Safety lock mechanism for momentary slide switch

Claim 2

In combination with an electrical switch of the momentary type having a slide contact movable to an on position and spring loaded to return to an off position within a housing including a mounting plate thereon, an elongated manually operable slide button secured to said slide contact and extending through an aperture in said mounting plate, an improved safety lock mechanism, comprising: a. an auxiliary latching member pivotally mounted on said plate and including an elongated central body portion having an abutment formed therein adapted in a locking position to abut said slide button thereby to limit its forward linear movement and maintaining said switch in an off position and in a nonlocking position to clear said button for forward linear movement, handle means integrally appended to said body portion for pivotal movement of said locking member and having an integral plural surfaced projection portion adapted to be engaged on one surface thereof to releasably hold said abutment in said non-locking position and to be engaged on another surface thereof to urge said abutment toward said locking position; and b. an auxiliary keeper member mounted on and adapted to move linearly with said slide button proximate said latching member, said keeper member having one resilient portion adapted to engage said latching member projection portion and resiliently urge said latching member abutment toward said locking position upon each occasion of said button being released from the on position and having another portion adapted to temporarily engage said latching member projection portion and releasably hold said latching member and its abutment in a non-locking position with said button in an off position and being adapted such that upon each occasion of said button being released from its on position said latching member returns to a locked position requiring further pivoting and pivotal movement of said latching member to an unlocked position such that whenever said latching member releasably held in an unlocked position by said keeper member and said button is then moved forward to its on position said latching member is released from said keeper member and held in a non-locking position by slidably engaging said button.

Claim 3

The improved safety lock mechanism of claim 1 wherein said keeper member is integrally molded to said slide button.

Claim 4

The improved safety lock mechanism of claim 1 including means adapted to maintain said auxiliary latching member and said auxiliary keeper member operatively assembled against an electric tool housing outer wall.

Claim 5

The improved safety lock mechanism of claim 1 wherein said mounting plate includes a pair of holes laterally disposed at opposite ends, and wherein said latching member includes a pin molded integrally therewith and adapted to be received in one of said holes adjacent said off position adapting said latching member for pivotal movement with respect to said plate.

Claim 6

The improved safety lock mechanism of claim 4 wherein said abutment includes an abutting edge extending substantially perpendicular to the linear axis of movement of said slide button and which is adapted to abut a leading surface of said slide button when said latching member is in a locking mode of operation and which is adapted to clear said slide button leading surface when said latching member is in a non-locking mode of operation.

Claim 7

The improved safety lock mechanism of claim 1 wherein said auxiliary latching and keeper members are formed of molded plastic material.

Claim 8

In an electrical switch construction, in combination: a. an electrical switch of the momentary type having a slide contact movable along a linear path to an on posItion and spring loaded to return to an off position, having a manually operated slide button secured to said slide contact and having a switch housing mounting said contact and button with an aperture through which said button extends; b. an auxiliary latching member pivotally mounted on said housing and including an elongated central body portion having an abutment formed therein adapted in a locking position to abut said slide button thereby to limit its forward linear movement and maintaining said switch in an off position and in a non-locking position to clear said button for forward linear movement, handle means integrally appended to said body portion for pivotal movement of said locking member and having an integral plural surfaced projection portion adapted to be engaged on one surface thereof to releasably hold said abutment in said non-locking position and to be engaged on another surface thereof to urge said abutment toward said locking position; and c. an auxiliary keeper member mounted on and adapted to move linearly with said slide button proximate said latching member, said keeper member having one resilient portion adapted to engage said latching member projection portion and resiliently urge said latching member abutment toward said locking position upon each occasion of said button being released from the on position and having another portion adapted to temporarily engage said latching member projection portion and releasably hold said latching member and its abutment in a non-locking position with said button in an off position and being adapted such that upon each occasion of said button being released from its on position said latching member returns to a locked position requiring further pivoting and pivotal movement of said latching member to an unlocked position such that whenever said latching member releasably held in an unlocked position by said keeper member and said button is then moved forward to its on position said latching member is released from said keeper member and held in a non-locking position by slidably engaging said button.

Claim 9

In an electrical switch construction, in combination: a. an electrical switch of the momentary type having a slide contact movable along a linear path to an on posItion and spring loaded to return to an off position, having a manually operated slide button secured to said slide contact and having a switch housing mounting said contact and button with an aperture through which said button extends; b. an auxiliary latching member pivotally mounted on said housing and including an elongated central body portion having an abutment formed therein adapted in a locking position to abut said slide button thereby to limit its forward linear movement and maintaining said switch in an off position and in a non-locking position to clear said button for forward linear movement, handle means integrally appended to said body portion for pivotal movement of said locking member and having an integral plural surfaced projection portion adapted to be engaged on one surface thereof to releasably hold said abutment in said non-locking position and to be engaged on another surface thereof to urge said abutment toward said locking position; and c. an auxiliary keeper member mounted on and adapted to move linearly with said slide button proximate said latching member, said keeper member having one resilient portion adapted to engage said latching member projection portion and resiliently urge said latching member abutment toward said locking position upon each occasion of said button being released from the on position and having another portion adapted to temporarily engage said latching member projection portion and releasably hold said latching member and its abutment in a non-locking position with said button in an off position and being adapted such that upon each occasion of said button being released from its on position said latching member returns to a locked position requiring further pivoting and pivotal movement of said latching member to an unlocked position such that whenever said latching member releasably held in an unlocked position by said keeper member and said button is then moved forward to its on position said latching member is released from said keeper member and held in a non-locking position by slidably engaging said button.