Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Electric switch details – Cases and bases
Patent
1975-12-08
1978-01-24
Tolin, Gerald P.
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Electric switch details
Cases and bases
248 271, 174153G, H01H 902
Patent
active
040705595
ABSTRACT:
The snap-in mounting means includes a ring-like retainer member disposed in an annular groove provided near the outer end of an elongated bushing which extends from a switch frame member on a switch base of an electrical toggle switch assembly and pivotally supports a toggle lever for actuating switch contacts housed in the switch base. The retainer member is radially compressible and expandable in the bushing groove between a normally expanded position where its outer dimension is larger than the dimension of the mounting hole in a support panel on which a switch assembly is to be mounted and a compressed position where it can pass through the mounting hole.
As the bushing is initially inserted into the mounting hole from the rear of the panel during mounting, a portion of the retainer member engages the rim of the mounting hole and it is cammed thereby to the compressed position inside the groove. After the outer end portion of the bushing has been inserted through the mounting hole, the retainer member returns to its normally expanded position where a portion overlies the front of the panel in the area surrounding the mounting hole and is held in tight engagement therewith by a back-up spring.
In one embodiment, the retainer member is in the form of a split or snap ring having a beveled leading edge portion which engages the back rim of the panel mounting hole and a plurality of integral spring fingers which extend inwardly from the inner periphery thereof and bear against an inner wall of the bushing groove to center the snap ring over the hole.
In another embodiment, the beveled snap ring has an annular undercut in the trailing edge portion which, prior to mounting, receives the upper end of a coil back-up spring encircling the bushing with the lower end thereof bearing against the switch frame. As the bushing is inserted through the mounting hole, the upper end of the spring is disengaged from the ring and thereafter bears against the back of the panel.
In a further embodiment, the retainer member is a helical garter spring and the bushing groove is provided with a tapered inner wall which permits the garter spring to be cammed inwardly to a compressed condition during initial insertion of the bushing and guides the garter spring to a centered position as it expands to its free state after the bushing has been inserted through the hole.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2689700 (1954-09-01), Drury
patent: 3285548 (1966-11-01), Matto
patent: 3711669 (1973-01-01), Keranen
Cutler-Hammer, Inc.
Tolin Gerald P.
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