US3735327A — Variable resistance control

Claim 1

Independent Claim 129 words

A variable resistance control comprising a housing, an elongated resistance element and a collector disposed in said housing, said housing having a plurality of walls, one of said walls having a slot extending therethrough, control operating means supported for movement relative to said housing and having an operable portion extending outwardly through said slot, and a contactor secured to said control operating means and constrained to move therewith, said contactor wipably engaging said resistance element and said collector, said contactor having a pair of spaced vertical bars and a pair of continuous resilient horizontal strips, each end of said horizontal strips being connected to one of said spaced vertical bars, one of said horizontal strips engaging said resistance element and the other of said horizontal strips engaging said collector.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 129 words

A variable resistance control comprising a housing, an elongated resistance element and a collector disposed in said housing, said housing having a plurality of walls, one of said walls having a slot extending therethrough, control operating means supported for movement relative to said housing and having an operable portion extending outwardly through said slot, and a contactor secured to said control operating means and constrained to move therewith, said contactor wipably engaging said resistance element and said collector, said contactor having a pair of spaced vertical bars and a pair of continuous resilient horizontal strips, each end of said horizontal strips being connected to one of said spaced vertical bars, one of said horizontal strips engaging said resistance element and the other of said horizontal strips engaging said collector.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 52 words

The control of claim 1, wherein said control operating means is disposed between said resistance element and said collector, said control operating means comprises a frame projecting inwardly of said housing from said slot, said frame having an opening therethrough, and one of said pair of continuous strips projects through said opening.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 40 words

The control of claim 2 wherein said frame comprises a pair of spaced vertical members, said spaced vertical bars engaging said vertical members, the other of said pair of horizontal strips resiliently urging said spaced bars against said vertical members.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 39 words

The control of claim 2, wherein said frame has a pair of apertures extending therethrough and said contactor has a pair of tabs extending through said apertures, said tabs being folded over to secure said contactor to said frame.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 18 words

The control of claim 4, wherein said tabs extend from one of said pair of vertical spaced bars.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 80 words

A variable resistance control comprising a housing having first and second housing sections, resistance means supported within said housing adjacent said first housing section, collector means supported within said housing adjacent said second housing section, a contactor disposed between and wipably engaging said resistance means and said collector means, an overhang on said first housing section, said resistance means lying substantially in a plane and projecting under said overhang to prevent movement of said resistance means perpendicular to said plane.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 80 words

A variable resistance control comprising a housing having first and second housing sections, resistance means supported within said housing adjacent said first housing section, collector means supported within said housing adjacent said second housing section, a contactor disposed between and wipably engaging said resistance means and said collector means, an overhang on said first housing section, said resistance means lying substantially in a plane and projecting under said overhang to prevent movement of said resistance means perpendicular to said plane.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 28 words

The variable resistance control of claim 6, wherein said resistance means has a shoulder engaging said first housing section to maintain said resistance means positioned under such overhang.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 31 words

The variable resistance control of claim 7, wherein said resistance means comprises a resistance element and termination means, said resistance element having a plurality of positioning tabs projecting under said overhang.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 27 words

The variable resistance control of claim 8, wherein said positioning tabs are dimensioned to permit end-wise movement of said resistance element relative to said first housing section.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 52 words

The variable resistance control of claim 9, wherein one of said positioning tabs is dimensioned to snugly fit under said overhang whereby said resistance element is rigidly positioned in said housing yet free along its length except at said one of said positioning tabs to move relative to said first housing section.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 34 words

The variable resistance control of claim 8, wherein said termination means comprises a pair of terminals clinched to said resistance element, each of said terminals having a shoulder thereon engaging said first housing section.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 53 words

The variable resistance control of claim 11, wherein said first housing section is provided with a pair of grooves, said terminals being positioned in said grooves with said shoulders abutting the housing adjacent said grooves, said second housing section having a plurality of tongues interfitting with said grooves to securely position said terminals.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 58 words

The variable resistance cOntrol of claim 7, wherein said collector lies substantially in a plane, said second housing section being provided with an overhang, said collector projecting under said overhang to prevent movement of said collector perpendicular to said plane, said collector having a shoulder engaging said second housing section to maintain said collector positioned under said overhang.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 118 words

A variable resistance control comprising a housing having first and second housing sections, an elongated resistance element and a collector disposed in said housing, said resistance element and said collector being provided with terminals extending out of the housing, said housing having a pair of spaced grooves, and a mounting bracket disposed in each of said grooves maintaining said housing sections together, each of said mounting brackets comprising a generally U-shaped member having a pair of spaced legs and a connecting portion, said legs being disposed on opposite sides of said housing, said legs having ends bent toward each other to firmly engage said housing and maintain said bracket thereon, and a mounting tab extending from each bracket.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 118 words

A variable resistance control comprising a housing having first and second housing sections, an elongated resistance element and a collector disposed in said housing, said resistance element and said collector being provided with terminals extending out of the housing, said housing having a pair of spaced grooves, and a mounting bracket disposed in each of said grooves maintaining said housing sections together, each of said mounting brackets comprising a generally U-shaped member having a pair of spaced legs and a connecting portion, said legs being disposed on opposite sides of said housing, said legs having ends bent toward each other to firmly engage said housing and maintain said bracket thereon, and a mounting tab extending from each bracket.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 19 words

The variable resistance control of claim 14, wherein said ends are disposed adjacent the housing opposite said connecting portion.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 45 words

The variable resistance control of claim 14, wherein said housing has a pair of end walls, said grooves are adjacent said end walls and extend around the housing, each of said mounting brackets having said connecting portion and said legs positioned in its respective groove.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 132 words

A variable resistance control comprising a housing having a plurality of walls, one of said walls having a slot extending therethrough, a resistance element supported in said housing, a collector supported in said housing, control operating means supported for movement relative to said housing comprising an operable portion extending outwardly through said slot and a drive arm positioned between said resistance element and said collector, said operable portion being provided with parallel longitudinal grooves receiving the side walls of said slot, a contactor constrained to move with said drive arm wipably engaging said resistance element and said collector, and stabilizing means disposed in said housing, one of said stabilizing means and said drive arm being provided with a channel and the other being provided with channel engaging means slidably engaging said channel.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 132 words

A variable resistance control comprising a housing having a plurality of walls, one of said walls having a slot extending therethrough, a resistance element supported in said housing, a collector supported in said housing, control operating means supported for movement relative to said housing comprising an operable portion extending outwardly through said slot and a drive arm positioned between said resistance element and said collector, said operable portion being provided with parallel longitudinal grooves receiving the side walls of said slot, a contactor constrained to move with said drive arm wipably engaging said resistance element and said collector, and stabilizing means disposed in said housing, one of said stabilizing means and said drive arm being provided with a channel and the other being provided with channel engaging means slidably engaging said channel.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 25 words

The variable resistance control of claim 17, wherein said stabilizing means is positioned in a wall of the housing opposite said one of said walls.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 35 words

The variable resistance control of claim 17, wherein said wall opposite said one of said walls is provided with a channel and said drive arm is provided with channel engaging means slidably engaging said channel.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 34 words

The variable resistance control of claim 17, wherein said channel is larger than said channel engaging means and said contactor resiliently urges said channel engaging means into engagement with one wall of said channel.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 28 words

The variable resistance control of claim 20, wherein terminals are disposed adjacent said channel, and said channel engaging means has tapered ends to eliminate any possibility of interference.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-05-21	1976-11-20	1977-05-22	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-05-21	1980-11-20	1981-05-22	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-05-21	1984-11-20	1985-05-22	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Variable resistance control

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