Variable resistor

Claim 1

A VARIABLE RESISTOR COMPRISING: A MAIN HOUSING MEMBER DEFINING A RECESS OPEN TO THE EXTERIOR AT ONE SIDE THEREOF, SAID HOUSING INCLUDING OPPOSITELY DISPOSED PROJECTIONS EXTENDING INTO SAID RECESS AND DIVIDING SAID RECESS INTO FIRST AND SECOND ADJOINING INTERIOR CAVITIES EACH COMMUNICATING WITH THE OPENING TO THE EXTERIOR, SAID SECOND CAVITY DEFINING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR RECEPTACLE; A RESISTANCE ELEMENT SUB-ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR RESISTANCE ELEMENT BASE ADAPTED TO SLIDE INTO SAID RECEPTACLE SO THAT ITS TOP SURFACE ABUTS SAID OPPOSITELY DISPOSED PROJECTIONS, AND A LONGITUDINAL RESISTANCE ELEMENT AFFIXED TO SAID RESISTANCE ELEMENT BASE; A MOVABLE ELECTRICAL CONTACT ENGAGING SAID LONGITUDINAL RESISTANCE ELEMENT, SAID OPPOSITELY DISOSED PROJECTIONS DEFINING THE SPATIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SAID MOVABLE ELECTRICAL CONTACT AND SAID LONGITUDINAL RESISTANCE ELEMENT; A COVER PLATE HOUSING MEMBER ADAPTED TO COVER SAID OPENING TO SAID RECESS ON ONE SIDE OF SAID MAIN HOUSING MEMBER AND HAVING INTEGRAL THEREWITH A PROJECTING KEEPER MEMBER; AND ACTUATION MEANS MOUNTED WITHIN SAID FIRST CAVITY FOR LINEARLY ACTUATING SAID CONTACT WITH RESPECT TO SAID RESISTANCE ELEMENT INCLUDING A CONTROL SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITH ITS AXIS PARALLEL TO SAID RESISTANCE ELEMENT AND HAVING AN ANNULAR GROOVE THEREIN WHICH IS ENGAGED BY SAID KEEPER MEMBER FOR PREVENTING LINEAR MOVEMENT OF SAID SHAFT WITH RESPECT TO SAID MAIN HOUSING MEMBER.