Multi-position electrical switch

A child's riding toy comprising:

• a DC power source:
• a pair of DC motors, each including first and second terminals;
• and
• a multi-position electrical switch comprising:
• a base which includes six electrically conductive contacts arranged in inner and outer concentric arrays, said inner array including a first motor contact connected to a first terminal of one motor and a second motor contact connected to a first terminal of another motor, and said outer array including a third motor contact connected to a second terminal of the one motor, a fourth motor contact connected to a second terminal of the other motor, and positive and negative power source contacts connected to respective positive and negative terminals of the power source;
• and
• a manually rotatable selector mechanism mounted for rotational movement relative to said base, said selector mechanism carrying an arrangement of elongate, radially-extending, electrically conductive bridges which rotate in unison between:
• a forward/parallel orientation wherein said bridges connect said positive power contact to said first and fourth motor contacts, and connect said negative power contact to said second and third motor contacts;
• a forward/series orientation wherein said bridges connect said positive power contact to said first motor contact, connect said negative power contact to said second motor contact, and connect said third and fourth motor contacts together;
• and a reverse/series orientation wherein said bridges connect said negative power contact to said first motor contact, connect said positive power contact to said second motor contact, and connect said third and fourth motor contacts together, at least one of said bridges being adapted to connect radially-opposite contacts.

A multi-position electrical switch for use in variously connecting a DC power source to a pair of electrical load elements in selected alternative configurations, said switch comprising:

• a base which includes a plurality of electrically conductive contacts, each taking the form of an elongate conductive strip and extending arcuately in radially-spaced, circumferentially-overlapping arcuate regions about a central axis, and wherein said strips are arranged to define concentric inner and outer arrays, said inner array including a first load contact adapted to be connected to a first terminal of one load element and a second load contact adapted to be connected to a first terminal of another load element, and said outer array including a third load contact adapted to be connected to a second terminal of the one load element, a fourth load contact adapted to be connected to a second terminal of the other load element, and positive and negative power source contacts adapted to be connected to respective positive and negative terminals of a power source, and wherein said first load contact circumferentially overlaps i) said positive power contact, ii) said negative power contact and iii) said fourth load contact, and said second load contact circumferentially overlaps i) said positive power source, ii) said negative power contact and iii) said third load contact;
• and
• an arrangement of elongate electrically conductive bridges which are mounted for unitary movement between:
• a forward/parallel orientation wherein said bridges connect said positive power contact to said first and fourth load contacts, and connect said negative power contact to said second and third load contacts;
• a forward/series orientation wherein said bridges connect said positive power contact to said first load contact, connect said negative power contact to said second load contact, and connect said third and fourth load contacts together;
• and a reverse/series orientation wherein said bridges connect said negative power contact to said first load contact, connect said positive power contact to said second load contact, and connect said third and fourth load contacts together.