Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A switch comprising: a housing having two confronting magnetizable walls; a shaft secured to said housing for rotation relative thereto; means at one end of said shaft for effecting manual rotation thereof; a magnetic member; means for securing said magnetic member to said shaft for rotation therewith between said confronting walls, whereby said magnetic member is in magnetic detented contact with one of said magnetizable walls when said shaft is rotated to a first position and in magnetic detented contact with the confronting magnetizable wall when said shaft is rotated to a second position; and a magnetic reed switch supported in said housing in the vicinity of said one magnetizable wall, whereby said switch is activated when said shaft is in said first position and deactivated when said shaft is in said second position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
134 words
A switch comprising: a housing having two confronting magnetizable walls; a shaft secured to said housing for rotation relative thereto; means at one end of said shaft for effecting manual rotation thereof; a magnetic member; means for securing said magnetic member to said shaft for rotation therewith between said confronting walls, whereby said magnetic member is in magnetic detented contact with one of said magnetizable walls when said shaft is rotated to a first position and in magnetic detented contact with the confronting magnetizable wall when said shaft is rotated to a second position; and a magnetic reed switch supported in said housing in the vicinity of said one magnetizable wall, whereby said switch is activated when said shaft is in said first position and deactivated when said shaft is in said second position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The switch according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic member comprises a magnet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
The switch according to claim 2, wherein said magnet has an upper face and a lower face, said upper face confronting said reed switch when said shaft is in said first position; and wherein said magnetic member further comprises a ferromagnetic member secured to the lower face of said magnet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The switch according to claim 3, wherein said ferromagnetic member is wider than said magnet whereby only said ferromagnetic member contacts said magnetizable walls; and further comprising means for accommodating self-alignment of said ferromagnetic member with said walls.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The switch according to claim 4, wherein said housing is substantially wedge-shaped and said confronting walls are non-parallel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
The switch according to claim 5, wherein said housing is ferromagnetic.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The switch according to claim 6, wherein said means for securing said magnetic member to said shaft comprises a bracket secured at one end to said shaft and at the other end to said magnetic member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
158 words
A switch comprising: a housing having two confronting walls, at least one of which is magnetizable; a shaft secured to said housing for rotation relative thereto; means at one end of said shaft for effecting manual rotation thereof; a magnet secured to said housing in the vicinity of said magnetizable wall; a magnetic reed switch supported in said housing in the vicinity of said magnet; a magnetizable member; means for securing said magnetizable member to said shaft for rotation therewith between a first position wherein said magnetizable member is in magnetic detented contact with said magnetizable wall and interposed between said magnet and said reed switch, and a second position wherein said magnetizable member is in abutting relation with the other wall and not interposed between said magnet and said reed switch, whereby said reed switch is deactuated when said magnetizable member is in said first position and actuated when said magnetizable member is in said second position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
158 words
A switch comprising: a housing having two confronting walls, at least one of which is magnetizable; a shaft secured to said housing for rotation relative thereto; means at one end of said shaft for effecting manual rotation thereof; a magnet secured to said housing in the vicinity of said magnetizable wall; a magnetic reed switch supported in said housing in the vicinity of said magnet; a magnetizable member; means for securing said magnetizable member to said shaft for rotation therewith between a first position wherein said magnetizable member is in magnetic detented contact with said magnetizable wall and interposed between said magnet and said reed switch, and a second position wherein said magnetizable member is in abutting relation with the other wall and not interposed between said magnet and said reed switch, whereby said reed switch is deactuated when said magnetizable member is in said first position and actuated when said magnetizable member is in said second position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The switch according to claim 8, wherein said magnetizable member is ferromagnetic.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The switch according to claim 9, wherein said housing is substantially wedge-shaped and said confronting walls are non-parallel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
The switch according to claim 10, wherein said means for securing said magnetizable member to said shaft comprises a bracket secured at one end to said shaft, the other end of said bracket comprising said magnetizable member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The switch according to claim 10, further comprising an additional magnet secured to said other wall whereby said magnetizable member is in magnetic detented contact with said other wall when said member is in said second position.