Vehicle light control system

Claim 1

A vehicle light control system, comprising: a potential source; first circuitry means having first light means associated therewith and a first resilient and movable conductive element connected in series with said first light means, said first conductive element having a first contact thereon; second circuitry means connected to said potential source and including a switch connected in series with a second resilient and movable conductive element, said second conductive element having a second contact thereon, said first and second conductive elements being normally resiliently urged toward a closed position wherein said first and second contacts are normally maintained in conductive relationship whereby said first light means is energized whenever such switch is closed; third circuitry means connected to said potential source in parallel relation to said second circuitry means and including a third resilient and movable conductive element disposed adjacent but spaced from said first and second conductive elements, said third conductive element having a third contact thereon normally maintained in an open position; fourth circuitry means adapted to be selectively interconnected to either said second circuitry means or said third circuitry means, said fourth circuitry means including second light means connected in series with fixed contact means, said fixed contact means being adapted to be engagEd with either said second contact or said third contact; actuating means for permitting said fourth circuitry means to be selectively connected in series with either said second circuitry means or said third circuitry means, said actuating means including an operating member disposed for engagement with said first, second and third conductive elements, said operating member being normally maintained in a neutral position wherein said first and second conductive elements are maintained in said closed position and said third conductive element is maintained out of engagement with said fixed contact means; said actuating means and said operating member being movable from said neutral position into first and second positions disposed on opposite sides of said neutral position, movement of said operating member to said first position causing said second conductive element to be moved away from said closed position and said second contact to be brought into engagement with said fixed contact means for causing energization of said second light means whenever said switch is closed, and movement of said operating member to said second position causing movement of both said first and third conductive elements whereby said first contact is moved away from said closed position to deenergize said first circuitry means and said third contact is moved into engagement with said fixed contact means for causing energization of said second light means; resilient means coacting with said actuating means for resiliently urging said operating member toward said neutral position whenever said operating member is moved to said second position, whereby said operating member is automatically returned to said neutral position from said second position whenever the external actuating force is released; and means coacting with said actuating means for permitting said operating member to be releasably maintained in either said neutral position or said first position.