Did You Know...
...that in 1800 ether was first used by partyers as a fun diversion? Sniffing the gas led to hilarious and raucous laughter as people watched each other become more and more intoxicated and silly. Several doctors independently realized the value ether would have to anesthetize surgery patients. Of those who claimed rights to the "discovery," none had a happy ending. One had a seizure and died defending his rights. Another spent his life in an asylum because he had been denied acclaim. A third became addicted to chloroform and, in a New York City jail, he soaked a cloth in the drug, severed an artery and bled to death.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7265308 | Rocker paddle switch with semi-rigid cam driver There is disclosed a paddle switch operated by pushing on the lower portion of a rocker paddle to turn the switch “on” or “off”. The lower edge of the paddle pivots in and out about its upper edge. The switch includes semi-rigid spiral wound driver means hav... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7250580 | Switch with shaped face There is disclosed structure which overcomes the deficiencies with respect to prior art devices by providing a wiring device such as a switch having a paddle that pivots about its upper end and is biased to assume the same at rest position when either in its on posi... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7122754 | Rocker paddle switch with articulated cam driver There is disclosed a paddle switch operated by pushing on the lower portion of a rocker paddle to turn the switch “on” or “off”. The lower edge of the paddle pivots in and out about its upper edge. The switch includes articulated driver means coupled to be d... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7105763 | Switch assembly A switch assembly includes an actuator assembly having a slidably supported pushbutton and a switch mechanism switchable between alternate positions. The pushbutton is biased by a return spring between the pushbutton and a retainer. A pin is received within the retu... | 09/12/2006 |
| 6998554 | Push-button switch units for vehicle interior light assembly A push-button switch unit includes a push switch which is fixed to a main body and includes an operating part; and a push button fitted to the operating part. The push button is pressed in order to turn the push switch on and off. An undersurface of the push button ... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6979791 | Rocker paddle switch with articulated cam driver There is disclosed a paddle switch operated by pushing on the lower portion of a rocker paddle to turn the switch “on” or “off”. The lower edge of the paddle pivots in and out about its upper edge. The switch includes articulated driver means coupled to be d... | 12/27/2005 |
| 6979790 | Rocker paddle switch with flexible cam driver There is disclosed a paddle switch operated by pushing on the lower portion of a rocker paddle to turn the switch “on” or “off”. The lower edge of the paddle pivots in and out about its upper edge. The switch includes flexible driver means coupled to be driv... | 12/27/2005 |
| 5924556 | Push switch device A push switch including a rotatably supported movable contact member with a movable contact portion which comes into contact with and separates from a stationary contact; and a cam shaft rotatably disposed between the lower surface of a plunger and the mo... | 07/20/1999 |
| 5860514 | Actuator mechanism for an alternate action switch An actuator mechanism for alternate action switching devices having at least two states includes a housing structure and an actuator member slidably engaged therewith. In order to move the switching device between states, the actuator member has a contour... | 01/19/1999 |
| 5720379 | Push-push switch with lock A switch in one embodiment includes a knob slidable through an aperture in a bezel. The knob is guided within a post mounted on a carrier and is biased to an outward position with respect to a carrier. A latch movably mounted on the carrier is rotated bet... | 02/24/1998 |
| 5521347 | Switch device A switch device includes an automatic return type operating piece depressed to move and automatically returned to an original position, a swinging member swingably mounted on a shaft, the swinging member being swung in opposite directions alternately when... | 05/28/1996 |
| 5508485 | Pushbutton switch A pushbutton switch is provided comprising a pushbutton having its lower portion inserted in a pushbutton housing section and being formed in its lower end with a pin accommodating hole; a pin having its upper end portion resiliently held in the pin accom... | 04/16/1996 |
| 5136132 | Alternate action mechanism An alternate action mechanism in which a rocker makes rolling contact with a surface on a frame, and a plunger is positioned to exert a force toward the surface at a location on the rocker separated from the rolling contact, the force at least initially b... | 08/04/1992 |
| 5068505 | Alternate action pushbutton switch This is an electric switch utilizing a cam which has a pair of spaced springs bearing against the movable contact. The switch operates by applying pressure to a camming surface which compresses one of the springs and causes the movable contact to shift fr... | 11/26/1991 |
| 4929806 | Headlight dimmer switch device The switch device of the present invention includes an actuator member operated by linear movement in a first direction. An angularly movable member angularly moves in response to the linear movement of the actuator member. The direction of angular moveme... | 05/29/1990 |
| 4736081 | Mechanically operated electric pulse switch and anti-tie down control circuit using the same An alternate or push-push switch mechanism effects movement of a contact actuator (28) from one stable position to another stable position upon a single depression of a pushbutton operator (34,38,40,42,44). Actuator movement causes a spring loaded plunger... | 04/05/1988 |
| 4473728 | Push-push electric switch An electric switch of the push-push type in which a first pushing actuation of a pushbutton assembly moves a switch rocker to a first switching position and a subsequent pushing actuation of the pushbutton plunger assembly moves the switch to an alternate... | 09/25/1984 |
| 4408106 | Pushbutton switch A pushbutton switch has a single spring for return of the button, and for the lost motion required to operate a movable contact element between two switch conditions. A staple shaped strut has its head portion loosely received in a recess of the button, a... | 10/04/1983 |
| 4357511 | Modular push-button switch with lighted push-button element A push-button switch having two main subassemblies comprising an operator subassembly (2) and a housing subassembly (4) which are snap-fit together. A light emitting diode (10) is mounted flush in the center of the exterior face of the pushbutton (6) with... | 11/02/1982 |
| 4352967 | Switch actuating mechanism The invention described provides a conventional switch and a switch actuating mechanism that includes an operator engagable pedal or button that, upon initiation, motivates a mechanism which turns the conventional switch on or off. A novel apexed slotted ... | 10/05/1982 |
| 4300026 | Electrical switch An electrical switch assembly is shown as having a switch body slidably receiving a resiliently biased manually actuatable plunger which carries a resiliently deflectable member effective for engaging, when said plunger is suitably actuated, a related piv... | 11/10/1981 |
| 4204102 | Electrical switch An electrical switch assembly is shown as having a switch body slidably receiving a resiliently biased manually actuatable plunger which carries a resiliently deflectable member effective for engaging, when said plunger is suitably actuated, a related piv... | 05/20/1980 |
| 4095070 | Miniature pushbutton switch A pushbutton switch having a contact movable to either of two operating positions. In the alternate action configuration, a leaf spring, acting upon a pivot block, retains the contact in either of its stable positions, permitting the pushbutton to sequent... | 06/13/1978 |
| 4003010 | Latch relay When the electromagnet (relay) is energized, the plunger is pulled into the coil against the bias of the plunger spring. The pin projecting laterally from the plunger is captive in the opening in the cam pivoted on the frame. The pin moves down and strike... | 01/11/1977 |
