Apparatus for mechanically operating push buttons

Abstract

An automatic system for operating the push buttons of a telephone keyboard includes a dialer frame with side members and a plurality of partitions forming spaced slots. The frame is adapted to overlay the push buttons and the slots formed by the partitions. The side members extend normal to the plane of the push button array and parallel to the length of the rows. Actuators are pivotally mounted in the slots, one in each slot, with each actuator having a bottom foot to contact one of the push buttons. Each actuator also has an upwardly facing hook. A perforated card moved along the top of the frame in the direction of the length of the slots engages at its perforations the actuator hooks. The hooks move to rotate the actuators for depression of the underlying push button, while releasing the hook from the perforations. The dialer frame is also provided with an array of manual keys substantially duplicating the array of the push button telephone to which the device is to be applied. Thus, there is provided a device for selectively actuating keys arrayed in columns and rows by manual use of a perforated card with the device in place.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.