Electrical switch actuating assembly

Claim 2

In a switch assembly of the type having a switch body and a switch operating plunger extending through one surface of said body, and a switch operating lever pivotally mounted on said body in operative alignment with said plunger, the improvement wherein said operating lever has a generally cruciform configuration with a pair of opposite arms forming pivot trunnions, and means for pivotally holding said pivot trunnions with respect to said switch body for holding a third arm of said lever in operative relationship with respect to said plunger, said holding means comprising a pair of projections extending from said surface and having aligned apertures engaging said pivot trunnions, said apertures having continuous peripheral edges and having dimensions normal to said surface adequate to permit insertion of said pivot trunnions therein by rotation of said lever about its longitudinal axis with respect to said third arm, the fourth end of said operating lever, opposite said third end, having a slot extending therefrom toward said third end and past said pivot trunnions, whereby the opposite sides of said slot may be deformed when said lever is assembled on said switch assembly, to urge said pivot trunnions further into their respective apertures.

Claim 3

The switch assembly of claim 1 wherein said apertures are polygonal shaped.

Claim 4

An operating assembly for an electric switch of the type having a switch body enclosing a switch contact and an operating plunger extending through one surface of said body for externally actuating said contact assembly: said operating assembly comprising a pair of aligned projections extending from said surface and separately defining a pair of aligned apertures having continuous peripheral edges, a flat operating lever assembled in position between said projections and having one end extending operative relationship with said plunger, said lever having a pair of opposed trunnions extending transversely of the lever intermediate its ends and in the plane thereof, said trunnions extending into said apertures to form rotational pivots for said lever, said lever further having a slot extending from said other end towards said one end and pass said trunnions, whereby deformation of the portion of lever on said other end defining the sides of said slots affects the relative spacing of the trunnions in the plane of said lever, said slot being sufficiently long that the trunnions may be drawn together to a first position by deformation of said other end of said lever to permit assembly and disassembly of the trunnions in the apertures by rotation of the lever about its longitudinal axis, and may be spread apart to a second position in which the removal of the trunnions from the apertures is prevented.

Claim 5

An operating assembly for an electric switch of the type having a switch body enclosing a switch contact and an operating plunger extending through one surface of said body for externally actuating said contact assembly: said operating assembly comprising a pair of aligned projections extending from said surface and separately defining a pair of aligned apertures having continuous peripheral edges, a flat operating lever assembled in position between said projections and having one end extending operative relationship with said plunger, said lever having a pair of opposed trunnions extending transversely of the lever intermediate its ends and in the plane thereof, said trunnions extending into said apertures to form rotational pivots for said lever, said lever further having a slot extending from said other end towards said one end and pass said trunnions, whereby deformation of the portion of lever on said other end defining the sides of said slots affects the relative spacing of the trunnions in the plane of said lever, said slot being sufficiently long that the trunnions may be drawn together to a first position by deformation of said other end of said lever to permit assembly and disassembly of the trunnions in the apertures by rotation of the lever about its longitudinal axis, and may be spread apart to a second position in which the removal of the trunnions from the apertures is prevented.

Claim 6

The assembly of claim 3 further comprising means on said surface positioned to inhibit rotation of said lever away from said plunger by engagement with the other end of said lever.

Claim 7

The assembly of claim 3 wherein said apertures are polygonal shaped and have upper edges extending at an angle through said surface corresponding to the angular displacement of said lever when said lever is rotated away from sAid plunger.