Momentary rotary switch
AssigneeCarlingswitch, Inc.
InventorsRichard W. Sorenson, Milton N. Ives, Frank P. Sapone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotary key switch has a momentary action such that a lock cylinder and control member are returned to normal positions by a torsion spring provided in a central bore of the control member. The switch housing is in two parts, a lower body portion and an upper panel mounted cap portion that also supports the lock cylinder. The lower portion defines a cylindrical cavity and supports the control member on a central post that is also provided in this central bore. The housing portions are telescopically secured to one another and a stop is deformed in part by the control member and the panel mounted cap portion to positively limit the rotation of the key and lock cylinder.
Claims35
A rotary switch comprising a generally cylindrical dielectric body portion defining an upwardly open cavity of generally cylindrical shape, said cavity having a cylindrical wall and a longitudinal central axis, said body portion having a bottom wall defining a plurality of circumaxially spaced openings, fixed contacts provided in at least some of said openings such that upper ends thereof are located between said cavity axis and the cylindrical cavity wall, a generally cylindrical dielectric control member rotatably received in said cylindrical cavity, means for restraining said control member from movement axially in said cavity, said control member having at least one downwardly open recess spaced radially from said cavity axis the same distance as that for said fixed contact upper ends, a movable contact in said recess, means in said recess for biasing said movable contact downwardly toward said fixed contact upper ends, said bottom cavity wall having a contour that cooperates with said fixed contact upper ends to permit said movable contact to close adjacent fixed contacts in response to angular rotational movement of said control member, and torsion spring biasing means provided in a spring opening defined in part by said control member and in part by said body portion, said torsion spring means biasing said control member toward a predetermined angular position so that the rotary switch exhibits a momentary action as the control member is rotated from said predetermined position to close said adjacent fixed contacts.
In a rotary key operated electric switch having a lower body portion defining a cavity for rotatably receiving a control member for moving a rolling contact across the upper ends of adjacent circumaxially spaced fixed contacts, and wherein a lock cylinder is rotatably supported in a cap portion that is secured to the body portion so that rotation of the lock cylinder also rotates the control member, the improvement comprising a bezel portion releasably secured to the upper end of said cap portion, said bezel portion defining a downwardly facing flange for abutting a panel when the switch is provided in a panel opening, means for releasably securing the lock cylinder in said cap portion, said lock cylinder securing means comprising a projecting portion of said lock cylinder normally received in an annular slot therefore and a lock cylinder receptacle defined by said cap portion, means for coupling said lock cylinder with said control member for rotational movement therewith, and means for restricting said control member from movement axially in said cavity, said control member restricting means comprising an upstanding post provided in a bottom wall of said body portion, said post received in a central bore defined by said control member and having radially deformable post portions engageable with an inwardly stepped side wall flange of said bore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.