Electric switch with two switching parts acting at different times

摘要

An electric switch comprises a switch housing having a contact arm pivotally mounted on a conductive bearing. The contact arm includes a movable contact which is disposed in the housing to engage with a fixed contact of the housing in one position of the contact arm. It also includes a hook shaped end which engages on a cam surface of a slider portion of an actuating member. The contact arm is loaded by a tension spring which is mounted in the housing so that it is urged in a direction to engage the moving contact thereon with the fixed contact in the housing when the slider, which is moved by the actuating member is moved so as to permit the contact arm to pivot. The switch housing advantageously includes a second housing portion with a second switching mechanism similar to the first but which is moved during the movement of the actuating member under the control of a cam slider portion of the actuating member and that it moves faster and causes engagement of its movable contact with a fixed contact in the housing faster than the other contact arm. The actuating member itself is advantageously provided with an electrical switch member which rides over a resistance so as to cut in and out a resistance to control, for example, the speed of operation of an electric motor which is first switched on by engagement of a movable contact with a fixed contact.