Thermal cut-outs and to the method of assembling a multiplicity of such thermal cut-outs

Claim 2

A thermal cut-out which is adapted to open an electrical circuit in response to an excessive rise in temperature associated with the circuit protected by said cut-out, said cut-out comprising a hollow body made from electrically insulating material and having an opening permitting access to the interior of the body, a pair of contact members projecting into the body through said opening and having their inner ends disposed within the body, one of said contact members being bent and hooked over an adjacent bent end portion of the other contact and in surface-to-surface contact therewith, a plug of insulating material being disposed within the opening in the body between said contacts, so as to close said opening and stress the contacts to a condition in which they are biased apart, surfaces of said contact members being retained in engagement by an element bearing with surface contact againt one side of one of the contacts as long as its temperature has not risen to a predetermined temperature, said element being made of such a material that having reached said predetermined temperature it deforms and permits the contacts to open.

Claim 3

A thermal cut-out according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner ends of the contacts are interengaged via a bent or hooked end portion of one of the contacts hooked-over and adjacent end portion of the other contact said end portions being disposed in surface-to-surface engagement.

Claim 4

A thermal cut-out which is adapted to open an electrical circuit in response to an excessive rise in temperature associated with the circuit protected by said cut-out, said cut-out comprising a hollow body made from electrically insulating material and having an opening permitting access to the interior of the body, a pair of contact members projecting into the body through said opening and having their inner ends disposed within the body, one of said contact members being bent and hooked over an adjacent bent end portion of the other contact and in surface-to-surface contact therewith, a plug of insulating material having projections cooperating with recesses in said body to provide a snap fit in its fully inserted position in said hollow body, sad plug being disposed within the opening in the body between said contacts, so as to close said opening and stress the contacts to a condition in which they are biased apart, said contact members being retained in engagement by an element as long as its temperature has not risen to a predetermined temperature, said element being made of such a material that having reached said predetermined temperature it deforms and permits the contacts to open.

Claim 5

A thermal cut-out which is adapted to open an electrical circuit in response to an excessive rise in temperature associated with the circuit protected by said cut-out, said cut-out comprising a hollow body made from electrically insulating material and having an opening permitting access to the interior of the body, a pair of contact members projecting into the body through said opening and having their inner ends disposed within the body, one of said contact members being bent and hooked over an adjacent bent end portion of the other contact and in surface-to-surface contact therewith, a plug of insulating material having projections cooperating with recesses in said body to provide a snap fit in its fully inserted position in said hollow body, sad plug being disposed within the opening in the body between said contacts, so as to close said opening and stress the contacts to a condition in which they are biased apart, said contact members being retained in engagement by an element as long as its temperature has not risen to a predetermined temperature, said element being made of such a material that having reached said predetermined temperature it deforms and permits the contacts to open.

Claim 6

A thermal cut-out according to claim 1, characterized in that the inside end of the hollow body being inclined towards a recess in said inside end so that the element automatically seats itself in its correct position.

Claim 7

A thermal cut-out according to claim 1, characterized in that the element consists of a thermoplastic or other material having a narrow melting range.