US2969443A - Push button type electric switch - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 24, 1961 w. A. BARDEN El'AL PUSH BUTTON TYPE ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Filed Feb. 20, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Macs: Z k

7 mJ/amfiow )5 W5 neA..Ear!den A 'W: Zzam D. Wagner Sharks 5. Stay :7 a2" PUSH BUTTON TYPE ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Feb. 20, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 w -j .Y fir Dar 5- Egan 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Wayne A..Barc7sn Wflham 17. TATE C srZss E. 5 32? Jan. 24, 1961 w. A. BARDEN ETAL PUSH BUTTON TYPE ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Feb. 2 o, 195s Jan. 24, 1961 Filed Feb. 20, 1958 W. A. BARDEN ETAL PUSH BUTTON TYPE ELECTRIC SWITCH 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 J miwfiow 'X/V'ayne AEvarden WzZZzam I. Wsgn ET Earlas Sny dew PUSH BUTTGN TYPE ELECTRIC SWITCH Wayne A. Barden and William D. Wagner, Elkhart, and Charles C. Snyder, Osceola, Ind., assignors, by mesne assignments, to CTS Corporation, Elkhart, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Feb. 20, 1958, Ser. No. 716,474

8 Claims. (Cl. 200-77) This invention relate to electric control devices, and more particularly to switches of the type used in radio and television receivers to turn the set on and off. This invention is therefore closely related to that forming the subject matter of the copending application of Wayne A. Barden and Mervin B. Arisman, Serial No. 715,286, filed February 14, 1958, now Patent No. 2,881,280.

In one of its embodiments, this invention differs from that of the aforesaid copending application, principally in the fact that, in this case, the switch is designed for separate mounting and use, as distinguished from combination thereof with a variable resistor to be actuated by the control shaft of the resistor, as is the case in said copending application.

As to this embodiment of the present invention, one of its major objects is to provide an improved and simplified combination mounting and actuator sub-assembly, which may be quickly and easily attached to the switch with which it is used.

It is also the purpose in this form of the invention to provide a push-button type actuator for the switch which is of simplified and improved construction.

One of the characterizing features of this invention resides in the fact that the contactor of the switch is moved with a snap action from one position to another by means of an actuator constrained to movement along a defined path, which movement is imparted thereto by a control shaft which may be a push-button, and wherein the driving connection between the shaft and actuator is so constructed that it may be made and broken by simple displacement of these parts relative to one another perpendicularly to the axis of the shaft.

In this connection, it is another object of the present invention to have the means by which the actuator and its shaft are constrained to movement along defined paths coact with one another to prevent separation of the driving connection between the shaft and actuator.

Another object of this invention, which is more concerned with its switch aspect, is to provide an improved and simplified double pole, single throw switch wherein cooperating elements on the contactor and its actuator coact to move the contactor with a snap action from one to the other of its circuit closing positions in response to movement of the actuator along a defined path.

Another phase of this invention has to do with the securement of the switch housing to its supporting member or bracket. Heretofo-re, it has been customary to connect the switch housing to its supporting member or bracket by means of cars struck and extended from the latter and bent flatwise over a shoulder on the housing. If the bent over portions of the ears would lie tightly against the shoulders, the connection would be satisfactory, but because the natural resilience or elastic memory of the metal of which the ears are formed, causes their bent over end portions to spring back somewhat, their hold upon the part over which they engage is not as tight as desired.

With a view towards overcoming this objection, the

present invention has as another of its objects to provide an improved connection of the character described which eliminates the flatwise bending of the ears and instead provides a construction by which objectionable spring back is simply and easily overcome to thus assure the desired tight grip.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new way of connecting two separate control components into one composite control device and to utilize the same means employed in making this connection to also mount the composite control upon a supporting panel or the like.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter set forth and more particularly described in the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiments of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate several complete examples of the physical embodiments of the invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a complete push button type switch embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the switch shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the individual elements or parts of the mounting and actuator subassembly and of the enclosed switch, but with the parts arranged in their order of assembly;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view through Figure 2 on the plane of the line 44, but illustrating only those parts of the complete structure which go to make up the mounting and actuator assembly;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through a single pole double throw switch constructed in accord ance with this invention;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view through Figure 5 on the plane of the line 6-6;

Figure 6a is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through Figure 6 on the plane of the line 6a-6a;

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of a control device of the type comprising two individual components arranged to be actuated by a common control shaft, embodying an aspect of this invention in a novel manner to achieve a simplified connection between the two components of the control and to also mount the same upon a supporting panel; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the main element of the structure shown in Figure 7.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts, and considering first that embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, the numeral 7 designates generally the switch per se, as distinguished from the complete unit, and the numeral 8 designates generally a mounting and actuator assembly for the switch. In this embodiment of the invention, the switch 7 is very much like some of the'several specifically different forms of the switch disclosed in the aforesaid copending application, in that it comprises a hollow body 9, molded of suitable insulating material, closed at its rear by an integral Wall 10, and open at its front. In the cavity formed by this hollow body is a pair of stationary contacts 11 and a bridging contactor 12.

The stationary contacts 11 are fixed to the rear wall 19 and project forwardly from the front or inner face thereof. Terminal portions 13 integral with the contacts overlie the rear face of the wall 10, and any suitable means may beemployed to" secure the'combined contacts and terminals to the housing, as by having a portion 14 thereof passing through the wall 10.. and staked over its front or inner face. The contactsll project forward ly of the wall 19 and are disposed-at opposite sides of a median plane which is normal to the rear wall 10 and bisects the body.

The movable contactor, as in-th'e aforesaid copending application, is a U-shaped spring having relatively long arms joined by a' curved'bight portion 16. Guide lugs 17 and 13 projecting forwardly from the rear wall of the hollow body and bisected by said median plane guidingly engage the U-shaped spring contactor to constrain it to fore and aft movement toward and from the rear wall. The guide lug 17 is spaced from the side wall of the hollow body a distance to accommodate the bight of'the U-shaped conta'ctor, and in fact coacts with the side wall in its guidance of the contactor, but the luglS which accomplishes its guidance of the contactor by being received between the free ends of its arms, is integral with and projects inwardly from the side wall.

in the rearmost position of the contactor, its arms 15 engage the stationary contacts 11 to electrically bridge the same, but in its foremost position all parts thereof are spaced a substantial distance from the stationary contacts, and the switch is open.

Fore and aft movement is imparted to the contactor by an actuator 2% which has slidable guiding engagement with the guides 17 and 18, to be thereby constrained to trauslatory movement along a path lying on said median plane and, hence, between the arms of the U- shaped contactor. The opposite sides of the actuator, as

best shown in Figure 4, have oppositely inclined fore.

and aft tapered surfaces 21 and 22, respectively, diverging from the path of the actuator and defining a crest 23. These oppositely tapered sides of the actuator are the portions thereof against which the arms 15 of the U- shaped contactor bear under spring tension; and the range of fore and aft movement of the actuator is such that, in either position thereof, the arms of the contactor bear against one or the other pair of tapered sides 21' and 22 to thus hold the contactor in one or the other of its two positions.

The arms 15 of the contactor are substantially V-shaped in cross-section at the portions thereof which bear against the tapered sides of the actuator and, hence, as the crest 23 passes the center of the contactor, the coaction between the slope of the side walls and the spring force stored in the contactor arms, moves the contactor with a snap action to its position opposite that it had just occupied.

The structure thus far described is substantially identical to some forms of the invention forming the subject matter of the aforesaid copending application to which reference may be had for a more detailed description, since this specific structure forms no part of the present invention. It is the mounting and actuator subassembly 3, both per se and in conjunction with a switch of the type just described, which constitutes the present invention, at least as to that form thereof illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive.

This mounting and actuator assembly comprises an externally threaded thimble 25 having a bore 26 therethrough, which bore is reduced in diameter at its rear end to provide a forwardly facing spring supporting shoulder 27. Slidable in the bore 26 is a shaft 28. The shaft is reduced in diameter medially of its ends to. provide a large diameter front end portion 29, a smaller diameter rear end portion 30 and a rearwardly facing spring supporting shoulder 31. A coiled spring 32 encircling the smaller diameter rear end portion 30 and confined between the shoulders 27 and 31 yieldingly urges the shaft forwardly of the thimble.

loined to the rear end of the shaft portion. 30 by means of a neck 33 is a button-like head 34 which provides the shaft carriedpart of a readily separable con nection between the actuator and shaft. The actuator carried part of this connection comprises a hub portion 35 forming the medial part of the actuator, which hub portion has a bore 35 therethrough of a size to receive the neck 3-3, and leading radially outward from this bore is akey-hole shaped entry passage 37, the small portion of which leads directly to the bore 36.

Thethicknessor axial length of the hub portion 35 is but slightly less than the length of the neck so that once the connection between the actuator and shaft is made, the actuator will be constrained to partake of all endwise movement of the shaft.

As will be readily apparent, the making and breaking of the connection between the actuator and shaft entails relative sidewise movement between these parts, i.e. movement laterally with respect to the shaft axis. Also, to enable the actuator to be connected to the shaft in the manner described, it is necessary that the shaft be depressed, push-buttonwise, into the thimble to expose its head and neck at the rear of the thimble. After the connection'is established and the shaft released, the spring projects the connected actuator and shaft to their forcmost positions defined by the engagement of the front of the actuator with the rear of the thimble. In this position, depicted in both Figures 2 and 4, the parts are held assembled by the spring tension and the shaft projects from the thimble to provide a push-button.

Secured to the thimble and embracing its rear end portion is a stamped metal ring 4t) having a fiat outwardly projecting flange 41 of a size to overlie the front of the body 9. A plurality of cars 42 project rearwardly from the flange 41 to provide means for connecting the two sub-assemblies, and preferably, a disc of insulating material 43 is interposed between the body 9 and the flange 41, the disc having an appropriately shaped open ing 44 to accommodate the front end portion of the actuator and permit the actuator to bear against the rear of the thimble.

The ears 42, of which there are three, are substantially equispaced around the circumference of the flange 41 and project rearwardly through openings or notches 45 and 46, respectively provided in the disc 43 and flange means 47 integral with the body. The flange means project from the side of the body and, hence, have rearwardly facing shoulders -28 flanking the notches 46 therein; The rear ends of the ears 42 are bifurcated; as at 49, and the a furcationsthereof are spread apart and forced over the adjacent shoulders 4i: to draw the flange 41 tightly' toward the body and clamp the same against the front thereof with the insulating disc 43 interposed therebetwecn.

This way of utilizing attaching ears assures a much tighter connection than was heretofore obtained by bending the ears flatwise over a shoulder. The explanation for this improvement is as follows. The amount of spring back which occurs when a tongue or strip of sheet metal is bent flatwise into a right angle and released, depends upon the thickness of the stock. The thicker it is the less tendency there is for the bent over portion to spring back. This isbecause more of the metal has been stretched beyond its elastic limit since the arcuate length of the outside of the bend is greater, it being assumed that the radius of the inside of the bend is always the same-as small as possible. Stated another way, as the thickness of the stock is increased, so also is the radius of the outer curved surface of the bend, and if this radius is great enough a sufficient portion of the metal is stretched beyond its elastic limit to assure against any appreciable spring back.

But, as in the present case, it is often not possible or feasible to increase the metal thickness. Bifurcating the ears and spreading the furcations apart edgewise achieves the same results, gained by increasing the thickness of the stock without actually doing so, since the width of the furcations can be increased at will regardless of the metal thickness. Consequently, with the present construction, when the furcations are spread apart and over the shoulders at the sides of the notches in the flange means 47, there is practically no tendency for the bent over portions to spring back.

In assembling the sub-assemblies, it is of course to be understood that the actuator must be properly aligned with its guide lugs 17 and 18 and that the contactor of the switch will have been first installed in the switch body so that, upon entry of the actuator into the body, it assumes its proper positional relationship with respect to the contactor.

As customary in control devices of the character described, the threaded nipple 25 passes through a hole in the panel upon which it is to be mounted, as shown in Figure 2, and a clamping nut 50 threaded onto the nipple and drawn down against the panel secures the control in place; and to hold the control against turning as the nut is tightened, a lug 51 projects forwardly from the ring 40 to enter a hole in the panel. The stamped metal ring along with the nipple thus constitutes a mounting element or member for the control device.

That form of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, incorporates much of the structure already described, and is also closely related to the subject matter of the aforesaid copending application. It distinguishes from both primarily in the fact that it provides a new and improved double pole single throw switch. Accordingly, the switch portion of the structure comprises a pair of parallel spaced apart front and rear switch bases 55 and 56, with pairs of stationary contacts 57 and 58 mounted thereon and projecting from their opposing inner faces. Preferably, the rear switch base 56 is provided by the rear wall of a cup-shaped molded body, similar to the body 9 of the previously described embodiment of the invention. The side wall 59 of this cup-shaped body thus coacts with the front and rear bases to provide a completely closed housing and to positively and correctly space the bases from one another.

The two pairs of contacts 57 and 58 lie at opposite sides of a median plane passing axially through the switch housing and normal to the front and rear bases and are directly opposite one another.

Cooperable with these stationary contacts is a bridging contactor 60 which may be identical with the contactor previously described. Hence, it consists of a U-shaped spring having a pair of arms yieldingly urged toward one another to embrace therebetween an actuator 61. In this case, however, the actuator 61 is simply a round knob having front and rear back-to-back conical surfaces 62 and 63, and a crest 65, similar to the crest of the actuator in the other embodiment of the invention. Accordingly, axial movement of the actuator 61 snaps the contactor from one position to the other, to either bridge the contacts 57 or the contacts 58.

The specific form of the contacts is not important, but it is preferable that the front contacts 57 have the terminal portions 66 thereof disposed edgewise with respect to the base.

Switch operating motion is imparted to the actuator 61 by a shaft 67 which is connected to a forwardly projecting hub 68 on the actuator. The hub 68 is slidably received in a hole 69 in the front switch base 55, and is separably connected to the shaft. The connection between the hub and shaft comprises a button-like head connected to the rear end of the shaft by a neck 71, and an appropriately shaped transverse opening 72 in the hub 68 to receive the head. The opening 72 is essentially a T slot, but is closed at one end so that the head and neck can be inserted only through the opposite open end thereof. This, of course, entails relative lateral displace- 'ment of the actuator and shaft.

The mounting means for this embodiment of the invention again includes a threaded thimble 25' having an axial bore 26 therethrough to slidably receive and constrain the shaft to axial motion. A stamped metal ring 40 is fixed to the thimble and, as before, has an outwardly directed flat flange 41' of an outside diameter corresponding to that of the front end of the switch housing with ears or tangs 42' projecting rearwardly from its edge. To accommodate the terminal portions 66 at the front of the base 55, the base has a forwardly projecting marginal rim of a height at least equal to that of the terminal portions, and an insulating disc 81 is clamped against this rim to insulate the terminals from the flange 41'. The disc 81 has notches 81' which align with notches 45' and 46' in the base 55 and the flange means 47, respectively, through which the cars 42' extend; and, as before, the bifurcations at the ends of the ears are spread apart over the rear of the flange means 47' to secure the entire assembly together.

It is, of course, to be understood that the disc 81 also has a central hole therethrough to accommodate the hub 68 of the actuator and, as will be readily apparent, upon the described assembly of the parts, the actuator and the shaft will be constrained to coaxial relationship, to thus maintain the connection therebetween. Since in this form of the invention the shaft is not biased in either direction, a knob 82 is attached to the outer end of the shaft to provide means for applying both a push and a pull thereon.

That embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 utilizes the novel fastening ear attachment of this invention to achieve an improved and simplified mounting for a control of the type having two individual components, such as a variable resistor and a switch, arranged in tandem, and at the same time connect the two components. Though the invention is not limited to any specific control components, for purposes of illustration Figure 7 shows the composite control consisting of a variable resistor, indicated generally by the numeral 90, and a switch indicated generally by the numeral 91. The instrumentalities of these control components have not been illustrated since they have no bearing upon this form of the invention, but, as is well understood, in each instance these instrumentalities are contained within suitable housing.

The housing of the variable resistor comprises a cup-shaped metal cover 92 and a disc 93 of insulating material to which the cover is secured, and which serves as the base of the variable resistor. The terminals 94 and 95 of the variable resistor project in the same direction from one edge of this disc or base with their outer end portions parallel to one another. The housing of the switch 91, like that of the other embodiments of the invention, comprises a cup-shaped molding 96 closed at the rear by the bottom wall of the molding and closed at the front by the back of the variable resistor housing. The terminals 97 of the switch are secured to the rear wall of its housing and project in the same direction as the terminals 94 and 95 of the variable resistor, so that all of the terminals of the control are parallel to one another to more readily project through appropriately located holes in a mounting panel 98 upon which the control device is to be mounted, and which may be of the printed circuit variety.

A single actuating shaft 99 projects from the front of the variable resistor unit and, as is customary, controls the functioning of both components.

One simple metal stamping, indicated generally by the numeral 100, serves to connect the two components to one another and also to mount the composite control upon the base 98. To this end, the stamping 100 has a flat web 101 which, in the assembled condition of the parts, is interposed between the back of the front component and the front of the rear component. In order for the instrumentalities of the rear component to be actuatable by the shaft 99, or some part (not shown) driven thereby, the web 101 has an access hole 102 therein. The Web 101 is secured to the back of the front component by tangs 103, which project forwardly from the marginal edge of the web and passthrough appropriately located slots or holes in the back wall of the cover 92, over which they are bent or folded in the customary manner. The front component and the mounting bracket are thus held assembled to one another.

The rear component is secured to the mounting bracket by means of bifurcated ears 1% similar to those previously described. These ears project rearwardly from the web 101 through slots 1&5 in flanges 1% projecting radially outwardly from the side of the housing 96, and have their bifurcations spread apart to overlie the rear faces of the flanges.

The bracket 100 also has mountinglegs 1.97 formed integrally therewith. These legs are preferably flatand.

parallel to oneanother and are bent forwardly from the opposite side edges of the web. At their lower ends, the legs have locating shoulders 108 all of which lie in a common plane parallel to the shaft axis and normal to the terminals 97, to seat upon the panel 98 and thus properly locate the control. The plane of the locating shoulders 108 is inwardly of the extremities of the terminals so that when the control is in position upon the panel the terminals project through appropriately located holes in the panel to be soldered to printed circuit leads (not shown) on the panel.

The control is held in position independently of any soldered connections to the terminals by spring fingers 109 which project from the bottom of the legs beyond the locating shoulders 198 and have panel engaging shoulders 110 facing the locating shoulders 108 to engage the underside of the panel and thus coact with the shoulders 108 in securing the control in position on the panel. As shown, the shoulders 110 of the two supporting legs face in opposite directions so that as the control is mounted in position it snaps into place and secures itself to the panel.

From the foregoing description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art, that this invention provides a switch which is not only exceptionally well adapted for use with radio and television receivers, but one which possesses many advantages and improvements over switches of this type heretofore available, especially with respect to the mounting thereof, either as an independent unit, or as one of two tandem connected components of a composite control device.

What is claimed as our invention is:

1. In an electric control device: a hollow body having an open front end; a stamped metal mounting member overlying and bearing upon the front end of the body; and means securing said mounting member to the body comprising outwardly directed flange means on the body at its open front end, said flange means having a plurality of spaced apart openings extending fore and aft therethrough, and a like plurality of rearwardly directed ears on said stamped metal member, each of which projects through one of said openings, the rear ends of the ears being bifurcated and the resulting furcations thereof being spread apart edgewise a distance such that portions thereof edgewise engage the rear of the flange means to thereby clamp the stamped metal mounting member to the front end of the hollow body.

2. In an electric control device, the structure of claim 1 further characterized by the provision of forwardly projecting tangs integral with the mounting member to provide means for attaching another component of the control device to the mounting member.

3. In an electric control device, the structure of claim 2 further characterized by the provision of a pair of spaced apart legs integral with the mounting member, said legs having locating surfaces lying in a common plane to bear againsta mounting panel to which the. control device is to be attached; spring fingers projecting from the legs beyondsaid locating surfaces. thereof to pass through holes in the panel; anddetent means on the spring fingers to coact with the locating surfaces to hold the control devicei to the panel.

4. An electric switch comprising: a housing having spaced apart front and rear walls; a pair of stationary spaced apart contacts mounted on the inner face of each of said walls, the contacts of one pair being opposite those of the other, and the contacts of both pairs lying at oppositesides-of a plane which is'normal to the front and rear walls; a U-shaped bridging contactor inside the housing, said contactor having opposing spring arms which are movable toward and from one another; means on the housing supporting the contactor for fore and aft movement with the arms thereof on opposite sides of said plane, between positions at which its arms are in bridging engagement with one or the other pair of stationary contacts; an actuator for thecontactor; means connected with the housing supporting and guiding the actuator for fore and aft movement with the actuator disposed between the armsof the U-shaped bridging contactor; cooperating means on the contactor and the actuator for translating fore and aft motion of the actuator in either direction into movement of the contactor in the opposite direction to one of its said two positions, said cooperating means including a crested part on the actuator wedgingly engaged between the contactor arms and taperingly reduced in both fore and aft directions from the crest of said part; and means connected with the actuator and extending to the exterior of the housing for imparting fore and aft motion to the actuator.

5. A single pole double throw switch comprising: front and rear bases; means connecting said bases and holding them in fixed spaced apart relation with their inner faces facing one another; a pair of spaced apart stationary contacts on the inner face of each base; a bridging contactor selectively movable into bridging engagement with one or the other pair of stationary contacts; means fixed with respect to the switch bases guidingly engaging the movable bridging contactor and constraining the same to fore and aft movement between positions bridging one or the other pair of stationary contacts; an actuator to impart fore and aft movement to the bridging contactors; guide and motion limiting means fixed with respect to the front and rear switch bases and connected with the actuator to constrain the actuator to fore and aft movement along a defined path substantially normal to the switch bases and to define the limits of said movement, part of said bridging contactor being yieldingly biased toward said path of the actuator to engage the side of the actuator; fore and aft tapered portions on said side of the actuator diverging away from the path of the actuator toward a medial crest; a yieldingly biased portion on the contactor at all times engaging one or the other of said tapered portions to react thereagainst and hold the contactor in bridging engagement with one or the other of said pair of stationary contacts, the passage of the medial crest on the actuator past said yieldingly biased portion of the contactor causing the contactor to move with a snap action from one of its positions to the other; and means connected with the actuator for imparting movement thereto along its path.

6. In an electric switch, the structure of claim 5 further characterized by: the fact that said bridging contactor is a U-shaped spring with its arms yicldingly biased toward one another to provide the yieldingly biased portion of the contactor; further characterized by the fact that the free end portions of the arms of said U-shaped spring embrace the actuator therebetween; and further characterized by the fact that the aforesaid tapered side portions of the actuator are duplicated at opposite sides thereof so that both spring arms of the contactor react against tapered sides on the actuator to impart moveme t o the contactor into bridging engagement with one pair of stationary contacts as the actuator is moved from one position to another.

7. In an electric switch: a hollow body having an end wall at its rear and an opening at its front; switch mechanism in the body including a contactor, and an actuator for the contactor constrained to fore and aft motion toward and from said end wall between spaced apart switch operating positions; an operating shaft; means connecting the actuator to the operating shaft to provide for propulsion of the actuator from one of its positions to the other as a consequence of endwise motion of the shaft, said means including elements on the actuator and on the shaft which interengage and maintain said connection operative as long as the actuator and shaft are in predetermined positional relationship, but which elements become disengaged by relative motion between the actuator and the shaft out of said predetermined positional relationship transversely of the shaft axis, to permit assembly and disassembly of the actuator and shaft; a thimble in which the shaft is slidably received and constrained to endwise motion with respect to the thimble; and means securing the thimble to the front of the body with said elements on the actuator and shaft interengaged and with the actuator and shaft in their predetermined positional relationship, said means comprising outwardly extending flange means on the front end of the body having circumferentially spaced notches extending fore and aft therethrough, and a plurality of cars projecting rearwardly from the thimble and received in said notches, said ears being bifurcated at their rear ends and the resulting furcations being spread apart edgewise a distance such that portions of said furcations edgewise engage the rear of said flange means.

8. In an electric switch: a hollow body having an end wall at its rear and an opening at its front; switch mechanism in the body including a contactor, and an actuator for the contactor constrained to fore and aft motion toward and from said end wall between spaced apart switch operating positions; an operating shaft;

means connecting the actuator to the operating shaft to provide for propulsion of the actuator from one of its positions to the other as a consequence of endwise motion of the shaft, said means including elements on the actuator and on the shaft which interengage and maintain said connection operative as long as the actuator and shaft are in predetermined positional relationship, but which elements become disengaged by relative motion between the actuator and the shaft out of said predetermined positional relationship transversely of the shaft axis, to permit assembly and disassembly of the actuator and shaft; a thimble in which the shaft is slidably received and constrained to endwise motion with respect to the thimble; and means securing the thimble to the front of the body with said elements on the actuator and shaft interengaged and with the actuator and shaft in their predetermined positional relationship, said means comprising outwardly extending flange means on the front end of the body having circumferentially spaced notches extending fore and aft therethrough, and a stamped metal ring encircling and fixed to the thimble, said ring having rearwardly projecting circumferentially spaced ears received in said notches, the rear ends of said ears being bifurcated and the resulting furcations being spread apart edgewise a distance such that portions of said furcations edgewise engage the rear of said flange means to thereby draw the thimble against the front of the hollow body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,689,852 Batcheller Oct. 30, 1928 1,783,665 Meuer Dec. 2, 1930 2,386,162 Hetherington Oct. 2, 1945 2,682,783 Lawson July 6, 1954 2,713,104 Johnson et a1. July 12, 1955 2,733,321 Dorfman et a1. Jan. 31, 1956 2,814,702 Mucher Nov. 26, 1957

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