Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
264 words
An electrical device having a housing with connector sockets on one side and connector plugs on the opposite side of the housing, said housing comprising a backplate of plastic material with ledge members integral with the backplate and protruding therefrom, and a front plate of plastic material placed on top of said ledge members and having rivet members integral with said front plate and passing through said ledge members and partly through said backplate, said backplate having recesses and each of said rivet members having molded ends fasteningly seated in a corresponding one of said recesses, said housing forming a switching chamber surrounded by said ledge members between said backplate and said front plate; a switching bridge arranged in said chamber and movable therein between two bridge positions; fixed contacts arranged in said chamber for engagement by said switching bridge, each of said fixed contacts comprising a sheet metal strip having a curved shape at mutually spaced localities along its length and having an end extending through said ledge members to the outside so as to form said connector plugs of the device; terminal screws each in threaded engagement with a corresponding one of said strips at the middle portion thereof and accessible from outside said housing; and a spring biased tappet longitudinally displaceable in said housing between said connector plugs and parallel to said plugs, said switching bridge being affixed to said tappet in a manner whereby said bridge is actuated by movement of said tappet, said tappet extending to outside said housing when said bridge is in one of its bridge positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
264 words
An electrical device having a housing with connector sockets on one side and connector plugs on the opposite side of the housing, said housing comprising a backplate of plastic material with ledge members integral with the backplate and protruding therefrom, and a front plate of plastic material placed on top of said ledge members and having rivet members integral with said front plate and passing through said ledge members and partly through said backplate, said backplate having recesses and each of said rivet members having molded ends fasteningly seated in a corresponding one of said recesses, said housing forming a switching chamber surrounded by said ledge members between said backplate and said front plate; a switching bridge arranged in said chamber and movable therein between two bridge positions; fixed contacts arranged in said chamber for engagement by said switching bridge, each of said fixed contacts comprising a sheet metal strip having a curved shape at mutually spaced localities along its length and having an end extending through said ledge members to the outside so as to form said connector plugs of the device; terminal screws each in threaded engagement with a corresponding one of said strips at the middle portion thereof and accessible from outside said housing; and a spring biased tappet longitudinally displaceable in said housing between said connector plugs and parallel to said plugs, said switching bridge being affixed to said tappet in a manner whereby said bridge is actuated by movement of said tappet, said tappet extending to outside said housing when said bridge is in one of its bridge positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said front plate is transparent for visual inspection of the internal arrangement of components.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tappet protrudes from said housing at one side thereof when said tappet and bridge are in the spring-biased position, and said tappet is substantially entirely within the confines of said housing when said tappet and bridge are in the other position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connector sockets of said housing are spaced from each other the same distance as the corresponding connector plugs and each of said connector sockets is aligned with a corresponding one of said connector plugs, whereby any number of said electrical devices are adapted to be plugged together in series.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cable shoe arranged substantially in said housing and seated on one of said terminal screws whereby said shoe is fastened to oNe of said strips.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plug pin having a seat portion seated on one of said terminal screws and fastened thereby to one of said strips, said plug pin having a generally angular shape and extending from said screw to outside said housing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said rivet members are located on each side of said tappet and comprise at least one tubular rivet and at least one full-bodied rivet, said front plate and said rivets forming a single piece of molded plastic.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of said connector plugs has a lateral recess and each of said connector sockets comprises a curve spring arranged in a corresponding one of said ledge members, each of said springs having a catch portion for engaging the recess in the connector plug of another of said electrical devices.