# US 4,400,685 A · Control system

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- Number: US 4,400,685 A
- Document ID: US4400685A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/303,878
- Filed: 1981-09-21
- Granted: 1983-08-23
- Earliest claimed: 1981-09-21
- Assignees: Emhart Industries, Inc.
- Inventors: Benjamin F. Chestnut
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4400685A

## CPC

- H01H 3/0213: {Combined operation of electric switch and variable impedance, e.g. resistor, capacitor (H01H9/061 takes precedence)}
- H01C 10/36: structurally combined with switching arrangements
- H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00)
- H01C: RESISTORS

## Abstract

An electrical contact arm is spring biased against electrical paths by a coil spring which is carried on a hub of a rotating member which also carries the electrical arm. An electrically conductive path is also carried by the rotating member to provide switching functions.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A combination of a switch and variable resistor comprising:
(a) a housing,
(b) at least four electrical terminals carried by said housing,
(c) a resistance path and a collector path carried by said housing and individually electrically connected to two of said four electrical terminals,
(d) a rotating member rotatably carried in said housing,
(e) an electrical contact arm carried by said rotating member,
(f) spring means carried by said rotating member and engaging said electrical contact arm to bias same against said resistance and collector paths, and
(g) an electrically conductive path carried by said rotating member selectively engaging another two terminals of said four terminals to provide said switch.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Combination according to claim 1 wherein said electrical contact arm includes a pair of fingers, one engaging said resistance path, the other said collector path, said spring means including separate springs one for each of said pair of fingers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

Combination according to claim 2 wherein said separate springs are coil springs.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

Combination according to claim 3 further including an island carried by said rotating member and holes in said island receiving said coil springs.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

Combination according to claim 1 wherein said resistance and collector paths are electrically connected to said electrical terminals by spring means carried by said electrical terminal and engaging said resistance and collector paths.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The combination according to claim 1 further including detent means carried by said electrically conductive path to locate same with respect to said another two terminals.