William N Semonchik

US Patent:

40138569, Mar 22, 1977

Filed:

Oct 2, 1975

Appl. No.:

5/619088

Inventors:

Roger V. Joss - Clinton IL
William Semonchik - Normal IL
Arthur H. Unwin - Bloomington IL

Assignee:

General Electric Company - New York NY

International Classification:

H01H 920

US Classification:

200314

Abstract:

A push button assembly including an operating unit and a switch unit having an enclosure. The operating unit is comprised of a housing, fastened to the switch unit enclosure, and having a hollow interior section. The operating unit is further comprised of a collar member having one end positioned within the interior section of the housing and another end extending outward therefrom, and a mushroom head fixed to the other end of the collar member. Also provided is an actuating plunger having one end mechanically coupled to the one end of the collar member and having another end coupled to the switch unit. Further provided are means for maintaining the collar member in a first position and means for maintaining the collar member in a second position. The first position maintaining means is comprised of means for biasing the collar member in the direction outward from the interior of the housing, a projection having an upper and lower wall extending from an exterior surface of the collar member and joining at an apex distal from the exterior surface, and the interior section of the housing having a portion in juxtaposition with the upper wall of the projection to limit the outward movement of the collar member. The second position maintaining means is comprised of a washer member, a rigid spring seat, and a spring member biased toward the exterior surface of the collar member and positioned between the planes formed by the respective flat surfaces of the washer member and the spring seat, whereby the collar member is maintained in the second position when the spring member is squeezed between the upper wall of the projection and the flat surface of the washer member.

US Patent:

41594053, Jun 26, 1979

Filed:

May 25, 1977

Appl. No.:

5/800372

Inventors:

William Semonchik - Normal IL
Arthur H. Unwin - Bloomington IL

Assignee:

General Electric Company - New York NY

International Classification:

H01H 1502

US Classification:

200296

Abstract:

An improved push button assembly including means for facilitating the mounting of the push button assembly to a mounting panel through an opening therein and from the front side thereof. The mounting means is comprised of first and second substantially flat resilient members. Each member has one end thereof fixed to respective opposite sides of the push button housing and another end thereof extending toward the front of the push button and biased away from the plane of the respective adjacent side of the housing. Each of the first and second members has a plurality of fingers forming the other end, wherein the plurality of fingers include a pair of end fingers and additional fingers intermediate the end fingers. The end fingers are bent to apply pressure to the rear of the mounting panel when the push button is fully inserted through the opening in the mounting panel, and the additional fingers are of varying length with respect to one another such that at least one of the additional fingers has its outermost edge abutting against the rear of the mounting panel when the push button is fully inserted through the opening in the mounting panel to lock the push button to the mounting panel, whereby the varying length of the additional fingers enables the push button to be mounted to mounting panels of varying thickness.

US Patent:

39314847, Jan 6, 1976

Filed:

Dec 23, 1974

Appl. No.:

5/535668

Inventors:

Richard Lincoln Chace - Bloomington IL
John Augustine Kilcoin - Normal IL
William Semonchik - Normal IL

Assignee:

General Electric Company - New York NY

International Classification:

H01H 316

US Classification:

200 47

Abstract:

A rotary lever operated limit switch for indicating when a device reaches a limiting position. The switch is comprised of a motion converter at least partially disposed within a first portion of a housing, and a switch assembly disposed within the interior of a second portion of the housing. The motion converter is comprised of a lever having one end adapted to engage the device, and a shaft assembly having one portion thereof attached to the other end of the lever and another portion thereof for providing a switch motion to open and close contacts of the switch assembly upon movement of the shaft assembly and the lever. A first means is provided for restoring the shaft assembly towards its initial position from a position within a range defined by a first predetermined position and the initial position of the shaft assembly. A second means is provided for restoring the shaft assembly towards its initial position if the shaft assembly exceeds the above defined range. The second restoring means is comprised of a member having a camming section mounted on the shaft assembly, and at least one spring loaded plug for engaging the camming section when movement of the shaft assembly exceeds the above defined range.