Miniature square oiltight pushbutton switch

Claim 2

A miniature square pushbutton switch comprising: a. a housing including a plurality of sidewalls and first and second open end walls, said housing further including a plurality of alternately arranged splines and slots formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls adjacent to said first open end wall; b. a substantially cylindrical bushing having a flange formed at one end thereof, said flange including a plurality of splines formed thereon; c. means mounting said substantially cylindrical bushing in said first open end wall of said housing for axial movement relative thereto and with said flange of said substantially cylindrical bushing positioned in said housing; d. a printed circuit card having electrical circuit means formed thereon; e. biasing means biasing said printed circuit card for axial movement within said housing relative to said plurality of sidewalls of said housing; f. a contact and terminal supporting means supporting at least one contact and one terminal thereon, said contact and terminal supporting means being received in the opening in said housing formed by said second open end wall of said housing and being fixedly mounted therein to close said second open end wall with said contact extending inwardly into the interior of said housing in juxtaposed relation to the path of movement of said printed circuit card and with said terminal projecting outwardly of said housing and of said contact and terminal supporting means to provide easy accessibility thereto; g. ratchet means supported on said printed circuit card within said housing adjacent to said first open end wall of said housing, said ratchet means being supported on said printed circuit card for axial movement therewith and for movement relative thereto, said ratchet means including at least one member movable into and out of said slots formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said hOusing; h. a knob assembly fixedly attached to the other end of said substantially cylindrical bushing from said one end thereof having said flange formed thereon; i. said knob assembly being movable in a first direction by the application thereto of an external force to move said substantially cylindrical bushing in said first direction and to bring said splines on said flange thereof into engagement with said member of said ratchet means to move said ratchet means and thereby said printed circuit card in said first direction thereby causing said member of said ratchet means to become disengaged from one of said slots formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said housing and causing said printed circuit card to move between a first position wherein said electrical circuit means of said printed circuit card is in one circuit condition relative to said contact and said terminal of said contact and terminal supporting means and a second position wherein said electrical circuit means of said printed circuit card is in another circuit condition relative to said contact and said terminal of said contact and terminal supporting means; and j. said biasing means upon removal of said external force from said knob assembly causing said printed circuit card to move in a second direction opposite from said first direction, the movement of said printed circuit card in said second direction causing said member of said ratchet means to move into engagement with one of said splines formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said housing, upon further movement of said ratchet means in said second direction said engagement of said member of said ratchet means and said one of said splines causing said ratchet means to move relative to said printed circuit card until said member is brought into juxtaposed relation and is thereafter inserted into another of said slots formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said housing.

Claim 3

A miniature square pushbutton switch as set forth in claim 1 wherein: a. said housing further includes sealing means sealing said housing from contamination by oil, water coolant, dirt, and grime; b. said knob assembly comprises a lens cap and a base fixedly secured together, said base of said knob assembly being fixedly attached to said other end of said cylindrical bushing and having a bore formed therein; c. a lamp is fixedly secured in said bore of said base of said knob assembly, said lamp comprising a base and a bulb retained in said base of said lamp; and d. means electrically connecting said base of said lamp to said electrical circuit means formed on said printed circuit card to complete the electrical circuit between said lamp and said printed circuit card.

Claim 4

A miniature square pushbutton switch as set forth in claim 1 wherein: a. barrier means are provided in alternate ones of said slots formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said housing; and b. said barrier means when engaged by said member of said ratchet means restricts movement of said ratchet means in said second direction and thereby also restricts movement of said printed circuit card in said second direction such that said printed circuit card is latched in said second position thereof with said electrical circuit means formed on said printed circuit card being in said another circuit condition relative to said contact and said terminal of said contact and terminal supporting means.

Claim 5

A miniature square pushbutton switch as set forth in claim 1 wherein: a. said contact and terminal supporting means supports a plurality of contacts and a plurality of terminals thereon, each of said plurality of contacts extends inwardly into the interior of said housing in juxtaposed relation to the path of movement of said printed circuit card, and each of said plurality of terminals projects outwardly of said housing and of said contact and terminal supporting means to provide easy accessibility thereto; b. said Ratchet means comprises a base supported on said printed circuit card and four members substantially equally spaced around the circumference of said base of said ratchet means, each of said four members being movable into and out of said slots formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said housing; and c. said biasing means comprises a pair of springs each having one end bearing against said contact and terminal supporting means and the other end bearing against said printed circuit card.

Claim 6

A miniature square pushbutton switch comprising: a. a housing having a plurality of sidewalls and first and second open end walls, said housing including a plurality of alternately arranged splines and slots formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls adjacent to said first open end wall; b. a substantially cylindrical bushing having a flange formed at one end thereof, said flange including a plurality of splines formed thereon; c. means mounting said substantially cylindrical bushing in said first open end wall of said housing for axial movement relative thereto and with said flange of said substantially cylindrical bushing positioned in said housing; d. a printed circuit card having electrical circuit means formed thereon; e. a pair of springs supported in said housing for biasing said printed circuit card for axial movement within said housing relative to said plurality of sidewalls of said housing; f. a contact and terminal supporting means supporting a plurality of contacts and a plurality of terminals thereon, said contact and terminal supporting means being received in the opening in said housing formed by said second open end wall of said housing and being fixedly mounted therein to close said second open end wall with each of said plurality of contacts extending inwardly into the interior of said housing in juxtaposed relation to the path of movement of said printed circuit card and with each of said plurality of terminals projecting outwardly of said housing and of said contact and terminal supporting means to provide easy accessibility thereto; g. ratchet means comprising a base supported on said printed circuit card and four members substantially equally spaced around the circumference of said base of said ratchet means, said ratchet means being supported on said printed circuit card for axial movement therewith and for movement relative thereto, each of said four members being movable into and out of said slots formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said housing; h. a knob assembly comprising a lens cap and a base fixedly secured together, said base of said knob assembly being fixedly attached to the other end of said substantially cylindrical bushing from said one end thereof having said flange formed thereon and said base of said knob assembly having a bore formed therein; i. a lamp fixedly secured in said bore of said base of said knob assembly, said lamp comprising a base and a bulb retained in said base of said lamp; j. means electrically connecting said base of said lamp to said electrical circuit means formed on said printed circuit card to complete the electrical circuit between said lamp and said printed circuit card; k. said knob assembly being movable in a first direction by the application of an external force to said lens cap of said knob assembly to move said substantially cylindrical bushing in said first direction and to bring said splines on said flange thereof into engagement with said four members of said ratchet means to move said ratchet means and thereby said printed circuit card in said first direction thereby causing said four members of said ratchet means to become disengaged from said slots formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said housing and causing said printed circuit card to move between a first position wherein said electrical circuit means of said printed circuit card is in one circuit condition relative to said plurality of contacts and said plUrality of terminals of said contact and terminal supporting means and a second position wherein said electrical circuit means of said printed circuit card is in another circuit condition relative to said plurality of contacts and said plurality of terminals of said contact and terminal supporting means; and l. said pair of springs upon removal of said external force from said lens cap of said knob assembly causing said printed circuit card to move in a second direction opposite from said first direction, the movement of said printed circuit card in said second direction causing said four members of said ratchet means to move into engagement with said splines formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said housing, upon further movement of said ratchet means in said second direction said engagement of said four members of said ratchet means and said splines formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said housing causing said ratchet means to move relative to said printed circuit card until said four members are brought into juxtaposed relation and are thereafter inserted into others of said slots formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said housing.

Claim 7

A miniature square pushbutton switch comprising: a. a housing having a plurality of sidewalls and first and second open end walls, said housing including a plurality of alternately arranged splines and slots formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls adjacent to said first open end wall; b. a substantially cylindrical bushing having a flange formed at one end thereof, said flange including a plurality of splines formed thereon; c. means mounting said substantially cylindrical bushing in said first open end wall of said housing for axial movement relative thereto and with said flange of said substantially cylindrical bushing positioned in said housing; d. a printed circuit card having electrical circuit means formed thereon; e. a pair of springs supported in said housing for biasing said printed circuit card for axial movement within said housing relative to said plurality of sidewalls of said housing; f. a contact and terminal supporting means supporting a plurality of contacts and a plurality of terminals thereon, said contact and terminal supporting means being received in the opening in said housing formed by said second open end wall of said housing and being fixedly mounted therein to close said second open end wall with each of said plurality of contacts extending inwardly into the interior of said housing in juxtaposed relation to the path of movement of said printed circuit card and with each of said plurality of terminals projecting outwardly of said housing and of said contact and terminal supporting means to provide easy accessibility thereto; g. ratchet means comprising a base supported on said printed circuit card and four members substantially equally spaced around the circumference of said base of said ratchet means, said ratchet means being supported on said printed circuit card for axial movement therewith and for movement relative thereto, each of said four members being movable into and out of said slots formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said housing; h. a knob assembly comprising a lens cap and a base fixedly secured together, said base of said knob assembly being fixedly attached to the other end of said substantially cylindrical bushing from said one end thereof having said flange formed thereon and said base of said knob assembly having a bore formed therein; i. a lamp fixedly secured in said bore of said base of said knob assembly, said lamp comprising a base and a bulb retained in said base of said lamp; j. means electrically connecting said base of said lamp to said electrical circuit means formed on said printed circuit card to complete the electrical circuit between said lamp and said printed circuit card; k. said knob assembly being movable in a first direction by the application of an external force to said lens cap of said knob assembly to move said substantially cylindrical bushing in said first direction and to bring said splines on said flange thereof into engagement with said four members of said ratchet means to move said ratchet means and thereby said printed circuit card in said first direction thereby causing said four members of said ratchet means to become disengaged from said slots formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said housing and causing said printed circuit card to move between a first position wherein said electrical circuit means of said printed circuit card is in one circuit condition relative to said plurality of contacts and said plUrality of terminals of said contact and terminal supporting means and a second position wherein said electrical circuit means of said printed circuit card is in another circuit condition relative to said plurality of contacts and said plurality of terminals of said contact and terminal supporting means; and l. said pair of springs upon removal of said external force from said lens cap of said knob assembly causing said printed circuit card to move in a second direction opposite from said first direction, the movement of said printed circuit card in said second direction causing said four members of said ratchet means to move into engagement with said splines formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said housing, upon further movement of said ratchet means in said second direction said engagement of said four members of said ratchet means and said splines formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said housing causing said ratchet means to move relative to said printed circuit card until said four members are brought into juxtaposed relation and are thereafter inserted into others of said slots formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said housing.

Claim 8

A miniature square pushbutton switch as set forth in claim 5 wherein: a. said housing further includes sealing means sealing said housing from contamination by oil, water coolant, dirt, and grime; b. barrier means are provided in alternate ones of said slots formed internally in said plurality of sidewalls of said housing; and c. said barrier means when engaged by at least one of said four members of said ratchet means restricts movement of said ratchet means in said second direction and thereby also restricts movement of said printed circuit card in said second direction such that said printed circuit card is latched in said second position thereof with said electrical circuit means formed on said printed circuit card being in said another circuit condition relative to said plurality of contacts and said plurality of terminals of said contact and terminal-supporting means.