Electric switches

Claim 1

An electric switch including a casing; a pair of fixed contacts mounted therein in longitudinally spaced relationship; a lever having a stem and mounted within said casing, said lever having a combined longitudinal rocking and sliding movement; a slot at one end of said stem; a moving contact in the form of a roller carried by said lever and in permanent rolling engagement with one of said fixed contacts and longitudinally movable as a result of combined rocking and sliding movement of said lever into engagement with the other fixed contact to bridge said contacts and complete an electrical circuit; a spring engaged with said stem and urging said roller into engagement with its associated fixed contact; a plate closing said casing; a longitudinally movable actuating slide coupled with said plate; a cross pin carried by said slide cooperating with said slot and locking said slide in coupled relative sliding relationship with respect to said cover, said spring acting against said cross pin, said slide being adapted to impart the rocking movement to said lever carrying said roller and at the same time compress said spring and to move said lever longitudinally through a dead center position and permit said spring to impart a quick longitudinal sliding and rocking movement to said lever and its associated roller and make or break the electrical circuit with a quick snap action.