Up for sale is a one-of-a-kind US Patent example of a Joy Stick Switch, US Patent numberUS 4,181,827A awarded to the inventor John C. Diepeveen for the D.P. Veen Company, a pioneer in semiconductor processing equipment in the 1960s and 1970s in Silicon Valley.
Patent examples accompanied patent applications to make it easier for the examiner to understand what was being patented, in this case a new design of a joystick for controlling X-Y positioning equipment.
These are exceedingly rare, and here is one in perfect condition that is a great conversation piece for the tech fan, video game fan, or patent attorney.
From the Patent itself:
An electrical control device having a joystick operator normally biased to a central position by resiliently biased rigid strips secured to a base plate. The joystick operator is pivoted in anyone of a plurality of directions through a 360° arc. No more than two electrical switches or actuatable devices can be operated simultaneously by the joystick operator. The rigid strips are resiliently biased by either the internal springs of the actuator elements of respective switches or by springs externally of the switches. Movement of the strip causes depression of the associated switch actuator element. When the joystick operator is released, its shaft is returned to an equilibrium position.
Atruly rare and unique collectible, and its usable too... four microswitches could easily be connected to a gameconsole or other 2-axis device, making it as useful as it isconversational.