Hand Switch

What is a hand switch?

An electrical switch actuated manually by a person’s hand motion is known as a hand switch and that is exactly what the name implies. It may be the form of toggle, pushbutton, rotary, pull-chain, etc. A common industrial pushbutton switch looks likes as shown below:

The threaded neck inserts through a hole cut into a metal or plastic panel, with a matching nut to hold it in place. Thus, the button faces the operator(s) while the switch contacts reside on the other side of the panel. When pressed, the downward motion of the actuator breaks the electrical bridge between the two NC contacts, forming a new bridge between the NO contacts.

The schematic diagram symbol for this type of switch looks much like the real thing, with the normally-closed contact set on top and the normally-open contact set below:

Connecting two of the terminals together makes this form of switch electrically identical to a Form C as seen below:

This switch contact arrangement is sometimes referred to as a form-C contact set, since it incorporates both a form-A contact (normally-open) as well as a form-B contact (normally-closed).

Most industrial hand switches or push buttons are available in modular form, where sets of switch contact blocks may be “stacked” together to be actuated by the same pushbutton or rotary knob.

List of Prominent Manufacturers: ABB, Aignep, Allen Bradelley, Auspicious, Autonics, BACO, Banner, Benedict, Bernstein, Camdenboss, Captron, Eao, Eaton, Elektra, Elfin, Emass, Gessmann, Gewiss, IDEC, Johnson Electric, Lovato Electric, Marchel Electric, Omega, OMRON, Pepperl + Fuchs, RS Pro, Schaltbau, Schmersal, Siemens, Stahl, Telemechanique, Wenglor, Weg

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