Alarm detector switch assembly

Claim 2

A detector switch assembly for alarm devices and the like comprising cooperating female and male connecting members, each said connecting member including an outer housing with each housing having at least one interchangeable, conductive connector block releasably inserted thereinto and an opening in each housing, each said block being reorientable in the associated housing, a male plug projecting outwardly from a side of the block and through the opening in one of said housings, an inwardly directed jack opening in one side of the block in the other of said housings and aligned with the opening in said other housing, said male plug being releasably received in aligned openings in said other housing and associated block and connected in a friction fit therewith to establish an electrical connection between said connecting members and separable therefrom to break the connection when one of the connecting members is moved away from the other.

Claim 3

A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 including a pair of connector blocks in each housing with the plugs for the male member arranged parallel to one another and the jack openings in the female member arranged parallel to one another to slidably receive said pair of plugs.

Claim 4

A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said outer housing is composed of an electrical insulating material and constructed as a unitary molded structure.

Claim 5

A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said housing includes a pair of vertically directed mounting holes adjacent each end for the mounting thereof on a support structure.

Claim 6

A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said blocks is cube-shaped with its sides being of an equal dimension and each said housing has a cube-shaped receptacle open along one side for receiving the block.

Claim 7

A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said male plug is a banana-type structure having a plurality of axially bowed and radially flexible side sections.

Claim 8

A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said male plug has a threaded end portion passing through a wall of the housing and threading into one face of the connector block.

Claim 9

A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each said block has an inwardly directed, internally threaded terminal hole in another side adapted to receive a terminal screw extending through an aperture in the housing and into the block to connect an electric wire to the connector block.

Claim 10

A detector switch assembly as set forth in claim 1 further including an extension member releasably connected between the block and the male plug to compensate for additional space between said connecting members.

Claim 11

A detector switch assembly for alarm devices and the like comprising cooperating female and male connecting members adapted to mount on independent normally adjacent support structures, each said connecting member including an outer housing of an electrical insulating material and formed with a pair of spaced multi-sided compartments opening through one side thereof and having a side opening in each housing for each compartment, a pair of conductive connector blocks releasably inserted into the compartments of each of said housings, said blocks being of a corresponding size and shape and of a shape corresponding to that of the housing compartment to be interchangeable in each housing compartment and reorientable therein, a male plug projecting outwardly through the side opening of one of the housings from one side of each block therein, said plugs extending generally parallel to one another, an inwardly directed jack opening in one side of each block in the other of said housings, said jack openings being aligned with an associated side opening in the associated housing and disposed parallel to one another and spaced apart one from another, said pair of plugs being received in said jack openings and connected in a friction fit therewith to establish an electrical connection between said connecting members and separable therefrom to break the connection when one of the support structures is moved away from the other.

Claim 12

A detector switch assembly for alarm devices and the like comprising cooperating female and male connecting members adapted to mount on independent normally adjacent support structures, each said connecting member including an outer housing of an electrical insulating material and formed with a pair of spaced multi-sided compartments opening through one side thereof and having a side opening in each housing for each compartment, a pair of conductive connector blocks releasably inserted into the compartments of each of said housings, said blocks being of a corresponding size and shape and of a shape corresponding to that of the housing compartment to be interchangeable in each housing compartment and reorientable therein, a male plug projecting outwardly through the side opening of one of the housings from one side of each block therein, said plugs extending generally parallel to one another, an inwardly directed jack opening in one side of each block in the other of said housings, said jack openings being aligned with an associated side opening in the associated housing and disposed parallel to one another and spaced apart one from another, said pair of plugs being received in said jack openings and connected in a friction fit therewith to establish an electrical connection between said connecting members and separable therefrom to break the connection when one of the support structures is moved away from the other.

Claim 13

In an alarm circuit, a detector switch assembly comprising cooperating female and male connecting members (11, 12) mounted on independent normally adjacent support structures with one of the structures movable toward and away from the other, each said connecting member including an outer housing (14), each said housing being composed of an electrical insulatiNg material and constructed as a unitary molded structure, each said housing including a top wall (21), side walls (22,23) and end walls (24, 25) and inner spaced transverse divider walls (27,28) forming a pair of spaced inner cube-shaped compartments (15,16) opening through the bottom, each said housing having a pair of vertical holes (32) adjacent each end for the mounting thereof on a support structure, and each said housing having a pair of apertures (29) and side openings (31), a pair of cube-shaped connector blocks (35a, 35b) releasably inserted into the compartments of each housing and reorientable therein, a banana-type plug (47) projecting outwardly from a side of each of the blocks through each side opening in one of the housings, said plugs being disposed in a parallel relation to one another, an inwardly directed smooth jack hole (36) in one side of the blocks in the other of said housings, said jack holes being aligned with an associated side opening and disposed in a parallel relation to one another, said plugs being received in the aligned openings in said other housing and associated blocks and connected in a friction fit therewith to establish an electrical connection between said connecting members and being separable to break the connection when one of the support structures is moved away from the other, each said block having an inwardly directed, internally threaded hole (37) in another side adjacent the side with the male plug for the male connecting members and adjacent the side with the jack hole for the female connecting member, a terminal screw (39) extending through each aperture in each housing into each said internally threaded hole to connect an electric line to each of said connector blocks.

Claim 14

In an alarm circuit, a detector switch assembly comprising cooperating female and male connecting members (11, 12) mounted on independent normally adjacent support structures with one of the structures movable toward and away from the other, each said connecting member including an outer housing (14), each said housing being composed of an electrical insulatiNg material and constructed as a unitary molded structure, each said housing including a top wall (21), side walls (22,23) and end walls (24, 25) and inner spaced transverse divider walls (27,28) forming a pair of spaced inner cube-shaped compartments (15,16) opening through the bottom, each said housing having a pair of vertical holes (32) adjacent each end for the mounting thereof on a support structure, and each said housing having a pair of apertures (29) and side openings (31), a pair of cube-shaped connector blocks (35a, 35b) releasably inserted into the compartments of each housing and reorientable therein, a banana-type plug (47) projecting outwardly from a side of each of the blocks through each side opening in one of the housings, said plugs being disposed in a parallel relation to one another, an inwardly directed smooth jack hole (36) in one side of the blocks in the other of said housings, said jack holes being aligned with an associated side opening and disposed in a parallel relation to one another, said plugs being received in the aligned openings in said other housing and associated blocks and connected in a friction fit therewith to establish an electrical connection between said connecting members and being separable to break the connection when one of the support structures is moved away from the other, each said block having an inwardly directed, internally threaded hole (37) in another side adjacent the side with the male plug for the male connecting members and adjacent the side with the jack hole for the female connecting member, a terminal screw (39) extending through each aperture in each housing into each said internally threaded hole to connect an electric line to each of said connector blocks.