Push-button mechanisms

Claim 1

A PUSH-BUTTON MECHANISM COMPRISING: A STATIONARY SLEEVE MEANS FOR ENCLOSING AND SUPPORTING THE REST OF THE MECHANISM; A ONE PIECE PUSH-BUTTON MEANS LONGITUDINALLY SLIDABLE IN SAID SLEEVE MEANS BETWEEN AXIALLY SPACED POSITIONS FOR ALTERNATING ACTUATION THEREBETWEEN; OPPOSING CONTROL GROOVES DEFINED ON SAID SLEEVE AND PUSHBUTTON MEANS, SAID GROOVES BEING SHAPED AND POSITIONED RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER TO CROSS IN AN INTERSECTION THAT MOVES REPETITIVELY IN A CLOSED CYCLE AS SAID PUSH-BUTTON MEANS IS SLIDABLY ACTUATED IN SAID SLEEVE MEANS BETWEEN SAID AXIALLY SPACED POSITIONS; A BALL MEANS ADAPTED TO FIT BETWEEN SAID OPPOSING CONTROL GROOVES IN SAID INTERSECTION AND CARRIED THEREIN AS SAID INTERSECTION MOVES IN SAID CLOSED CYCLE, SAID CONTROL GROOVES DEFINING LOCK POSITIONS FOR SAID BALL MEANS CORRESPONDING TO SAID AXIALLY SPACED POSITIONS, AND SAID BALL MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID GROOVES FOR RESTRICTING SAID LONGITUDINALLY SLIDABLE PUSHBUTTON MEANS TO ALTERNATE ACTUATION BETWEEN SAID LOCKING POSITIONS; AND A BALL-MEANS INSERTION GROOVE FOR INITIALLY INSERTING SAID BALL MEANS IN THE INTERSECTION OF SAID TWO CONTROL GROOVES, SAID INSERTION GROOVE BEING DEFINED AND EXTENDING AXIALLY IN SAID PUSH-BUTTON MEANS, SAID INSERTION GROOVE HAVING TWO OPPOSITELY DISPOSED ENDS, ONE SAID END OPENING AXIALLY OUTWARDLY AND THERE FORMING WITH SAID CONTROL GROOVE OF THE SLEEVE MEANS AN INTERSECTION INTO WHICH SAID BALL IS INITIALLY PLACED, AND THE OTHER SAID END TAPERING RADIALLY OUTWARD TO FORM A CONSTRICTED INNER END OPENING INTO THE CONTROL GROOVE ON SAID PUSH-BUTTON, SAID CONSTRICTION REQUIRING AN APPLICATION OF AXIALLY DIRECTED FORCE TO SAID BALL MEANS TO PUSH IT PAST SAID CONSTRICTION AND INTO THE INTERSECTION OF SAID CONTROL GROOVES, SAID AXIALLY DIRECTED FORCE BEING APPLIED BY THE INITIAL ACTUATION OF SAID PUSH-BUTTON MEANS.