Assembly and drive mechanism for electrical switches and connectors

Claim 1

IN AN ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN SWITCHING OR CONNECTING ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT PATHS THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A FRAME MEMBER OF RIGID CONSTRUCTION HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, A PLATE MEMBER OF RIGID CONSTRUCTION POSITIONED IN SAID OPENING AND DIMENSIONED TO BE DISPLACED THEREIN, MEANS TO ENGAGE OPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID PLATE MEMBER TO CONFINE SAID PLATE AGAINST MOVEMENT ALONG THE WIDTH AXIS OF SAID FRAME MEMBER AND TO PERMIT MOVEMENT ALONG THE LENGTH AXIS OF SAID FRAME MEMBER, MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID FRAME EXTENDING OVER THE MAJOR SURFACES OF SAID PLATE MEMBER AND SPACED THEREFROM, SAID MEANS INCLUDING AN ARRAY OF SPRING MEMBERS EXTENDING INWARDLY TO ENGAGE THE OPPOSING MAJOR SURFACES OF SAID PLATE MEMBER, SAID SPRING MEMBERS BEING DEFLECTED TO BE SPRING LOADED UNDER SUBSTANTIAL PRESSURE AGAINST SAID PLATE MEMBER TO CENTER SAID PLATE MEMBER IN SAID FRAME MEMBER AND TO SUPPORT SAID PLATE MEMBER AGAINST MOVEMENT ALONG AN AXIS TRANSVERSE TO THE SAID WIDTH AND LENGTH AXES OF SAID FRAME MEMBER AND MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID PLATE MEMBER TO DRIVE SAID PLATE MEMBER ALONG SAID LENGTH AXIS TO CAUSE SAID SPRING MEMBERS TO ENGAGE DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF THE MAJOR SURFACES THEREOF.