Detent means for a positionable switch actuator

Claim 1

AN ELECTRIC SWITCH OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED, COMPRISING (A) A SUPPORT MEMBER OF NONCONDUCTIVE MATERIAL, (B) A PAIR OF SPACED STATIONARY CONTACT MEMBERS SECURED TO SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, (C) SPRING CONTACT MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEMBER AND INCLUDING A SPRING CONTACT ARM EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF SPACED STATIONARY CONTACTS, (D) A ROTATABLE ACTUATOR MEMBER ON SAID SUPPORT MEMBER AND HAVING AN AXIS OF ROTATION EXTENDING NORMAL TO SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, (E) CAM MEANS CARRIED BY SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER AND IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID MOVABLE SPRING CONTACT ARM, (F) SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER HAVING A FIRST POSITION WHEREIN SAID CAM MEANS IS OPERABLE TO MAINTAIN SAID CONTACT ARM OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STATIONARY CONTACTS, (G) SAID ACTUATOR HAVING A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN SAID CAM MEANS IS OPERABLE TO MOVE SAID CONTACT AIR INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE OF SAID STATIONARY CONTACTS, (H) SAID ACTUATOR HAVING A THIRD POSITION WHEREIN SAID CAM MEANS IS OPERABLE TO MOVE SAID MOVABLE CONTACT ARM INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OTHER OF SAID STATIONARY CONTACTS, (I) DETENT MEANS ON SAID ACTUATOR INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF RECESSES IN THE SURFACE OF SAID ACTUATOR EQUAL IN NUMBER TO THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS OF SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER, (J) SAID SPRING CONTACT MEANS INCLUDING A SECOND RESILIENT ARM SPACED FROM SAID FIRST ARM AND BIASED IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID FIRST ARM, AND (K) A LATCH HOOK PROVIDED ON THE FREE END OF SAID SECOND SPRING ARM ADAPTED TO ENGAGE IN SAID DETENT RECESS ACCORDING TO THE SELECTED POSITION OF SAID ACTUATOR TO PREVENT READY MOVEMENT OF THE SAID ACTUATOR TO THE REMAINING POSITIONS, (L) SAID SECOND SPRING ARM BEING YIELDABLE UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATOR TO RELEASE SAID LATCH HOOK FROM SAID SELECTED DETENT RECESS TO ALLOW SAID ACTUATOR TO BE MANUALLY ROTATED TO ONE OF SAID OTHER TWO POSITIONS WHEREAT SAID LATCH HOOK IS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE IN ANOTHER OF SAID DETENT RECESSES IN SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER.