US3867599A - Double acting slide switch assembly with telescopically arranged housings and normally centered movable contact - Google Patents

Abstract

Switch means of the double-acting type including a pair of telescopic housing sections a first one of which includes a longitudinally extending guide rod supported by a pair of stationary contacts. A movable contact is mounted in mutually insulated relation on the guide rod, said movable contact being connected with the other housing section, whereby when the sections are displaced relative to each other, the movable contact is brought into electrical contact with the stationary contact. Spring means bias the housing sections toward a given position relative to each other.

Description

United States Patent 1 Moen [451 Feb. 18, 1975 DOUBLE ACTING SLIDE SWITCH ASSEMBLY WITH TELESCOPICALLY ARRANGED HOUSINGS AND NORMALLY CENTERED MOVABLE CONTACT [76] Inventor: George A. Moen, Spenard,

Anchorage, Alaska 99503 [22] Filed: Apr. 12, 1973 [21] Appl. N0.: 350,541

[52] US. Cl 200/153 K, 200/85 R, 200/16 A, 200/161, 200/298 [51] Int. Cl. 1101b 15/06, H01h 17/00 [58] Field of Search 340/421, 283, 273; 200/1R,1V,14,l6 R, 16 A, 17 R, 18, 33

D, 47, 41, 61.58 R, 61.89, 61.93, 85 R, 153

F, 161, 163, 165, 298, 303, 153 K, 51 R;

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,305,963 6/1919 Dickerson 200/16 A 1,598,932 9/1926 Pettus 2,459,015 l/l949 Clement 2,706,755 4/1955 Krasno 200/85 R 2,727,964 12/1955 Krenke 200/153 K 3,166,645 1/1965 Shlesinger, Jr 200/161 X 3,341,843 9/1967 Walsh 340/421 3,559,204 1/1971 Dashper 200/85 X 3,594,773 7/1971 Conkle 340/421 X 3,703,620 11/1972 Watanabe 200/161 3,778,808 12/1973 Stevens 200/85 R Primary Examiner-James R. Scott Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Lawrence E. Laubscher [57] ABSTRACT 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENIED FEB 1 8 am SHEET 10F 2 Fig.

PATENIEB FEB I 819. 5

SHEET 2 OF 2 I I I ll DOUBLE ACTING SLIDE SWITCH ASSEMBLY WITH TELESCOPICALLY ARRANGED HOUSINGS AND NORMALLY CENTERED MOVABLE CONTACT This invention relates to improved double-acting switch means for use in warning systems and the like, including a pair of open ended box-shaped sections that are telescopically arranged for movement relative to each other to actuate the switch means, and thereby activate alarm bells, horns or audible warning devices.

One problem which arises in the known doubleacting switch means is the difficulty in properly orienting the movable contact relative to the stationary contacts in order to achieve the desired positive switching action during movement of the switch operator. The present invention was developed to avoid the above and other drawbacks of the known devices.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved double-acting switch construction wherein a pair of relatively movable housing sections carry the stationary and movable switch contacts, respectively. A longitudinally extending conductive guide rod is provided which is connected at each end with one housing section by a pair of stationary switch contacts. A movable switch contact is slidably mounted in electrically insulated relation on the guide rod by a pair of hanger means that are arranged on opposite sides of the guide rod for connection with the ends of the movable switch contact, said hanger means being connected with the other housing section. Consequently, when the telescopic sections are displaced in either sense relative to each other, the movable contact is brought into electrical engagement with one of the stationary contacts, said stationary contacts being electrically connected via said guide rod.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification when viewed in the light of the accompanying drawing, in which the single FIGURE of drawing is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, the switch apparatus includes a pair of telescopic sections 1, 2, the inner one of which includes a pair of stationary contacts 6 that support a longitudinally extending guide rod 7 to one end of which are connected the leads 3 and 4 of a suitable electrically-operated warning device, not shown. A movable contact plate 8 contains an opening which receives the guide rod and is electrically insulated therefrom by the insulating washers 8a, The ends of the movable contact plate are connected with the housing section 1 by the hanger members 9 arranged on opposite sides of the guide rod, whereby the movable member is accurately supported in transverse relationship to the guide rod 7 throughout the double-acting movement of the housing sections. The movable contact is connected with the supply leads 16 of the power source.

In order to permit accurate adjustment of the movable contact relative to the guide rod, the hangers may be formed of variable length sections the lengths of which may be adjusted by the adjusting screws 11. Spring means 13 connected between the hangers 9 and the end wall 14 of the first section bias the sections toward the illustrated neutral position, which may be externally indicated by the mark 5.

In operation, when the housing sections are displaced toward each other, the springs 13 are compressed, and movable contact 8 is brought into electrical engagement with the lower stationary contact 6, whereby input lead 16 is directly electrically connected with the leads 3 and 4 of the warning device. If the sections are displaced in the opposite sense, the coil springs are tensioned and movable contact 8 engages the upper stationary contact 6, whereby the supply leads 16 are connected with the leads 3 and 4 via guide rod 7 and both stationary contacts.

I claim:

1. Double-acting switch means for an electrical warning device, comprising a. a pair of telescopic housing sections (1, 2) connected for axial displacement relative to each other;

b. a conductive guide rod (7);

c. a pair of stationary contacts (6) connected with the ends of said guide rod, respectively, for supporting said guide rod in axially arranged relation within a first one of said sections;

d. a movable contact (8) arranged for movement be tween said stationary contacts;

e. hanger means (9) connecting said movable contact with the other of said sections, whereby as said housing sections are axially displaced between predetermined positions relative to each other, said movable contact is brought into direct electrical contact with one of said stationary contacts and into electrical connection with the other of said stationary contacts via said guide rod; and

f. spring means (13) biasing said sections toward a given position relative to each other.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said movable contact comprises a plate arranged normal to said guide rod and containing an opening through which said guide rod extends; and means (8a) electrically insulating said movable contact from guide rod.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said hanger means comprises a pair of hangers (9) arranged on opposite sides of said rod for connecting the ends of said plate with said other housing section.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, and further including means (11) for adjusting the lengths of said hangers and thereby the position of said movable contact relative to said stationary contacts when said housing sections are in the given position.

Claims (4)

1. Double-acting switch means for an electrical warning device, comprising a. a pair of telescopic housing sections (1, 2) connected for axial displacement relative to each other; b. a conductive guide rod (7); c. a pair of stationary contacts (6) connected with the ends of said guide rod, respectively, for supporting said guide rod in axially arranged relation within a first one of said sections; d. a movable contact (8) arranged for movement between said stationary contacts; e. hanger means (9) connecting said movable contact with the other of said sections, whereby as said housing sections are axially displaced between predetermined positions relative to each other, said movable contact is brought into direct electrical contact with one of said stationary contacts and into electrical connection with the other of said stationary contacts via said guide rod; and f. spring means (13) biasing said sections toward a given position relative to each other.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said movable contact comprises a plate arranged normal to said guide rod and containing an opening through which said guide rod extends; and means (8a) electrically insulating said movable contact from guide rod.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said hanger means comprises a pair of hangers (9) arranged on opposite sides of said rod for connecting the ends of said plate with said other housing section.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, and further including means (11) for adjusting the lengths of said hangers and thereby the position of said movable contact relative to said stationary contacts when said housing sections are in the given position.

Images