Potentiometers

Claim 1

A LEADSCREW-ADJUSTED VARIABLE RESISTOR COMPRISING: FIRST MEANS, INCLUDING AN ELONGATE HOUSING HAVING A BODY; AN ELONGATE RESISTANCE ELEMENT MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING; A LEADSCREW ROTATABLY SUPPORTED BY SAID HOUSING AND HAVING A THREADED PORTION EXPOSED IN SAID HOUSING, SAID LEADSCREW BEING ARRANGED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID RESISTANCE ELEMENT; A SLIDER ARRANGED FOR MOVEMENT ALONG SAID LEADSCREW IN SAID HOUSING, SAID FIRST MEANS COMPRISING MEANS PREVENTING ROTATION OF SAID SLIDER AROUND SAID LEADSCREW; A CONTACT CARRIED BY SAID SLIDER, SAID CONTACT HAVING A PORTION IN ELECTRICAL CONTACT WITH SAID RESISTANCE ELEMENT; A BENT WIRE SPRING, INSULATED FROM SAID CONTACT, CARRIED BY SAID SLIDER, SAID BENT WIRE SPRING HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID LEADSCREW AND NORMALLY ENGAGED IN THE GROOVE OF THE THREAD OF THE LEADSCREW WHEREBY ROTATION OF THE LEADSCREW NORMALLY INDUCES MOVEMENT OF THE BENT WIRE SPRING AND THE SLIDER ALONG THE LEADSCREW, A PORTION OF SAID BENT WIRE SPRING YIELDING AND SNAPPING OVER THE THREAD OF THE LEADSCREW AS ROTATION OF THE LEADSCREW IS CONTINUED TO EXCESS, AND WHEREBY SAID LEADSCREW IS INSULATED FROM SAID CONTACT; AND MEANS PROVIDING ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS TO SAID CONTACT AND SAID RESISTANCE ELEMENT.