Abstract An electrical switch includes a body, a conductive support member carried by the body, a pair of electrically interconnecting conductive leaf springs carried by said support member and extending in opposite directions therefrom and fixed contacts carried by the body and engageable by the leaf spring. An operating member is pivotally mounted on the body and engageable with the leaf spring to move the leaf spring relative to the fixed contacts, and the switch has a first stable position in which a plunger holds one of the leaf springs stressed, a second stable position, reached by moving the operating member in one angular direction, in which the plunger moves out of engagement with the leaf spring so that the leaf spring is unstressed, and a third unstable position reached by moving the operating member in the opposite angular direction in which the leaf spring is again unstressed.
An electrical switch including a body, a conductive support member carried by the body, a pair of electrically interconnected conductive leaf springs carried by said support member and extending in opposite directions therefrom, fixed contacts carried by the body and engageable by said leaf springs, an operating member pivotally mounted on the body and incorporating a spring loaded plunger engageable with said leaf springs to move said leaf springs relative to said fixed contacts, said leaf springs being integral with one another, and said switch incorporating detent means defining a first switch position in which said plunger engages a V-shaped portion defined by said leaf springs, neither leaf spring being stressed in this first switch position, the operating member being movable in one angular direction from said first switch position to a second stable switch position in which one of the leaf springs is stressed, and said operating member being movable in the opposite angular direction from said first switch position to a third switch position in which said other leaf spring is stressed, said switch incorporating a ramp surface which is engaged by said plunger when said switch is moved beyond said third switch position, said ramp surface moving said plunger out of engagement with the leaf springs to define a fourth unstable switch position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
216 words
An electrical switch including a body, a conductive support member carried by the body, a pair of electrically interconnected conductive leaf springs carried by said support member and extending in opposite directions therefrom, fixed contacts carried by the body and engageable by said leaf springs, an operating member pivotally mounted on the body and incorporating a spring loaded plunger engageable with said leaf springs to move said leaf springs relative to said fixed contacts, said leaf springs being integral with one another, and said switch incorporating detent means defining a first switch position in which said plunger engages a V-shaped portion defined by said leaf springs, neither leaf spring being stressed in this first switch position, the operating member being movable in one angular direction from said first switch position to a second stable switch position in which one of the leaf springs is stressed, and said operating member being movable in the opposite angular direction from said first switch position to a third switch position in which said other leaf spring is stressed, said switch incorporating a ramp surface which is engaged by said plunger when said switch is moved beyond said third switch position, said ramp surface moving said plunger out of engagement with the leaf springs to define a fourth unstable switch position.