Pushbutton switch with safety stop

摘要

A pushbutton switch is provided with a safety mechanism that permits the button and plunger to be depressed following a relamping procedure in order to reset the mechanism without actuating the switch. When the plunger is pulled upward to initiate the relamping procedure, a cam follower is caused to move into a particular location of a cam and any subsequent downward movement of the plunger and cam after the cam follower has moved to that particular location of the cam will cause a protrusion of the cam to move into interfering relation with a protrusion of the base to prevent sufficient downward movement to actuate the switch during the process of resetting the button and plunger into the switch housing. A cam is attached to the plunger of the switch and is provided with the ability to move relative to the plunger in directions generally perpendicular to a first axis of movement which is the normal axis along which the plunger moves during operation. The cam is permitted to move both in a direction perpendicular to the first axis and rotatably relative to the plunger within a limited arcuate distance. A cam follower is attached to the base and is provided with spring support to maintain sliding contact between the cam follower and selected surfaces of the cam.