Patent ID: 7126066

Claim:
A lockable push button actuator, comprising a housing that defines a through passage extending along a central axis of the housing, and a slot extending in a plane that transversely intersects the central axis and communicates with the passage; a disc-shaped member carried in the slot and having a central opening along the central axis in communication with the passage; and a push button sub-assembly having elements that are movable in communicating portions of the passage and central opening, including a) a rearwardly depressable front element, b) a rearwardly extensible rear element, and c) a locking mechanism capable of drivingly connecting the front and rear elements so that rearward depression of the front element will cause rearward extension of the rear element to an operated position when the push button sub-assembly is unlocked but not when the push button sub-assembly is locked; and, wherein the disc-shaped member engages the housing and at least a selected one of the push button sub-assembly elements to regulate movement of the selected one of the elements relative to the housing.