A rotary switch comprising a body supporting a shaft and a plurality of spaced apart stationary contacts located around the shaft. The shaft is supported for axial and rotary movement and carries a contact means for engaging the stationary contacts as the shaft is rotated to different angular positions. A stop fixedly supported by the body and a disc connected to the shaft and having two sets of teeth located in two different planes are provided for requiring the shaft to be moved axially and angularly in order to allow it to be rotated to the different angular positions for causing the contact means to engage the stationary contacts.
A plurality of electrical load switches of the type operable to at least two operating conditions by the actuation of an operating member are connected in respective motor vehicle load circuits and are mounted in a switching unit having an actuating mechanism for actuating the switch operating members that is selectively locatable in each of a plurality of switch operating positions in each of which it is in register with an operating member. The switching unit is controlled by a microprocessor that effects the locating of the actuating mechanism in the switch operating position in which it may actuate the operating member of a load switch selected to be operated and the operating of the actuating mechanism when so located in response to function select electrical signals that indicate the load switches selected for operation.
A plurality of individual electrical load switches each having an operating tab are so mounted and oriented that the operating tabs extend toward a central axis to define a circle substantially normal to the central axis and operate substantially in the direction of the central axis. An operating arm having ends thereof arranged to be brought into register with each operating tab at mutually exclusive angular positions is normally tilt mounted in a first direction upon a rotor that may be positioned in selected ones of a plurality of angular positions by a step motor. Upon one end of the arm being brought into register with a switch operating tab, the arm is tilted in the opposite direction to effect the operation of the operating tab with which the one end thereof is in register to place the corresponding individual electrical load switch in a selected circuit condition.
An elongated unitary arm of a rigid material is tiltably mounted upon a rotor supported for rotation about a central axis and is spring force tilted in a first direction. This assembly is located in such a manner that the arm may be placed in register with any one of the operating tabs of a plurality of electrical load switches so mounted and oriented that the operating tabs extend toward the central axis to define a circle. Upon being placed in register with a switch operating tab, the arm is tilted in the opposite direction by the action of a solenoid actuated plunger.
