Battery cable switch
OwnerDurrell U. Howardinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The battery cable switch disclosed has electrically conductive bodies positioned in an insulating housing which also contains a reciprocating contactor movable into and out of contact with said bodies. The switch is remotely operable by an actuator having a cam slide for reciprocating the contactor and a detent for holding the contactor in its open position. Each conductive body can be detachably connected to a battery cable and the housing made watertight by seals around the cables and the actuator. Snap-on means are provided for connecting the actuator to the housing and the housing to its mounting bracket. Both the cam slide and the contactor may be spring biased and the motive portion of the actuator may take various forms.
Claims18
A switch apparatus for selectively connecting a source of electrical power to an electrical system, said apparatus comprising:
- an electrically insulating housing having an elongated bore;
- at least two electrically conductive bodies mounted within said housing each in spaced relation to the other;
- fastening means for detachably connecting one of said conductive bodies to an electrical cable connected to said source of electrical power and the other of said conductive bodies to an electrical cable connected to said electrical system;
- an electrically conductive contactor movable between a closed position in contact with each of said at least two conductive bodies and an open position out of contact with each of said at least two conductive bodies;
- a cam slide carried within said elongated bore and arranged for reciprocating movement along the longitudinal axis of said bore between a first position corresponding to the closed position of said contactor and a second position corresponding to the open position of said contactor;
- actuator means for causing said cam slide to move between said first and second positions in response to a signal produced externally to said electrically insulating housing;
- and,
- a cam follower cooperating with said cam slide and said contactor so that said longitudinal reciprocating movement of said cam slide causes said contactor to move between its said open and closed positions.
A switch apparatus for selectively connecting a source of electrical power to an electrical system, said apparatus comprising:
- an electrically insulating housing;
- at least two electrically conductive bodies mounted within said housing in spaced relation to each other;
- fastening means for detachably connecting one of said conductive bodies to an electrical cable connected to said source of electrical power and the other of said conductive bodies to an electrical cable connected to said electrical system;
- an electrically conductive contactor movable between a closed position in contact with each of said at least two conductive bodies and an open position out of contact with each of said at least two conductive bodies;
- follower means for causing said contactor to move between said closed and open positions, said follower means having a first position corresponding to the closed position of said contactor and a second position corresponding to the open position of said contactor;
- actuator means for causing said follower means to move between said first and second positions in response to a signal produced externally to said electrically insulating housing, said electrically insulating housing having a water tight outer wall with access ports for receiving said actuator means, said electrical cables, and an implement for operating said fastening means so as to attach or detach said conductive bodies to said electrical cables;
- and,
- resilient means for providing a water tight seal across said implement access ports, between said housing and said actuator means, and between said housing and said electrical cables, said conductive bodies, said fastening means, said contactor, and said follower means being carried within said water tight outer wall of said electrically insulating housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.