Escutcheon module

Claim 1

In combination, a multipushbutton operated device having a flat flanged portion through which a row of longitudinally movable similar pushbuttons extend in laterally offset parallel relation with such pushbuttons aligned along a line corresponding to the length of such flange, each such pushbutton having a rectangular section perpendicular to the pushbutton length with adjacent pushbuttons in a row being spaced from each other along the length of such flanged portion, a panel plate having front and rear faces and having a rectangular window therethrough, said rectangular window having its length predetermined to accommodate a row of pushbuttons to extend through the panel window, the length of such panel window extending parallel to the length of the flange, said panel window being disposed so that the panel rear face is parallel to and opposite the flat flanged portion, the width of said panel window being somewhat greater than the width of each pushbutton of the aligned row of pushbuttons, said differences in width between the panel window on the one hand and each rectangular pushbutton being due generally to the fact that different suppliers provide a panel on the one hand and pushbutton operated device and have different spacings; and a molded plastic module sleeve for each pushbutton, such plastic sleeve having flat inside smooth walls to define a rectangular passageway through which a rectangularly shaped pushbutton extends, said plastic sleeve having smooth, flat outer side faces from one sleeve end toward but short of the other sleeve end, said other sleeve end being normally positioned between opposed faces of the panel and flanged portion, said one end of said sleeve being beyond the front face of the panel with the free end of the pushbutton being always beyond the one sleeve and available for actuation, said other sleeve end having lateral, outwardly projecting locking portions from two opposed outer sleeve faces, said two opposed outer sleeve faces lying in parallel planes extending along the length of the window and said other sleeve end locking said sleeve against removal thereof through said panel window, said panel and flanged portion of said pushbutton operated device being rigidly secured together, a sleeve filling gaps about the sides of a pushbuttoN, a plastic sleeve being molded to accurate dimensions for providing a finished appearance about each pushbutton projecting through the panel, and means maintaining said panel and pushbutton operated device in predetermined relation to lock each plastic sleeve about its corresponding pushbutton.