Steering column mounted control stalk with multiple actuators for rotatable and slide type switches

In a vehicle a control stalk assembly mountable on the steering column of a vehicle and having an elongated, rotatable and axially translatable control lever extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the steering column,

• an elongated hollow handle surrounding said lever and mounting a plurality of slidable, rotatable and axially translatable actuators thereon for operating a plurality of electrical switches controlling a plurality of operating functions in the vehicle,
• said handle having a pair of longitudinally slidably movable actuators thereon for a plural slide switch assembly receivable interiorly of said handle and including
• a first actuator button attached to a first slide switch of said plural slide switch assembly and longitudinally slidably movable against the force of an internal biasing spring from a first stable position to a second unstable position from which it is returned to its first stable position upon release of the button and
• a second actuator button affixed to a second slide switch of said plural slide switch assembly and having
• a first portion located adjacent and in the path of movement of said first actuator button to be conjointly longitudinally slidably moved thereby from a first position corresponding to the first stable position of said first actuator button and its slide switch to a second stable position of the second actuator button and its slide switch corresponding to the second position of said first actuator button and its slide switch and
• an integral tab portion extending generally radially outwardly of said handle for longitudinal slideable movement of said second actuator button and its slide switch independently of said first actuator button and its slide switch and from the said first stable position of said second actuator button and its slide switch to the said second stable position of the latter slide switch,
• said second actuator button further movable exclusively of said first actuator button and its slide switch past the said second stable position of the second slide switch and against the force of another internal biasing spring to a third unstable switch position thereof from which it is returned to its second stable position upon release of the tab portion of that button,
• said handle further receiving a rotatable and axially translatable control knob located out of the path of movement of said first and second actuator buttons and projecting from the outer end of the handle opposite the steering column and secured to said rotatable and axially translatable control lever therein for independent rotational and separate axial translational movement of said lever relative to said handle for actuation from said control lever of a multiple rotatable and axially translatable switch assembly mounted adjacent the inner end of said handle.