Abstract: A pushbutton switch has a plunger guide housing in which a plunger is displaceably guided and on which control elements are detachably mounted on different sides of the plunger axis. Each control element is pushed onto a guide extending parallel to the direction of motion of the plunger and is held by a locking bolt which is rotatably mounted in the plunger guide housing. In each control element housing is mounted a spring-loaded actuator for displacement transverse to the direction of motion of the plunger, so that it can be moved by pressing the plunger from a rest position into a working position. This design has the effect that the forces produced primarily by the return springs of the actuators and transmitted over the actuators in their working position, do not exert a great force on the plunger extending parallel to the direction of motion of the plunger.

Abstract: A press-button unit has a push-rod mounted to be axially displaceable in a sleeve. An external surface portion of the push rod is provided with a groove system, with a recess and with a rib member. The rib member extends between a leading portion of the groove system and a leading portion of the recess. The press-button unit is provided with a latching element, which is accessible through an opening in the sleeve and which is capable of co-operating with the groove system to cause the press-button unit to have a latching action. The latching element is selectably positionable relative to the rib member, without even partial disassembly of the unit, to cause a portion of the latching element to enter either the groove system or the recess so that -- in dependence on the selected setting of the latching element -- the press-button unit is selectively operable either with or without latching action.