Dust cover for switches

Claim 2

On a switch including an enclosure within which electrical contact elements are housed, and a shiftable actuator for said contact elements projecting outwardly from said enclosure, an improved cover structure accommodating the shifting movement of said actuator comprising: a closure wall with an elongated slot therein over one end of said enclosure, said actuator extending through said slot and terminating at its outer end at a gripping head for shifting movements within said slot; a slide cover of greater length and width than said slot, on said actuator and shiftable therewith, said slide cover being positioned behind said closure wall and having sufficient length to be in closing relation to said slot at all operational positions of said actuator; a stationary cover behind said slide cover with which said slide cover is in sliding engagement, the peripheral edges of said stationary cover cooperating with the adjacent walls of said enclosure to close said one end of said enclosure; and a slot in said stationary cover in alignment with said slot in said closure wall and of sufficient length to accommodate the full shifting stroke of said actuator to its operational positions.

Claim 3

A switch and cover structure as defined in claim 1 wherein: said stationary cover is of channel shape defined by a planar bottom wall and upright side walls against which said slide cover is in sliding contact, whereby said stationary cover serves as a guiDing device for said slide cover and cooperates therewith in forming a seal to prevent the entry of foreign particles into said enclosure.

Claim 4

A switch and cover structure as defined in claim 1 wherein: said slide cover and said stationary cover are of planar shape and said actuator is reciprocally shiftable within said closure wall slot; and a pair of opposed end openings in said enclosure in alignment with said slide cover and said stationary cover, whereby any foreign particles accumulating on said stationary cover will be expelled from said enclosure through said end openings by the opposite ends of said slide cover as it reciprocates with said actuator on said stationary cover.

Claim 5

A switch and cover structure as defined in claim 3 wherein: said closure wall is part of a closure frame of inverted, U-shape having a pair of depending wall segments cooperating with opposed end wall portions of said enclosure to enclose said electrical contact elements, said wall segments of said closure frame having apertures therein defining at least a portion of said end openings in said enclosure through which foreign particles are expelled.

Claim 6

A switch and cover structure as defined in claim 1 wherein: said slide cover and said stationary cover are separate, removable elements, said slide cover being removably attached to said actuator gripping head by an aperture therein which snuggly embraces said actuator gripping head and through which said actuator gripping head extend.

Claim 7

An enclosed switch assembly comprising in combination: an enclosure having a closure wall over one end thereof with an elongated slot therein; electrical contact elements contained within said enclosure and movable into and out of contact with each other; an actuator having a first portion thereof within said enclosure operatively associated with said contact elements and a second, gripping knob portion thereof extending out of said enclosure through said slot in said closure wall, said actuator being slidably reciprocal within said slot; a slide cover on said actuator movable therewith, said slide cover being positioned behind said closure wall and extending longitudinally on opposite sides of said actuator by a distance sufficient to project beyond the opposed, transverse edges of said slot in covering relation thereto at all operational positions of said actuator, and said slide cover being of greater width than said slot; planar, dust collecting surfaces behind said slide cover with which said slide cover is in sliding engagement, said dust collecting surfaces being disposed adjacent opposed end walls of said enclosure towards which said actuator slides as it reciprocates; and an aperture in each of said enclosure end walls in alignment with said slide cover, whereby dust and foreign particles collected on said planar surfaces are picked up by the ends of said slide cover as it reciprocates and ejected from said enclosure through said apertures in said end walls.

Claim 8

An enclosed switch assembly comprising in combination: an enclosure having a closure wall over one end thereof with an elongated slot therein; electrical contact elements contained within said enclosure and movable into and out of contact with each other; an actuator having a first portion thereof within said enclosure operatively associated with said contact elements and a second, gripping knob portion thereof extending out of said enclosure through said slot in said closure wall, said actuator being slidably reciprocal within said slot; a slide cover on said actuator movable therewith, said slide cover being positioned behind said closure wall and extending longitudinally on opposite sides of said actuator by a distance sufficient to project beyond the opposed, transverse edges of said slot in covering relation thereto at all operational positions of said actuator, and said slide cover being of greater width than said slot; planar, dust collecting surfaces behind said slide cover with which said slide cover is in sliding engagement, said dust collecting surfaces being disposed adjacent opposed end walls of said enclosure towards which said actuator slides as it reciprocates; and an aperture in each of said enclosure end walls in alignment with said slide cover, whereby dust and foreign particles collected on said planar surfaces are picked up by the ends of said slide cover as it reciprocates and ejected from said enclosure through said apertures in said end walls.

Claim 9

An enclosed switch assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein: said planar, dust collecting surfaces are portions of a stationary cover and are spaced apart by a slot therein in alignment with said slot in said closure wall and of sufficient length to accommodate the full shifting stroke of said actuator to its operational positions.

Claim 10

In combination with a switch actuator, a cover structure for an electrical switch mechanism for preventing the entry of foreign particles into the switch operating and contact space, comprising: a closure member with an elongated slot therein through which said actuator extends, said actuator being reciprocally shiftable within said slot; a slide cover of greater length and width than said closure member slot on said actuator and shiftable therewith, said slide cover being positioned behind said closure member and having sufficient length to be in closing relation to said slot at all operational positions of said actuator; a stationary cover behind said slide cover with which said slide cover is in sliding engagement, said stationary cover having a slot therein in alignment with said slot in said closure member and of sufficient length to accommodate the full shifting stroke of said actuator to its operational positions; and opposed, open spaces at the opposite ends of said closure member in alignment with said slide cover and said stationary cover whereby foreign particles accumulating on said stationary cover are picked up by the opposite ends of said slide cover as it reciprocates with said switch actuator and are expelled through said open spaces.

Claim 11

In combination with a switch actuator, a cover structure for an electrical switch mechanism for preventing the entry of foreign particles into the switch operating and contact space, comprising: a closure member with an elongated slot therein through which said actuator extends, said actuator being reciprocally shiftable within said slot; a slide cover of greater length and width than said closure member slot on said actuator and shiftable therewith, said slide cover being positioned behind said closure member and having sufficient length to be in closing relation to said slot at all operational positions of said actuator; a stationary cover behind said slide cover with which said slide cover is in sliding engagement, said stationary cover having a slot therein in alignment with said slot in said closure member and of sufficient length to accommodate the full shifting stroke of said actuator to its operational positions; and opposed, open spaces at the opposite ends of said closure member in alignment with said slide cover and said stationary cover whereby foreign particles accumulating on said stationary cover are picked up by the opposite ends of said slide cover as it reciprocates with said switch actuator and are expelled through said open spaces.