Push button electrical switch

Abstract

A rotary contact push button electrical switch comprising a switch housing and separable independent base. The base is lockably connected to the housing by means of appropriately placed openings and tab means on the sides of the base. The housing has a through opening into which the switch's operating mechanism is disposed. A rotary contact with resilient arms forming arcuate contact points at the end of the arms is rotated by the operating mechanism, when the button which extends through the housing opening is pushed. A nipple at the end of the operating mechanism rotates the rotary contact. Stationary contacts which are mounted on the base, contact the arcuate points of the rotary contact, allowing electrical current to flow alternately between two separate electrical circuits, as the rotary contact is rotated over the stationary contacts. The detent force of the operating mechanism, which maintains the rotary contact in place over the stationary contacts, ensures that current flow can not be interrupted by the application of incidental pressure on the button. The base of the switch has multi-directional and multi-modal electrical connector means, which include electrical connectors located at the bottom of the switch base, through one side of the switch base, and electrical terminal tab connectors extending from the side of the base. The terminal tab connectors can be interconnected with corresponding female terminals in other circuit components, or they can be soldered to wire conductors, or connected with known snap-on or quick connect style connectors. The bottom and side base electrical connectors are adapted to receive either terminal tab connectors or standard wire conductors.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.