Apparatus for gaging the location of contact points of switch-cover assemblies

Claim 1

An apparatus for determining whether moveable contact points, of a switch-cover assembly having a cover with locating holes, engage coacting thin-film conductive elements of an attenuator, which comprises: a. an insulating substrate having at least two apertures therein; b. an array of thin-film contact pads formed on the insulating substrate, each pad demarking the acceptable location of one of the contact points and having a size smaller than but proportional to that of the thin-film conductive elements of the attenuator and corresponding in position to the elEments of the attenuator; c. reference pins having diameters less than those of the apertures and precisely located with respect to the contact pads and protruding upwardly through apertures in the insulating substrate for entering the locating holes in the cover and positioning the switch-cover assembly in a horizontal plane; d. means for spacing the contact points of the switch-cover assembly above the contact pads to deflect the contact points into a predetermined position and to electrically engage such contact points with such contact pads; and e. means connected to the contact pads for indicating electrical engagement of the contact points with the contact pads thereby determining whether the contact points engage the conductive elements.

Claim 2

An apparatus for determining whether moveable contact points, of a switch-cover assembly having a cover with locating holes, engage coacting thin-film conductive elements of an attenuator, which comprises: a. an insulating substrate having at least two apertures therein; b. an array of thin-film contact pads formed on the insulating substrate, each pad demarking the acceptable location of one of the contact points and having a size smaller than but proportional to that of the thin-film conductive elements of the attenuator and corresponding in position to the elEments of the attenuator; c. reference pins having diameters less than those of the apertures and precisely located with respect to the contact pads and protruding upwardly through apertures in the insulating substrate for entering the locating holes in the cover and positioning the switch-cover assembly in a horizontal plane; d. means for spacing the contact points of the switch-cover assembly above the contact pads to deflect the contact points into a predetermined position and to electrically engage such contact points with such contact pads; and e. means connected to the contact pads for indicating electrical engagement of the contact points with the contact pads thereby determining whether the contact points engage the conductive elements.

Claim 4

An apparatus for gaging the location of the moveable contact points of a switch-cover assembly, to determine whether the points will engage coacting conductive elements of an attenuator, having a cover with a pair of locating holes therein, which comprises: a. a holder; b. an insulating substrate supported by the holder and having at least a pair of apertures in the substrate; c. an array of thin-film contact pads, terminations and conductors interconnecting the pads and the terminations, each pad in the array being formed on the substrate for revealing the location of one of the contact points, the size and location of the contact pads defining predetermined desired limits of movement of the contact points, each pad being smaller than but proportional to a conductive element of the attenuator; d. reference pins fixed in the holder in relation to the array of contact pads on the substrate and protruding upwardly through the apertures in the substrates and into the holes in the cover for precisely locating the switch-cover assembly with respect to the contact pads; e. means connected to the holder for clamping the swtich-cover assembly against movement to position it with respect to the substrate to deflect the contact points into operating position; and f. means connected to the terminations and responsive to engagement of the contact points with the contact pads for indicating an electrical contact between such contact points and such contact pads.

Claim 5

An apparatus for gaging the location of the moveable contact points of a switch-cover assembly, to determine whether the points will engage coacting conductive elements of an attenuator, having a cover with a pair of locating holes therein, which comprises: a. a holder; b. an insulating substrate supported by the holder and having at least a pair of apertures in the substrate; c. an array of thin-film contact pads, terminations and conductors interconnecting the pads and the terminations, each pad in the array being formed on the substrate for revealing the location of one of the contact points, the size and location of the contact pads defining predetermined desired limits of movement of the contact points, each pad being smaller than but proportional to a conductive element of the attenuator; d. reference pins fixed in the holder in relation to the array of contact pads on the substrate and protruding upwardly through the apertures in the substrates and into the holes in the cover for precisely locating the switch-cover assembly with respect to the contact pads; e. means connected to the holder for clamping the swtich-cover assembly against movement to position it with respect to the substrate to deflect the contact points into operating position; and f. means connected to the terminations and responsive to engagement of the contact points with the contact pads for indicating an electrical contact between such contact points and such contact pads.

Claim 8

An apparatus for determining whether moveable contact points, formed on contact springs of slide switches, engage coacting thin-film conductive elements of an attenuator upon the sliding of the slide switches into their end positions, the slide switches being slideably mounted in a switch-cover assembly having a cover with a pair of locating holes therein, which comprises: a. a base; b. a holder mounted on the base; c. an insulating substrate secured to the holder and having a pair of openings in the substrate; d. thin-film contact pads formed on the substrate, each pad being determinative of the engagement of one contact point and having a size smaller than but proportional to that of the thin-film conductive elements of the attenuator and corresponding in location to such elements of the attenuator; e. thin-film terminations formed on the substrate; f. thin-film conductors formed on the substrate for interconnecting the terminations and the contact pads; g. a pair of reference pins fixed in the holder in relation to the contact pads and protruding upwardly through the openings in the substrate to enter the locating holes in the cover, for precisely locating the switch-cover assemBly with respect to the contact pads; h. means fastened to the base for spacing the switch-cover assembly a predetermined distance from the contact pads on the insulating substrate; i. clamping means pivotably mounted on the base and cooperating with the spacing means for retaining the switch-cover assembly against such spacing means to deflect the contact springs and pivot the contact points thereof against the contact pads and for permitting sliding of the slide switches into their end positions to engage the contact pads; j. means, mounted to the base and cooperating with the spacing means, for securing the insulating substrate against the spacing means; and k. means connected to terminations and responsive to the movement of the switches into their end positions for indicating whether the contact points electrically engage the contact pads.

Claim 9

An apparatus for determining whether moveable contact points, formed on contact springs of slide switches, engage coacting thin-film conductive elements of an attenuator upon the sliding of the slide switches into their end positions, the slide switches being slideably mounted in a switch-cover assembly having a cover with a pair of locating holes therein, which comprises: a. a base; b. a holder mounted on the base; c. an insulating substrate secured to the holder and having a pair of openings in the substrate; d. thin-film contact pads formed on the substrate, each pad being determinative of the engagement of one contact point and having a size smaller than but proportional to that of the thin-film conductive elements of the attenuator and corresponding in location to such elements of the attenuator; e. thin-film terminations formed on the substrate; f. thin-film conductors formed on the substrate for interconnecting the terminations and the contact pads; g. a pair of reference pins fixed in the holder in relation to the contact pads and protruding upwardly through the openings in the substrate to enter the locating holes in the cover, for precisely locating the switch-cover assemBly with respect to the contact pads; h. means fastened to the base for spacing the switch-cover assembly a predetermined distance from the contact pads on the insulating substrate; i. clamping means pivotably mounted on the base and cooperating with the spacing means for retaining the switch-cover assembly against such spacing means to deflect the contact springs and pivot the contact points thereof against the contact pads and for permitting sliding of the slide switches into their end positions to engage the contact pads; j. means, mounted to the base and cooperating with the spacing means, for securing the insulating substrate against the spacing means; and k. means connected to terminations and responsive to the movement of the switches into their end positions for indicating whether the contact points electrically engage the contact pads.