Snap-action electrical switch with contact dampening means

Claim 1

IN AN ELECTRIC SWITCH, A HOLLOW CASING HOUSING THE SWITCH PARTS, A MOVABLE CONTACT, ANOTHER CONTACT ENGAGEABLE AND DISENGAGEABLE BY SAID MOVABLE CONTACT AS THE LATTER MOVES BETWEEN TWO AT-REST POSITIONS, A RESILIENT ARM ON WHICH SAID MOVABLE CONTACT IS MOUNTED BIASING SAID MOVABLE CONTACT TOWARD ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID OTHER CONTACT, A MOVABLE-CONTACT-OPERATING LEVER HAVING A CAM SURFACE THEREON FOR SEPARATING SAID MOVABLE CONTACT FROM SAID OTHER CONTACT, SPRING MEANS ACTING ON SAID LEVER TO BIAS IT IN TWO AT-REST POSITIONS, SAID MOVABLE CONTACT AND RESILIENT ARM LEADING TENDING TO CHATTER WHEN MOVED INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID OTHER CONTACT, A FLEXIBLE MEMBER EXTENDING ENTIRELY ACROSS SAID CASING AND FROM END TO END AND HAVING AN APERTURE THERETHROUGH FOR SAID LEVER TO ENGAGE SAID SPRING MEANS, SAID FLEXLIBLE MEMBER BEING LOCATED BETWEEN SAID CAM SURFACE AND SAID RESILIENT CONTACT-CARRYING ARM, SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER BEING FORMED OF A DAMPING MATERIAL WHICH IS HIGHLY RESISTANT TO BURNING BY CONTACT ARCING, AND BEING OF SUFFICIENT THICKNES TO OVERCOME THE TENDENCY OF SAID MOVABLE CONTACT AND ARM TO CHATTER, SAID DAMPING MEMBER ALSO DEADENING THE SOUND OF SWITCH OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENT.