HAND-HELD DICTATE AND PLAYBACK INSTRUMENT

A hand-held dictate and playback instrument is provided within a housing having the general configuration of a telephone receiver. The actuating mechanism to control associated dictation equipment comprises a yoke actuated switch assembly which may be readily actuated by the user whether the instrument is held in the left or right hand. The yoke is disposed across the back of the receiver instrument and is readily movable longitudinally of the receiver axis by the thumb of the hand holding the receiver to place the dictation equipment in the playback mode in one position and back space or rewind mode in the other position. A laterally movable slide is disposed within the yoke and is readily actuated from either side of the receiver instrument by the user's thumb to place the dictation equipment in the dictate mode.