Switch connecting structures include a housing having an insertion hole, and an operation lever slidably mounted in the housing. The operation lever includes a push member protruding from said housing. A resilient contact plate is carried by the operation lever so as to be slidable therewith. A connection terminal is provided having a resilient clamp portion and a contact plate portion. The contact plate portion is inserted into the insertion hole of the housing and extending therewithin over a range of slidable movement of the operation lever so as to be in contact with the resilient contact plate. In such a manner, the clamp portion is connectable to a bus bar for electrical connection of the switch to a circuit.

A low voltage switch having relatively long plunger travel that maximizes internal self-wiping of the contacts thereby to prolong switch life. The support for the internal contacts functions as a guide for the plunger as well as providing the necessary electrical spacing.

A push switch includes an electrically insulating cylindrical base defining an interior space in which an actuator is movably disposed. Fixed contacts are associated with the base, while an inverted V-shaped contact is carried by the actuator so as to be capable of coming into contact with the fixed contacts and thereby making and breaking an associated electrical circuit. The base includes stepped detents which coact with terminal engagement ends associated with elastically deformable engagement legs of the actuator so as to limit the actuator's extent of movement. A resilient protective cap collectively covers an upper region of the insulating base and the actuator and is coupled to the base by a pin formed on the base being engaged within a recess formed in the cap.

The invention relates to a light-emitting key with multiple independently-illuminated messages for fitting to an equipment front panel, in particular for aviation equipment, the key comprising a bearing rim and a hollow key body terminated by a front, drive face covered by a mask etched with messages to be illuminated, said key body being connected to said bearing rim by means of a peripheral ligament, said body, said ligament, and said rim being made as a single piece of flexible material. According to the invention, a slab of translucent material subdivided into blocks by at least one opaque partition extending substantially perpendicularly to the front face is received inside the key body so as to extend as far as the front, drive face of the key.

A lighted contact switch comprising: a non-conductive housing; a conductive biased spring member in electrical contact with a first terminal disposed in the housing base, and adapted to provide electrical contact with a second terminal disposed in the housing base when the biased spring member is depressed; an actuator positioned adjacent to the biased spring member; and a cap adapted with opposing tabs sized to engage and secure the cap to the actuator at assembly. The lighted switch includes opposing lamp terminals disposed at one end within the actuator sides, and extending at the opposite end through apertures in the housing base, the lamp is releasably secured between the lamp terminals and may be independently illuminated by electrical communication with the lamp terminals extending from the base. Graphics, lettering or numbering may be marked upon a translucent insert secured to the cap to identify the switching function. For non-lighted use, the switch may be assembled without the lamp.