Pushbutton switch with latching, lockout and indicator lamp structure

Claim 1

A MULTIPLE PUSHBUTTON SWITCH COMPRISING: A DIELECTRIC HOUSING INCLUDING A GENERALLY PLANAR BASE PORTION, A PLURALITY OF SPACED SLEEVE PORTIONS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE BASE PORTION, THE SLEEVE PORTIONS BEING INTERMEDIATE THE FRONT AND REAR EDGES OF THE BASE PORTION, A REAR WALL PORTION EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE BASE PORTION, THE REAR WALL PORTION LYING ALONG THE REAR EDGE OF THE BASE PORTION SPACED FROM THE SLEEVE PORTION, AND A TERMINAL PORTION SITUATED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BASE PORTION, THE TERMINAL PORTION HAVING A PLURALITY OF FIRST AND SECOND SPACED POCKETS THEREIN, THE TERMINAL PORTION FURTHER HAVING A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL SPACED GROOVES THEREIN EXTENDING TRANSVERSE TO THE FRONT EDGE OF THE BASE PORTION, EACH GROOVE COMMUNICATING WITH AN INDIVIDUAL FIRST POCKET, AND AN INDIVIDUAL PAIR OF SECOND POCKETS COMMUNICATING THROUGH THE BASE PORTION WITH THE INTERIOR OF EACH OF THE SLEEVE PORTIONS; A PLURALITY OF GENERALLY L-SHAPED CONTACT SPRINGS, THE FIRST LEG OF EACH CONTACT SPRING HAVING A SOCKET PORTION AND A SECOND LEG OF EACH CONTACT SPRING HAVING A CONTACT PORTION, THE FIRST LEG OF EACH CONTACT SPRING BEING RESPECTIVELY RECEIVED BY AN INDIVIDUAL GROOVE IN THE TERMINAL PORTION OF THE HOUSING WITH THE SOCKET PORTION THEREOF BEING ACCOMMODATE IN THE FIRST POCKET COMMUNICATING WITH THE GROOVE, THE SECOND LEG OF EACH CONTACT SPRING EXTENDING UPWARDLY TRANSVERSE TO THE FORWARD EDGE OF THE BASE PORTION OF THE HOUSING; A PLURALITY OF GENERALLY I-SHAPED CONTACT SPRINGS HAVING A SOCKET PORTION AT ONE END THEREOF AND A CONTACT PORTION AT THE OTHER END THEREOF, EACH CONTACT SPRING BEING POSITIONED WITH THE SOCKET PORTION THEREOF IN AN INDIVIDUAL SECOND POCKET IN THE TERMINAL PORTION OF THE HOUSING AND WITH THE CONTACT PORTION THEREOF EXTENDING INTO A SLEEVE PORTION WITH WHICH THE POCKET COMMUNICATES; AN INDIVIDUAL LAMP POSITIONED WITHIN EACH SLEEVE PORTION OF THE HOUSING, EACH LAMP WHEN SO POSITIONED HAVING CONTACT PORTIONS THEERON IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CONTACT PORTIONS OF THE PAIR OF I-SHAPED CONTACT SPRINGS EXTENDING INTO THE SLEEVE PORTION; AND AN INDIVIDUAL PUSHBUTTON DISPOSED ABOUT EACH SLEEVE PORTION AND MOVABLE ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF, EACH PUSHBUTTOM HAVING A PORTION ADAPTED TO INTERACT WITH THE WALL PORTION TO GUIDE THE MOVEMENT OF THE PUSHBUTTON, EACH PUSHBUTTOM FURTHER HAVING A CAM PORTION FOR ENGAGING THE SECOND LEGS OF CERTAIN OF THE CONTACT SPRINGS, THE CAM PORTION DEFLECTING THESE CONTACT SPRINGS INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH ADJACENT CONTACT SPRINGS WHEN THE PLUNGER IS MOVED TO A DOWNWARD POSITION, EACH PUSHBUTTOM FURTHER HAVING A LIGHT TRANSMITTING PORTION AT THE UPPER END THEREOF.