Condition-monitoring electrical switch

Claim 2

An electrical switch adapted to monitor the condition of a pair of members normally stationary with respect to each other and to automatically complete an external electrical circuit in response to relative movement between said members, said electrical switch comprising, a housing fabricated of electrically nonconductive material and receiving therein a plurality of electrical conductors at least one of which is constantly maintained at an electrical potential, means rigidly attaching said housing to one member of said pair of members, an electrically conductive bus bar, a plurality of electrically conductive piercing elements, means rigidly attaching each of said piercing elements to said bus bar at intervals corresponding to the spacing between said conductors in said housing, means supporting said bus bar on said one member for bodily movement relative thereto between a retracted position remote from said housing and an extended position wherein said piercing elements extend through said housing and engage respective ones of said conductors to thereby apply said potential to each of said conductors and during which movement said piercing elements forcibly breach portions of said housing adjacent respective ones of said conductors, and drive means responsive to relative movement between said members to forcibly move said bus bar from said retracted to said extended position thereof.

Claim 3

An electrical switch adapted to monitor the condition of a pair of members normally stationary with respect to each other and to automatically complete an external electrical circuit in response to relative movement between said members, said electrical switch comprising, a housing fabricated of electrically nonconductive material and receiving therein a plurality of electrical conductors at least one of which is constantly maintained at an electrical potential, means rigidly attaching said housing to one member of said pair of members, an electrically conductive bus bar, a plurality of electrically conductive piercing elements, means rigidly attaching each of said piercing elements to said bus bar at intervals corresponding to the spacing between said conductors in said housing, a first sliding block having a ramp surface thereon, means rigidly attaching said bus bar to said first sliding block, means supporting said first sliding block on said one member for bodily movement relative thereto between a retracted position wherein said piercing elements on said bus bar are remote from said housing and an extended position wherein said piercing elements on said bus bar extend through said housing and engage respective ones of said conductors to thereby apply said electrical potential to each of said conductors and during which movement said piercing elements breach portions of said housing adjacent respective ones of said conductors, a second sliding block having a ramp surface thereon, means supporting said second sliding block on said one member for bodily movement relative thereto between first and second positions, said ramp surface on said first sliding block being engaged on said ramp surface on said second sliding block so that movement of the latter from said first to said second position wedgingly moves the former from said retracted to said extended position, and means rigidly connecting said second sliding block to the other member of said pair of members so that relative movement between said pair of members initiates movement of said second sliding block from said first to said second position thereof.

Claim 4

An electrical switch adapted to monitor the condition of a pair of members normally stationary with respect to each other and to automatically complete an external electrical circuit in response to relative movement between said members, said electrical switch comprising, a housing fabricated of electrically nonconductive material and receiving therein a plurality of electrical conductors at least one of which is constantly maintained at an electrical potential, means rigidly attaching said housing to one member of said pair of members, an electrically conductive bus bar, a plurality of electrically conductive piercing elements, means rigidly attaching each of said piercing elements to said bus bar at intervals corresponding to the spacing between said conductors in said housing, a first sliding block having a ramp surface thereon, means rigidly attaching said bus bar to said first sliding block, means supporting said first sliding block on said one member for bodily movement relative thereto between a retracted position wherein said piercing elements on said bus bar are remote from said housing and an extended position wherein said piercing elements on said bus bar extend through said housing and engage respective ones of said conductors to thereby apply said electrical potential to each of said conductors and during which movement said piercing elements breach portions of said housing adjacent respective ones of said conductors, a second sliding block having a ramp surface thereon, means supporting said second sliding block on said one member for bodily movement relative thereto between first and second positions, said ramp surface on said first sliding block being engaged on said ramp surface on said second sliding block so that movement of the latter from said first to said second position wedgingly moves the former from said retracted to said extended position, and means rigidly connecting said second sliding block to the other member of said pair of members so that relative movement between said pair of members initiates movement of said second sliding block from said first to said second position thereof.

Claim 5

An electrical switch adapted to monitor relative axial movement between a first member and a second memBer and to automatically complete an external electrical circuit in response to such relative axial movement, said electrical switch comprising, a housing fabricated from electrically nonconductive material and having a plurality of passages extending therethrough, a plurality of said passages receiving therethrough respective ones of a plurality of electrical conductors at least one of which is maintained at an electrical potential, a support member, means rigidly mounting said housing on said support member, means rigidly attaching said support member to one of said first and said second members for axial movement as a unit therewith, an electrically conductive bus bar having a plurality of integral piercing elements spaced at intervals corresponding to the spacing between said conductors in said housing, a first sliding block having a flat surface and an inclined ramp surface, means mounting said bus bar on said first sliding block on said flat surface thereof, means supporting said first sliding block on said support member for bodily movement relative thereto in a direction perpendicular to the direction of said axial movement between a retracted position wherein said piercing elements on said bus bar are remote from said housing and an extended position wherein respective ones of said piercing elements extend through said housing and engage corresponding ones of said conductors to thereby apply said potential to each of said conductors, a second sliding block having an inclined ramp surface thereon, means mounting said second sliding block on said support member for bodily movement relative thereto between a first position and a second position, said inclined ramp surface on said first sliding block being slidably engaged on said inclined surface of said second sliding block so that bodily movement of the latter from the first to the second position wedgingly moves the former from the retracted to the extended position thereof, and means rigidly connecting said second sliding block to the other of said first and said second members so that relative axial movement between said first and said second members initiates bodily movement of said second sliding block from the first to the second position thereof.

Claim 6

An electrical switch adapted to monitor relative axial movement between a first member and a second memBer and to automatically complete an external electrical circuit in response to such relative axial movement, said electrical switch comprising, a housing fabricated from electrically nonconductive material and having a plurality of passages extending therethrough, a plurality of said passages receiving therethrough respective ones of a plurality of electrical conductors at least one of which is maintained at an electrical potential, a support member, means rigidly mounting said housing on said support member, means rigidly attaching said support member to one of said first and said second members for axial movement as a unit therewith, an electrically conductive bus bar having a plurality of integral piercing elements spaced at intervals corresponding to the spacing between said conductors in said housing, a first sliding block having a flat surface and an inclined ramp surface, means mounting said bus bar on said first sliding block on said flat surface thereof, means supporting said first sliding block on said support member for bodily movement relative thereto in a direction perpendicular to the direction of said axial movement between a retracted position wherein said piercing elements on said bus bar are remote from said housing and an extended position wherein respective ones of said piercing elements extend through said housing and engage corresponding ones of said conductors to thereby apply said potential to each of said conductors, a second sliding block having an inclined ramp surface thereon, means mounting said second sliding block on said support member for bodily movement relative thereto between a first position and a second position, said inclined ramp surface on said first sliding block being slidably engaged on said inclined surface of said second sliding block so that bodily movement of the latter from the first to the second position wedgingly moves the former from the retracted to the extended position thereof, and means rigidly connecting said second sliding block to the other of said first and said second members so that relative axial movement between said first and said second members initiates bodily movement of said second sliding block from the first to the second position thereof.