Thumbwheel type rotary switch with improved manual lever operator

Claim 2

In a rotary switch for ganging with a plurality of similar switches, the switch including: a housing; an indicia wheel rotatably mounted in said housing; a circuit board mounted in said housing and having at least one conductive surface; at least one electrical contact carried by said wheel for engaging said circuit board, the improvement comprising in combination: a plurality of drive elements mounted on said wheel defining a corresponding plurality of increments of rotation of the wheel; pawl means mounted in said housing adjacent said wheel and having first and second fingers for engaging said drive elements in wheel driving relationship; lever means mounted in said housing with one end projecting from said housing for manual actuation and having means coupled to said pawl means for reciprocatingly moving said pawl means in synchronism with said lever means, with movement of said lever means in one direction bringing said first of said fingers into engagement with a drive element to rotate said wheel an increment in one direction and with movement of said lever means in the opposite direction bringing said second of said fingers into engagement with a drive element to rotate said wheel an increment in the opposite direction; a drive wheel rotatably mounted in said housing; first means for coupling said drive wheel to said indicia wheel; and second means for coupling said drive wheel to the indicia wheel of an adjacent rotary switch.

Claim 3

A switch as defined in claim 1 in which one of said means for coupling provides for simultaneous movement of tHe coupled wheels, and in which the other of said means for coupling provides for intermittent movement of one coupled wheel with respect to the other.

Claim 4

A switch as defined in claim 2 in which said other means for coupling includes a pin on said indicia wheel for engaging a notched wheel of the drive wheel of an adjacent rotary switch.

Claim 5

A switch as defined in claim 2 in which said other means for coupling includes a radially projecting section on said indicia wheel occupying substantially one increment for engaging the drive wheel of an adjacent rotary switch.

Claim 6

A switch as defined in claim 1 including lever centering means mounted in said housing in engagement with said lever means permitting manual actuation of said lever means in opposite direction from a centered position, with said lever-centering means returning said lever means to said centered position when said lever means is manually released.

Claim 7

A switch as defined in claim 5 in which said centering means includes a ball and a compression spring, with said spring urging said ball against a substantially flat zone of said lever means to urge said lever means to said centered position.

Claim 8

A switch as defined in claim 2 in which said drive wheel incorporates means defining a plurality of rotational positions for the drive wheel, and in which said switch includes spring means mounted in said housing in engagement with said drive wheel for urging said drive wheel to one of said rotational positions.

Claim 9

A switch as defined in claim 1 in which said pawl means includes a first surface between said fingers for engaging a pair of adjacent drive elements and a spring urging said first surface against said pair of drive elements.

Claim 10

A switch as defined in claim 8 in which said pawl means includes a second surface adjacent one of said fingers and remote from the other said fingers, for engaging a drive element adjacent the drive element engaged by said one finger, to limit movement of said pawl means and indicia wheel.

Claim 11

A switch as defined in claim 1 in which said pawl means comprises a single member with said first and second fingers spaced thereon and engageable with said drive elements of said indicia wheel for driving in opposite directions.

Claim 12

A switch as defined in claim 1 in which said pawl means comprises a pair of members, each having one of said fingers thereon, with each of said members engageable with said drive elements of said indicia wheel for driving in one direction.

Claim 13

In a rotary switch for ganging with a plurality of similar switches, the switch including: a housing; an indicia wheel rotatably mounted on said housing, a circuit board mounted in said housing and having at least one conducting surface; at least one electrical contact carried by said wheel for engaging said circuit board, the improvement comprising in combination: a plurality of drive pins mounted on said wheel defining a corresponding plurality of increments of rotation of the wheel; a pawl mounted in said housing adjacent said wheel and having first and second fingers for engaging said drive elements in wheel driving relation, said pawl having a centered position with said fingers out of engagement with said pins permitting rotation of said indicia wheel; a lever mounted in said housing with one end projecting from said housing for manual actuation and having means coupled to said pawl for reciprocatingly moving said pawl in opposite directions from said centered position in synchronism with said lever; with movement of said lever in one direction bringing one of said fingers into engagement with a drive pin to rotate said wheel an increment in one direction and with movement of said lever in the opposite direction bringing the other said fingers into engagement with a drive pin to rotate said wheel an increment in the opposite direction; a drive wheel rotatably mounted in said housing; first means for coupling said drive wheel to said indicia wheel; anD second means for coupling said drive wheel to the indicia wheel of an adjacent rotary switch.

Claim 14

In a rotary switch for ganging with a plurality of similar switches, the switch including: a housing; an indicia wheel rotatably mounted on said housing, a circuit board mounted in said housing and having at least one conducting surface; at least one electrical contact carried by said wheel for engaging said circuit board, the improvement comprising in combination: a plurality of drive pins mounted on said wheel defining a corresponding plurality of increments of rotation of the wheel; a pawl mounted in said housing adjacent said wheel and having first and second fingers for engaging said drive elements in wheel driving relation, said pawl having a centered position with said fingers out of engagement with said pins permitting rotation of said indicia wheel; a lever mounted in said housing with one end projecting from said housing for manual actuation and having means coupled to said pawl for reciprocatingly moving said pawl in opposite directions from said centered position in synchronism with said lever; with movement of said lever in one direction bringing one of said fingers into engagement with a drive pin to rotate said wheel an increment in one direction and with movement of said lever in the opposite direction bringing the other said fingers into engagement with a drive pin to rotate said wheel an increment in the opposite direction; a drive wheel rotatably mounted in said housing; first means for coupling said drive wheel to said indicia wheel; anD second means for coupling said drive wheel to the indicia wheel of an adjacent rotary switch.

Claim 15

A switch as defined in claim 12 in which said switch includes a shaft mounted in said housing and said first means for coupling comprises meshing gears mounted on said shaft and indicia wheel and said second means for coupling comprises a pin mounted on said indicia wheel for engaging a notched wheel carried on the shaft of the adjacent switch.