US3777087A - Lever operated switch - Google Patents

Lever operated switch Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3777087A
US3777087A US00230374A US3777087DA US3777087A US 3777087 A US3777087 A US 3777087A US 00230374 A US00230374 A US 00230374A US 3777087D A US3777087D A US 3777087DA US 3777087 A US3777087 A US 3777087A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
lever
housing
casing
fixed contact
lengthwise
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00230374A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
L Yeske
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Arrow Hart Inc
Original Assignee
Arrow Hart Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Arrow Hart Inc filed Critical Arrow Hart Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3777087A publication Critical patent/US3777087A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H23/00—Tumbler or rocker switches, i.e. switches characterised by being operated by rocking an operating member in the form of a rocker button
    • H01H23/02—Details
    • H01H23/12—Movable parts; Contacts mounted thereon
    • H01H23/16—Driving mechanisms
    • H01H23/20—Driving mechanisms having snap action
    • H01H23/205—Driving mechanisms having snap action using a compression spring between tumbler and an articulated contact plate

Definitions

  • a lever operated switch has a molded insulation 51 Int. (:1. 1110111 13/28 maining Snap mechanism mving Search I l I I I A able Contacts into and Out Of engagement fixed 66 R 168 168 contacts.
  • Fixed contact terminals extend out of the 1 body and a shield is snapped onto the body to protect [56] References Cited the terminals.
  • Lever operated switches have been made and sold in large volume for many years, In some instances, they have had levers made of insulation material. Many lever operated switches have been assembled by having the lever inserted in a screw threaded neck from the inner end outwardly. Commonly, the levers have been pivoted on pins inserted laterally in the neck and lever. When not mounted on a transverse pin through the neck and the lever, the lever could be pushed inwardly far enough to overstress, damage or dislocate the switch parts and prevent proper operation of the switch mechanism.
  • Electric switches and wiring devices commonly have wire terminals on the bottom or sides frequently in recesses in the side corners of the switch housing or base. In use they tend to be covered with dust and are exposed to accidental brushing contact by personnel or tools.
  • FIG. 1 is a side elevation'view of a switch embodying
  • FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section view of the switch illustrated in FIG. 1, with the protective shield in place.
  • FIG. 3 is an end elevation view partly broken away and partly in section of the switch shown in FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the operating lever.
  • FIG. 5 is a detailed view of one pair of the fixed contacts, a movable contact and its carrier and the operating yoke.
  • FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the protective shield.
  • FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of one corner of the housing and mating stationary contact terminal portions.
  • a molded insulation housing 10 is recessed and hollowed out to receive fixed and movable contacts and the mechanism for operating them.
  • the housing has a closed bottom and has parallel side and end walls 12 and 14, respectively.
  • two pairs of fixed contacts 13a and 13b are positioned adjacent each side wall 12 in ,the bottom of the housing, and one contact 13a of each pair extends towards one end of the housing, while the other contact 1312 of that pair extends toward the opposite end of the housing.
  • the contact surfaces of each pair are parallel and spaced laterally in position to be bridged by movable contacts 15.
  • Each fixed contact has one terminal plate portion 16,16 which in the example shown has a binding screw 18 threaded into a tapped hole and positioned to be exposed through recesses in the four corners of the housing and to be available for attaching connector wires.
  • the terminals may be of the spade type or of other type, if desired.
  • the terminals preferably are stamped from sheet metal integrally with the fixed contact and are mounted conventionally in vertical .slots in the housing.
  • Each plate is positioned next to and movable parallel to one of the side walls of the housing.
  • the carrier plates are mounted on the side arms of a swingable yoke 22, which has trunnions 22t seating in bearing recesses located centrally in the top edges of the side walls of the housing. Snap action is imparted to movement of the yoke by an over-center coiled compression spring 24, one end of which seats on the transverse part 21 of the yoke, while the opposite end presses against the end of an operating lever 40, whose structure is novel and will presently be described.
  • the over-center spring, swingable yoke, fixed and movable contact structures are conventional in form and function.
  • Tese tabs 16a are pressed out of the plane of the terminal plate and engage mating recesses 12a in the sidewalls 12 of the housing 10. These tabs 16a and 16b prevent rotation of the contacts 16 and 16 when tightening the terminal screws. It will be understood that the screws 18 may be subjected to torques as high as 7 inch pounds in normal tightening. Torques this high approach the limit that the screws can tolerate without mechanical failure and have caused problems with contacts in prior art switches.
  • the operating lever 40 is mounted pivotally for tilting of movement in the neck 35 of a snap-on cover designated generally by the numeral 30.
  • the cover 30 is molded of insulating material with the top wall 31 covering the open top of the housing and with side walls 32 and end walls 34 which wrap around the top peripheral edges of the housing.
  • the end walls 34 extend down the end wall of the housing only a short distance.
  • the side walls 32 of the cover are extended downward along the side walls of the housing and have openings 36 to receive one or more nubs 17 formed integrally with the housing and projecting laterally therefrom midway down the side walls.
  • the upper edges of the nubs are inclined or beveled at 17a as they merge into the side walls, so that as the cover is pressed upon the housing, the side walls of the cover can slide upon and over the nubs until the lower margin of the opening 36 moves beyond the lower edges of the nubs 17 and the lower margins of the opening can thus snap under the edges of the nubs.
  • the side walls of the cover are made thin enough to permit them to flex slightly and the insulating material of which the cover is made resilient enough to allow said flexing and snapping into latching position.
  • the sidewalls 32 are provided with projections 32a which extend into the opening 36 in the sidewalls 12. These projections 32a cooperate with a recess 17a in the nubs 17.
  • the projections 32a are formed to provide a close fit with the recesses 17a and thereby prevent movement of the snap-on cover 30 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the switch and to keep the cover 30 centered in case of excessive clearances 34a between the overlapping ends of the cover 30 and the switch housing.
  • Opening 36 is formed with arcuate edge 36a on its edge engaging the nubs 17 to restrain the cover 30 from movement away from the switch housing.
  • the arcuate edges 36a are formed so that the edge of the cover 30 must be deformed when assemblying the switch. This deformation in the edges results in a force tending to restore the opening to its original shape. This force is directed to hold the cover 30 tightly to the housing.
  • a hollow neck 35 preferably cylindrical and externally screw-threaded for conventional mounting and securement with a standard nut (not shown).
  • the interior wall of the neck 35 is provided with two diametrically opposite channels 37 running lengthwise of the neck from a point near the top inwardly and downwardly.
  • the upper or outer ends of the channels form seats for pivots 42, which extend radially outward of the operating lever 40 midway along its length.
  • Channels 37 form passageways for the pivots 42 as the lever is inserted into the neck from the inside or bottom upwardly and outwardly. Since the over-center spring 24 presses against the lower or inner end of the lever 40, that pressure maintains the pivots 42 seated in the upper end of the channels 37.
  • spurs 44 are provided on the lever in diametrically opposite positions to prevent pressing the lever inwardly too far against the spring and overstressing or dislodging it or otherwise damaging or disarranging the operating assembly.
  • the spurs 44 extend laterally in opposite directions from the lever lengthwise at points midway between pivots 42 and the inner end of the lever, in position to engaging the top surface of the housing when the lever is pressed inwardly. Viewing FIG. 2, if the lever is pressed inwardly against the pressure of the over-center spring 24, the progress of the inward movement of the lever will be stopped when the spurs engage the housing surface, thus protecting the operating mechanism.
  • a pair of diametrically opposed lateral extensions 46 are provided adjacent the inner end of the lever against which the upper end of the spring comes to rest providing a seat for the upper end of the spring.
  • the switch is made entirely of molded insulating parts except for the contacts, over-center spring and the yoke. Except for the terminals, all parts are of insulation and assembled without the necessity of any tool or separate fastening means and avoiding the need to stamp any parts except the contacts and yoke. Also, the assembly costs are kept to a minimum because the contacts are easily dropped into place in the housing and the movable contacts when mounted upon their carrier and assembled upon the yoke, can be assembled as a unit. When the spring is positioned on the yoke, its upper end leans against the housing in position for the lever and cover to be snapped into assembled position with great facility and accuracy.
  • a shield 50 made of molded insulation in hollow channel shaped form as shown in FIG. 6 is provided.
  • Parallel side walls 51 and 52 of the shield extend up from a flat bottom wall 53 at opposite sides thereof in position to cover and overlie the terminals and terminal screws and the bared ends of the conductor wires which are connected to the binding screws when the shield is mounted on the bottom of the housing.
  • a finger 54 is provided at each end of the bottom wall 53 extending perpendicularly thereto.
  • the finger is narrow and thin enough to possess resilience sufflcient to permit it to flex slightly.
  • Each finger has a latch nose 55 or projection tapering from a shoulder perpendicular to the finger to the end of the finger, so that as the shield is pressed into place, the tapered portion of the latch will slide along the end of the wall of the housing until reaching a recess 56 that is provided in the end wall of the housing, whereupon the latch may snap into the recess holding the shield in place.
  • the shield can be easily removed by flexing of the fingers 54 away from the housing walls and moving the shield downwardly when desired.
  • an operating mechanism including a coiled compression spring in said recess, movable contact means including a swingable yoke actuated by said spring between two at-rest positions, fixed contact means in said casing engageable and disengageable by said movable contact means, a solid tiltable operating lever, supporting means mounted over and secured to said casing, a pivot seat for pivotally supporting said lever, said spring exerting a bias on said lever lengthwise to hold the lever against said seat, said lever being lengthwise movable within said supporting means against said bias, and spurs laterally projecting from said lever and engaging said top wall to limit the antibias lengthwise movement of said lever.
  • a casing having a recess, an operating mechanism including a coiled compression spring in said recess, movable contact means actuated by said spring between two at-rest positions, fixed contact means in said casing engageable and disengageable by said movable contact means, cover means mounted on said casing and having a hollow extension, said extension having internal channel means lengthwise of said extension with a bearing seat at one end, a solid tiltable operating lever insertable outwardly through said extension and having bearing means slidable along said channel means, said spring exerting a bias on said lever lengthwise to hold the lever against said seat, and means laterally projecting from said lever and engaging means on said casing limiting lengthwise movement of said lever into the casing.
  • a rectangular molded insulation housing for an electric switch, a plurality of fixed contact members mounted within said housing, movable contact means for connecting and disconnecting said fixed contact members, an operating member extending into said housing to operate said movable contact means, wire terminal members connected to said fixed contact members and extending through said housing and exposed for connection of conductor wires thereto, said housing having recesses in at least one side wall of said housing in which said terminal members are located, in combination with a snap-on molded insulation shield member cooperating with said housing and having bottom and side walls, at least one side wall overlying the side wall of said housing and overlying said terminal members protecting them from accidental contact and from dust, and flexible fingers on said shield member extending adjacent the end walls of said housing and of less width than said end walls and engageable in recesses in said end walls to maintain said shield in said overlying position but readily disengageable for removal of said shield member.

Landscapes

  • Switch Cases, Indication, And Locking (AREA)
  • Rotary Switch, Piano Key Switch, And Lever Switch (AREA)
US00230374A 1972-02-29 1972-02-29 Lever operated switch Expired - Lifetime US3777087A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US23037472A 1972-02-29 1972-02-29

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3777087A true US3777087A (en) 1973-12-04

Family

ID=22864976

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00230374A Expired - Lifetime US3777087A (en) 1972-02-29 1972-02-29 Lever operated switch

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US3777087A (Sortimente)
AU (1) AU5241273A (Sortimente)
CA (1) CA980841A (Sortimente)
DE (1) DE2307838A1 (Sortimente)
FR (1) FR2174074B1 (Sortimente)
GB (2) GB1415065A (Sortimente)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4074100A (en) * 1976-06-14 1978-02-14 Cutler-Hammer, Inc. Elastic toggle switch lever mounting

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1870072A (en) * 1926-12-13 1932-08-02 Henry Hyman Snap switch
US2688057A (en) * 1951-04-18 1954-08-31 Slater Electric & Mfg Co Inc Electrical switch
US3165574A (en) * 1961-10-20 1965-01-12 Carling Electric Inc Insulating and/or dust cover for switches
US3335900A (en) * 1965-02-10 1967-08-15 Hubbell Inc Harvey Electrical wiring device with snap action cover
US3354275A (en) * 1965-09-27 1967-11-21 Arrow Hart & Hegeman Electric Silent electric switch
US3444345A (en) * 1967-06-29 1969-05-13 Hubbell Inc Harvey Electrical wiring device with positive locking cover
US3536872A (en) * 1967-03-28 1970-10-27 Fiat Spa Electrical switch having actuating means maintained in uniform engagement with pivotable contact rocker
US3604868A (en) * 1970-07-30 1971-09-14 Pollak Corp Joseph Locking toggle switch

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1736849A (en) * 1927-11-17 1929-11-26 Harry A Douglas Handle and its mounting
GB981485A (en) * 1962-03-14 1965-01-27 Nsf Ltd Improvements in and relating to electric switches
US3522396A (en) * 1968-01-08 1970-07-28 Slater Electric Inc Electrical snap switch

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1870072A (en) * 1926-12-13 1932-08-02 Henry Hyman Snap switch
US2688057A (en) * 1951-04-18 1954-08-31 Slater Electric & Mfg Co Inc Electrical switch
US3165574A (en) * 1961-10-20 1965-01-12 Carling Electric Inc Insulating and/or dust cover for switches
US3335900A (en) * 1965-02-10 1967-08-15 Hubbell Inc Harvey Electrical wiring device with snap action cover
US3354275A (en) * 1965-09-27 1967-11-21 Arrow Hart & Hegeman Electric Silent electric switch
US3536872A (en) * 1967-03-28 1970-10-27 Fiat Spa Electrical switch having actuating means maintained in uniform engagement with pivotable contact rocker
US3444345A (en) * 1967-06-29 1969-05-13 Hubbell Inc Harvey Electrical wiring device with positive locking cover
US3604868A (en) * 1970-07-30 1971-09-14 Pollak Corp Joseph Locking toggle switch

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4074100A (en) * 1976-06-14 1978-02-14 Cutler-Hammer, Inc. Elastic toggle switch lever mounting

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1415063A (en) 1975-11-26
FR2174074B1 (Sortimente) 1979-06-15
DE2307838A1 (de) 1973-09-06
AU5241273A (en) 1974-08-22
FR2174074A1 (Sortimente) 1973-10-12
CA980841A (en) 1975-12-30
GB1415065A (en) 1975-11-26

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3249725A (en) Electric switch with pressure lock terminals
US3324260A (en) Switched outlet adapter
US2203555A (en) Electric switch
US2761936A (en) Push-operator switch construction
US3983355A (en) Switching apparatus
US3444345A (en) Electrical wiring device with positive locking cover
US2841673A (en) Wiring device with quick connect terminals
US6040537A (en) Foot operated control unit
US3288973A (en) Push-push switch convertible to momentary switch
US3242298A (en) Mounting means for operator of electric switch
US3777087A (en) Lever operated switch
US3401240A (en) Switch with position maintainer means
US2334007A (en) Electric switch
US3305658A (en) Electrical switch housing
US2155765A (en) Door-operated electric switch
US2817825A (en) Electric plug ejecting mechanism
US2942087A (en) Electric switch
US2988724A (en) Electrical connectors
US3213227A (en) Torsion spring actuated snap acting electrical switch
US6265681B1 (en) Rotary electric switch
US2881279A (en) Wiring device
US3144530A (en) Re-settable switch device
US3867604A (en) Electric switch toggle assembly
US2210037A (en) Electric switch
KR0152293B1 (ko) 푸시버튼 스위치