Help Identifying F-14 Mode Switch

[AurelTristen]

Would anyone have an idea what kind of switch this is? It's unique in that it turns when selected/depressed, and releases all other buttons when pressed. It's switch '2' in this image.

 

 

I suspect that because the banks of switches interact with each other, that they are a unique part. It's also possible that they are held back/released electronically, but I'm more inclined to suggest they work mechanically, like the controls to a tape player.

 

I'm not above designing and printing my own hardware, but I just know that I'm going to overcomplicate the design. This is my meager progress so far. The catching latch will be linked across all buttons, with a spring on the left side to retain it. My thinking is that when a button is pressed down, it will push the catching latch back, freeing any 'locked down' buttons before snapping back to capture the one being pressed. A simple push button would be mounted below. I haven't started on the mechanism to cause it to rotate, but I'm thinking some kind of corkscrew like cut into the button shaft.

 

 

Any other leads on unique switches or buttons for the Tomcat would be appreciated. I'm currently looking through the huge archive of options on https://www.allelectronics.com/ (as the site has been recommended here before). My goal is to build two of the panels I interact with the most, being the pilot's mode panel and the RIO's radar control panel.

Edited January 27, 2020 by AurelTristen
Image formatting

[Dropship Pilot]

I think it's this kind of switch:

 

 

interlocking-latching-push-button-switch

 

 

However, the F-14 version has the additional rotating square collar.

 

 

Cheers,

DSP

[AurelTristen]

Thanks! This is a huge step forward at least. I searched US Ebay with a lot of the terms in the title of this listing, but didn't find anything. A bank of 5 of these would be 90% there. I'm looking at it and wondering how it works, mechanically. I don't see hardware that would release the other switches, but maybe it's built into the back end of that metal plate.