Environmentally protected switch for dynamoelectric machines

A switch assembly for a dynamolectric machine comprising:

• support means including an electrically non-conductive terminal board, said terminal board having a first side and a second side;
• first electrical contact means mounted to the first side of said terminal board, said first electrical contact means including an electrically conductive post, and means for attaching said post to said terminal board, said last mentioned attaching means connecting said post to one of a source of electrical energy and said dynamoelectric machine;
• an electrically conductive switch arm having a first end and a second end, means for attaching said switch arm to said terminal board at one of said first and said second ends, said attaching means holding said switch arm cantilevered above the terminal board, and means for connecting said support means to the other of said source of electrical energy and said dynamoelectric machine;
• a first electrical contact mounted to said post;
• a second electrical contact mounted intermediate the ends of said switch arm;
• means for enclosing said first and said second electrical contacts to isolate the contacts from the environment in which the machine operates to prolong the life of the contacts, said enclosing means including an electrically conductive cap which encloses said second electrical contact and a flexible portion, said flexible portion including a pliable non-conductive boot having first and second ends, one end of said boot being in snug contact with the outer surface of said post and the other end of said boot being in snug contact with an outer surface of said cap so as to close the open end of said cap, said first and said second contacts being aligned with one another and positioned to permit electrical connection with said contacts when an external force is applied to one of said contacts.

A switch assembly for a dynamoelectric machine, comprising:

• a terminal board having a first side, a second side and a material thickness in between;
• at least one conductive post having its bottom affixed to the first side of said terminal board and its top accessible above said first side, said post constituting one side of said switch assembly for connection to one of two open connections in an electrical circuit required to be linked;
• an electrically conductive, flexible switch arm having a fixed end attached to the first side of said terminal board and a free end cantilevered at an angle above horizontal and the first side of said terminal board, directly above the top of said post, said switch arm constituting the second side of said switch assembly for connection to the other of two open connections in an electrical circuit required to be linked;
• an electrical contact affixed to said switch arm between said free and fixed ends directly above and facing the top of said post;
• a conductive, protective cap having an open top and a closed bottom, and having a portion of said contact affixed to said arm extending through a central point in said closed bottom to affix said cap to said arm;
• a stop having a first end rigidly attached to the first side of said terminal board and a second end which rises up and over said arm above said cap to adjustably limit the travel of said arm away from the first side of said terminal board when no external force is applied to the free end of said arm to cause its movement away from said stop towards said terminal board, said second end causing the contact attached to said arm to move closer to the top of said post when said second stop end is rotatably moved towards the fixed end of said arm, and causing said contacts to move apart when said second stop end is rotatably moved towards the free end of said arm;
• and
• a flexible, bellows-like boot having one end sized for and mounted snugly about and enclosing said post;
• and
• an opposite end sized for and mounted snugly about said cap to enclose the open end of said cap.

In a dynamoelectric machine, the improvement comprising:

• a terminal board mounted to said dynamoelectric machine;
• a first means for electrical contact having an accessible top and an opposite bottom affixed to a first surface of said terminal board;
• a flexible second means for electrical contact having a first end rigidly affixed to the first surface of said terminal board, an opposite, free second end, and an electrical contact between said first and second ends, said free second end movably located in alignment with and adjacent to the top of said first means so that application of force to the free second end of said second means for electrical contact will cause the contact thereon to close on top of said first means;
• means affixed to said terminal board for limiting the movement of the free end of said second means from said first means;
• means for enclosing the electrical contact on said flexible second electrical contact means and said first electrical contact means, said enclosing means comprising a cap enclosing said electrical contact on said flexible second means, and a pliable boot portion having one end being in snug contact with said first electrical contact means and another end being in snug contact with said cap;
• an electrically conductive means for connecting the bottom of said first means for electrical contact to one of a source of electrical energy and said dynamoelectric machine;
• and
• an electrically conductive means for connecting said flexible second means for electrical contact to the other of said source of electrical energy and said dynamoelectric machine.