There is disclosed structure which overcomes the deficiencies with respect
to prior art devices by providing a wiring device such as a switch having
a paddle that pivots about its upper end and is biased to assume the same
at rest position when either in its on position or off position. Repeated
pressing and releasing the lower portion of the face of the switch paddle
alternately closes and opens a set of contacts within the switch to
alternately connect and disconnect a load form a source of electricity
each time the paddle is pressed. Thus, regardless of whether adjacent
switches are on-off switches or 3-way switches, they will always be in
alignment. An on-off indicator such as a small light is provided to
indicate to a user when the contacts of the switch are opened or closed.
The paddle of the switch has a length-width ratio dimension that is
proportioned to provide a finger contact surface of increased area to
allow a user to more easily and quickly identify and operate a particular
switch. The vertical axis of the switch has a surface of positive first
differential, comprised of splines drawn between points of varying
distance from a datum plane, and has along the horizontal axis a surface
of a positive first differential and negative second differential,
comprised of a combination of splines drawn between points of varying
distance from the datum plane.