Patent · US Expired

"Switch for automatically interrupting a circuit when its contacts are fused together in the ""ON"" position"

US4647727A · kind A · utility

13Cited by
3References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 4, 1985
Grant dateMar 3, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 4, 2005

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S200/42
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A safety switch for automatically interrupting a circuit when its main contacts are fused or stuck together in the "ON" position comprises a housing containing a pair of main contacts and auxiliary safety contacts which are normally closed but are automatically opened when the main contacts fuse together. One main contact is an "ON" contact, and the other main contact is carried by a movable switch arm. A first spring in the housing mechanically coupled to the movable switch arm normally urges the movable main contact into open position away from the engagement with the ON contact. Switch operating means include a movable actuator to overcome the biasing force of the spring for moving the movable main contact to closed position into engagement with the ON main contact for energizing a circuit controlled by the main contacts. The auxiliary safety contacts become opened in response to abnormal movement of the switch arm under influence of the spring when the actuator is moved to OFF position, but the movable main contact remains fused or stuck to the ON main contact. In their operation, a second pre-stressed spring continuously biases the auxiliary safety contacts toward open positio…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.