Bimetallic switch

A contact thermostatic switch has a dished, snap-acting bimetallic disc 5 cantilevered from one end of a diameter. The edge of the disc is loosely retained between a housing moulding 1 and a metal cap 6 secured to the moulding. At the other end of this diameter, the edge of the bimetallic disc engages a pip 4d on one end of a lever 4 which is pivotally-mounted in the housing at its other end. When the bimetallic disc 5 snaps to its oppositely dished configuration, it moves the pivotally-mounted lever 4 so as to determine the condition of a set of switch contacts by virtue of the end of the lever 4 which carries the pip 4d also having depending fingers 4c which abut a moving-contact carrying leaf spring 2b of the switch. The cantilevered mounting of the bimetallic disc and its interaction with the lever enables a smaller than conventional disc to be used, with consequent significant cost savings, without prejudicing the operation of the switch.