Abstract: A "mouse"-type position indicating control apparatus has a two-part housing comprising an apertured base and a cover which contains a ball, a portion of which projects through the aperture in the base to support and transport the housing along a support surface. A one-piece molded mounting block rests on the base for holding the ball in position over the aperture while accommodating universal rotation thereof. Code wheel shafts have the opposite ends thereof journaled in bearing grooves in the support block for frictional engagement with the ball for indicating orthogonal components of rotation. Photoelectric transducer elements are mounted on the mounting block. A cap plate covers the mounting block and retains the shafts and photoelectric elements in place. Retaining members on the cover engage the plate for clamping the mounting block against the base. The apparatus is assembled without the use of fasteners or tools except for securing the base to the cover.

Abstract: A position control device includes a generally rectangular, two-part housing having orthogonal walls, two of which have openings formed therein. A shaft is rotatably mounted in the housing on bearings which are respectively received in recesses in support blocks on the housing bottom. One end of the shaft projects outwardly through one of the openings and may have a knob secured thereto outside the housing. One-part and two-part shafts are disclosed. A control wheel is mounted coaxially on the shaft and projects through the other opening for manual rotation by a user. The support blocks cooperate with retainers on the housing cover to accommodate slight movement of the bearings in directions perpendicular to the plane of the control wheel opening, the shaft being resiliently biased toward that opening.

Abstract: An analog joystick controller includes a handle shaft engageable with two yokes rotatably movable respectively about two perpendicular axes in response to tilting of the handle shaft. The yokes are respectively coupled to the wipers of two potentiometers, the resistance portions of which are fixedly connected to adjusting means manually movable for zero adjustments. Each yoke carries a pair of pivoting levers biased together into engagement with the yoke for movement therewith. Each pair of levers is associated with a control block which is manually movable between the levers to permit only one of them to move when the handle is moved from a center or home position, depending upon the direction of movement of the handle, for biasing the handle to its center position.

Abstract: The trackball device comprises cylindrical first and second supports. First and second code wheels are respectively coupled to the supports and are rotatable therewith. First and second reader means are respectively associated with the first and second code wheels for generating control signals. A ball is seated on the supports. The second support, both of the reader means, the second code wheel and the ball all lie on the same side of the first support.

Abstract: A handle assembly for a joystick controller includes a tiltably mounted, elongated, hollow, tubular shaft having an elongated rod extending coaxially therethrough. A helical compression spring is seated in a recess at one end of the shaft and coaxially encircles the rod for engagement with an enlarged-diameter button thereon, resiliently to urge the rod to a normal rest position projecting a predetermined distance from the adjacent end of the shaft. Several different-shaped handle members are interchangeably mounted on the shaft, each handle member having a cylindrical bore therethrough for receiving the shaft and frictionally engageable with a knurled portion on the outer surface of the shaft. The bore has a reduced diameter portion at one end thereof to limit the depth of insertion of the shaft.

Abstract: A coin door assembly includes a door panel with a coin slot therethrough. Mounted on the rear of the panel in spaced-apart relationship are an entry chute communicating with the coin slot and a coin box unit, which cooperate to define therebetween a receptacle for a coin acceptor module. A retainer is mounted on the coin box unit for pivotal movement between open and closed conditions with respect to the receptacle and sliding movement between latched and unlatched positions with respect to the entry chute for cooperation therewith immovably to retain the coin acceptor module in the receptacle. Bearing flanges on the entry chute cooperate with the panel to trap an actuator cam therebetween for pivotal movement to actuate a coin rejection mechanism on the coin acceptor module. A nameplate is removably mounted in a receptacle on the front of the panel.

Abstract: A switch assembly is provided for mounting in the two-part housing of a joystick apparatus. The assembly includes a printed circuit board held between retainers on the two parts of the housing. A plurality of switches are mounted on the board, each including a fixed printed contact and a movable leaf spring contact, the leaf spring contacts being engageable with actuators on a tilt plate which is tiltably carried by the joystick handle for selective actuation of the switches. The board also carries a fire control switch including a printed contact and a leaf spring contact which is engageable with a push-button actuator on the joystick handle. The handle includes a support module therefor which is held in place by retaining pins on one of the two housing parts, the tilt plate having recesses therein for accommodating the retaining pins.

Abstract: A joystick controller includes an enclosure including unitary one-piece cover and bottom parts. The cover part has structure defining a plurality of receptacles respectively receiving direction-control switches and a handle support module therein, while the bottom part has a plurality of projections which cooperate with the receptacles to hold the direction-control switches and the support module immovably in place. The support module is a multi-part assembly which is assembled without the use of fasteners and tiltably supports the handle for actuation of the direction control switches. Two fire control switches are also mounted in the housing on support pins integral with the cover part.