Miniature snap acting thermostatic switch

Claim 1

A THERMALLY RESPONSIVE ELECTRICAL SWITCH COMPRISING AN OPEN ENDED TUBULAR SLEEVE FORMED OF ELECTRICALLY INSULATING MATERIAL; FIRST AND SECOND PLATE MEMBERS EACH SECURED TO AND CLOSING A RESPECTIVE END OF SAID SLEEVE AND EACH HAVING AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE PORTION; A COMPOSITE THERMALLY RESPONSIVE SNAP-ACTING ELEMENT DISPOSED WITHIN SAID SLEEVE, AND ELEMENT HAVING A DEFORMED PORTION RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS SNAP ACTION; ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE SPRING MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID HOUSING INTERPOSED BETWEEN AND IN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE CONTACT WITH SAID ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE PORTION OF SAID FIRST PLATE MEMBER AND ELEMENT, THEREBY ESTABLISHING AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE PATH THEREBETWEEN; A MOVABLE ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE CONTACT CARRIED ON SAID THERMALLY RESPONSIVE ELEMENT IN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH AND MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT IN RESPONSE TO SNAP MOVEMENT OF SAID ELEMENT INTO AND OUT OF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE PORTION OF SAID SECOND PLATE MEMBER; AN ANNULAR ABUTMENT MEMBER POSITIONED IN SAID SLEEVE INTERMEDIATE SAID ELEMENT AND SECOND PLATE MEMBER FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH A PORTION OF SAID ELEMENT; AND SAID SPRING MEANS URGING SAID ELEMENT FOR MOVEMENT IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE PORTION OF SAID FIRST PLATE MEMBER AND TOWARD ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ABUTMENT MEMBER.