Push-button switch with improved rocking contactor switch mechanism
AssigneeEaton Corporation
InventorEdward Fulton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A push-button switch wherein a spring loaded plunger (22) is carried by a push-button operator (4) along a surface of a rocking contactor (20) across the plane of the support contact (16) for the contactor (20) to rock that contactor into and out of engagement with stationary contacts (12, 14). A U-shaped conductive bearing (18) is mounted over the end of the support contact (16) to provide a uniformly smooth pivot and current transfer surface for the contactor (20). The plunger (22) and spring (24) are loaded in a through-hole (4f) in the operator (4) wherein the spring (24) may be compressed just prior to final assembly into a switch housing (2), facilitating assembly operations for the switch.
Claims13
A rocking contactor electric switching structure comprising, in combination:
- a blade contact;
- a rocking contactor pivotally mounted on an end of said blade contact terminal;
- stationary contact means;
- actuator means engaging a surface of said rocking contactor, said actuator means including spring means biasing said actuator and said contactor toward said end of said blade contact;
- operator means for moving said actuator means along said contactor surface across the plane of said blade contact for rocking said contactor into engagement with said stationary contact means to electrically bridge said blade contact and said stationary contact means;
- and
- an electrically conductive U-shaped bearing clip interposed said contactor and said blade contact, said clip being disposed over said end of said blade contact with the bight portion of said clip toward said contactor for providing a uniformly smooth pivot surface for said contactor.
An electric switch comprising, in combination:
- an insulating switch base;
- a blade contact terminal mounted on said switch base;
- stationary contact terminal means mounted on said switch base;
- a rocking contactor pivotally supported on an end of said blade contact terminal;
- a hollow enclosure for receiving said switch base wherein terminal portions of said contact terminals extend exteriorly of said enclosure;
- an operator mounted for reciprocal movement in said enclosure, said operator having an opening in juxtaposition to said contactor;
- an actuator plunger guided for reciprocal movement within said opening;
- spring means biasing said actuator plunger into engagement with a surface of said rocking contactor for biasing said rocking contactor toward said end of said blade contact terminal;
- said operator being movable to carry said actuator plunger along said surface of said contactor across the plane of said blade contact terminal for rocking said contactor into engagement with said stationary contact terminal means to electrically bridge said blade contact terminal and said stationary contact terminal means;
- and
- an electrically conductive U-shaped bearing clip interposed said contactor and said blade contact terminal, said clip being disposed over said end of said blade contact terminal with the bight portion of said clip toward said contactor for providing a uniformly smooth pivot surface for said contactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.