Switch mounting hardware

[moody07747]

I've seen these parts time after time on switches I've gotten off the net or from the rat shack but I've never learned what the hardware that came with these switches was for.

I'm talking about toggle switches

One switch will always have two nuts, a lock washer, and a mysterious piece of metal hardware between the bottom nut and lock washer. This part has a tab in the center which fits into the slot in the threads so it won't spin. At the outer section of this mysterious piece is a tab that sticks out one way. Every time I get a switch this tab is facing in towards the switch.

I normally toss this little mysterious piece and sometimes the extra nut if I need the room but I would like to know what this mysterious extra piece of hardware is used for...

 

[Pommie]

You drill a second smaller hole that the tab goes into. The tab stops the switch rotating and coming loose.

Mike.