SWITCH MOUNTING STRUCTURE

• US 3,770,925 A
• Filed: 07/10/1972
• Issued: 11/06/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allen-Bradley Company (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Raymond H. Hannula, Terrance D. Nelson
• Inventors: Hannula, Raymond H., Nelson, Terrance D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, J. R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, William J.
• Application Number:
  US05/270,420
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 200/168C,168G 248/27 287/DIG.8 292/256,256.6,257
• US Class Current: 200/296
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/12 Movable parts; Contacts mounted thereon
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/044 Mounting through openings

Abstract

A molded plastic cover encloses and fastens the actuator sleeve of an electrical switch to a control panel. The cover includes a pair of rotatable wedging members which are operated by a screwdriver to engage a bearing surface on the actuator sleeve. When rotated to a locked position, the wedging members separate the bearing surface from the control panel and thereby draw a clamping surface against the back surface of the control panel to fasten the switch thereto.

Claims

1. In an electrical switch having an actuator sleeve which is extendable through an opening in a panel for attachment thereto, an improved means of fastening the switch to the panel the combination comprising:

a bearing plate attached to the actuator sleeve and extending radially outward therefrom to provide a clamping surface which faces the back surface of the panel;

a bearing surface formed on said actuator sleeve axially forward of said bearing plate to face the front surface of said panel when said actuator sleeve is inserted through an opening in the panel;

a cover defining a compartment for the forward end of the actuator sleeve; and

a wedging mechanism attached to the cover and including a wedging member which is positioned alongside said actuator sleeve and inside said compartment, which is rotatable about an axis that is parallel to, but eccentric from the central switch axis, and which is rotatable between a locked position and unlocked position, wherein said wedging member is disposed between said bearing surface and the front surface of the panel and it separates said surfaces to draw the clamping surface forward into engagement with the back surface of the panel when rotated To its locked position.

2. In an electrical switch having an actuator sleeve which is extendable through an opening in a panel for attachment thereto, an improved means of fastening the switch to the panel the combination comprising:

a bearing plate attached to the actuator sleeve and extending radially outward therefrom to provide a clamping surface which faces the back surface of the panel;

a bearing surface formed on said actuator sleeve axially forward of said bearing plate to face the front surface of said panel when said actuator sleeve is inserted through an opening in the panel;

a cover which includes a plurality of walls which define a compartment that surrounds the forward end of the actuator sleeve, and which includes a web connected to one wall and disposed within said compartment; and

a wedging mechanism attached to the cover and including a wedging member which is rotatably connected to the web on said cover and is rotatably operable between a locked and unlocked position, wherein said wedging member is disposed between said bearing surface and the front surface of the panel and when rotated into its locked position engages said bearing surface and separates said surfaces to draw the clamping surface forward into engagement with the back surface of the panel.

3. In an electrical switch having an actuator sleeve which is extendable through an opening in a panel for attachment thereto, an improved means of fastening the switch to the panel the combination comprising:

a bearing plate attached to the actuator sleeve and extending radially outward therefrom to provide a clamping surface which faces the back surface of the panel;

a bearing surface formed on said actuator sleeve axially forward of said bearing plate to face the front surface of said panel when said actuator sleeve is inserted through an opening in the panel;

a cover which includes a plurality of walls which define a compartment that surrounds the forward end of the actuator sleeve, and which includes a web connected to one wall and disposed within said compartment; and

a wedging mechanism attached to the cover and including a wedging member having a shaft portion which extends through and is rotatably attached to said web to rotate about an axis parallel to the switch central axis between a locked and unlocked position, and having a head portion which is disposed between said bearing surface and the front surface of the panel, said head portion having a beveled top surface which engages said bearing surface when the wedging member is rotated to its locked position and which separates said bearing surface from the front surface of said panel to thereby draw the clamping surface forward into engagement with the back surface of the panel.

4. The switch fastening means of claim 3 in which said cover includes four walls which define a rectangular compartment and there are a pair of webs and associated wedging members located in opposing corners of said compartment, wherein the wedging members are separately operable to engage said bearing surface at points located on opposing sides of said actuator sleeve.

5. The switch fastening means of claim 4 in which a slot is formed in the top surface of the head portion of each wedging member.

6. The switch fastening means of claim 4 which includes a temporary retainer comprising a detent formed on the surface of the actuator sleeve and a detent mechanism integrally formed with the cover and located within the compartment, said detent mechanism being operable when said actuator sleeve is inserted through the panel opening and into the compartment to engage said detent and hold the switch and cover to the panel.

7. The switch fastening means of claim 6 in which said temporary retainer includes a pair of detents on said actuator sleeve and a pair of detent mechanisms on the cover.

8. The switch fastening means of claim 7 in which the cover, webs and detent mechanisms are formed from a single piece of molded Plastic material.