Float switch construction for monitoring liquid levels

A float switch construction for monitoring liquid levels, comprising in combination:

• (a) an elongate float housing having an axis, and having an aperture to permit the liquid to enter the interior thereof, said housing being mounted with its axis substantially horizontal,
• (b) a pair of electrical contacts in said housing,
• (c) float means comprising buoyant material, said float means being held captive in said housing,
• (d) an elongate operator in said housing, said operator having one of said contacts,
• (e) means in said housing, mounting said operator both for pivoting movement and for turning movement therein,
• (f) said float means loosely engaging said operator and effecting pivoting movement of the operator and movement of said one contact toward and away from the other contact in response to changes in the level of liquid in the housing, said float means being turnable substantially independently of the operator whereby either the operator or the float means, or both, can rotate with respect to the axis of the housing,
• (g) the engagement of said contacts constituting a closed-circuit condition of said switch construction.

A float switch construction, comprising in combination:

• (a) a float housing,
• (b) a pair of electrically conductive cups insulatedly carried said housing,
• (c) a float member carried in and held captive by said housing,
• (d) one of said cups having a bottom wall with an aperture, the walls of the aperture constituting a bearing,
• (e) an electrically conductive contactor device passing through said aperture and directly engaging the walls thereof, said contactor device being both pivotable in and turnable in the said aperture,
• (f) said contactor device being actuated by said float member into and out of engagement with the other of said cups, and
• (g) electrical terminals connected respectively to said cups, said terminals being accessible from the exterior of the float housing.

A float switch construction for monitoring liquid levels, comprising in combination:

• (a) an elongate float housing having an axis, and having an aperture to permit liquid to enter the interior thereof, said housing being mounted with its axis substantially horizontal,
• (b) a pair of electrical contacts in said housing, one of said contacts being elongate and asymmetric, and being movable in the housing,
• (c) means in said housing, mounting said movable contact for both pivoting movement about an axis transverse to its length and for unrestricted turning movement about an axis extending along its length, such that said movable contact is self-orienting under the influence of gravity, to a predetermined rotative position irrespective of the rotative disposition of the float housing,
• (d) float means comprising buoyant material, said float means being captive in said housing and being engaged with and effecting pivoting movement of said movable contact in response to changes in the level of liquid in the housing,
• (e) said movable contact, when pivoting, being engageable with said other contact irrespective of the rotative disposition of the housing and said other contact,
• (f) the engagement of said contacts constituting a closed-circuit condition of said switch construction.

A float switch, comprising in combination:

• (a) a switch housing,
• (b) an elongate float,
• (c) an elongate asymmetric contact member loosely engaged with the float and extending away from one end thereof and substantially in alignment therewith,
• (d) bearing means connected with said switch housing, said bearing means engaging said contact member at a location close to said float and enabling said contact member to have pivotal movement with respect to said switch housing, and
• (e) a second contact member carried by the switch housing and engageable by said first-mentioned contact member to close the float switch,
• (f) said first-mentioned contact member having a laterally offset portion and being capable of unrestricted turning movement in said bearing means about its axis under the influence of gravity, such that the offset portion maintains the first-mentioned contact member in a predetermined rotative orientation with respect to the direction of gravitational force and irrespective of the rotative disposition of the said bearing means.