Wiping contact type switching apparatus

Claim 1

SWITCHING APPARATUS COMPRISING: A FIRST STATIONARY CONTACT ASSEMBLY HAVING A FLAT CONTACT SURFACE; A SECOND CONTACT ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A SUPPORT AND AN ELONGATED RESILIENT MEMBER HAVING ONE END FIXED TO SAID SUPPORT, HAVING AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION NORMALLY LYING AGAINST A SURFACE OF SAID SUPPORT, AND HAVING A FREE END DISPLACED IN A GIVEN DIRECTION FROM SAID INTERMEDIATE PORTION AND PRESENTING A SECOND CONTACT SURFACE; AND MEANS INCLUDING A SHAFT FOR PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING SAID SECOND ASSEMBLY FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT A FULCRUM POINT DEFINED BY SAID SHAFT IN A DIRECTION GENERALLY THE SAME AS SAID GIVEN DIRECTION FROM A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH SAID CONTACT SURFACES ARE OUT OF ENGAGEMENT, THROUGH A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH SAID CONTACT SURFACES ARE ENGAGED TO A THIRD POSITION, SAID INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID RESILIENT MEMBER FIXING AWAY FROM SAID SURFACE AND TOWARD SAID FULCRUM POINT TO EFFECT WIPING OF SAID SECOND CONTACT SURFACE ON SAID FLAT CONTACT SURFACE IN SAID GIVEN DIRECTION, AND THENCE TO A FOURTH AND FINAL POSITION; SAID SHAFT ARRESTING THE FLEXING OF SAID INTERMEDIATE PORTION AND THE MOVEMENT OF SAID FREE END WHEN SAID SECOND ASSEMBLY REACHES SAID THIRD POSITION, AND SAID FREE END WINDING AROUND SAID SHAFT AS SAID SECOND ASSEMBLY MOVES FROM SAID THIRD TO SAID FOURTH POSITION TO EFFECT WIPING OF SAID SECOND CONTACT SURFACE ON SAID FLAT CONTACT SURFACE IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE FROM SAID GIVEN DIRECTION.