Alternate action mechanism with plate and dual pin latching means

Claim 2

Switch of the type comprising a push button provided with moving contacts and slidably mounted in a stationary casing supporting terminals adapted to be connected respectively to the phases of a source of a power and an appliance, said contacts being able to rest on said terminals to establish the connection between the supply and the appliance when the push button is depressed for a first time against the action of resilient return means and to move away from the stationary contacts thus cutting this connection when the push button is depressed for a second time and so on, characterized in that between at least one wall of the push button and one adjoining wall of the casing a locking member is interposed comprising a first guide pin engaging in a slot perpendicular to the direction of movement of the pushbutton provided on said adjoining wall of the casing, a second guide pin able to slide in a guide groove which is closed and cut into said wall of the push button when the push button mOves relative to the casing, and a thin plate being formed intermediate said first and second guide pins, said plate being dimensioned so as to be greater than the width of the slot in said casing, said guide groove comprising a lower part and an upper part both having a concave part directed towards the top of the push button and connected by two different paths, such that each time the push button is fully depressed in the casing and then released, the second guide pin of the locking element is alternately locked, under the action of the resilient return means, in one of the said concave portions, utilizing each time one of said paths, thus locking the push button in the open or closed position.

Claim 3

Switch according to claim 1, characterized in that there are also cut in the wall of the push button which comprises the heart-shaped guide groove an elongated groove, parallel to the direction of movement of the push button and two holes located vertically to positions corresponding respectively to the depressed and projecting positions of the push button the slot of the casing being sufficiently elongated in order that the locking member may be engaged, by means of its outer pin, with said slot, and, by its inner pin, either with the heart-shaped groove or with the elongated groove or with one of the holes.

Claim 4

Switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the resilient return means are constituted by at least one spring supported on the lower wall of the casing and passing through an axial guide housing provided between two strips extending the corresponding wall of the push button.

Claim 5

Switch of the type comprising a push button provided with moving contacts and slidably mounted in a stationary casing supporting terminals adapted to be connected respectively to the phases of a source of a power and an appliance, said contacts being able to rest on said terminals to establish the connection between the supply and the appliance when the push button is depressed for a first time against the action of resilient return means and to move away from the stationary contacts thus cutting this connection when the push button is depressed for a second time and so on, characterized in that between at least one wall of the push button and one adjoining wall of the casing a locking member is interposed comprising a first guide pin engaging in a slot perpendicular to the direction of movement of the push button provided on said adjoining wall of the casing, and a second guide pin able to slide in a guide groove which is closed and cut into said wall of the push button when the push button moves relative to the casing, said push button extending by means of two vertical and parallel walls, in the outer face of which is cut the guide groove and at least two vertical slots receiving respectively the ends of two horizontal metal contacts connecting the two vertical walls, said guide groove comprising a lower part and an upper part both having a concave part directed towards the top of the push button and connected by two different paths, such that each time the push button is fully depressed in the casing then released, the second guide pin of the locking element is alternately locked, under the action of the resilient return means, in one of the said concave portions, utilizing each time one of said paths, thus locking the push button in the open or closed position.

Claim 6

Switch of the type comprising a push button provided with moving contacts and slidably mounted in a stationary casing supporting terminals adapted to be connected respectively to the phases of a source of a power and an appliance, said contacts being able to rest on said terminals to establish the connection between the supply and the appliance when the push button is depressed for a first time against the action of resilient return means and to move away from the stationary contacts thus cutting this connection when the push button is depressed for a second time and so on, characterized in that between at least one wall of the push button and one adjoining wall of the casing a locking member is interposed comprising a first guide pin engaging in a slot perpendicular to the direction of movement of the push button provided on said adjoining wall of the casing, and a second guide pin able to slide in a guide groove which is closed and cut into said wall of the push button when the push button moves relative to the casing, said push button extending by means of two vertical and parallel walls, in the outer face of which is cut the guide groove and at least two vertical slots receiving respectively the ends of two horizontal metal contacts connecting the two vertical walls, said guide groove comprising a lower part and an upper part both having a concave part directed towards the top of the push button and connected by two different paths, such that each time the push button is fully depressed in the casing then released, the second guide pin of the locking element is alternately locked, under the action of the resilient return means, in one of the said concave portions, utilizing each time one of said paths, thus locking the push button in the open or closed position.

Claim 7

Switch according to claim 4, characterized in that a small column projecting below the button passes with some clearance through each of the mobile contacts in its center part, and around which column there is placed a compensating spring supported on the button and on the contacts, so as to normally urge the latter towards a position in which its ends are located in abutment at the lower end of the vertical slots.