Thermally responsive switch with a bimetal latch operating at right angles to the movement of the contacts

• US 3,416,117 A
• Filed: 10/14/1966
• Issued: 12/10/1968
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1965
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Helmut Grosse-Brauckmann
• Original Assignee: Helmut Grosse-Brauckmann
• Inventors: HELMUT GROSSE-BRAUCKMANN
• Application Number:
  US04/586,722
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• US Class Current: 337/358
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 73/30 reset by push-button, pull-knob or slide

Claims

1. A SWITCH COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION:

(A) A HOUSING;

(B) A STATIONARY CONTACT ARRANGED IN SAID HOUSING;

(C) A LEAF SPRING HAVING ONE END SECURED TO SAID HOUSING AND CARRYING, AT A POINT SPACED FROM SAID ONE END, A MOVABLE CONTACT WHICH, WITH SAID LEAF SPRING, IS MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STATIONARY CONTACT;

(D) A BIMETALLIC STRIP LYING GENERALLY IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO THE DIRECTION IN WHICH SAID LEAF SPRING MOVES, SAID BIMETALLILC STRIP, UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF HEAT, FLEXING IN A DIRECTION AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE DIRECTION IN WHICH SAID LEAF SPRING MOVES, ONE END OF SAID BIMETALLLIC STRIP BEING SECURED TO SAID LEAF SPRING, THE OTHER END OF SAID BIMETALLIC STRIP BEING A FREE END;

(E) AN ACTUATING ELEMENT CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING AND MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT TO ENGAGE AN EDGE OF SAID FREE END OF SAID BIMETALLIC STRIP TO MOVE THE SAME AND WITH IT SAID LEAF SPRING AND SAID MOVABLE CONTACT FROM OPEN TO CLOSED POSITION UPON ACTUATION OF SAID ACTUATING ELEMENT, SAID FREE END OF SAID BIMETALLIC STRIP, WHEN THE LATTER IS FLEXED UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF HEAT, MOVING OUT OF THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE OF SAID ACTUATING ELEMENT;

AND (F) MEANS FOR INTERLOCKING SAID ACTUATING ELEMENT AND SAID BIMETALLIC STRIP WHILE THE SWITCH IS IN ITS CLOSED POSITION AND SAID BIMETALLIC STRIP IS NOT FLEXED UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF HEAT.