Rotary switch assembly

Claim 1

A rotary switch comprising: a housing; first and second contact means respectively spaced from one another within said housing; a rotatable shaft extending within said housing and supported for axial movement therewithin; a rotor fixedly secured to said shaft for movement therewith; third and fourth contact means carried respectively on opposing surfaces of said rotor; means operatively associated with said shaft whereby said shaft may be axially moved alternatively into a first position where said third contact means on said rotor engage said first contact means or into a second position where said fourth contact means on said rotor engage said second contact means and then said shaft may be rotated to effect desired switching between the engaged contact means; and detent means for yieldably holding said shaft in the selected axial and rotational position, said detent means including a detent wheel operatively associated with said shaft, the periphery of said wheel being generally triangular in cross section with sloping side portions meeting to form a ridge portion, said side portions each being formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced grooves, and a detent member resiliently urged against the periphery of said wheel, whereby said detent means will hold said shaft in the rotational and axial position selected.