The switch is designed to activate or de-activate as a function of the rotational speed of the shaft.

[2] Perhaps the most common use of centrifugal switches is within single-phase, split-phase induction motors.

At rest, levers attached to the weights press a low-friction, non-conductive plate against a set of electrical contacts mounted to the motor housing, closing the contacts and connecting the starting winding to the power source.

[3] A variation of the centrifugal switch used a changeover contact to ensure that the auxiliary windings remain in the circuit through a running capacitor.

This can be set to activate or deactivate a circuit as the rpm of device increases or decreases.