US3676810A

US3676810A - Push button assembly

Info

Publication number: US3676810A
Application number: US144580A
Authority: US
Inventors: Tetsuo Machida
Original assignee: Sony Corp
Current assignee: Sony Corp
Priority date: 1970-05-19
Filing date: 1971-05-18
Publication date: 1972-07-11
Anticipated expiration: 1989-07-11
Also published as: DE2124736A1; GB1326291A; DE2124736B2; NL174778B; CA927475A; DE2124736C3; NL174778C; NL7106838A

Abstract

A push button assembly, for example, for selecting the operating condition or mode of a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus or the like, has a single driving solenoid, motor or the like means which moves an actuator upon its energization in response to closing of a switch by depression of any one of a plurality of selecting members that are individually depressable. The selecting members are all movable as a group with the actuator of the driving means and, where depressed, each selecting member is coupled with a respective operating member to also move the latter with the actuator and thereby establish the desired operating condition. A locking means is provided to hold each operating member in its displaced position until another of the operating members is displaced. Further, each selecting member has a latch associated therewith to hold the selecting member depressed until the actuator of the drive means completes its movement.

Description

United States Patent [45] July 11, 1972 Machida [54] PUSH BUTTON ASSEMBLY [72] inventor: Tetsuo Machlda, Tokyo, Japan [73] Assignee: Sony Corporation, Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: May 18, 197i 211 Appl. No.: 144,580

[30] Foreign Application Prlority Data May 19, 1970 Japan ..4$/42709 Aug. 29, i970 Japan ..45/75792 [52] U.S.Cl. ..335/l59, 200/5 E [5|] Int. ..H01h 9/26 [58] FieldoiSearch ..335/l59, I60, [61;200/5 E,

200/5 B. 5 D, 5 EA [561 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,487,l76 l2/l969 Stout ..200/5 B 3,448,417 6/1969 Schiller et al ..200/5 E Primary Examiner-Harold Broome Attorney-Lewis H. Eslinger, Alvin Sinderbrand and Curtis, Morris & Safiord ABSTRACT A push button assembly, for example, for selecting the operating condition or mode of a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus or the like, has a single driving solenoid, motor or the like means which moves an actuator upon its energization in response to closing of a switch by depression of any one of a plurality of selecting members that are individually depressable. The selecting members are all movable as a group with the actuator of the driving means and, where depressed, each selecting member is coupled with a respective operating member to also move the latter with the actuator and thereby establish the desired operating condition. A locking means is provided to hold each operating member in its displaced position until another of the operating members is displaced. Further, each selecting member has a latch associated therewith to hold the selecting member depressed until the actuator of the drive means completes its movement.

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6 Sheets-Sheet l I NVENTOR.

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Patented July 11, 1972 3,676,810

6 Shuts-Sheet A INVENTOR.

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6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

7ET5U0 MAGHIZM "Law WM Patented July 11, 1972 3,676,810

6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.

7ET5U0 MACHIBA PUSH BUTTON ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a push button assembly, and more particularly to a push button assembly by which the operating condition or mode of a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus may be selected.

Generally, a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus employs push-button actuated switches corresponding to various operative conditions of the apparatus and solenoids selectively energized in response to actuation of the switches. For example, when a switch for reproducing operation is actuated, some of the solenoids are energized to change over the magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus to its reproducing condition and these solenoids are continuously energized to hold the apparatus in that condition. It will be apparent that the use of a plurality of solenoids increases the manufacturing cost of the magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus and that the continuous energization of the solenoids leads to an undesirable power loss which is particularly objectionable when the apparatus is battery-powered. A push button mechanism of the type which does not employ such solenoids has also been widely used. With the existing mechanism, however, a selected button must be depressed a substantial distance to its locked position against a relatively strong biasing force of a spring mounted on the selected button or the locking means, so that the operation of the push button mechanism requires relatively large manual exertion.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved push button assembly for selecting the operating condition a mode of an associated electrical apparatus.

Another object is to provide a push button assembly in which a predetennined operative condition can be selected and maintained by the slight depression of a desired button with the exertion of a relatively small force.

Another object is to provide a push button assembly, as aforesaid, which employs a single drive means, such as, a solenoid, motor or the like.

Another object is to provide a push button assembly in which the solenoid or other drive means is energized only during changing of the selected operative condition, and hence the rise of power is relatively low.

A further object of this invention is to provide a small push button assembly which is inexpensive and easy to operate.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a push button assembly which is suitable for use with a magnetic tape recording and reproducing apparatus, a video signal recording and reproducing apparatus, a dictating machine or the like.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a push but ton assembly has operating members individually movable from a rest position to a displaced position for establishing the corresponding operating condition or mode, with each of the operating members being locked in its displaced position until another of the operating members is moved to its displaced position, and a single drive means is provided to effect the movement of a selected operating member to its displaced position upon the actuation of a respective selecting member which serves to initiate the energization of the drive means, as by a switch, and also serves as a temporary coupling or connection between the drive means and the selected operating member.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of this invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a plan view of a push button assembly according to one embodiment of this invention, and which is particularly suited for use in a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II II on FIG.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are views similar to FIG. 2, but showing successive stages in the operation of the push button assembly in selecting one of its operating conditions;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. I, but showing the push button assembly following the stages of FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 is another view similar to that of FIG. 2, but showing the assembly in the condition of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view showing a modified form of drive means for the push button assembly according to this invention;

FIGS. 8, 9 and III, are side views illustrating another modification of the drive means for the push button assembly according to this invention;

FIG. II is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion portion of the drive means of FIGS. 8 l0; and

FIG. I2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the drive means shown in FIGS. 8 II.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIGS. I and 2, it will be seen that the push button assembly according to this invention, as there shown, is intended for application to a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus (not shown), such as, a tape recorder which, in the course of its operation, is required to stop the movement of the tape, to move the tape forward at a normal speed, to move the tape in the reverse direction of the normal speed, to effect fast forward movement of the tape, or to efiect the fast reverse or rewinding movement of the tape.

The illustrated push button assembly for selecting any one of the above described operating conditions of an associated apparatus comprises a stop push button 1A, a normal forward push button 18, a normal reverse push button 1C, a fast forward push button ID and a rewind push button IE. These push buttons IA to IE are individually depressable to change over the conventional mechanisms (not shown) of the magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus by which the stop, normal forward (during recording and/or reproducing), normal reverse (during recording and/or reproducing), fast forward and fast rewind operating conditions are achieved. As shown on FIG. 2 with respect to the normal forward push button 18, such button is formed at one end of a lever 38 pivotally mounted at the other end on a common fixed shaft 2 carried at its ends by a frame or chassis C, and the underside of button IB has formed thereon a protrusion 48. The lever 38 is biased upwardly by a spring 58 to normally rest against a stop 6. The other push buttons 1A and IC to IE are identical with the push button 18, and all of the push buttons are arranged in a lateral array.

Under the push buttons IA to IE there are disposed selecting members in the form of levers 8A to SE, respectively, mounted on a common slide plate 7. The common slide pate 7 extends laterally, that is, in the direction of array of the push buttons IA to IE, and the selecting lever 8A to are hinged about a common pin 9 fixedly mounted on the slide plate 7 so as to be disposed beneath the respective levers 3A to SE. The plate 7 is slidable reciprocably in the direction of the arrows II and 38 on FIGS. 2 and 3, and the selecting levers 8A to SE are movable therewith as a group while being individually depressable by actuation of the respective push buttons IA to 1E. The selecting levers 8A to BE respectively have projections 10A to I05 depending from their ends remote from pin 9 and each of levers 8A to HE is biased upwardly against its respective push button, as by a spring 118 shown on FIG. 2 with respect to lever 88. Levers 8A to 8B further have lateral projections 12A to 12E, respectively, which are disposed above respective slots 13A to 13E formed in plate 7.

In order to hold each of levers 8A to SE in its depressed position following momentary actuation of the related push button, L-shaped latch levers 14A to ME are pivotally mounted on plate 7 adjacent levers 8A to 88, respectively, for example, on the pin ISB shown on FIG. 2 with respect to lever 14B, and project through slots ISA to 13E, respectively. Each of the levers 14A to ME has a nose at one end, for example, the nose 408 on the lever B in FIG. 2, for engagement with the projection 12A to 12E on the respective lever 8A to SE, and each latch lever A to 14E is urged as by a spring 168 on FIG. 2, to rock in the direction of the arrow 17 for engaging its nose 408 with the respective projection I2B when the selecting lever 88 is depressed.

A spring I8 is connected with the slide plate 7 to urge the latter in the direction of the arrow I9 to the rest position shown on FIGS. I and 2.

Under the selecting levers 8A to BE there are disposed reciprocable operating members A to 205 for actuating the drive mechanism of the associated magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus. For example, the actuating lever 208 for bringing the drive mechanism to its normal forwarding condition is disposed lengthwise under the selecting lever 88, and has bored therein an aperture 2"! which is adopted to receive the projection I08 of selecting lever 88 when the respective push button IB is depressed. Further the operating member 208 is biased by a spring 225 in the direction of the arrow 23 to its rest position shown on FIGS. I and 2. The other operating members 20A and 20C to 205 are identical in construction with the member 203.

A locking means is provided for locking each of the operating members 20A to 20E in its displaced operative position. For example, as shown, a locking plate 24 extends laterally above the members 20A to 205 and has formed integrally therewith locking fingers 25A to 25E which are aligned with the operating levers 20A to 205, respectively. The locking fingers 258 to 25E corresponding to the operating members 208 to 205 have tapered edges 268 to 26E leading to notches 27B to 275, while the locking finger 25A corresponding to the operating member 20A for stopping the drive mechanism has no notch but merely has a tapered edge 26A. The locking plate 24 is biased laterally by a spring 28 in the direction of an arrow 29 (FIG. 1). Further, the operating levers 20A to 20E are formed with upstanding projections 30A to 305 located to be engageable with the fingers 25A to 25E of the locking plate 24.

A switch means is provided to be actuated when any one of the push buttons IA to IE is depressed. For example, as shown, a common switch actuating plate 31 is pivotally supported by means of fixed pins 32 so as to extend laterally below the operating members 20A to 20E and is biased upwards by means of a spring 314:. Under the actuating plate 3] there is a single micro-switch 33 having an actuator 34 located for displacement by the switch actuating plate 31 upon depression of the latter. The plate 3I has depressions 35A to 355 formed at locations below the selecting levers 8A to BE, respectively.

In the embodiment being described, a solenoid 36 is provided as a common drive means for the operating members 20A to 20B and its energization is controlled by the switch 33. The armature 37 of the solenoid 36 is coupled to the slide plate 7 to move the latter in the direction indicated by an arrow 38 in FIG. 3 upon energization of the solenoid. In order to release any of the latch levers 14A to I45 engaged with its respective selecting lever 8A to 85 upon completion of the movement of slide plate 7 by solenoid 36, fixed cams 39A to 39E are disposed for engagement with cam foiloweres, for example, as indicated at 428 on FIG. 4, provided at the ends of the latch levers remote from the latching noses thereof.

With the arrangement described above, the associated magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus is in its stop condition when the several units of the assembly are in the condition depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. When it is desired to initiate the normal forwarding operation of the associated apparatus, the normal forward push button 18 is softly depressed. Upon depression of the push button III, the selecting lever 88 is pressed down by the protrusion 48, as shown in FIG. 3 and, at this time, the projection IIIB of the lever 88 tends through the aperture 218 of the lever 20B and depresses the switch actuating plate 3|. The depressed actuating plate 31 presses the actuator 34 of switch 33 to close the contacts of the latter. When the selecting lever 88 is pushed down to turn on the switch 33, the nose 40B of the latch lever 14B urged by spring 168 engages the projection 12B of lever 83 to retain the latter in its depressed position and thereby maintain the engagement of projection I08 in the aperture 2IB of operating lever 2013 even though push button 18 is only momentarily depressed.

The closing of the contacts of switch 33 causes energimtion of solenoid 36 to retract its armature 37 and thereby pull slide plate 7 in the direction of arrow 38. All the selecting levers 8A to 85, being mounted on the slide plate 7, are moved therewith, but only the selecting lever 83 for the normal forwarding operation is in engagement with the associated operating member 208 as above described. Thus, the operating member 208 for the normal forwarding operation is also pulled in the direction of arrow 38, as shown on FIG. 4, for changing over the magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus to its normal forwarding condition. During such movement of operating member 208 from its rest position of FIG. 2 to its displaced position of FIG. 4, the projection 30B thereon acts against the tapered edge 26B of locking finger 258 to laterally move locking plate 24 in the direction of arrow 4! on FIG. 5 against the spring 28. When the projection 308 has moved beyond the tapered edge 268, it is urged into engagement with the notch 28]! of locking finger 251! by the biasing force of the spring 28, thereby retaining the operating member 208 in its operative or displaced position as shown on FIG. 5.

When the projection 10B of selecting lever 8B falls into the depression 35B of switch actuating plate 31, the latter is raised by spring 31a to remove the pressure of plate 31 from the actuator 34 of switch 33. Further, the follower 42B of the latch lever 143 runs on the cam 39!! to turn the latch lever in the direction of arrow 43, (FIG. 4), thereby to disengage nose 408 from projection 12B of the lever 88 and hence permit spring 118 to raise the lever 85 for removing its projection 103 from aperture 218 of member 205. As a result of the foregoing, switch 33 is turned off to deenergiae solenoid 36 and permit the slide plate 7, which is uncoupled from the operating member 208, to be moved by the force of spring 18 in the direction of arrow I9 back to its initial position. The selecting lever 88, and the other selecting levers 8A and SC to 85, return with plage 7 to their original positions, as shown in FIG. 6. However, the operating member 20!! remains locked by the locking plate 24, and hence is retained in its operative or displaced position to maintain the normal forwarding operation of the associated apparatus. Thus, it will be seen that, once the push button 18 has been depressed, the operating member 208 is positively moved to and held at its displaced position to continue the normal forwarding operation, even after the manually applied force for depressing push button 18 has been removed therefrom.

After completion of the above operation, the projection 10B of selecting lever 8B is not aligned with the aperture 218 of operating member 208, as will be seen from FIG. 6, so that, even if the push button IB is again depressed, the projection I08 cannot act on switch actuating plate 31 to close switch 33 and accidental operation is prevented.

In order to stop the normal forwarding operation after such operation has been established in the manner described above, the stop push button IA is lightly depressed. Upon depression of button IA, the operating member 20A is moved in the direction of the arrow 38 in the same manner as has been previously described with respect to member 208. In the course of such movement projection 39A of member 20A pushes against the tapered edge 26A of finger 25A of the locking plate 24 to urge the latter in the direction of arrow 4I on FIG. 5, and thereby to disengage the projection 30B of member 208 from the notch 27B of finger 26B. Thereupon, operating member 208 is free to be returned to its rest position by the action of spring 228. Further, since finger 25A does not have a notch for receiving the projection 30A, the operating member 20A cannot be loclted in its displaced position. When the selecting lever 8A reaches the position corresponding to that of the lever 88 on FIG. 4, so that switch 33 is turned off and latch lever 14A releases lever 8A for raising of the latter and disengagement of its projection 10A from aperture 21A, the freed operating member 20A is returned by its spring 22A to the rest position thereof. Accordingly the push button assembly is restored to its initial condition described with reference to FIGS. I and 2.

When selecting an operating condition other than the normal forward condition, the push button assembly operates in the same manner as has been described above. In each instance, the selection of any operating condition serves first to unlock any of the operating members A 20E previously disposed in its displaced or operative position and the operating member corresponding to the newly selected condition is there locked in its operative position by locking plate 24.

Referring now to FIG. 7, it will be seen that, in a modification of the push-button assembly described above, the solenoid 36 constituting the drive means of the latter is replaced by an electric motor 45 which is energized when the switch 33 is closed or turned on and which has a gear 47 affixed to the motor shaft 46. The gear 47 meshes with a rack 48 formed on one side of an actuator 3 connected to slide plate 7. Accordingly, when switch 33 is in the on state to drive the motor 45, actuator 37 and plate 7 are moved in opposition to the spring 18. When the switch 33 is turned off, the actuator 37 and plate 7 are returned by spring 18 to the initial position. During such return movement, the motor 45 is not energized, so that it is turned in the reverse direction by the force of spring 18 but this does not cause any difficulty in operation. Of course, apart from the elements shown on FIG. 7, the push button assembly of that modification is identical to the assembly described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

FIGS. 8 to 12 illustrate another modification of the drive means in a push button assembly according to this invention, which modification reduces the power dissipated in operating the assembly. More specifically, in the drive means of FIGS. 8 to l2, the stroke of the solenoid 36 which is utilized for driving the plate 7, so as to move a selected operating member from its rest position to its displaced or operating position, is limited to a range in which the force exerted by the solenoid is relatively great. FIGS. 8, 9 and I0 show the illustrated elements in the conditions thereof corresponding to the conditions shown on FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, respectively, and it will be seen that an interconnecting means 69 is interposed between the solenoid 36 and the slide plate 7. Such interconnecting means includes a lever 52 pivoted by a pin 51 at one end to the armature 37 of solenoid 36 and a lever 54 pivoted at one end, as by a pin 53, on the chassis, and these

levers

52 and 54 are biased upwardly by springs 55 and 56, respectively. The lever 52 is pulled by a spring 56a toward the right as viewed on FIG. 8. As shown particularly on FIG. 12, levers 52 and 54 have upwardly projecting

pawls

57a and 57b and a pawl 58 at their free ends, respectively, and upwardly

bent projections

59 and 60 extend laterally from

levers

52 and 54, respectively, intermediate the ends of the latter.

An axle 61 is mounted on the chassis and a ratchet wheel 62 and a pinion 63 are rotatably mounted on axle 61 so as to rotate together. The ratchet wheel 62 and pinion 63 are formed with arc-shaped apertures 64 of the same configuration. The

pawls

57a and 57b of lever 52 are engageable with the teeth of ratchet wheel 62 to rotate the latter in the clockwise direction, and the pawl 58 of lever 54 is also engageable with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 62 to prevent reverse rotation of the latter. The axle 61 also rotatably supports a drum 65 and a pin 67 projects axially from one side of the drum 65 and extends through apertures 64 as depicted in FIG. 1I. Between the drum 65 and the chassis there is interposed a return torsion spring 67a (FIG. 1 l) which lightly urges the drum 65 to turn in the clockwise direction as viewed on FIGS. 8 10.

A rack 68 meshing with the pinion 63 is secured to the slide plate 7 to efiect the displacement of the latter in response to rotation of pinion 63 with ratchet wheel 62. In the illustrated example, the solenoid 36 is supplied with an intermittent voltage, such as, an AC voltage which is produced by DC to AC conversion. Since the other components of the push button assembly having the drive of FIGS. 8 to 12 are exactly the same as those described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, such other components are neither shown nor described for the sake of brevity.

When the push button assembly having the drive of FIGS. 8 to 12 is in its stop condition, the interconnecting means 69 thereof is in the condition depicted on FIG. 8 and the other components are in the conditions shown on FIG. 3.

By lightly depressing the normal forward button 18, the same operations as those previously described with reference to FIG. 3 are initiated to turn on the switch 33 for energizing solenoid 36, by which its armature 37 is retracted, that is, moved in the direction of arrow 38 to cause pawl lever 52 to drive ratchet wheel 62. In this case, since solenoid 36 is supplied with an intermittent voltage, the armature 37 is repeatedly retracted and, even if the movement of the armature 37 is small, the repeated stroking thereof can achieve a relatively large angular displacement of the ratchet wheel 62. The rotational movement of ratchet wheel 62 causes the rack 68 to move in the direction of arrow 38, so that the slide plate 7 also moves in the same direction to bring the assembly into the normal forwarding condition and turn off the switch 33, as in the previously described embodiment.

Due to the opening 670 acting on drum 65, the pin 67 initially rests lightly against the end 71 of apertures 64, as shown on FIG. 8. As ratchet wheel 62 is turned clockwise in response to operation of solenoid 36, pin 67 rests against

projections

59 and 60 on

levers

52 and 54, for example, as shown on FIG. 9, and the spring 67a does not exert a sufiicient force to cause pin 67 to affect downward displacement of

projections

59 and 60 against the upward forces of springs 56 and 55 respectively acting on

lever

52 and 54. However, as the step-by-step rotation of ratchet wheel 62 is continued, the end 70 of slot 64 comes into engagement with pin 67 so that the latter is carried along by the ratchet wheel in its further clockwise rotation. During such further rotation of ratchet wheel 62, pin 67 acts downwardly on

projections

59 and 60 to depress

pawl levers

52 and 54 and disengage the respective pawls from ratchet wheel 62. The disengagement of the

pawls

57a, 57b and 58 from ratchet wheel 62 occurs simultaneously with the turning off of switch 33 as described with reference to FIG. 4, and by which solenoid 36 is deenergized.

When the ratchet wheel 62 has been made freely rotatable by disengagement of the pawls therefrom, the spring 18 pulls slide plate 7 and rack 68 back to their original positions and the pinion 63 meshing with the rack 68 and the ratchet wheel 62 are turned counter-clockwise to their original positions shown on FIG. 8. In the course of such return rotation of ratchet wheel 62 and pinion 63, spring 670 initially keeps pin 67 from participating in the return rotation until the end 71 of slot 64 engages the pin 67. Upon engagement of slot end 71 with pin 67, the force of spring 18 overcomes the force of spring 670 and the final return rotation of the ratchet wheel and pinion restores pin 67 to its original position of FIG. 8.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 8 to 12, it will be apparent that the necessary displacement of plate 7 can be achieved with a short stroke of the solenoid armature 37 and such stroke is selected to be in the range where the solenoid can exert its maximum force for a given consumption of electric power. Since the solenoid 36 can be used most efficiently to reduce power consuption, the presently described embodiment is of particular utility when employed in small-sized, batterypowered electronic instruments. Further, since the stroke of solenoid armature 37 is very short, the space needed for the push button assembly can be minimized.

Further, it will be apparent that, in all of the described push button assemblies according to this invention, a desired operative condition can be selected and maintained merely by lightly and only momentarily depressing a desired push button. Further, since selection of any one of many operating conditions is achieved with only one switch means, such as the micro-switch 33 and with only one drive means, such as the solenoid 36 or motor 45, the push button assemblies according to this invention are simple in construction.

Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

I. A push button assembly comprising a plurality of operating members each corresponding to a respective operating condition and being individually movable from a rest position to a displaced position to establish the corresponding operating condition, locking means engageable with each of said operating members to hold the engaged operating member at said displaced position and being released from any one of said operating members at said displaced position upon the movement of another of said operating members to said displaced position, a drive means having an actuator that is moved in response to energization of said drive means, a plurality of selecting members respectively associated with said operating members, means connecting said selecting members to said actuator for movement as a group with the latter, each of said selecting members being individually displaceable for selecting the respective operating condition, means for temporarily coupling each of said selecting members, when individually displaced, with the respective operating member so that the latter is then constrained to follow the movement of the selecting members with said actuator of the drive means and thereby be moved to said displaced position, and switch means for energizing said drive means when any one of said selecting members is individually displaced.

2, A push button assembly according to claim 1, further comprising latch means for holding each said individually displaced selecting member in its displaced condition and being released upon the completion of the movement of said actuator in response to energization of said drive means.

3. A push button assembly according to claim 1, in which said drive means includes a solenoid.

4v A push button assembly according to claim 3, in which said solenoid has an armature which constitutes said actuator and which is displaced upon energizing ofsaid solenoid by said switch means.

5. A push button assembly according to claim 3, in which said solenoid has an armature which is repeatedly stroked when the solenoid is energized by said switch means, and said drive means further includes a ratchet wheel, a driving pawl connected with said armature and engageable with said ratchet wheel to turn the latter in response to the repeated stroking of said armature, a pinion rotatable with said ratchet wheel, a gear rack meshing with said pinion and constituting said actuator, and release means for disengaging said pawl from said ratchet wheel upon completion their rotation thereof corresponding to movement of one of said operating members to said displaced position thereof.

6. A push button assembly according to claim 5, in which said drive means further includes a holding pawl engageable with said ratchet wheel to prevent return rotation thereof, and said release means also is operative to disengage said holding pawl from said ratchet wheel upon said completion of the rotation thereof.

7. A push button assembly according to claim 1, in which said drive means includes an electric motor energizable by said switch means.

8. A push button assembly according to claim I, in which said means connecting said selecting members to said actuator includes a reciprocable slide plate, said selecting members are pivoted on said slide plate in side-by-side relation to each other and individually displaceable downwardly from raised positions to which the pivoted selecting members are yieldably urged, said operating members are reciprocable parallel to each other and parallel to the reciprocation of said slide plate, said operating members have portions thereof extending under said selecting members and formed with apertures therein, and said means for temporarily coupling each selecting member with the respective operating member includes a projection depending from each selecting member and engageable in said aperture of the respective operating member upon downward displacement of the selecting member.

9. A push button assembly according to claim 8, in which a switch actuating plate is mounted below said portions of the operating members and is displaceable downwardly to actuate said switch means by any one of the projections depending from said selecting members when said are projection engages in the aperture of the respective operating member.

10. A push button assembly according to claim 9, in which said switch actuating plate has recesses therein located to receive a respective one of said projections depending from the selecting members where said one selecting member is displaced downwardly and the movement of said actuator is completed, whereby to interrupt the actuation of said switch means.

11. A push button assembly according to claim 1, in which said locking means includes a locking plate that is reciprocable transversely with respect to the direction of movement of said operating members and which has a surface for each of said operating members at an angle to said direction of movement and terminating in a notch, and a projection on each of said operating members riding on the respective angled surface of said locking plate to transversely displace the latter during movement of the respective operating member from said rest position and to engage in said notch when at said operating position.

lOl044 0485

Claims

1. A push button assembly comprising a plurality of operating members each corresponding to a respective operating condition and being individually movable from a rest position to a displaced position to establish the corresponding operAting condition, locking means engageable with each of said operating members to hold the engaged operating member at said displaced position and being released from any one of said operating members at said displaced position upon the movement of another of said operating members to said displaced position, a drive means having an actuator that is moved in response to energization of said drive means, a plurality of selecting members respectively associated with said operating members, means connecting said selecting members to said actuator for movement as a group with the latter, each of said selecting members being individually displaceable for selecting the respective operating condition, means for temporarily coupling each of said selecting members, when individually displaced, with the respective operating member so that the latter is then constrained to follow the movement of the selecting members with said actuator of the drive means and thereby be moved to said displaced position, and switch means for energizing said drive means when any one of said selecting members is individually displaced.

2. A push button assembly according to claim 1, further comprising latch means for holding each said individually displaced selecting member in its displaced condition and being released upon the completion of the movement of said actuator in response to energization of said drive means.

4. A push button assembly according to claim 3, in which said solenoid has an armature which constitutes said actuator and which is displaced upon energizing of said solenoid by said switch means.

8. A push button assembly according to claim 1, in which said means connecting said selecting members to said actuator includes a reciprocable slide plate, said selecting members are pivoted on said slide plate in side-by-side relation to each other and individually displaceable downwardly from raised positions to which the pivoted selecting members are yieldably urged, said operating members are reciprocable parallel to each other and parallel to the reciprocation of said slide plate, said operating members have portions thereof extending under said selecting members and formed with apertures therein, and said means for temporarily coupling each selecting member with the respective operating member includes a projection depending from each selecting member and engageable in said aperture of the respective operating member upon downward displacement of the selecting member.