Three-position safety rocker

• US 5,095,181 A
• Filed: 12/17/1990
• Issued: 03/10/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mcgill Manufacturing Company Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Mcgill Manufacturing Company Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Osika, Thomas F., Stuhlmacher, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cusick, Ernest G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walczak, David J.
• Application Number:
  US07/628,981
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 200/43.01, 200/43.16, 200/321, 200/322, 200/339
• US Class Current: 200/43.16
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/00 Tumbler or rocker switches, i.e. switches characterised by being operated by rocking an operating member in the form of a rocker button
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 27/00 Switches operated by a removable member, e.g. key, plug or plate; Switches operated by setting members according to a single predetermined combination out of several possible settings combined with plug-and-socket connectors H01R13/70; with current-carrying plug H01R31/08
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/20 wherein an auxiliary movement thereof, or of an attachment thereto, is necessary before the main movement is possible or effective, e.g. for unlatching, for coupling

Abstract

A three-position electrical switch includes a rocker-type actuator adapted to be pivoted within a housing in opposite directions from a neutral position to first and second actuated positions in order to close first and second sets of switch contacts. The actuator carries a latch which normally engages the housing to prevent the actuator from being pivoted from its neutral position to either of its switch-closed positions. By manually pulling on the latch and then pivoting the actuator, the actuator may be moved to either of its switch-closed positions; the two-step operation protecting against accidental actuation of the switch. The actuator is frictionally maintained in one of its switch-closed positions but may be returned to its switch-open position by a simple single motion thereby enabling rapid opening of the switch under emergency conditions. The actuator is only momentarily held in its other switch-closed position and returns automatically therefrom as soon as it is manually released.

Claims

1. A safety switch comprising a body mountable in an opening in a wall, said body having a pair of switch contacts each movable between first and second states, each of said contacts normally being disposed in said first state, a manually movable switch actuator having a neutral position in which said actuator leaves each of said contacts in said first state, said actuator being movable in one direction from said neutral position to a first actuated position in which the actuator changes of one of said contacts from said first state to said second state, said actuator being movable in the opposite direction from said neutral position to a second actuated position in which said actuator changes the other of said contacts from said first state to said second state, a latch mounted on said actuator and having a handle portion, said latch and said handle portion being movable with said actuator between said positions and being movable relative to said actuator between latched and unlatched positions, means biasing said latch toward said latched position, said latch being positively engageable with said body when said latch is in said latched position and said actuator is in said neutral position and acting to prevent movement of said actuator from said neutral position to either of said first and second actuated positions, and said latch being manually movable relative to said actuator to said unlatched position in a plane substantially parallel to said wall by manipulation of said handle portion while said actuator is in said neutral position for enabling movement of said actuator and latch from said neutral position to either of said first and second actuated positions.

2. A safety switch as defined in claim 1 further including, means for urging said actuator from said first actuated position toward said neutral position, said latch being free of positive and frictional engagement with said body when said actuator is in said first actuated position thereby to enable said urging means to return said actuator from said first actuated position to said neutral position when said actuator is manually released.

8. A safety switch as defined in claim 1 in which said actuator is mounted within an upwardly opening recess of said body, and said latch being engageable with a top of said body when in said latched position.

3. A safety switch comprising a housing mountable in an opening in a wall, said housing having a pair of switch contacts each movable between first and second states, each of said contacts normally being disposed in said first state, a switch actuator supported pivotally by said housing, said actuator having a neutral position in which said actuator leaves each of said contacts in said first state, said actuator being manually pivotable in one direction from said neutral position to a first actuated position in which the actuator changes one of said contacts from said first state to said second state, said actuator being manually pivotable in the opposite direction from said neutral position to a second actuated position in which said actuator changes the other of said contacts from said first state to said second state, a latch mounted on said actuator and having a handle portion, said latch and said handle portion being pivotable with said actuator between said positions and being slidable relative to said actuator between latched and unlatched positions, first biasing means for biasing said latch toward said latched position, said latch being positively engageable with said housing when said latch is in said latched position and said actuator is in said neutral position and acting to prevent pivoting of said actuator latch from said neutral position to either of said first and second actuated positions, and said latch being manually slidable relative to said actuator to said unlatched position in a plane substantially parallel to said wall by manipulation of said handle portion while said actuator is in said neutral position for enabling pivoting of said actuator from said neutral position to either said first and second actuated positions, second biasing means for urging said actuator to pivot from said first actuated position toward said neutral position, said latch being free of positive and frictional engagement with said housing when said actuator is in said first actuated position thereby to enable said second biasing means to return said actuator from said first actuated position to said neutral position when said actuator is manually released.

4. A safety switch comprising a body having a pair of switch contacts each movable between first and second states, each of said contacts normally being disposed in said first state, a manually movable switch actuator having a neutral position in which said actuator leaves each of said contacts in said first state, said actuator being movable in one direction from said neutral position to a first actuated position in which the actuator changes one of said contacts from said first state to said second state, said actuator being movable in the opposite direction from said neutral position to a second actuated position in which said actuator changes the other of said contacts from said first state to said second state, a latch mounted on said actuator and having a handle portion, said latch and said handle portion being movable with said actuator between said positions and being movable relative to said actuator between latched and unlatched positions, means biasing said latch toward said latched position, said latch being positively engageable with said body when said latch is in said latched position and said actuator is in said neutral position and acting to prevent movement of said actuator from said neutral position to either of said first and second actuated positions, said latch being manually movable to said unlatched position by manipulation of said handle portion and being operable when in said unlatched position to permit movement of said actuator from said neutral position to either of said first and second actuated positions, and said biasing means being operable for pressing said latch into frictional engagement with said body when said actuator is in said second actuated position for releasably maintaining said actuator in said second actuated position.

5. A safety switch comprising a housing having a pair of switch contacts each movable between first and second states, each of said contacts normally being disposed in said first state, a switch actuator supported pivotally by said housing, said actuator having a neutral position in which said actuator leaves each of said contacts in said first state, said actuator being manually pivotable in one direction from said neutral position to a first actuated position in which the actuator changes one of said contacts from said first state to said second state, said actuator being manually pivotable in the opposite direction from said neutral position to a second actuated position in which said actuator changes the other of said contacts from said first state to said second state, a latch mounted on said actuator and having a handle portion, said latch and said handle portion being pivotable with said actuator between said positions and being slidable relative to said actuator between latched and unlatched positions, first biasing means for urging said latch toward said latched position, said latch being positively engageable with said housing when said latch is in said latched position and said actuator is in said neutral position and acting to prevent pivoting of said actuator from said neutral position to either of said first and second actuated positions, said latch being manually slidable to said unlatched position by manipulation of said handle portion and being operable when in said unlatched position to permit pivoting of said actuator from said neutral position to either of said first and second actuated positions, second biasing means for urging said actuator to pivot from said first actuated position toward said neutral position, said latch being free of positive and frictional engagement with said housing when said actuator is in said first actuated position thereby to enable said second biasing means to return said actuator from said first actuated position to said neutral position when said actuator is manually released, and said biasing means being operable for pressing said latch into frictional engagement with said housing when said actuator is in said second actuated position for releasably maintaining said actuator in said second actuated position.

6. A safety switch comprising a housing having a pair of switch contacts each movable between first and secant states, each of said contacts normally being disposed in said fist state, a switch actuator having mounting pins projecting therefrom, said housing being formed with holes for receiving said pins to support said actuator for pivotable movement relative to said housing, said actuator having a neutral position in which said actuator leaves each of said contacts in said first state, said actuator being manually pivotable in one direction from said neutral position to a first actuated position in which the actuator changes one of said contacts from said first state to said second state, said actuator being manually pivotable in the opposite direction from said neutral position to a second actuated position in which said actuator changes the other of said contacts from said first state to said second state, a latch mounted on said actuator and having a handle portion, said latch and said handle portion being pivotable with said actuator between said positions and being slidable relative to said actuator between latched and unlatched positions, said latch being formed with elongated slots for receiving said actuator mounting pins to support said latch for sliding movement between said latched and unlatched positions, first biasing means for urging said latch toward said latched position, said latch being positively engageable with said housing when said latch is in said latched position and said actuator is in said neutral position and acting to prevent pivoting of said actuator from said neutral position to either of said first and second actuated positions, said latch being manually slidable to said unlatched position by manipulation of said handle portion and being operable when in said unlatched position to permit pivoting of said actuator from said neutral position to either of said first and second actuated positions, second biasing means for urging said actuator to pivot from said first actuated position toward said neutral position, said latch being free of positive and frictional engagement with said housing when said actuator is in said first actuated position thereby to enable with said second biasing means to return said actuator from said first actuated position to said neutral position when said actuator is manually released.

7. A safety switch comprising a body having a pair of spaced switch contacts each movable between first and second states, each of said contacts normally being disposed in said first state, manually movable switch actuator having a neutral position in which said actuator leaves each of said contacts in said first state, said actuator being movable in one direction from said neutral position to a first actuated position in which the actuator changes one of said contacts from said first state to said second state, said actuator being movable in the opposite direction from said neutral position to a second actuated position in which said actuator changes the other of said contacts from said first state to said second state, a latch mounted on said actuator and having a handle portion, said latch and said handle portion being movable with said actuator between said positions and being movable relative to said actuator between latched and unlatched positions, said latch and actuator being formed with cooperating pins and elongated slots for receiving supporting said latch for sliding movement between said latched and unlatched positions, means biasing said latch toward said latched position, said latch being engageable with said body when said latch is in said latched position and said actuator is in said neutral position and acting to prevent movement of said actuator from said neutral position to either of said first and second actuated positions, and said latch being manually movable to said unlatched position by manipulation of said handle portion and being operable when in said unlatched position to permit movement of said actuator from said neutral position to either of said first and second actuated positions.

9. A safety switch comprising a body having a pair of switch contacts each movable between first and second states, each of said contacts normally being disposed in said first state, a manually movable switch actuator having a neutral position in which said actuator leaves each of said contacts in said first state, said actuator being movable in one direction from said neutral position to a first actuated position in which the actuator changes one of said contacts from said first state to said second state, said actuator being movable in the opposite direction from said neutral position to a second actuated position in which said actuator changes the other of said contacts from said first state to said second state, a latch mounted on said actuator and having a handle portion, said latch and said handle portion being movable with said actuator between said positions and being movable relative to said actuator between latched and unlatched positions, first biasing means for urging said latch toward said latched position, said latch being positively engageable with said body when said latch is in said latched position and said actuator is in said neutral position and acting to prevent movement of said actuator from said neutral position to either of said first and second actuated positions, said latch being manually movable to said unlatched position by manipulation of said handle portion and being operable when in said unlatched position to permit movement of said actuator from said neutral position to either of said first and second actuator from said first actuated position toward said neutral position, said latch being free of positive and frictional engagement with said body when said actuator is in said first actuated position thereby to enable said second biasing means to return said actuator from said first actuated position to said neutral position when said actuator is manually released, and said first biasing means presses said latch into frictional engagement with said body when said actuator is in said second actuated position thereby to releasably maintain said actuator in said second actuated position.

10. A safety switch comprising a body having a pair of switch contacts each movable between first and second states, each of said contacts normally being disposed in said first state, said body being formed with an upwardly opening recess, a manually movable switch actuator mounted in said body recess, said switch actuator having a neutral position in which said actuator leaves each of said contacts in said first state, said actuator being movable in one direction from said neutral position to a first actuated position in which the actuator changes one of said contacts from said first state to said second state, said actuator being movable in the opposite direction from said neutral position to a second actuated position in which said actuator changes the other of said contacts from said first state to said second state, a latch mounted on said actuator and having a handle portion, said latch and said handle portion being movable with said actuator between said positions and being movable relative to said actuator between latched and unlatched positions, said latch being positively engageable with a top of said body when said latch is in said latched position and said actuator is in said neutral position and acting to prevent movement of said actuator from said neutral position to either of said first and second actuated positions, said latch being manually movable to said unlatched position by manipulation of said handle portion and being operable when in said unlatched position to permit movement of said actuator from said neutral position to either of said first and second actuated positions, and said latch being positionable into said body recess upon movement of said latch to said unlatched position and movement of said actuator and latch to said first position.