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{{Short description|Mechanism to control a machine or process}}
⚫ ].]]
{{Othermeanings|Button (disambiguation)}}
] buttons.]]
{{Infobox electronic component
| name = Push-button
| image = Arcade video game buttons.jpg
| caption = Generic ] buttons
| type = ]
| working_principle =
| invented =
| first_produced =
| pins =
| symbol = ]
| symbol_caption =
}}


A '''button''' is a simple ] mechanism for ]ling some aspect of a ]. Buttons are typically made out of hard material, usually ] or ]. The surface is usually flat or shaped to accommodate the human finger or hand, so as to be easily depressed or ]ed. When the button is pushed, an event (usually ] in nature) takes place; for example, an ] might be completed. A '''push-button''' (also spelled '''pushbutton''') or simply '''button''' is a simple ] mechanism to control some aspect of a ] or a ]. Buttons are typically made out of hard material, usually ] or ].<ref>{{cite web|title=Push buttons and much more|url=http://www.thebuilderssupply.com/Push-buttons-and-much-more_b_14.html|publisher=thebuilderssupply.com|access-date=11 April 2013}}</ref> The surface is usually flat or shaped to accommodate the human finger or hand, so as to be easily depressed or pushed. Buttons are most often ], although many un-biased buttons (due to their physical nature) still require a ] to return to their un-pushed state.


Terms for the "pushing" of a button include '''pressing''', '''depressing''', '''mashing''', '''slapping''', '''hitting''', and '''punching'''.
Most aspects of button functionality are covered in the ] article. Many buttons are ] which return to their original ] immediately after being depressed.


== Uses ==
Also, buttons are not exclusively electrical in nature. Some buttons might ring a ] or cause other actions through purely physical means. For example, ] keys could reasonably be considered buttons.
⚫ ]]]
], 2022]]


The "push-button" has been utilized in ], ]s, ], and various other mechanical and electronic devices, home and commercial.
⚫ In ], the phrase "'''the button'''" (sometimes capitalized) refers to a (usually fictional) button that a military or government leader could press to launch ]s.


In industrial and commercial applications, push buttons can be connected together by a mechanical linkage so that the act of pushing one button causes the other button to be released. In this way, a stop button can "force" a start button to be released. This method of linkage is used in simple manual operations in which the machine or process has no ]s for control.
⚫ ]


Red pushbuttons can also have large heads (called mushroom heads) for easy operation and to facilitate the stopping of a machine. These pushbuttons are called ] buttons and for increased safety are mandated by the electrical code in many jurisdictions. This large mushroom shape can also be found in buttons for use with operators who need to wear ]s for their work and could not actuate a regular ]ed push button.


]
{{electronics-stub}}


As an aid for operators and ]s in industrial or commercial applications, a pilot light is commonly added to draw the attention of the user and to provide ] if the button is pushed. Typically this light is included into the center of the pushbutton and a ] replaces the pushbutton hard center disk. The source of the energy to illuminate the light is not directly tied to the contacts on the back of the pushbutton but to the action the pushbutton controls. In this way a start button when pushed will cause the process or machine operation to be started and a secondary contact designed into the operation or process will close to turn on the pilot light and signify the action of pushing the button caused the resultant process or action to start.
]

]
To avoid an operator from pushing the wrong button in ], pushbuttons are often ] to associate them with their function. Commonly used colors are red for stopping the machine or process and green for starting the machine or process.
]

]
⚫ In ], the phrase "the button" (sometimes capitalized) refers to a (usually fictional) button that a military or government leader could press to launch ]s.
]

]
=== Scram and scramble switches ===
]
Akin to ] switches, some big red buttons, when deployed with suitable visual and audible warnings such as flashing lights and sirens for extreme exigent emergencies, are known as "scram switches" (from the slang term ], "get out of here"). Generally, such buttons are connected to large scale functions, beyond a regular fire alarm, such as automated shutdown procedures, complete facility power cut, fire suppression like halon release, etc.
]

A variant of this is the scramble switch which triggers an alarm to activate emergent personnel to proactively attend to and go to such disasters. An air raid siren at an air base initiates such action, where the fighter pilots are alerted and "]" to their planes to defend the base.

==History==
Push buttons were invented sometime in the late 19th century, certainly no later than 1880.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Wills |first=Matthew |date=2021-05-11 |title=When the Push Button Was New, People Were Freaked |url=https://daily.jstor.org/when-the-push-button-was-new-people-were-freaked/ |access-date=2023-01-09 |website=JSTOR Daily |language=en-US}}</ref> The name came from the French word {{Lang|fr|bouton}} (something that sticks out), rather than from the kind of ] used on clothing.<ref name=":0" /> The initial public reaction was curiosity mixed with fear, some of which was due to widespread fear of electricity, which was a relatively new technology at the time.<ref name=":0" />

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==

* Rachel Plotnick, ''Power Button: A History of Pleasure, Panic and the Politics of Pushing'', MIT Press, 2018, {{isbn|9780262038232}}, reviewed in David Trotter, "Making doorbells ring", '']''

== External links ==
{{commons category|Push buttons}}
* by Sándor Kabai, ].

{{Switches}}

]
⚫ ]

Latest revision as of 07:07, 31 December 2024

Mechanism to control a machine or process For other uses, see Button (disambiguation).
Push-button
Generic arcade game buttons
TypeSwitch
Electronic symbol

A push-button (also spelled pushbutton) or simply button is a simple switch mechanism to control some aspect of a machine or a process. Buttons are typically made out of hard material, usually plastic or metal. The surface is usually flat or shaped to accommodate the human finger or hand, so as to be easily depressed or pushed. Buttons are most often biased switches, although many un-biased buttons (due to their physical nature) still require a spring to return to their un-pushed state.

Terms for the "pushing" of a button include pressing, depressing, mashing, slapping, hitting, and punching.

Uses

Buttons on a handheld calculator
Push-button for a crosswalk in use in Japan, 2022

The "push-button" has been utilized in calculators, push-button telephones, kitchen appliances, and various other mechanical and electronic devices, home and commercial.

In industrial and commercial applications, push buttons can be connected together by a mechanical linkage so that the act of pushing one button causes the other button to be released. In this way, a stop button can "force" a start button to be released. This method of linkage is used in simple manual operations in which the machine or process has no electrical circuits for control.

Red pushbuttons can also have large heads (called mushroom heads) for easy operation and to facilitate the stopping of a machine. These pushbuttons are called emergency stop buttons and for increased safety are mandated by the electrical code in many jurisdictions. This large mushroom shape can also be found in buttons for use with operators who need to wear gloves for their work and could not actuate a regular flush-mounted push button.

Button shaped as an octagon

As an aid for operators and users in industrial or commercial applications, a pilot light is commonly added to draw the attention of the user and to provide feedback if the button is pushed. Typically this light is included into the center of the pushbutton and a lens replaces the pushbutton hard center disk. The source of the energy to illuminate the light is not directly tied to the contacts on the back of the pushbutton but to the action the pushbutton controls. In this way a start button when pushed will cause the process or machine operation to be started and a secondary contact designed into the operation or process will close to turn on the pilot light and signify the action of pushing the button caused the resultant process or action to start.

To avoid an operator from pushing the wrong button in error, pushbuttons are often color-coded to associate them with their function. Commonly used colors are red for stopping the machine or process and green for starting the machine or process.

In popular culture, the phrase "the button" (sometimes capitalized) refers to a (usually fictional) button that a military or government leader could press to launch nuclear weapons.

Scram and scramble switches

Akin to fire alarm switches, some big red buttons, when deployed with suitable visual and audible warnings such as flashing lights and sirens for extreme exigent emergencies, are known as "scram switches" (from the slang term scram, "get out of here"). Generally, such buttons are connected to large scale functions, beyond a regular fire alarm, such as automated shutdown procedures, complete facility power cut, fire suppression like halon release, etc.

A variant of this is the scramble switch which triggers an alarm to activate emergent personnel to proactively attend to and go to such disasters. An air raid siren at an air base initiates such action, where the fighter pilots are alerted and "scrambled" to their planes to defend the base.

History

Push buttons were invented sometime in the late 19th century, certainly no later than 1880. The name came from the French word bouton (something that sticks out), rather than from the kind of buttons used on clothing. The initial public reaction was curiosity mixed with fear, some of which was due to widespread fear of electricity, which was a relatively new technology at the time.

See also

References

  1. "Push buttons and much more". thebuilderssupply.com. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  2. ^ Wills, Matthew (2021-05-11). "When the Push Button Was New, People Were Freaked". JSTOR Daily. Retrieved 2023-01-09.

Further reading

External links

Switch types
Switches
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