Switch system

Claim 2

A switch system comprising a base, first leaf spring section conductors insulatingly supported from said base and arranged in end-to-end overlapping relation forming first lines insulatingly supported from the front of said base, second leaf spring section conductors insulatingly supported from said base and arranged in end-to-end overlapping relation forming second lines insulatingly supported on the back of said base and extending transversly to and crossing the first lines, rotatable conducive elements supported from said base and overlapping the front and back crossing lines and selectively engageable with the copperating leaf spring section conductors moving the free ends of the copperating leaf spring section conductors from the adjacent leaf spring section conductors and cross-connect the lines on the front to the lines on the back.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 in which the base is a plate having apertures receiving the rotatable conductive element and partitions are arranged in parallel relation to said lines and apertured face plates are secured to said partitions substantially parallel to said base and rotatably support the rotatable elements and also carry insulators on which the leaf springs are mounted.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 2 in which a manual operating knob is provided on one end of the rotatable conductive element.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 3 in which a power means and a control switch is mounted on the other end of said rotatable conductive element.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 2 in which the rotatable conductive element has a body with a first pair of tines in one plane extending forwardly of the body and a second pair of tines in a plane transverse to said plane of the first pair of tines extending rearwardly and an insulator is mounted between each pair of tines to rotatable support the rotatable conductive element.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 1 in which a leaf spring section is provided on each side of the rotatable conductive element to provide equal radial pressure to the opposite sides of the rotatable conductive element preventing unbalanced forces.

Claim 8

A switch nodule for application to a base support having crossing channels comprising a pair of face plates, an insulator mounted on each face plate, a pair of leaf spring sections mounted on each insulator adjacent one end of the leaf springs leaving cantilever portions at the other ends, a rotatable cam shaped conductive element having a body with tines extending in opposite directions positioned between said cantilever portions of said leaf springs, shaft insulators mounted in the tines of said cam shaped conductive element and serving as shafts, said shaft insulators being rotatably supported in aperture in said face plates.

Claim 9

A switch nodule for application to a base support having crossing channels comprising a pair of face plates, an insulator mounted on each face plate, a pair of leaf spring sections mounted on each insulator adjacent one end of the leaf springs leaving cantilever portions at the other ends, a rotatable cam shaped conductive element having a body with tines extending in opposite directions positioned between said cantilever portions of said leaf springs, shaft insulators mounted in the tines of said cam shaped conductive element and serving as shafts, said shaft insulators being rotatably supported in aperture in said face plates.

Claim 10

The invention according to claim 7 in which a knob shaft extension projects outwardly from the free end of one of the insulators serving as a shaft and a manual operating knob is mounted on said knob shaft.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 7 in which a power operated rotary solenoid is operatively connected to one end of one of the insulators serving as a shaft for rotating the rotatable conductive element to crossconnect the cooperating leaf spring sections or to open the circuit between the crossing leaf spring sections.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 7 in which a manual operating knob is mounted on the free end of one of the insulators serving as a shaft and a switch is mounted on the free end of the other insulator serving as a shaft.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 1 in which grounding leaf springs are supported from said base and engage the rotatable conductive element when the leaf spring sections are in line continuing position.

Claim 14

A switch module comprising a face plate having a shaft receiving aperture therethrough, an insulator secured to one edge of said face plate, a pair of cantilever line section springs positioned on opposite sides of the axis of said shaft receiving apertures and mounted adjacent one end on said insulator, said cantilever springs having ends projecting beyond the adjacent edge of the face plate for overlapping cooperation with cantilever springs on adjacent face plates, a rotatable conductive element having conductive portions between said cantilever springs, an insulator shaft extending from said rotary conductive element and rotatably mounted in the shaft receiving aperture of said face plate, means to rotate said insulator shaft whereby a multiple line switch system may be provided by mounting the modules with the cantilever springs in registering overlapping relation to produce a switch system of any desired size.

Claim 15

A switch module comprising a face plate having a shaft receiving aperture therethrough, an insulator secured to one edge of said face plate, a pair of cantilever line section springs positioned on opposite sides of the axis of said shaft receiving apertures and mounted adjacent one end on said insulator, said cantilever springs having ends projecting beyond the adjacent edge of the face plate for overlapping cooperation with cantilever springs on adjacent face plates, a rotatable conductive element having conductive portions between said cantilever springs, an insulator shaft extending from said rotary conductive element and rotatably mounted in the shaft receiving aperture of said face plate, means to rotate said insulator shaft whereby a multiple line switch system may be provided by mounting the modules with the cantilever springs in registering overlapping relation to produce a switch system of any desired size.

Claim 16

The invention according to claim 12 in which a base and partition supports are provided for mounting the modules on opposite sides of a base so that lines may be provided extending in one direction on one side of said base and lines may be provided which extend transversely on the other side of said base and said rotary conductive elements provide for cross-connections between the lines on both sides of said base.

Claim 17

The invention according to claim 12 in which a pair of tool receiving apertures for receiving the legs of a U-shaped member are provided on the face plate to engage and spread apart the free ends of the cantilever springs so that the face plates may be assembled.

Claim 18

The invention according to claim 13 in which a channel shaped conductor embraces the fixed ends of the leaf springs at the end module and is connected to a terminal for connection to an antenna or transmitter.

Claim 19

The invention according to claim 13 in which the rotatable conductive element has a pair of tines for engagement with the cantilever line section springs on one side of the base and has a second pair of tines for engagement with the cantilever line section springs on the other side of the base.

Claim 20

The invention according to claim 16 in which at least one grounding spring is provided for engaging the rotary conductive element in its line continuing position.

Claim 21

The invention according to claim 13 in which the rotatable conductive element has tines engageable with the cantilever springs on one side of the base and another pair of tines extending between the line section springs on the other side of the base, the insulator shafts being positioned between the tines of each pair of tines and an extension shaft projecting from at least one insulator and means to rotate said extension shaft.

Claim 22

The invention according to claIm 18 in which a second extension shaft is mounted on the other end extending from the other insulator shaft and switch means operated by said second extension shaft.

Claim 23

The invention according to claim 19 in which a rotary solenoid is provided to operate said second extension shaft and a manual knob is provided to operate said first extension shaft.

Claim 24

The invention according to claim 18 in which an auxiliary plate is mounted outwardly of the face plate and the extension shaft is rotatably mounted in the auxiliary plate and retained therein by spring washers reacting against both faces of the auxiliary plate.

Claim 25

The invention according to claim 21 in which the connection between the insulator shaft and extension shaft is a slot and pin whereby the auxiliary plate can be applied subsequently to the mounting of the face plate.

Claim 26

The invention according to claim 22 in which a second auxiliary plate is mounted outwardly of the other cooperating face plate and a second extension shaft is rotatably mounted in the second auxiliary plate.

Claim 27

A switch module comprising a first pair of insulatingly supported spaced apart resilient conductive cantilevers in a first plane, a second pair of insulatingly supported spaced apart resilient conductive cantilevers in a second plane generally parallel to said first plane and spaced from said first plane with the cantilever pairs in crossing relation, insulatingly supported conductive abutments cooperating with the free ends of said cantilevers, a rotatably insulatingly mounted rotor having its axis transverse to said planes and being embraced by said cantilevers, said rotor having a first generally flat cam section of a width greater than the spacing between said first cantilevers and engageable therewith and having a second generally flat cam section of a width greater than the spacing between said second cantilevers and substantially at right angles to said first cam section and engageable with said second cantilevers, said cam sections being of conductive material and connected together whereby in one position of said rotor the cam sections are generally parallel to their cantilevers and the free ends of the cantilevers engage their conductive abutments and in the other position of said rotor the cam sections engage the cantilevers and move the free ends of the cantilevers out of contact with their conductive abutments and connect the first pair of cantilevers with the second pair of cantilevers.

Claim 28

A switch module comprising a first pair of insulatingly supported spaced apart resilient conductive cantilevers in a first plane, a second pair of insulatingly supported spaced apart resilient conductive cantilevers in a second plane generally parallel to said first plane and spaced from said first plane with the cantilever pairs in crossing relation, insulatingly supported conductive abutments cooperating with the free ends of said cantilevers, a rotatably insulatingly mounted rotor having its axis transverse to said planes and being embraced by said cantilevers, said rotor having a first generally flat cam section of a width greater than the spacing between said first cantilevers and engageable therewith and having a second generally flat cam section of a width greater than the spacing between said second cantilevers and substantially at right angles to said first cam section and engageable with said second cantilevers, said cam sections being of conductive material and connected together whereby in one position of said rotor the cam sections are generally parallel to their cantilevers and the free ends of the cantilevers engage their conductive abutments and in the other position of said rotor the cam sections engage the cantilevers and move the free ends of the cantilevers out of contact with their conductive abutments and connect the first pair of cantilevers with the second pair of cantilevers.

Claim 29

The invention according to claim 24, in which a plurality of switch modules are connected together with the fixed ends of the cantilevers connected to the abutments of the adjacent module whereby a switch system of any size can be assembled.

Claim 30

The invention according to claim 24 in which grounded springs engage at least one flat cam section when the cam sections are parallel to their cantilevers to prevent coupling between the first and second pairs of cantilevers.

Claim 31

A switch system comprising a base, a first leaf spring section conductors insulatingly supported from said base and arranged in end to end overlapping relation and providing cantilever portions, second leaf spring section conductors insulatingly supported from said base and providing second cantilever portions and arranged in end to end overlapping relation and crossing said first leaf spring section conductors, rotatable conductive cam elements insulatingly supported from said base and overlapping cantilever portions of the crossing first leaf spring section conductors and the cantilever portions of said second leaf spring section conductors and selectively engageable with with the cooperating leaf spring section conductors from the adjacent leaf spring section conductors and cross connect the first leaf spring section conductors to the second leaf spring section conductors.

Claim 32

A switch system comprising a base, a first leaf spring section conductors insulatingly supported from said base and arranged in end to end overlapping relation and providing cantilever portions, second leaf spring section conductors insulatingly supported from said base and providing second cantilever portions and arranged in end to end overlapping relation and crossing said first leaf spring section conductors, rotatable conductive cam elements insulatingly supported from said base and overlapping cantilever portions of the crossing first leaf spring section conductors and the cantilever portions of said second leaf spring section conductors and selectively engageable with with the cooperating leaf spring section conductors from the adjacent leaf spring section conductors and cross connect the first leaf spring section conductors to the second leaf spring section conductors.

Claim 33

The invention according to claim 27 in which the first and second leaf spring section conductors extend in lines generally straight with a minimum of physical discontinuities Such as stub ends.