Flasher switch with outage indication

Claim 1

A flasher switch with outage indication comprising, a pair of switch terminals, a magnetisable core, first and second operating coils on the core and connected in parallel between said switch terminals to be supplied in parallel with current from a D.C. power source connected between said switch terminals and to produce in the core upon such supply of current substantially equal opposed magnetic forces, a contactor, biasing means for the contactor, the contactor being movable in one direction from a first to a second position in response to energization of the core by the unopposed magnetic force of one of the operating coils and movable in the opposite direction from the second to the first position under the action of the said biasing means, a capacitor connected in series with the second coil to be charged by current passing through the second coil whereby upon its discharge through the second coil it causes energization of the core sufficient for maintenance of the contactor in the said second position, a movable contact moved by the said contactor, another contact engaged by the said movable contact when the contactor is in the said second position, shortcircuit means comprising the contactor establishing a shortcircuit across the capacitor and the second coil when the movable and another contacts are engaged, a flashing rate changing impedance connectable in circuit with one of said operating coils, and a current detector connected to detect the magnitude of the current flowing between said movable and another contacts when engaged and responsive to a decrease of said current below a predetermined level to connect or disconnect the said flashingrate changing impedance in circuit to change the switch flashing rate.