US1981213A - Electric switch - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 20, 1934. A. ZWIERZYNSKI ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed June 10, 1951 INVENTOR 51/ V 4 W ATTORN s Patented Nov. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES ELECTRIC SWITCH Alex Zwierzynski, New Henry Hyman,

York, N. Y., assignor to Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application June 10, 1931, Serial No. 543,342

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an electric switch that is especially useful for flashlights, but is not restricted to this particular use. By this invention a switch is provided which is locked in pre-determined positions so that in one position the circuit cannot be closed, in another position the circuit can be intermittently closed by means of a push button, for example, and in another position the circuit is closed so long as the switch remains in this position. At the same time provision is made by which the danger of accidentally closing the circuit is eliminated, as well as the danger of injuring the switch by forcibly pushing upon the push button.

The invention will be understood from the description in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an illustrative embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a section along the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section along the line 44 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the switch member.

In the drawing reference character 1 indicates on an enlarged scale a portion of the casing of a flashlight to which the device may be connected for making and breaking the circuit between the battery and the electric bulb. The invention may, however, be used in other places.

Reference character 2 indicates a housingthat is preferably made of metal and has a flange 3 along the side next to the casing 1 so shaped as to fit the outside of the casing and be riveted thereto by means of the rivets 4. A rim 5 is provided along the outer side of the housing 2 for a purpose to be described and the flat top 6 of the housing is in a plane nearer the easing 1 than the top of the rim 5, thus providing a depression in which the switch operating member and the push button are located.

Two spaced, longitudinally extending slots 7 are provided in the flat top 6 of the housing and three transverse slots 8 are provided in the top 6 near one end thereof between the slots 7. A hole 9 for a push button is provided in the top 6 near the other end thereof.

A slidable switch operating member 11 is located on the upper side of the top 6 having a semi-cylindrically shaped portion 12 at one end and a flat extension 13 at the other end. The extending portion 13 has down-turned edges 13' which may be brought into contact with the upper surface of the top 6. A pair of lugs 14, each one of which is slightly longer than the thickness of the top 6 extend from the edges 13 of the portion 13 through the slots '7. Another pair of lugs 15 longer than the lugs 14, extend from the edges of the switch operating member 11 through the slots 7 to attach the switch operating member 11 to the slidable switch 16 that is located between the top 6 and the casing 1 inside of the housing 2.

The switch 16 is more clearly shown in Fig. 5 and is preferably made of a single piece of resilient sheet metal. One end of the switch 16 is provided with a reduced portion 17 that is bent back to form a flat spring that is slidable along the surface of the casing l and is under tension to press the switch 16 against the lower side of the top 6. The switch 16 is also provided with a shoulder or edge 18 of cut metal that is made by slitof the switch 16. The switch 16 is also provided 7 with notches 19 on opposite sides thereof, through which notches the lugs 15 on the switch operating member 11 extend so that the ends of these lugs may be bent inwardly to contact with the lower side of the switch member 16, thus attaching the switch operating member 11 to the switch 16, as most clearly shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4.

Converging slits 20 are made in the switch 16 to leave a somewhat wedge-shaped portion 21 having a free end that is bent downwardly and outwardly in a curve, as indicated at 22 to slide along the surface of the casing 1, thus aiding in keeping the main portion of the switch 16 in contact with the lower side of the top 6. A lug or projection 23 is formed on the portion 21 by striking up the metal, but without cutting through the metal, thus leaving a slightly rounded shoulder for a purpose to be described below.

Arms 24 are left on opposite sides of the slits 20 and terminate in a downwardly extending lip 25 that can be pressed into position by a push button to close the circuit in the intermediate position of the switch 16.

A push button 27 is provided in the opening 9 of the top 6 and has a flange 28 resting against the lower surface of the top 6. The left-hand portion of the flange 28 as seen in Fig. 1 is turned downwardly as indicated at 29 to provide a stop which contacts with the casing 1 to limit the extent to i which the push button can be forced downwardly. The portion of the flange opposite the extension 29 is cut away, as indicated at 30 to form a stop against which the lug 23 strikes when the switch 16 is pushed toward the left, as seen in Fig. 1. The portions of the flange 28 of the push button at the ends of the cut away portion 30 extend longitudinally of the housing 2 forming arms 31 whose edges are turned down as shown at 32 to provide a pair of spaced fulcrum members of somewhat triangular shape bearing upon the outer surface of the casing 1 so that when the push button 2'? is pushed downwardly it is tilted about the contact points of the fulcrum members 32 on the casing 1 and is limited in this movement by contact of the flange 29 with the surface of the casing 1. The flange of the push button 27 contacts with the upper edge of the contact lip 25, but does not contact with the portion 21 of the switch 16 due to the fact that the flange 28 of the push button is cut away as shown at 30.

A contact rivet 35 extends through the casing 1 and one end thereof is located within the housing 2. One side of the circuit is connected to the contact 35 by a connection, a portion of which is shown at 36, and the other side of the circuit is connected to one of the rivets 4 by a connection, of which a portion is shown at 37.

The operation is as follows:

When the switch 16 is in the position shown in Fig. 1 the cut metal edge of the lug 18 latches the switch 16 in position due to its contact with a cut metal edge of the farthest slot 8 to the right. Longitudinal pressure on the member 11 toward the left will not move the switch 16 so long as the parts are in this position. However, if downward pressure is applied to the flat surface of the extension 13 the lugs 14 thereon which extend through the slots '7 and press against the switch member 16 on opposite sides of the lug 18, force the switch 16 downwardly a slight distance compressing the spring 17, thus releasing the lug 18 from the slot 8. Simultaneous pressure of the switch operating member 11 to the left will then carry the switch 16 to the left. When the lug 23 strikes the edge 30 of the flange of the push button 27 the resistance to further movement of the switch 16 indicates to the operator thatthe lug 18 has reached the middle slot 8. At the same time the lip 25 has reached a position where it could be pressed downwardly into contact with the contact 35 to close the circuit. When the operator releases pressure on the extension 13 in this position the lug 18 latches in the middle slot 8, whereupon pressure upon the push button 27 moves the lip 25 into contact with the contact 35 to close the circuit as long as the push button is forced downwardly. Release of pressure on the push button 27 permits the spring arms 24 to return. the push button and open the circuit.

When it is desired to keep the circuit closed continuously the switch operating member 11 is pushed to the left as far as it will go by pushing downwardly upon the extension 13 and to the left on the portion 12, thus releasing the lug 18 from the middle notch and also forcing the lug 23 to ride under the flange 28 of the push button until the end 22 of the portion 21 of the switch 16 contacts with the contact 35, thus closing the circuit until the switch is moved to the right. Movement of the switch 16 to the right can be readily accomplished simply by pressing the switch operating member 11 toward the right as the sloping surface of the lug 18 permits this lug to be moved out of the slots 8.

The rim 5 surrounding the extension 13 and extending above it prevents the extension 13 from being accidentally struck by objects to release the lug or catch 18 from the slots 8 with consequent danger of the switch being moved to a circuit-closing position. Also, the limitation of inward movement of the push button 27 avoids the danger of the arms 24 being sprung so far as to exceed the elastic limit of the metal, or interfere with these arms springing back to their normal open position.

I claim:

1. In an electric switch, a housing having a plurality of slots in a wall thereof, a longitudinally movable switch member in said housing, said switch member having a lug to catch in said slots, spring means near opposite ends of said switch member to cause said lug to enter said slots, and means to remove said lug from said slots and move said switch member longitudinally.

2. In an electric switch, a housing having a plurality of slots in a wall thereof, a longitudinally movable switch member in said housing, said switch member having a lug to catch in said slots, spring means near opposite ends of said switch member to cause said lug to enter said slots, and a push button for moving a portion of said switch member laterally.

3. In an electric switch, a housing having a plurality of slots in a wall thereof, a longitudinally movable switch member in said housing, said switch member having a lug to catch in said slots, spring means near opposite ends of said switch member to cause said lug to enter said slots, a push button for moving a portion of said switch member laterally, and a contact to be contacted by said portion in an intermediate position of said switch member. I

4. In an electric switch for a flashlight, a contact attached to the flashlight casing, a housing having aplurality of slots in a wall thereof, a longitudinally movable switch member in said housing adapted to be brought into engagement with said contact, said switch member havingalug to catch in said slots, said housing being provided with a stop and said switch being provided with a lug to contact with said stop in an intermediate position of said switch memher.

5. In an electric switch, a housing, a push button extending through a wall of said housing, a switch member in said housing having separated extensions one of which is contacted by said push button, and having a lug that strikes said push button in one position of said switch member.

6. In a switch for a flash light, a housing attached to the casing of said flash light, a slidable switch member, springs at each end of said switch member to press it outwardly from said casing against said housing, a contact member on said casing under said housing, and a push button extending through said housing and supported thereby, said push button being fulcrumed on said casing and adapted to contact with said contact member.

7. In a switch for a flash light, a housing attached to the casing of said flashlight, a slidable switch member, springs at each end of said switch member to press it outwardly from said casing against said housing, a contact member on said casing under said housing, a push button extending through said housing being fulcrumed on said casing and adapted to contact

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