by said heating resistor comprising a first bimetallic element operable to displace with a temperature rise in a direction in which one of the contacts is separated from the other contact, a second bimetallic element operable to displace with the temperature rise a direction in which one of the contacts is engaged with the other contact, wherein one end of said first bimetallic element is coupled with one end of said second bimetallic element, the other end of one of said first and second bimetallic element is integrally secured to a switch body, and the other end of the other of said first and second bimetallic elements is attached with one of said contacts, and wherein the amount of displacement of the contact due to the temperature rise in the first bimetallic element is different from the amount of displacement of the contact due to the temperature rise in the second bimetallic element so that the contacts are switched with a substantially predetermined time delay substantially independent of fluctuations over a wide range of a voltage feeding said heating resistor;
• and
• a contact supporter having one end attached with the other of said contacts and the other end integrally secured to the switch body, said contact supporter including a first strip member integrally secured to the switch body and a second strip member having a free end biased in a direction of said opposing contacts to come into contact with said first strip member, and means disposed in close vicinity of the free end of the second strip member for adjusting the distance between said first and second strip members.