Lever operated electrical switches

Claim 2

In an electrical switch comprising a switch mechanism housed within an insulating switch casing, a plunger for actuating said switch mechanism slidably supported in an opening in a top wall of said switch casing, and separate lever means for depressing the plunger and actuating said mechanism disposed externally of said casing, said lever means being connected to the top wall of the casing at a position spaced from the plunger and extending over the plunger to bear on the projecting end thereof, the improvement consisting in that said lever means is rigidly fixed to the switch casing by a boss which is formed at the end of a portion of the lever means projecting downwardly from the main body thereof, and which is engaged in a complementary groove formed in said top wall of said casing, said downwardly projecting portion at at least an adjacent portion of the main body of said lever means being formed from resilient plastics material to permit the lever means to be flexed relative to said boss and depress the plunger.

Claim 3

An electrical switch as claimed in claim 1, in which said downwardly projecting portion and said adjacent portion of the main body of said lever means constitute a hinge piece formed as a one-piece moulding of resilient plastics material, and said adjacent portion includes a connector part formed with means connecting a strip metal lever arm to said hinge piece, said lever arm extending from said hinge piece over said plunger to bear on the projecting end thereof.

Claim 4

An electrical switch as claimed in claim 2, in which said connector part of said hinge piece comprises at least one stud moulded integrally therewith, said stud projecting through an aperture in said lever arm and being moulded with a head engaging the face of said lever arM opposite that engaging said connector part, whereby to fix said lever arm to said hinge piece.

Claim 5

An electrical switch as claimed in claim 3, in which said connector part comprises a projecting plate portion to which said lever arm is fixed by said at least one stud, said plate portion being of less width than said lever arm.

Claim 6

An electrical switch as claimed in claim 2, in which said connector part is in the form of a socket, and said lever arm is longitudinally insertable into said socket and is an interference fit therein, whereby to attach said lever arm to said hinge piece.

Claim 7

An electrical switch as claimed in claim 5, in which said socket connector is of generally rectangular cross-section corresponding to the cross-section of said strip lever arm and is open at opposite ends, said socket comprising side walls substantially parallel to the longitudinal edges of said lever arm and top and bottom sides defined by spaced transverse webs at said top side of said socket being disposed opposite spaces between said bottom webs, and in which one said webs at the free end of said socket connector is slightly inclined inwardly of said socket to effect a wedging action on said lever arm, and said lever arm has means which engages in said transverse webs when said lever arm is inserted into said socket so as positively to locate said lever arm in position.

Claim 8

An electrical switch as claimed in claim 6, in which said downwardly projecting portion and boss are disposed at one end of said hinge piece and said socket connector projects from said downwardly projecting portion towards the plunger, and in which the end of said lever arm remote from said plunger extends through said socket and is engageable with the top wall of the switch casing on the opposite side of the hinge piece to the plunger and serves as a stop limiting movement of said lever means in the upward direction of said plunger, said socket connector being integral with said downwardly projecting portion via a web portion of reduced thickness which serves as a hinge about which said lever means is rockable.

Claim 9

An electrical switch as claimed in claim 1, in which said switch casing is formed in two parts comprising a body part, which has a cavity in one side for containing said switch mechanism and a slot in its top wall at said one side defining said plunger opening, and a side plate secured to said body part over said cavity and slot for closing the adjacent open sides thereof, and in which said groove is formed in said top wall of said body part at a position spaced from said plunger slot with an open end at said cavity side of said body part, which open end is also closed by said side plate, said boss of said lever means being slidable into said groove through said open end thereof prior to securing of said side plate, and in which said side plate comprises a first, sizing boss moulded on its inside surface opposite said plunger slot, the width of said sizing boss corresponding to the required width of said plunger slot, and said sizing boss fitting into said open side of said plunger slot, when said side plate is secured to said body part, and serving as a spacer, and a second boss moulded on the inside surface of said side plate opposite said open end of said groove, said second boss fitting into said open end of said groove, when said side plate is secured in position, to centralise said lever means with respect to said plunger.

Claim 10

In an electrical switch, an insulating switch casing comprising a body part and a side plate, a switch mechanism housed within said switch casing, and a plunger for actuating said switch mechanism, slidably mounted in an opening in said casing, said body part having a cavity in one side thereof for containing said switch mechanism and at least a slot in the same side thereof defining said plunger opening, said side plate being secured to said body part over said cavity and said slot for closing the adjacent open sides thereof, said side plate having a sizing boss mOulded on its inside surface opposite said plunger slot, the width of said boss corresponding to the required width of said plunger slot, and said boss fitting into said open side of said plunger slot, when said side plate is secured to said body part, and serving as a spacer to prevent undesirable narrowing of said slot.

Claim 11

In an electrical switch, an insulating switch casing comprising a body part and a side plate, a switch mechanism housed within said switch casing, and a plunger for actuating said switch mechanism, slidably mounted in an opening in said casing, said body part having a cavity in one side thereof for containing said switch mechanism and at least a slot in the same side thereof defining said plunger opening, said side plate being secured to said body part over said cavity and said slot for closing the adjacent open sides thereof, said side plate having a sizing boss mOulded on its inside surface opposite said plunger slot, the width of said boss corresponding to the required width of said plunger slot, and said boss fitting into said open side of said plunger slot, when said side plate is secured to said body part, and serving as a spacer to prevent undesirable narrowing of said slot.