Push button switch with indicator

Claim 1

A switch comprising: a housing; a shaft movable into and out of said housing; two conductive paths carried by said housing, one of said conductive paths comprising a spring clip having an end portion biased normally to one side of, and out of contact with the other of said conductive paths; means for moving one of said conductive paths across the other of said conductive paths responsive to movement of said shaft; an electrical circuit element energized responsive only to interconnection of said two conductive paths; means for maintaining said circuit element energized for a period of time independent of said movement of said shaft; means for preventing movement of said one conductive path across the other of said conductive paths during movement of said shaft out of said housing, this means comprising a cam carried by said shaft, said cam including; a straight shoulder substantially parallel with said shaft for holding said spring clip away from said other conductive path such that said end portion thereof is held on a side of said other conductive path opposite said one side during engagement with said shoulder; said conductive path interconnecting means including a tip along said shoulder for releasing said clip whereby said end portion moves along said other conductive path to said one side thereof; a beveled surface for camming said end portion out of contact with said other conductive path during movement of said shaft out of said housing; and wherein said spring clip includes means for engaging said cam during movement of said shaft into and out of said housing.