Interlock mechanism for an enclosed electric switch

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION: (A) AN ENCLOSURE FOR AN ELECTRIC SWITCHING DEVICE; (B) A COVER FOR SAID ENCLOSURE; (C) MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID COVER ON SAID ENCLOSURE FOR MOVEMENT TO OPEN, CLOSED, AND CLOSUREIMPENDING POSITION RESPECTIVELY; (D) A SWITCH-OPERATING MEMBER; (E) MEANS MOUNTING SAID SWITCH OPERATING MEMBER IN SAID ENCLOSURE FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN "ON" AND "OFF" POSITIONS CORRESPONDING TO "ON" AND "OFF" CONDITIONS OF SAID SWITCHING DEVICE; (F) MANUALLY OPERABLE OPERATING MEANS ACCESSIBLE EXTERNALLY OF SAID ENCLOSURE WHEN SAID COVER IS IN SAID CLOSED POSITION AND CONNECTED TO SAID SWITCH-OPERATING MEMBER FOR OPERATING SAID SWITCHING DEVICE WHEN SAID COVER IS IN SAID CLOSED POSITION; (G) A LATCH MEMBER; (H) MEANS MOUNTING SAID LATCH MEMBER ON SAID ENCLOSURE FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND EXTREME POSITIONS AND AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION RESPECTIVELY; (I) BIASING MEANS BIASING SAID LATCH MEMBER TOWARD SAID SECOND EXTREME POSITION AT ALL TIMES; (J) INTERLOCK MEANS COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND SPACED INTERFERING PORTIONS AND AN INTERMEDIATE CLEARANCE SLOT; (K) MEANS SUPPORTING SAID INTERLOCK MEANS IN SAID ENCLOSURE FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND BLOCKING POSITIONS IN EACH OF WHICH POSITIONS A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID INTERFERING PORTIONS IS IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID SWITCH OPERATING MEMBER AND PREVENTS MOVEMENT THEREOF FROM SAID "OFF" TO SAID "ON" POSITION, AND FOR MOVEMENT TO AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION IN WHICH SAID CLEARANCE SLOT IS IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID SWITCH OPERATING MEMBER SO THAT SAID INTERLOCK MEANS DOES NOT PREVENT MOVEMENT OF SAID SWITCH OPERATING MEMBER FROM SAID "OFF" TO SAID "ON" POSITION; (L) MEANS CONNECTING SAID LATCH MEMBER TO SAID INTERLOCK MEANS FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID INTERLOCK MEANS TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND BLOCKING POSITIONS AND TO SAID INTERMEDIATE NON-BLOCKING POSITION UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID LATCH MEMBER TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND EXTREME POSITIONS AND SAID INTERMEDIATE POSITION RESPECTIVELY; (M) A LATCH-OPERATING MEMBER CARRIED BY SAID COVER OF SAID ENCLOSURE; (N) SAID LATCH-OPERATING MEMBER ENGAGING SAID LATCH MEMBER WHEN SAID COVER IS IN SAID CLOSURE-IMPENDING POSITION AND HOLDING SAID LATCH IN SAID FIRST EXTREME POSITION CORRESPONDING TO SAID FIRST BLOCKING POSITION OF SAID INTERLOCK MEANS; (O) SAID LATCH OPERASTING MEMBER BEING DISENGAGED FROM SAID LATCH MEMBER WHEN SAID COVER IS IN SAID OPEN POSITION AND ALLOWING SAID LATCH MEMBER BIASING MEANS TO MOVE SAID LATCH TO SAID SECOND EXTREME POSITION CORRESPONDING TO SAID SECOND BLOCKING POSITION OF SAID INTERLOCKING MEANS; (P) SAID LATCH OPERATING MEMBER ENGAGING SAID LATCH MEMBER WHEN SAID COVER IS IN SAID CLOSED POSITION AND HOLDING SAID LATCH IN SAID INTERMEDIATE POISTION CORRESPONDING TO SAID INTERMEDIATE POSITION OF SAID INTERLOCK MEANS.