Pendulum actuated electrical switch structure

Claim 2

A pendulum actuated electrical switch structure comprising: a. a plurality of electrical contact defining portions of a first circle of given diameter and radius in a common plane with no one of said electrical contact points spaced more than 15* along said first circle from an adjacent electrical contact point, means electrically interconnecting adjacent ones of said plurality of contact points to each other in two groups, means electrically insulating said two groups of electrical contact points from each other, each of said groups having an electrical contact point spaced not more than 15* along said first circle from the nearest electrical contact point of the other of said groups and each of said groups including two electrical contact points spaced from each other at least 60* along said first circle; b. a pendulum member having an external electrical contact surface defining a second circle, the diameter of said second circle being smaller than said given diameter of said first circle and larger than the radius of said first circle; c. means supporting said pendulum member for movement in said common plane of said plurality of electrical contact points, said supporting means being adapted to allow said electrical contact surface of said pendulum member to move into contact with said electrical contact points; d. means for making electrical connection to said external electrical contact surface of said pendulum member; and e. means for making separate electrical connection to each of said two groups of said plurality of electricAl contact points.

Claim 3

A pendulum actuated electrical switch structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said two groups of said plurality of electrical contact points and said means electrically interconnecting said points comprise a unitary metallic member having a concave circular inner surface.

Claim 4

A pendulum actuated electrical switch structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means supporting said pendulum member comprises a flexible elongated means supporting said pendulum member from a point lying on a line drawn through the center of said first circle and adapted to allow said electrical contact surface of said pendulum member to swing into contact with said electrical contact points.

Claim 5

A pendulum actuated electrical switch structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pendulum member is made of metal with a conical external surface.

Claim 6

A pendulum actuated electrical switch structure as claimed in claim 4 wherein said external surface of said pendulum member forms at least a portion of a right circular cone.

Claim 7

A pendulum actuated electrical switch structure as claimed in claim 4 wherein said external surface of said pendulum member forms a truncated cone having a rounded apex.

Claim 8

A pendulum actuated electrical switch structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of electrical contact points define a full circle and adjacent ones thereof are electrically interconnected into four groups insulated from each other and each group defining an arc of more than 80* of said circle.

Claim 9

A pendulum actuated electrical switch structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of electrical contact points define a full circle and adjacent ones thereof are electrically interconnected into three groups electrically insulated from each other, two of said groups defining arcs of more than 80* of said circle and the third one of said groups defining an arc of more than 160* of said circle.

Claim 10

A pendulum actuated electrical switch structure comprising: a. a plurality of electrical contact points defining portions of a first circle of given diameter and radius in a common plane with no one of said electrical contact points spaced more than 15* along said first circle from an adjacent electrical contact point, means electrically interconnecting adjacent ones of said plurality of contact points to each other in two groups, means electrically insulating said two groups of electrical contact points from each other, each of said groups having an electrical contact point spaced not more than 15* along said first circle from the nearest electrical contact point of the other of said groups and each of said groups including two electrical contact points spaced from each other at least 60* along said first circle; b. a pendulum member made of metal and having an external electrical contact surface defining a truncated cone with a rounded apex, said truncated cone tapering from a diameter smaller than said given diameter of said first circle to a diameter larger than said given diameter of said first circle; c. means supporting said pendulum member for movement in said common plane of said plurality of electrical contact points, said supporting means being adapted to allow said electrical contact surface of said pendulum member to move into contact with said electrical contact points; d. means for making electrical connection to said external electrical contact surface of said pendulum member; e. means for making separate electrical connection to each of said two groups of said plurality of electrical contact points; and f. an insulating member surrounding said pendulum member, said insulating member having a truncated conical internal surface congruous with the external surface of said pendulum member, the minimum diameter of said internal surface of said insulating member being adjacent said first circle and of larger diameter than said first circle.

Claim 11

A pendulum actuated electrical switch structure comprising: a. a plurality of electrical contact points defining portions of a first circle of given diameter and radius in a common plane with no one of said electrical contact points spaced more than 15* along said first circle from an adjacent electrical contact point, means electrically interconnecting adjacent ones of said plurality of contact points to each other in two groups, means electrically insulating said two groups of electrical contact points from each other, each of said groups having an electrical contact point spaced not more than 15* along said first circle from the nearest electrical contact point of the other of said groups and each of said groups including two electrical contact points spaced from each other at least 60* along said first circle; b. a pendulum member made of metal and having an external electrical contact surface defining a truncated cone with a rounded apex, said truncated cone tapering from a diameter smaller than said given diameter of said first circle to a diameter larger than said given diameter of said first circle; c. means supporting said pendulum member for movement in said common plane of said plurality of electrical contact points, said supporting means being adapted to allow said electrical contact surface of said pendulum member to move into contact with said electrical contact points; d. means for making electrical connection to said external electrical contact surface of said pendulum member; e. means for making separate electrical connection to each of said two groups of said plurality of electrical contact points; and f. an insulating member surrounding said pendulum member, said insulating member having a truncated conical internal surface congruous with the external surface of said pendulum member, the minimum diameter of said internal surface of said insulating member being adjacent said first circle and of larger diameter than said first circle.

Claim 12

A pendulum actuated electrical switch structure for use in a system for leveling a vehicle, said switch comprising: a. a base member having a flat exterior surface adapted to be mounted in contiguous relation to a normally horizontal flat surface of said vehicle; b. a plurality of electrical contact members insulatingly mounted in spaced and electrically insulated relationship to each other on said base member, said electrical contact members each providing a concave electrically conductive surface forming an arc of a common circle of given diameter and radius lying in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said flat exterior surface of said base; c. a tubular member surrounding said electrical contact members, one end of said tubular member being resiliently mounted on said base with the axis thereof extending in a direction transverse to the plane of said flat exterior surface of said base; d. a cap member closing the other end of said tubular member; e. a pendulum mass having an electrically conductive exterior surface forming a truncated right circular cone tapering at a given angle with respect to the axis thereof from a first diameter which is smaller than said given radius of said common circle at the end thereof remote from said cap member to a second diameter larger than said given diameter of said common circle at the end thereof adjacent said cap member, said end of said pendulum mass adjacent said cap member being suspended for free swinging movement in the plane of said common circle from said cap member by an elongated flexable member extending from a point on said cap member lying on the axis of said tubular member to a point lying on the axis of said truncated right circular cone formed by said exterior surface of said pendulum mass; f. an insulating funnel member within said tubular member surrounding said pendulum mass and extending from the plane of said common circle toward said cap member, the internal surface of said funnel member forming a truncated right circular cone coaxial with said tubular member and tapering at an angle with respect to the axis thereof at least as great as said given angle of taper of said exterior surface of said pendulum mass from a diameter slightly larger than said given diameter of said common circle at the end thereof adjacent said plane of said common circle to a still larger diameter at the end thereof remote from said plane of said common circle; g. means for making electrical connection to said electrically conductive exterior surface of said pendulum mass; h. means for making separate electrical connections to said concave electrically cconductive surfaces of each of said electrical contact members; and i. means for selectively adjusting the transverse direction in which the axis of said tubular member extends with respect to the flat exterior surface of said base.

Claim 13

A pendulum actuated electrical switch structure for use in a system for leveling a vehicle, said switch comprising: a. a base member having a flat exterior surface adapted to be mounted in contiguous relation to a normally horizontal flat surface of said vehicle; b. a plurality of electrical contact members insulatingly mounted in spaced and electrically insulated relationship to each other on said base member, said electrical contact members each providing a concave electrically conductive surface forming an arc of a common circle of given diameter and radius lying in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said flat exterior surface of said base; c. a tubular member surrounding said electrical contact members, one end of said tubular member being resiliently mounted on said base with the axis thereof extending in a direction transverse to the plane of said flat exterior surface of said base; d. a cap member closing the other end of said tubular member; e. a pendulum mass having an electrically conductive exterior surface forming a truncated right circular cone tapering at a given angle with respect to the axis thereof from a first diameter which is smaller than said given radius of said common circle at the end thereof remote from said cap member to a second diameter larger than said given diameter of said common circle at the end thereof adjacent said cap member, said end of said pendulum mass adjacent said cap member being suspended for free swinging movement in the plane of said common circle from said cap member by an elongated flexable member extending from a point on said cap member lying on the axis of said tubular member to a point lying on the axis of said truncated right circular cone formed by said exterior surface of said pendulum mass; f. an insulating funnel member within said tubular member surrounding said pendulum mass and extending from the plane of said common circle toward said cap member, the internal surface of said funnel member forming a truncated right circular cone coaxial with said tubular member and tapering at an angle with respect to the axis thereof at least as great as said given angle of taper of said exterior surface of said pendulum mass from a diameter slightly larger than said given diameter of said common circle at the end thereof adjacent said plane of said common circle to a still larger diameter at the end thereof remote from said plane of said common circle; g. means for making electrical connection to said electrically conductive exterior surface of said pendulum mass; h. means for making separate electrical connections to said concave electrically cconductive surfaces of each of said electrical contact members; and i. means for selectively adjusting the transverse direction in which the axis of said tubular member extends with respect to the flat exterior surface of said base.