Pressure operated electrical switch construction

Claim 2

In a pressure operated electrical switch construction comprising a housing means, a pressure responsive actuator carried by said housing means, an electrical switch carried by said housing means and being operatively associated with said actuator so that said actuator will operate said switch from one condition thereof to another condition thereof when the sensed pressure reaches a predetermined pressure, and reset means carried by said housing means for resetting said switch from said other condition thereof back to said one condition thereof, the improvement comprising a range spring carried by said housing means for acting on said actuator to provide said predetermined pressure, and a reset spring carried by said housing means for acting on said actuator to reset said switch whereby said reset spring comprises part of said reset means, said springs being concentrically disposed with one of said springs being disposed completely inside the other of said springs to render said switch construction compact even though said switch construction has a fixed reset or a proportional reset, said actuator being concentrically disposed with said springs.

Claim 3

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 1, said actuator being disposed inside said reset spring and said reset spring being disposed inside said range spring.

Claim 4

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 1, adjustable means carried by said housing means for adjusting said range spring and thereby adjusting the pressure trip point of said switch by said actuator.

Claim 5

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 3, means operatively associated with said reset spring to cause said switch to be reset at a fixed pressure reset point regardless of the setting of said pressure trip point of said switch.

Claim 6

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 3, said adjustable means also adjusting said reset spring to cause said switch to be reset at a pressure reset point that is proportional to the setting of said pressure trip point.

Claim 7

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 5, said adjustable means acting on adjacent ends of said springs to adjust the same.

Claim 8

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 1, said housing threadedly carrying a washer-like member that bears against one end of said range spring to set the force of said range spring and, thus, the pressure trip point of said switch by said actuator.

Claim 9

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 1, said reset spring being disposed inside said range spring.

Claim 10

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 1, said actuator having a pair of spaced abutments for respectively engaging said switch, one of said abutments being adapted to engage said switch to move said switch from said one condition thereof to said other condition thereof and the other of said abutments being adapted to engage said switch to move said switch from said other condition thereof to said one condition thereof.

Claim 11

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 9, said actuator having a third abutment, and a spring retainer engaged by said range spring and being adapted to engage said third abutment.

Claim 12

In a pressure operated electrical switch construction comprising a housing means, a pressure responsive actuator carried by said housing means, an electrical switch carried by said housing means and being operatively associated with said actuator so that said actuator will operate said switch from one condition thereof to another condition thereof when the sensed pressure reaches a predetermined pressure, and reset means carried by said housing means for resetting said switch from said other condition thereof back to said one condition thereof, the improvement comprising a range spring carried by said housing means for acting on said actuator to provide said predetermined pressure, a reset spring carried by said housing means for acting on said actuator to reset said switch whereby said reset spring comprises part of said reset means, said springs being concentrically disposed with one of said springs being disposed completely inside the other of said springs to render said switch construction compact even though said switch construction has a fixed reset or a proportional reset, adjustable means carried by said housing means for adjusting said range spring and thereby adjusting the pressure trip point of said switch by said actuator, and means operatively associated with said reset spring to cause said switch to be reset at a fixed pressure reset point regardless of the setting of said pressure trip point of said switch, said means operatively associated with said reset spring comprising a spring retainer having one end engaged by one end of said range spring and the other end engaged by one end of said reset spring.

Claim 13

In a pressure operated electrical switch construction comprising a housing means, a pressure responsive actuator carried by said housing means, an electrical switch carried by said housing means and being operatively associated with said actuator so that said actuator will operate said switch from one condition thereof to another condition thereof when the sensed pressure reaches a predetermined pressure, and reset means carried by said housing means for resetting said switch from said other condition thereof back to said one condition thereof, the improvement comprising a range spring carried by said housing means for acting on said actuator to provide said predetermined pressure, a reset spring carried by said housing means for acting on said actuator to reset said switch whereby said reset spring comprises part of said reset means, said springs being concentrically disposed with one of said springs being disposed completely inside the other of said springs to render said switch construction compact even though said switch construction has a fixed reset or a proportional reset, adjustable means carried by said housing means for adjusting said range spring and thereby adjusting the pressure trip point of said switch by said actuator, and means operatively associated with said reset spring to cause said switch to be reset at a fixed pressure reset point regardless of the setting of said pressure trip point of said switch, said means operatively associated with said reset spring comprising a spring retainer having one end engaged by one end of said range spring and the other end engaged by one end of said reset spring.

Claim 14

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 11, said one end of said spring retainer being engaged with said housing means by said range spring when said pressure falls below said trip point pressure and before said pressure reaches said pressure reset point.

Claim 15

In a pressure operated electrical switch construction comprising a housing means, a pressure responsive actuator carried by said housing means, an electrical switch carried by said housing means and being operatively associated with said actuator so that said actuator will operate said switch from one condition thereof to another condition thereof when the sensed pressure reaches a predetermined pressure, and reset means carried by said housing means for resetting said switch from said other condition thereof back to said one condition thereof, the improvement comprising a range spring carried by said housing means for acting on said actuator to provide said predetermined pressure, a reset spring carried by said housing means for acting on said actuator to reset said switch whereby said reset spring comprises part of said reset means, said springs being concentrically disposed with one of said springs being disposed completely inside the other of said springs to render said switch construction compact even though said switch construction has a fixed reset or a proportional reset, and adjustable means carried by said housing means for adjusting said range spring and thereby adjusting the pressure trip point of said switch by said actuator, said adjustable means comprising a pivotally mounted plate acting against one end of said range spring, and an adjustable cam acting against said plate to set the pivot position of said plate and, thus, the pressure trip point of said switch.

Claim 16

In a pressure operated electrical switch construction comprising a housing means, a pressure responsive actuator carried by said housing means, an electrical switch carried by said housing means and being operatively associated with said actuator so that said actuator will operate said switch from one condition thereof to another condition thereof when the sensed pressure reaches a predetermined pressure, and reset means carried by said housing means for resetting said switch from said other condition thereof back to said one condition thereof, the improvement comprising a range spring carried by said housing means for acting on said actuator to provide said predetermined pressure, a reset spring carried by said housing means for acting on said actuator to reset said switch whereby said reset spring comprises part of said reset means, said springs being concentrically disposed with one of said springs being disposed completely inside the other of said springs to render said switch construction compact even though said switch construction has a fixed reset or a proportional reset, and adjustable means carried by said housing means for adjusting said range spring and thereby adjusting the pressure trip point of said switch by said actuator, said adjustable means comprising a pivotally mounted plate acting against one end of said range spring, and an adjustable cam acting against said plate to set the pivot position of said plate and, thus, the pressure trip point of said switch.

Claim 17

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 13, said cam being rotatable about an axis that is disposed parallel and spaced from the line of movement of said actuator.

Claim 18

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 13, a third spring acting between said housing means and said plate to urge said plate against said cam.

Claim 19

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 15, said third spring being concentric with said range spring and said reset spring.

Claim 20

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 13, said cam having a reset portion thereof that acts on said plate to move said plate to reset said switch independently of said reset spring.

Claim 21

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 17, said reset portion of said cam being at one end of said cam.

Claim 22

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 17, said reset portion of said cam being intermediate two operating portions of said cam.

Claim 23

In a pressure operated electrical switch construction comprising a housing means, a pressure responsive actuator carried by said housing means, an electrical switch carried by said housing means and being operatively associated with said actuator so that said actuator will operate said switch from one condition thereof to another condition thereof when the sensed pressure reaches a predetermined pressure, and reset means carried by said housing means for resetting said switch from said other condition thereof back to said one condition thereof, the improvement comprising a range spring carried by said housing means for acting on said actuator to provide said predetermined pressure, a reset spring carried by said housing means for acting on said actuator to reset said switch whereby said reset spring comprises part of said reset means, said springs being concentrically disposed with one of said springs being disposed completely inside the other of said springs to render said switch construction compact even though said switch construction has a fixed reset or a proportional reset, and adjustable means carried by said housing means for adjusting said range spring and thereby adjusting the pressure trip point of said switch by said actuator, said adjusting means adjusting said range spring when said adjusting means is manually moved relative to said housing means in one direction and operating said reset means when manually moved in a direction transverse to said one direction.

Claim 24

In a pressure operated electrical switch construction comprising a housing means, a pressure responsive actuator carried by said housing means, an electrical switch carried by said housing means and being operatively associated with said actuator so that said actuator will operate said switch from one condition thereof to another condition thereof when the sensed pressure reaches a predetermined pressure, and reset means carried by said housing means for resetting said switch from said other condition thereof back to said one condition thereof, the improvement comprising a range spring carried by said housing means for acting on said actuator to provide said predetermined pressure, a reset spring carried by said housing means for acting on said actuator to reset said switch whereby said reset spring comprises part of said reset means, said springs being concentrically disposed with one of said springs being disposed completely inside the other of said springs to render said switch construction compact even though said switch construction has a fixed reset or a proportional reset, and adjustable means carried by said housing means for adjusting said range spring and thereby adjusting the pressure trip point of said switch by said actuator, said adjusting means adjusting said range spring when said adjusting means is manually moved relative to said housing means in one direction and operating said reset means when manually moved in a direction transverse to said one direction.

Claim 25

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 20, said adjusting means being rotatably mounted to said housing means and thereby being rotated when moved in said one direction thereof.

Claim 26

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 21, said adjusting means being axially movable relative to said housing means to operate said reset means.

Claim 27

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 22, said actuator also being axially movable relative to said housing means in the same direction as the resetting movement of said adjusting means.

Claim 28

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 23, said adjusting means having detent means for locking said adjusting means in its selected rotational position thereof.

Claim 29

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 24, said adjusting means being movable in the resetting direction thereof to clear said detent means so that said adjusting means can thereafter be rotated to adjust said range spring.

Claim 30

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 20, said adjustable means comprising a pivotally mounted plate acting against one end of said range spring and an adjustable cam acting against said plate to set the pivot position of said plate and, thus, the pressure trip point of said switch, said adjustable cam being rotatably mounted to said housing means and thereby rotated when moved in said one direction thereof and being axially movable relative to said housing means to operate said reset means.

Claim 31

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 26, said housing means having a pivotally mounted lever operatively associated with said actuator and said cam and comprising said reset means, said cam when axially moved pivoting said lever to reset said actuator.

Claim 32

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 27, said cam being directly engageable with said lever to cause pivoting movement thereof.

Claim 33

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 27, a movable plunger carried by said housing means and being disposed between and engageable with said plate and said lever to cause pivoting movement of said lever as said plate is pivoted by resetting movement of said cam.

Claim 34

In a switch construction comprising a housing means, a pressure responsive actuator carried by said housing means, an electrical switch carried by said housing means and being operatively associated with said actuator so that said actuator will operate said switch from one condition thereof to another condition thereof when the sensed pressure reaches a predetermined pressure, reset means carried by said housing means for resetting said switch from said other condition thereof back to said one condition thereof, a range spring carried by said housing means for acting on said actuator to provide said predetermined pressure, and adjustable means carried by said housing means for adjusting said range spring and thereby adjusting the pressure trip point of said switch by said actuator, the improvement wherein said adjusting means adjusts said range spring when said adjusting means is manually moved relative to said housing means in one direction and operates said reset means when manually moved in a direction transverse to said one direction.

Claim 35

In a switch construction comprising a housing means, a pressure responsive actuator carried by said housing means, an electrical switch carried by said housing means and being operatively associated with said actuator so that said actuator will operate said switch from one condition thereof to another condition thereof when the sensed pressure reaches a predetermined pressure, reset means carried by said housing means for resetting said switch from said other condition thereof back to said one condition thereof, a range spring carried by said housing means for acting on said actuator to provide said predetermined pressure, and adjustable means carried by said housing means for adjusting said range spring and thereby adjusting the pressure trip point of said switch by said actuator, the improvement wherein said adjusting means adjusts said range spring when said adjusting means is manually moved relative to said housing means in one direction and operates said reset means when manually moved in a direction transverse to said one direction.

Claim 36

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 30, said adjusting means being rotatably mounted to said housing means and thereby being rotated when moved in said one direction thereof.

Claim 37

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 32, said adjusting means being axially movable relative to said housing means to operate said reset means.

Claim 38

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 32, said actuator being axially movable relative to said housing means in the same direction as the resetting movement of said adjusting means.

Claim 39

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 33, said adjusting means having detent means for locking said adjusting means in its selected rotational position thereof.

Claim 40

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 34, said adjusting means being movable in the resetting direction thereof to clear said detent means so that said adjusting means can thereafter be rotated to adjust said range spring.

Claim 41

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 30, said adjustable means comprising a pivotally mounted plate acting against one end of said range spring and an adjustable cam acting against said plate to set the pivot position of said plate and, thus, the pressure trip point of said switch, said adjustable cam being rotatably mounted to said housing means and thereby rotated when moved in said one direction thereof and being axially movable relative to said housing means to operate said reset means.

Claim 42

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 36, said housing means having a pivotally mounted lever operatively associated with said actuator and said cam and comprising said reset means, said cam when axially moved pivoting said lever to reset said actuator.

Claim 43

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 37, said cam being directly engageable with said lever to cause pivoting movement thereof.

Claim 44

In a switch construction as set forth in claim 37, a movable plunger carried by said housing means and being disposed between and engageable with said plate and said lever to cause pivoting movement of said lever as said plate is pivoted by resetting movement of said cam.