GB950710A - Multi-position electric switch - Google Patents

Abstract

950,710. Retractive switches; switches held set and freed mechanically. NATIONAL ACME CO. June 28, 1962, No. 24899/62. Heading H2B. A switch with four pairs of fixed contacts 69, 70, 71 and 72 arranged in two sets to co-operate with double-throw bridging contacts 76 and 77, respectively, has actuating slides 38 and 39 with arms 61 and 62 whose positions can be easily altered to provide twelve different switching arrangements. Bridging contacts 76 and 77 are spring-loaded on insulating carriers 74 and 75 having extensions 80 and 81 positioned for engagement by L-shaped arms 61 and 62 and biased by springs 82 and 83 respectively. Slides 38 and 39 are urged by springs 55 and 56 respectively against rollers 34 and 35 carried on a rocker 31 pivoted at 21 and operable by a lever 25. The movements of the slides 38 and 39 are limited by stops 42 and 43 in the housing which engage notches 40 and 41 in the slides. The slides 38 and 39 are interchangeable and reversable and have grooves 44, 45, 46 and 47 in which arms 61 and 62 may be selectively secured by screws 64. Grooves 44 and 46 are nearer their respective ends of the slides than grooves 45 and 47 are to theirs. Corresponding grooves are provided on the opposite side of the slides for use when a slide is reversed in the housing. As shown, a ball detent 29 engages a groove 30 to locate the rocker 31 in a central position and movement of the arm 25 will cause depression of slide 38 or slide 39 according to the direction of movement and thereby changeover the contact 77 or 76 respectively. The position of arms 61 and 62 may be changed to reverse this junction (Fig. 7, not shown); or both arms may be secured to one slide to cause operation of both contacts 76 and 77 when arm 25 is moved one way and no actuation when it is moved the other way (Figs. 5 and 6, not shown). If a slide is reversed the greater distance of the grooves from the end of the slide engaging the rocker is such that bridging contacts 76 and 77 would normally be held midway between their associated pairs of fixed contacts and oscillation of lever 25 may depress the slide or allow it to rise for selective bridging of the fixed contacts. Both slides may be reversed to produce variations of this action on all the contacts (Figs. 8 to 11, not shown), or only one of the slides may be reversed to give various combinations of change-over and selective switching (Figs. 12 to 15, not shown). Appropriate grooves may be provided in rocker 31 such that it is detained in either limiting position.