Patent ID: 7723632

Claim:
An electrical switch comprising: a casing; two fixed contacts and a moving conductor located in the casing, the moving conductor moving between a separated position, in which the moving conductor is separated from the two fixed contacts, and a contacting position, in which the moving conductor contacts the two fixed contacts; a first spring resiliently biasing the moving conductor towards the contacting position to close the switch; an actuating member including a first fixture and moving upon manual operation of the switch; an engaging member movable between a release position, released from the moving conductor, and an engaged position, engaging and retaining the moving conductor in the separated position, the engaging member including a second fixture; a second spring attached to the first and second fixtures so that movement of the actuating member against a bias applied by the first spring moves the engaging member from the engaged position to the released position by an spring-release action, and at least one of the engaging member and the two fixed contacts are arranged so that the moving conductor is engaged and moved by the engaging member out of contact with a first of the two fixed contacts earlier than the moving conductor is moved out of contact with a second of the two fixed contacts; and a contact separator moved by the actuating member to separate the moving conductor from the two fixed contacts, independent of movement of the engaging member.