US3047683A - Multiple contact switch - Google Patents

Description

July

Filed March 22, 1961 'llillllllll/M B. E. SHLESINGER, JR

MULTIPLE CONTACT SWITCH 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 6 Sheets-Shea?l 2 July 31, 1962 B. E. SHLESINGER, JR

MULTIPLE CONTACT swTTcH med March 22, 1961 INVENTOR .vm vt, T WF? T n. Il /V/d Il Bernard Edward Shlesinger, Jr. Q

July 3l, 1962 B. E. SHLESINGER, JR

MULTIPLE CONTACT SWITCH 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Bernard Edwo'rd Shlesinger, Jr.

MMM?- INVENTOR July 3l, 1962 B. E. SHLESINGER, JR 3,047,683

MULTIPLE CONTACT SWITCH Filed March 22, 1961 e sheets-sheet 4 uhm l mFL." NQ

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July 31, 1962 B.l|:. sHLr-:s|NGER, JR 3,047,683

MULTIPLE CONTACT SWITCH Filed March 22, 1961 e sheets-sheer 5 a' L; (Jl

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INVENTOR Bernard Edward Shlesinger, Jr.

July 31, 1962 B. E. sHLEslNGER, JR 3,047,683

MULTIPLE CONTACT SWITCH Filed March 22, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR' United States Patent O 3,047,683 MULTIPLE CONTACT SWITCH Bernard Edward Shlesinger, Jr., 906 Bruce Lane, Annandale, Va. Filed Mar. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 97,603 54 Claims. (Cl. 2GB-Z6) This invention relates to improvements inmultiple contact switches and the like. The present invention provides certain variations of multiple contact switches as described in my patent application Serial No. 700,354, filed December 3, 1957, now Patent No. 2,874,237, issued February 17, 1959, as well as copending application Serial No. 62,751 tiled October 14, 1960, now Patent No. 3,027,- 435 issued March 27, 1962.

It is an object of this invention to provide a multiple contact rotary switch which has an unlimited number of combinations. It is a further object of this invention to provide a multiple contact switch which is compact and readily assembled.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a contact switch which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a contact switch which may be used for programming, computing, aircraft, rocketry, telemetry and telephony and the like.

'It is another object of this invention to provide a multiple contact switch which may be kept relatively free from dust and moisture.

IIt is a further object of this invention to provide a multiple contact switch which may be remotely or locally operated. V

Other objects and various further features of the invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from the reading of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing a casing and contents partially in section;

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along lines 2--2 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows exemplifying one possible situation;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on lines 3 3 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the manner of connecting the rotatable disc to the shaft;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged `fragmentary section taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 3 showing the manner of mounting the rotatable disc to the shaft;

FIGS. 5-11 are side elevations shown partially in section of various modications of this invention;

FIG. 12 is a plan section of the structure taken on line 12--12 and looking in direction of the arrows of FIGURE 11 exemplifying one possible situation;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in section showing the structure of the stationary contact shown in FIGURE 12;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one of the contact members;

FIG. 15a is a side elevation partially in section shown ing a modified form of the contact plate assembly;

FIG. 15b is a plan section taken on line 15b-15b of FIGURE 12a and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 16 is a top view of a further modification of the contact plate assembly;

FIG. 17 is a side elevation partially in section showing another modification of the contact plate assembly.

The switch comprises a cylindrical casing C of any suitable insulating material, and may have an integral bottom wall 1 at one end. Wall 1 has a centralized opening 2. The opposite end of casing C may have removable cover 4 which has a centralized opening 5. Cover 4 Patented July 31, 1962 may be in sealing engagement with casing C at 6 by any suitable means. Casing C has a plurality of openings 8 spaced as desired. Suitable electrical contacts 1t) are inset in openings 8. One form of electrical contacts 1t) as best shown in FIG. 13, comprises a nonconductive lining 11 having shoulders 12, Contact 13 having shoulders 14 and a tip 15, spring 16, and a lug 17. The

lining r11 is set in opening 8 and isheld in engagement by'rany suitable means such as cement, friction and so forth. Contact 13, spring 16, and lug 17 are set in lining 11. The spring 16 urges contacts 13 toward the inside of casing C. Shoulders 14 of the contact 13 engage shoulders 12. of the lining 111 preventing further movement and allowing only tip 15 .of the contact 13 to protrude into the inside of casing C.

In FIGS. 1-4, opening 2 of wall 1 has a bearing 20 inset therein. Opening 5 of cover 4 has a bearing 22 inset therein. Bearings Ztl and 22 are held in place by lock means 24. Casing C contains a plurality of contact plates 30 sandwiched between resilient non-conductive Spacers 32. Contact plates 30` may be entirely conductive Ior non-conductive in part as illustrated in FIGURE 16. These spacers 32 may be of a light foam or a solid rubber or plastic. They could also comprise spring coils olf non-conductive material. Contacts 33` are an integral part of the plate 30 and have tapered edges 34. The contact 33 is of semi-circular shape to give some resiliency 4in use. (A better view of edges 34- m-ay be Seen in yFIGURE 14.) Plate 30 has a centralized opening 35. Spacers 32 have concave recesses 36 on the outer and inner edges to allow for expansion without binding other parts of the switch.

A rotary tubular shaft 40 made of a non-conductive material extends through the casing C. Shaft 40 is locked against lengthwise movement with respect to the casing C by retainer rings 42 locking the shaft 40 to bearings 20 and 22. The sleeve of shaft 40 has two elongated openings 44 cut out opposite of each other providing hat surfaces 45. The plates 30 are keyed to tubular shaft 40 by the flat surfaces 45. Shaft 40 has connected at its upper end a gear 48.

A second rotary shaft 50* is centrally threaded. The shaft 50 is contained in tubular shaft 40` and locked against lengthwise movement with respect to the tubular shaft 4t) at 52 by any suitable means. Shaft 'Sil has relieved portion 54 at both ends o-f the threaded portion for purposes hereafter explained. At its upper end, shaft 56 has connected a gear 56. Shaft 4t)` may be recessed interially as at 58 in order to prevent engagement of the threads of shaft 50 with the inside of tubular shaft 40.

Contained in casing C are non-conductive discs 60. Disc 60 has a threaded opening 612. The threads of opening 62 are engaged to the threaded portion of the shaft 50 through the openings 44 of tubular shaft 40. Gear 70 is mounted von cover 4 and biased upward by spring 72, and is in mesh with gear 48. Gear 73 is in mesh with gear 56 and biased upward by spring 74.

The gears 70 and 73 may be mounted in any manner to iit the installation.

FIGURE 5 shows a slightly different modification than is illustrated in FIGURE 1. In this arrangement, Wall 1a and cover 4a have larger centralized openings 2a and Sa. Plates Stia have aligned openings St!` with flexible and non-conductive rod members 82 extending through them. Connected to the upper end of rod members 82 and seated in a recess 83 of cover 4a is a gear 84. Gear 84 is freely rotatable around tubular shaft 40 and is meshed with gear 85. The gear 85 is keyed to shaft 86. Connected at the lower end ofrod members 82 is an identical set of gears, as connected to the upper end, seated in the recess 88 of wall la.

FIGURE 6 shows a further modification of the switch. Casing C contains in its top half a plurality of plates 30 and spacers 32. Extending through the plate 30 and the spacers 32 is a shaft 90. Shaft 90 has connected at one end a gear 92. Welded at 93 to shaft 90 is a modified conductive plate 30b. 96 is an extension of the shaft 90 to the gear 92. The bottom half of casing C contains an assembly inverted and identical in structure to that contained in the top half. The conductive plates 30, 30b and the non-conductive spacers 32 may be bonded to each other by an adhesive or any suitable means.

In the modification shown in FIGURE 7 the nonconductive shaft 100 extends lengthwise through the casing C. At one end of shaft 100 is mounted a gear 92 and extension shaft 96a, and at the other end a stop 102. Conductive plate 30b is Welded to shaft 100 at 93. The non-conductive spacers 32 and conductive plates 30 are bonded to each other. Plate 30b may not be bonded to spacer 32 for reasons hereinafter described.

The further modication of FIGURE 8 shows the casing C containing in its central portion a plurality of conductive plates 30C sandwiched between non-conduc tive spacers 32a. At either end ofthe casing C is a piston assembly 110. Piston assembly 110 comprises a piston head 112 having shafts 114 extending toward the interior of casing C. At the end of shaft 114 is connected non-conductive plate 116. Plate 116 is bonded at 117 to resilient non-conductive spacer 32a by any suitable means. Piston head 112 is in frictional sealing engagement with the casing C at 118. Shaft 114 extends through a rotatable fluid operated gear 120'. Fluid gear 120 would have fixed fins to allow rotation in one direction only. The gear 120 would be mounted between shoulders 122 and would be sealed by O rings124. Bleed lines 126 m-ay be of any conventional means. A fluid supply system 130 comprises fluid lines 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, and suitable valves 140, 1411, 142, 143, and 144. Fluid lines 133, 134, 135 and 136 extend through the walls of casing C and are connected in threaded openings 145, 146, 147 and 148, by any suitable plumbing connection. The non-conductive spacers 32a and conductive plates 30C are bonded to each other.

FIG. 9 shows tubular shaft 40a having an elongated opening 150. Shaft 40a has mounted at one end a gear 152. Shaft 40a is locked against movement lengthwise by gear or ring 153. Mounted on the casing and in mesh with gear 152 is a second gear 154. At one interior end of the casing C a non-conductive plate 160 is bonded to non-conductive spacer 32. Connected to plate 1.60 by any suitable means is a cord or cable 162. Cable 162 extends through the opening 150 and the non-conductive tubular shaft 40a to a reel assembly 164. Reel assembly 164 may be mounted where desired and may be manually or power driven. The connection between the shaft 40a and the conductive plates 30 is similar to that in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3. v

yFIGURE shows the conductive plate 30b in another position other than shown in FIGURE 7.

In the modification shown in FIGURE 11 casing C has an integral semi-circular housing 170= on its exterior wall. The wall of casing C has spaced openings 171 positioned to be enclosed by the housing 170. Housing 170 has a rotatable shaft 172 extending lengthwise through it. Shaft 172 has mounted at one end a knob 174. Non-conductive fingers 176 mounted on shaft 172 are spaced opposite the openings 171. The spacers 32 have a relieved portion 177. The stop fingers 176 are mounted in staggered relationship and are of a length as to have one at a time extend through an opening 171 to a point past the edge discs 30 when shaft 172 is rotated. The switch assembly contained within `the casing C is the same as the structure of FIGURE 9. It is obvious that a second housing having stop tin-gers 176 may be located on the opposite side of casing C in order to have a more even distribution of the load to prevent binding.

FIGURES 15a and 15b show the conductive plate 30d having contact studs 180 connected thereto and opening 182 of resilient nonconductive spacers 32b. On compression of spacers 32h Contact studs 180Vare brought into juncture with the conductive plate 30C above, electrically connecting the plates.

In FIGURE 16 a non-conductive plate 30e has electrical contacts 33 mounted thereto. The contacts 33 may be connected as desired by printed circuits or lead .wires 190.

FIGURE 17 shows the conductive plates,30e electrically connected by conductive springs 184. The springs 184 are mounted in the resilient non-conductive spacer 32. The conductive spring 184 may connect any two of the plates 30e. 186 is a non-conductive washer to prevent accidental contact of the spring 184 and the plate 30C.

The plate arrangements shown in FIGURES 15a, 15b, 16 and 17 can readily be substituted in any of the moditications shown in the other figures.

It will be obvious that the bottom wall 1 and cover 4 may in some instances be unnecessary as some external support means such as a bracket or holder may be used to mount the shafts 4i), 50, 90l and 100. In such instances the cylinder portion of casing C would be separately mounted on another bracket.

The switch may be limited to two conductive plates 30 separated by a non-conductive spacer 32 if desired.

Operation From the foregoing description it will now be readily seen in FIGURE 1 that on rotation of gear 70, gear 48 and tubular shaft 40 rotate imparting a rotatory movement to discs 60 and thus to conductive plates 301 thereby changing the relationship of the contacts 13 and contacts 33.

On. rotation of gear 73, gear 56 and threaded shaft 50 rotate, causing the disc 60 to thread up or down on shaft 50 depending on the direction of rotation. One of the discs 60 will unthread .at relieved portion 54, the other disc 60 will compress the resilient spacer 32 thereby changing the relationship of the contacts 13 and contacts 33. The rotation and compression means may be combined to change the relationship of the contacts 13 and contacts 33.

It will be obvious that the resilient nature of the spacer 32 at the bottom or tcp of the casing C will act as a retainer spring for the discs 60, enabling the discs to rethread on shaft 5) when the shaft is reversed in rotary direction.

In FIGURE 5 the contacts may be changed by compression of spacer 32 by rotation of gear 48. By rotation of gear 84 through 85 and shaft 86 at one end of the casing C the rod members 82 are twisted to impart a twisting of the resilient spacers 32 thereby changing the relationship of the contacts 13 and contacts 33. The twisting may be actuated by the shaft 86 or 86a in either direction or may be `accomplished by combined rotation in opposite directions of gears 84. If both are rotated simultaneously in the same direction no twisting action occurs. One set of gears 84 and 85 may be used if the opposite ends of the rod members 82 are connected t0 wall 1a of the casing C (not shown). If rotation and twisting action is all that is required shaft 40 may be Y eliminated.

The gear 92 may be rotated in FIGURE 6 to rotate the shaft thereby rotating the plates 30 and 30b. Compression of the spacers 32 may be accomplished by pulling the extension shaft 96. The extension shaft 96 may be locked in position by any suitable means (not shown). This means could be a rack and pawl or releasable rod clutch, or friction washer. The two operations may be combined to change the relationship of contacts.

In FIGURES 7 and l0 the shaft 100 may be pulled or pushed to change the relationship of the contacts. Conductive plates 30 and 30b may be rotated by rotation Y ofgear 92. The contact plates 30 and Stirb may also'be changed by the combined rotation ,and pulling or pushing of shaft 14N). If rotation of the conductive plates 30` and 36h is desired, the conductive plates Sti and 30!) are bonded to the spacer 32. Otherwise conductive plate 36h need not be secured.

In the modified form FIGURE 8, the relationship of the conductive plates 30C and the contacts 10 may be changed by operation of the iiuid supply system 13G. By opening valve .140 and either 143 or 144 one of the pistons 112 will be pushed in and thereby compressing the spacers 32a in one direction depending on which valve is opened.v Twisting of the spacers 32a may be accomplished by opening valve 14) and either valve 141 or 142. Combined rotation and compression of the conductive plates 30e may be accomplished by opening valve 140, valves 141 land 142, and either -.valve 143 or 144 or both.

The contact assembly may be rotated by opening a valve 146` and opening of both Valve 141 and 142. When no fluid is applied to one fluid gear 120, there is enough frictional engagement of that one gear 120 to hold one end of the spacers 32a from rotating thereby allowing twisting of the spacers 32a by rotating the opposite gear 1Z0.

In FIGURE 9 on rotation of gear 154 a rotatory motion is imparted to non-conductive tubular shaft 40a through gear 152. The conductive plates 30 in engagement with shaft 40a thereby are rotated on rotation of gear 154. The spacersv 32 :are -compressed by winding of cable 162 or reel 164. The two `operations may be combined to change the position of the contacts in relation to each other.

The relationship of the contacts in FIGURE l0 may be changed by pulling or pushing a shaft 100. In this modification when the shaft 100 is pulled only the spacers 32 above the conductive plates 30]] are compressed. On

the pushing of the shaft 100 only the spacers 32 below the conductive plate 30b are` compressed. The plates 30 may be adhesively secured to spacers 32 as indicated in FIGURE 7, or insecured if no rotation means is needed.

In the further modification shown in FIGURE l1 the rotation and compression of the spacers 32 is accomplished as in FIGURE 9. By rotation of shaft 174 a selected stop finger 176 may be extended into the casing C thereby providing a stop for the compression of the spacers 32 only below the selected finger. It can now be readily seen that innumerable contact positions can be devised upon the inside cylindrical surface of the casing C. By proper positioning of contacts on the plates 30 an unlimited number of circuits and combinations can be obtained.

While the invention has been described in connection with different embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modifications, and this application is intended to cover any variation, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within knowing or customary practice vin the fart to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth and fall within the scope of the invention or appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A multiple contact `switch comprising a'casing, contacts in wall of said casing, a plurality of stacked contact plates having spaced contact members thereon, non-conductive springy resilient expansible and compressible spacer members between said contact plates, means for rotating said plates and said spacer members, and means for compressing and expanding said spacer members, whereby upon rotation of said plates `and said spacer members, or compression or expansion of said spacer mem- 6 bers, or both, the electrical circuits between said wall contacts and said Contact plates are changed.

2. A multiple contact switch as in claim 1 and wherein the compression and expansion means includes means for compressing and expanding less than all of said spacer members. f

3. A multiple contact switch as in claim l and wherein a portion of each of said contact plates is non-conductive.

4. A multiplecontact switch as in claim 1 and wherein a portion of each of said contact plates is non-conductive, and a portion contains a printed circuit.

5. A multiple contact switch as in claim l and wherein said compression and expansion means includes a shaft connected to one of said plates, rotatable and reciprocable in said casing.

6. A multiple contact switch as in claim 1 and wherein said compression and expansion means includes a shaft connected to a central plate, said shaft being rotatable and reciprocable in said casing.

7. A multiple contact switch as in claim 1 and wherein said compression and expansion means includes a plurality of shafts each connected to a central plate, reciprocable and rotatable in said casing, said shafts being independently operable.

8. A multiple contact switch as in claim l and wherein said compression and expansion means includes a plurality of shafts each connected to a plate and reciprocable in said casing.

9. A multiple contact switch as in claim 1 and wherein said compression and expansion means includes a shaft, means in said shaft for compressing said spacer members.

l0. A multiple contact switch as in claim l and wherein said compression and expansion means includes a shaft, means in said shaft for compressing said spacer members, and means for rotating said shaft and said plates simultaneously.

1l. A multiple contactswitch as in claim 1 and having means for limiting the rotation of at least one of said plates with respect to others.

12. A multiple contact switch as in claim 1 and having means for limiting the rotation of at least one of said plates with respect to others, said means including at least one resilient member connected to at least one plate, said casing supporting thereon a rotating member connected to said resilient member.

13. A multiple contact switch as in claim 1 and wherein said compression and expansion means includes a shaft, means in said shaft for compressing saidrspacer members, a slot in said shaft, and a -pulley cable secured to one of .said plates and extending through said shaft and guided in said slot, and means for winding said pulley member.

14. A multiple contact switch as in claim 1 and Wherein said compression and expansion means includes a shaft, means in said shaft for compressing said spacer members, said means including slot in said shaft, a pulley cable secured to a bottom plate and extending through said shaft and guided in said slot, means for winding said pulley member, and means for rotating said shaft.

15. A multiple contact switch las in claim 1 and wherein said means for rotating, compressing, and expanding said spacer members is `fluid operated.

16. A multiple contact Iswitch as in claim l and wherein said means for rotating, compressing and expanding said spacer member is fluid operated, said means including valve means for controlling flow of fluid to said rotating, compressing and expanding means.

17. A multiple contact switch as in claim 1 and wherein `said means for rotating, compressing, and expanding said spacer members is fluid operated, said fluid operating means including at least one iiuid operated piston and at least one uid operated rotor.

18. A multiple contact switch as in claim 1 and where-v f 7 in said compressing and expanding means are fluid operated.

19. A multiple contact switch as in claim 1 and wherein said casing has mounted thereon a rotatable shaft having a non-conductive stop finger mounted thereon for allowing one of said plates to be non-reciprocable with respect to another of said plates.

20. A multiple contact switch as in claim l and wherein at least one of said plates is electrically connected to another of said plates by an electrical conductor.

21. A multiple contact switch as in claim 1 and wherein at least one of said plates is electrically connected to another of said plates by an electrical conductor, said electrical conductor being a conductive iiexible coil.

' 22. A multiple contact switch comprising a casing, contacts in wall of said casing, a plurality of stacked contact plates having `spaced contact members thereon, non-conductive springy resilient expandable, twistab'le and compressi-ble spacer members between said contact plates, means for rotating said plates and said spacer members, means for compressing and expanding said spacer members, and means -for twisting said :spacer members, whereby upon rotation of said plates and said spacer members, or compression, expansion or twisting of spacer members, the electrical circuits between said wall contacts and said contact plates are changed.

23. A multiple contact switch as in claim 22 and wherein the compression means includes means tor cornpressing and expanding less than all of said spacer members.

24. A multiple contact switch as in claim 22 and wherein a portion of said contact plates is non-conductive.

25. A multiple contact switch as in claim 22 and wherein a portion of each of said contact plates is nonconductive, and a portion containing a printed circuit.

26. A multiple contact switch as in claim 22 and wherein said compression and expansion means includes a shaft, and means in said shaft for compressing said spacer members.

27. A multiple contact switch as in claim 22 and wherein said compression and expansion means includes a shaft, means in said shaft for compressing said spacer members, and means `for rotating said shaft and said plates simultaneously.

28. A multiple contact switch as in claim 22 and wherein said compression and expansion means includes a shaft, means in said shaft for compressing said spacer members, means for limiting the rotation o-f at least one plate with respect to others, said means including at least one resilient member connected to at least one of said plates, said casing supporting thereon a rotating member connected to said resilient member.

29. A multiple contact switch as in claim 22 and ing said spacer members is fluid operated.

tor, said electrical conductor being a conductive flexible coil.

35. A multiple contact switch comprisng a casing, contacts in `the -wall of said casing, a pluralityV of stacked contact plates having spaced contact members thereon, non-conductive springy resilient twistable spacer members between said contact plates, means for rotating said plates and said spacer members, and means for twisting said spacer members, whereby upon rotation of said plates and sai-d spacer members or upon twisting said spacer members or both, the electrical circuits between said wall contacts and said contact plates are changed.

36. A multiple contact switch as in claim 35 and wherein -a portion of each of said contact plates is nonconductive.

37. A multiple contact switch -as in claim 35 and wherein a portion of each of said contact plates is nonconductive, and a portion contains a printed circuit.

38. A multiple contact switch comprising a casing, contacts in ythe wall of said casing, a plurality of stacked contact plates having spaced contact members thereon, non-conductive springy resilient t-wistable expandable and compressible spacer members between said contact plates, means for compressing and expanding said spacer members, and means for twisting said -spacer members, whereby upon compressing, expanding or twisting of said spacer members, the electrical circuits between said wall contacts and said contact plates are changed.

39. A multiple contact switch asin claim 38 and wherein the compression means includes means for compressing and expanding less than all of said spacer members.

40. A multiple contact switch as in claim 38 and wherein a portion of each of said contact plates is non-conductive.

41. A multiple contact switch as in claim 38 and wherein a portion of each of contact plates is non-conductive, and a portion contains a printed circuit.

42. A multiple contact switch as in claim 38 wherein said means -for compressing, expanding, twisting said spacer members is fluid operated.

43. A multiple contact switch as in claim 38 and wherein said means ,for compressing, expanding, and twisting said spacer members is fluid operated, and inand - cludes fluid valve means for controlling flow of iluid to 30. A multiple contact switch as in claim 22 and wherein said means for rotating, compressing and twisting said spacer members is fluid operated, said uid means including at least one liuid operated piston and at least one fluid operated rotor.

31. A multiple contact switch as in claim 22 and wherein said compressing means is tluid operated.

32. A multiple contact switch as in claim 22 and wherein said casing has mounted thereon a rotatable shaft having a nonconductive stop finger mounted thereon -for `allowing one of said plates to be non-reciprocable with respect to another of said plates.

33. A multiple contact switch -as in claim 22 and wherein at least one of said plates is electrically connected to another of said plates by an electrical conductor.

34. A multiple contact switch as in claim 22 and wherein -at least one of said plates is electrically connected to another of said plates by an electrical conducsaid compressing, expanding and twisting means.

44. A multiple contact switch as in claim 38 and wherein said means for compressing, expanding, and twisting of said spacer members is iiuid operated, said fluid means including at least one uid operated piston and at least one fluid operated rotor.

45. A multiple contact switch as in claim 38 and wherein said compressing means is iiuid operated.

46. A multiple contact switch as in claim 38 and wherein said casing has mounted thereon a rotatable shaft having a non-conductive stop iinger mounted thereon for allowing one of said plates to be non-reciprocable with respect to another of said plates.

47. A multiple contact switch as in claim 38 and wherein at least one of said plates is electrically connected to another of said plates by an electrical conductor.

48. A multiple contact switch as in claim 38 and wherein at least one of said plates is electrically connected to another of said plates by an electrical conductor,1 said electrical conductor being a conductive flexible co1 49. A plurality of conductive plates for use in a multiple contact switch, non-conductive springy resilient expandable compressible and twistable spacer members, at least one of said conductive plates having on at least one face a contact stud, said contact stud extending into an opening in at least the adjacent spacer member, whereby on compression of said adjacent spacer member, said contact stud member is brought into contact with another of said conductive plates, thereby providing electrical connection between said conductive plates.

and f 50. A plurality of conductive plates for use in a multiple Contact switch, non-conductive springy resilient eX- pandable compressible and twistable spacer members and a conductive coil connecting one of said conductive plates with another of said conductive plates, whereby on rotation of said conductive plates and said spacer members, twisting, compression or expanding of said spacer mem- Ibers, electrical contact is always assured between said conductive plates.

51. A multiple contact switch comprising a casing, contacts in the wall of said casing, a plurality of stacked contact plates having spaced contact members thereon, at least one non-conductive springy resilient twistable spacer member between said contact plates, means for twisting said spacer member, whereby the electrical circuits between said wall contacts and said contact plates are changed.

52. A multiple contact switch as in claim 5l and having means for rotating said plate,V and spacer members.

53. A multiple Contact switch as in claim 51 and having means for expanding and compressing said contact members.

10 54. A multiple contact switch comprising a casing, contacts in wall of said casing, a plurality of stacked contact plates having a plurality of spaced contact members thereon, a non-conductive spring resilient expansible and compressible spacer member between said contact plate, means for rotating said plates and spacer members, and means for compressing and expanding said spacer members, whereby upon rotations of said plates and said spacer members, or compression or expansion of said spacer members, or both, the electrical circuits between said wall contacts and said contact plates are changed.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1954

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