Electrical conductor alignment and retaining assembly

An assembly for preventing inadvertent withdrawal of a pair of electrical terminals from a pushbutton switch assembly, and comprising:

• a pair of electrical terminals;
• a housing assembly including a barrel portion with an axis and an attached head portion extending generally transverse to said axis;
• a cover portion positioned adjacent to said head portion with each of said electrical terminals extending in non-contacting relationship to one another between said head and cover portions, each of said terminals having an end portion forming an electrical attachment with an electrical conductor extending beyond said housing;
• a plurality of spaced pin members each extending between said head and cover portions with at least one pair of pin members arranged on opposite sides of and in contact with each of said electrical terminals;
• each pair of spaced pin members defining a distance which is appreciably less than a width of a further portion of a respective electrical terminal from that portion of the same electrical terminal forming an electrical attachment with a one of said electrical conductors;
• said head and cover portions of said housing further include insulating means for preventing an electrical connection between said conductors through either said head or said cover portion;
• a contact moveable along said axis for bridging said electrical terminal for electrically connecting said conductors attached thereto;
• means mounting said contact for said axial movement to establish said electrical connection;
• a plunger axially slidable in said barrel and engaging said means for projecting said mounting means in an axial direction;
• biasing means yieldably biasing said contact, mounting means and plunger for return to a retracted position in which said contact bridges said conductors;
• a ratchet mechanism on said housing and mounting means for retaining said mounting means in a projected position against the bias of said biasing means;
• said plunger transmitting axial motion to said mounting means on a first stroke for operating said ratchet mechanism to retain said mounting means in a projected position at the conclusion of said stroke in which position said contact is out of engagement with said terminals;
• said plunger transmitting axial motion to said mounting means on a second stroke for operating said ratchet mechanism to allow said biasing means to return said contact and mounting means to a retracted position, in which said contact is in engagement with said terminals.

An assembly for preventing inadvertent withdrawal of a pair of electrical terminals from a pushbutton switch assembly, and comprising:

• a pair of electrical terminals;
• a housing assembly including a barrel portion with an axis and an attached head portion extending generally transverse to said axis;
• a cover portion positioned adjacent to said head portion with each of said electrical terminals extending in non-contacting relationship to one another between said head and cover portions, each of said terminals having an end portion forming an electrical attachment with an electrical conductor extending beyond said housing;
• a plurality of spaced pin members each extending between said head and cover portions with at least one pair of pin members arranged on opposite sides of and in contact with each of said electrical terminals;
• each pair of spaced pin members defining a distance which is appreciably less than a width of a further portion of a respective electrical terminal from that portion of the same electrical terminal forming an electrical attachment with a one of said electrical conductors;
• said head and cover portions of said housing further include insulating means for preventing an electrical connection between said conductors through either said head or said cover portion;
• a contact moveable along said axis for selectively bridging said electrical terminal for electrically connecting said conductors attached thereto;
• means mounting said contact for said axial movement to establish said electrical connection;
• a plunger axially slidable in said barrel and engaging said means for projecting said mounting means in an axial direction;
• biasing means yieldably biasing said contact, mounting means and plunger for return to a retracted position in which said contact is out of engagement with said conductors;
• a ratchet mechanism on said housing and mounting means for retaining said mounting means in a projected position against the bias of said biasing means;
• said plunger transmitting axial motion to said mounting means on a first stroke for operating said ratchet mechanism to retain said mounting means in a projected position at the conclusion of said stroke in which position said contact bridges said terminals to form an electrical connection therebetween;
• said plunger transmitting axial motion to said mounting means on a second stroke for operating said ratchet mechanism to allow said biasing means to return said contact and mounting means to a retracted position, in which said contact is out of engagement with said terminals.