Pivotal switch operating mechanism

Claim 1

A hookswitch mechanism for a telephone instrument comprising: a camshaft rotatable through an arc upon movement of an operating means; at least one pair of leaf springs; at least one cam mounted on said camshaft disposed between and adjacent a contact end of each of said leaf springs of said one pair of leaf springs, said contact ends of said one pair of leaf springs being spaced apart by said one cam in a first position of said camshaft and said contact ends of said one pair of leaf springs being in electrical contact with each other in a second position of said camshaft; each of said leaf springs including a crested ridge formed therein at an acute angle to a base line parallel to the length of said leaf springs to provide a contacting surface at said contact end thereof, said contacting surfaces of said pair of leaf springs forming a cross shaped contact in said second position of said camshaft; and a housing including a first portion having at least one first recess to receive therein one of said leaf springs of said one pair of leaf springs, a second portion having at least one second recess facing said first recess to receive therein the other of said leaf springs of said one pair of leaf springs, said first and second portions when joined together forming registered openings therein to receive opposite ends of said camshaft, and an insert disposed between said one of said one pair of leaf springs and said other of said one pair of leaf springs, said insert having at least a third recess engaging a cooperating projection adjacent said firt recess, at least a fourth recess engaging a cooperative projection adjacent said second recess and a pair of projections each disposed at opposite ends of said insert to engage cooperating notches in each of said first and second portions, said insert cooperating to interconnect said first and second portions and to retain said one pair of leaf springs in position in said first and second portions.