US3190977A - Motor driven adjustable rotary-cam actuated multi-switch sequence timer - Google Patents

Description

June 1965 J. L. HARRIS 90,977 MOTOR DRIVEN ADJUSTABLE ROTARY-CAM AGTUATED MULTI-SWITCH SEQUENCE TIMER Filed March 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 22, 1965 J. L. HARRIS 3,190,977

MOTOR DRIVEN ADJUSTABLE ROTARY-CAM ACTUATED MULTI-SWITCH SEQUENCE TIMER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 19, 1965 lS nmwmmwnmwmwfi United States Patent 3,190,977 MOTOR DRIVEN ADJUSTABLE ROTARY-CAM AC- TUA'IED MULTI-SWITCH SEQUENCE TIMER John L. Harris, Whitefish Bay, Wis. (4753 N. Newhall St., Milwaukee, Wis.) Filed Mar. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 266,313 11 Claims. (Cl. Nil-33) This invention relates in general to automatic controls and more particularly to synchronous motor driven timers.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple and dependable multiple switch type sequence timer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multiple timer in which a plurality of switches may be operated in a predetermined sequence which is easy to set up by the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple timer in which one portion of the timer serves to set up or predetermine the schedule at which the switches are to operate, and in which a second and independent portion of the timer serves to determine the duration of the operation.

Other objects will appear from the following description and appended claims.

For a full disclosure of the invention reference is made to the following detailed description and to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the improved timer construction showing the arrangement of the scheduling timer shaft and the individual switch cam assemblies.

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of one switch operator and cam follower assembly and taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the relationship of the switch operator and cam follower during a timing cycle.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an individual programming drum taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a snap-on trip finger used for programming.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of one cam and gear assembly and taken on line 88 of FIG. 1. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a latch about to be tripped for terminating a cycle of one switch.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary end view taken on line Iii-19 of FIG. 2 and showing the yieldable bearing for the pinion shaft.

FIG. 11 is an exploded view of a twenty-four hour drum showing the slots and indicia.

FIG. 12 is a similar view of an adjusting drum indicating the indicia on this drum.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the timer includes a base member 1 which as shown in FIG. 3 is channel shaped, having a main horizontal section 2 and legs 3 and 4. The base member 1 also includes outturned horizontal legs 5 and 6. As shown more clearly in FIG. 2 the base member 1 at its left-hand end is attached to a motor bracket 7 which is of L shaped configuration. The base member at its right-hand end is secured to an end bracket 8 which is also of L shaped configuration. The brackets 7 and 8 are preferably secured to the base member 1 by means of hollow threaded studs 9 and nuts 10. These hollow studs provide for mounting of the timer on a suitable support.

The motor bracket 7 carries a timer motor 11 preferably of the synchronous type. A terminal block 12 mounted on the motor bracket 7 provides for connecting the timer motor to an external source of power.

A gear train plate 14 is supported in spaced relationship from the motor bracket 7 by means of spacers such as 15. This gear train plate 14 supports gearing generally indicated as 16 for driving a program shaft 18 which extends between the end plates 7 and 8. This gearing is also arranged to drive a pinion shaft 19 which also extends between the end plates 7 and 8.

As shown by the arrows in FIG 3 the program shaft 18 and also the pinion shaft 19 are both driven in a clockwise direction by the timer motor 11.

The base member 1 carries a switch panel 20 which overhangs the horizontal portion 2 of the base member on both sides. Also as shown in FIG. 3 this switch panel 20 is supported in spaced relationship fromthe bottom of the timer due to the channel shaped configuration of the base member. This same channel shaped configuration also serves to stiffen the base member so as to provide a rigid foundation for the timer. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 the switch panel 20 supports a number of individual switch blade brackets 22. These brackets are suitably riveted to the panel 20 and preferably are provided with terminal screws 23. Each bracket 22 carries a switch blade 25 which extends across the switch panel 20. Each switch blade carries a double contact which extends between stationary contacts carried by stationary contact brackets 26 and 27 which are secured to the switch panel 20. The contact bracket 26 as shown in FIG. 3 carries a contact adjacent to the panel 20. As shown in FIG. 2 the contact bracket 27 is mounted beside the bracket 26 and is offset and carries a contact which is on the upper side of the switch blade 25 as seen in FIG. 3.

The switch blades 25 are made of spring material and each blade is biased upwardly thus tending to engage the upper contact bracket 27. Located immediately above each switch blade is an individual and separate switch operator 30. These switch operators are individually controlled by adjacent cam followers 31 each of which carries a latch 32. The series of cam followers and switch operators are supported on a shaft 33 which extends between the end plates 7 and 8. As shown in FIG. 4 each switch operator is carried on an elongated bearing 34 riding on the shaft 33. The bearing 34 also serves as an external bearing for the cam follower hearing 35 which supports the cam follower 31. This cam follower bearing also supports a cam follower spring 36 of the torsion type. One leg of the spring 36 fits under an eyelet 37 attached to the cam follower 31; The other apparent from FIG. 3 the spring 36 serves to bias the cam follower 31 upwardly and away from the switch blade 25.

As shown in FIG. 4 the cam follower 31 on the righthand side of the shaft 33 carries a stud 40 which extends toward and beyond the switch operator 30. This stud 40 engages one leg of the switch operator spring 41 which is carried by the switch operator bearing 34. This spring 41 is also of the torsion type and the other end is secured under an eyelet 42 carried by the switch operator 30. This switch operator spring serves to bias the switch operator downwardly as seen in FIG. 3 for overcoming the upward bias of the switch blade 25 and thus causing this switch blade to make contact with the lower contact bracket 26.

Each cam follower at its left-hand end has an upwardly extending portion 45 for engaging a cam 46 which runs on a cam shaft 47 extending between the end plates 7 and 8. Each of the cams 46 is included in an individual adjustable and self-driving assembly. A cross section view of one assembly is shown in FIG. 8. Each assembly includes an extended bearing member 50 having a shoulder ring member 51 attached thereto. The assembly also includes a mutilated gear 52 which is driven by the pinion shaft 19. Each assembly also includes a guide disc 53 and an adjusting drum 54. A- pin 55 extends through the cam 46, the gear 52 and the disc 53 for maintaining these parts in proper angular relationship. The adjusting drum is maintained in place by means of a push-on type spring washer 56 which serves both to hold the drum in place on the assembly and to maintain it under tension. This permits the angular position of the drum 54 to be adjusted and to maintain it in adjusted position. This adjusting drum 54 is formed with a section 57 of reduced diameter so as to provide a space between the main portion of the drum and the guide disc 53. A stop pin 58 is carried by the drum 54 and extends into this space for operating the latch 32 as explained later.

The cam assembly also includes a starting plate 60 which is loosely held in place by the shouldered ring member 51. This starter plate is adjacent to the mutilated gear 52 and is provided with a slot 9 through which the pin 55 extends. This starter plate is also provided with a slot 62 which fits over the shouldered ring member 51. The slot 59 and slot 62 are parallel and this permits in and out movement of the starter plate 60 relative to the axis of rotation of the complete assembly. A spring 61 is also carried by the shouldered member 51. This spring is of the torsion type. One end bears against the pin 55. The other end bears against an out-turned lug 64 on the starter plate. This spring thus biases the starter plate to the right as seen in FIGS. 3 and 5. The starter plate 60 is also formed with an out-turned cam shaped car 66 which is adapted to be engaged by trip members 67 carried on the scheduling disc 68 mounted on shaft 18.

As shown in FIG. 1 the shaft 1 8 carries a separate scheduling disc 68 for each of the cam assemblies on the cam shaft 47. The shaft 18 is preferably hexagonal in shape and the scheduling discs 68 are provided with hexagonal holes to match so as to maintain these discs in fixed relationship on the shaft 18.

Each scheduling disc 68 is of molded construction and is provided with a series of radially extending slots 70 for receiving trippers 67. In the embodiment of the invention shown, the scheduling disc 68 is provided with 24 such slots and each slot is marked with the corresponding time of day as shown in FIG. 11. As shown in FIG. 6 each of the slots 70 includes an outer portion 72 which extends completely across the outer edge of the drum 68. The slots also include extended relatively shallow portions 73 on both sides of the drum. The drum 68 is also formed with a ring 74 on each side thereof and at the base of the slots 70. The drum is also recessed as at 75 on both sides as shown in FIG. 6.

The trip members 67 as shown in FIG. 7 are generally U shaped having leg portions 76, a base portion 77 and an operating tab 78. The leg portions 76 are each formed with circular end portions 79. When a trip member is inserted in the slot the leg portions 76 spread out as the circular ends 79 pass over the rings 74 at the base of the slots 70. When the trip member 70 is seated as shown in FIG. 6, the circular portions 79 pass over the inner edge of the ring 74 and spring back into place thereby holding the trip member 67 firmly in place in the selected slot of the programming drum.

In order that the control may be set for the proper time of day, the scheduling shaft 18 also carries an hour indicating drum 8%) which carries indicia on its periphery indicating all of the hours of the day. A pointer 81 is attached to the motor plate 7 and extends out to the indicating drum. 7

Referring in detail to the pinion shaft 19 the left-hand end of this shaft is reduced as at 19a (FIGS. 1 and 2) and extends into the motor plate 7. As shown in FIG. 3 the motor plate is formed with a slot 82 which extends substantially vertically. A torsion spring 83 is carried by a pin 84 mounted on the motor plate. One end of this spring bears against the pinion shaft 19 and urges this pinion upwardly toward engagement with the gears 52. The other end of the spring 83 bears against a suitable pin on the motor plate 7. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 10, the right-hand end of the pinion shaft 19 is also reduced and extends through a suitable slot 85 in the end plate 8. A torsion spring 86 is carried by the end plate 8 and serves to bias the right-hand end of the pinion shaft upwardly. Thus both ends of the pinion shaft in effect are mounted in yieldable bearings which permits the pinion shaft to move outwardly away from the gears 52 which the pinion shaft drives.

Operation In use the operator sets up a schedule of the desired switch operations by inserting trip members 67 in the appropriate slots in the scheduling drums 68. The user then sets the control to the correct time of day. This is done by rotating the gear train until the correct time of day on drum 3% is indicated at the time. arrow. This setting may be done by rotating the pinion shafts 19 by means of the screwdriver slot adjacent end plate 8. Alternatively, the setting may be made by rotating the large gear 96 which is adjacent to the time pointer 81. The user then adjusts the adjusting drums 54 until the desired timing on the scale shown in FIG. 12 is adjacent to pointers 91 carried by the guide disc members 53.

FIG. 3 shows the parts of one switch assembly just before being started through a cycle. At this time the trip member 67 on'the drum 68 has come into engagement with the out-turned lug 66 on the starting plate 69. The drum 63 rotates in a clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 3 and this action of the tripper 67 is starting rotation of the cam assembly in a counter-clockwise direction.

At this time the cam follower 31 is riding the top per tion 93 of the cam 46. Thus the cam follower 31 is in its lower position and the latch 32 which is carried by the cam follower, is below but not engaging with the end of the switch operator 30. The biasing spring 41 for the switch operator 36 now biases the switch blade 25 so that it makes contactwith the contact bracket 26. At this time the notch 94 of the mutilated gear 52 is ad jacent to the pinion shaft '19 and counter-clockwise rotation of the cam assembly is being accomplished solely by the trip member 67 engaging the starter plate 69.

Eventually the cam follower extension 45 will ride down the inclined portion 95 of the cam 46. The biasing action of the cam follower spring 36 causes upward movement of the cam follower 311 and this causes snap action counter-clockwise rotation of the cam assembly for bring mg the mutilated gear into engagement with the pinion shaft 19. This action feeds the gear 52 into engagement with the pinion shaft and the pinion 19 will eventually take over and start driving gear 52 counter-clock- Wise.

This same upward movement of the cam follower 31 also brings the latch 32 into engagement with the lower end of the switch operator 30. This engagement of the latch 52 with the switch operator locks the cam follower and switch operator into fixed relationship and nullifies the biasing action of the switch operator spring 41. The entire assembly of the cam follower and switch operator is now free to rotate upwardly solely by the biasing action of the cam follower spring 36. This spring 36 thus determines the tension at which the gear 52 is fed into the pinion 19. Inasmuch as the switch operator 30 now moves upwardly with the cam follower due to engagement of the latch 32 this switch operator dis engages the switch blade 25. Thus this switch blade under its bias disengages contact bracket 26 and engages contact bracket 27.

The parts are now in the positions shown in FIG. 5 and the pinion shaft will continue to rotate the cam assembly counterclockwise until it comes back to the standby position in which the mutilated section of gear 52 reaches the pinion shaft 19. At this time the pinion is no longer capable of driving the cam assembly and it stops in this position.

Before the cam shaft assembly returns to the standby position, the stop pin 53 on the adjusting drum 54 engages the latch 32 and rotates this latch clockwise as seen in FIGS. and 9. This releases the latch 32 from the switch operator 30 and the switch operator biasing spring 41 causes downward movement of this switch operator for returning the switch to the position shown in FIG. 3. It will be apparent that movement of the adjusting drum 54 changes the relationship of the stopping pin 58 with cam 46. This adjusting of the adjusting drum 54 thus determines the amount of time to elapse before the switch returns to its initial position.

The cam assembly during its cycle rotates considerably faster than the scheduling or starting disc 68. As a result, the trip members 67 which started the cycle can be in the way of the abutment 66 of the starter plate 60 as the cam assembly approaches its stand-by position. At this time, the starter plate merely cams inwardly, this being permitted by the slotted supports for this plate. The leading edge of the abutment 66 is formed as a cam surface so that this plate can cam in away from the trip member 67. During this time the spring 61 yields. After the trip member 67has traveled far enough to clear the abutment 66, the starter plate 60 returns to its active position under the bias of the spring til.

The yielding bearings for the pinion shaft 19 serves to permit any one of the cam assemblies to be advanced manually without turning the gearing and thus upsetting the time of day setting. It will be seen from an inspection of FIG. 3 that when the gear 52 is turned manually counter-clockwise, it will cam the pinion shaft 19 downwardly in its slot 82, this being permitted by yielding of the spring 83. This arrangement permits any given cam to be rotated through a cycle without disturbing other cams or the timer settings.

This yieldable bearing arrangement also avoids any possibility of the pinion shaft 19 binding with the gears 52. Thus a slight bend in the pinion shaft will have no effect as the pinion is free to cam itself away from the gear and avoid binding.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the present invention provides an extremely flexible multi-circuit timer. It will also be apparent that the adjustment for the length of time of a given cycle is independent of the adjusting means for starting or scheduling cycles. The invention also provides an arrangement for giving extremely small or short time cycles at extreme lengths of time apart. In the embodiment shown, the on period for a switch may be a small fraction of a minute and occur only once in 24 hours.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore, desired to be limited by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a multiple time control, a plurality of separate control devices arranged side by side, a plurality of separate rotatable operators one for each of said control devices, said operators being arranged side by side adjacent their respective control devices and journaled on a common axis, each of said operators having a drive gear, a pinion shaft extending parallel with the axis of said operators, and adapted to engage said drive gears for rotating said operators, and a timing motor for driving said pinion shaft.

2. In a multiple time control, a plurality of separate control devices arranged side by side, a plurality of separate rotatable operators one for each of said control devices, said operators being arranged side by side adjacent their respective control devices and journaled on a common axis, each of said operators having a drive gear, a pinion shaft extending parallel with the axis of said operators, and adapted to engage said drive gears for rotating said operators, said pinion shaft being supported at each end in yieldable bearings arranged to permit movement of the pinion shaft away from the axis of said operators to prevent binding of the pinioin shaft with said gears, and a timing motor for driving said pinion shaft.

3. In a multiple time control, a plurality of separate control devices arranged side by side, a plurality of separate rotatable operators one for each of said control devices, said operators being arranged side by side adjacent their respective control devices and journaled on a common axis, each of said operators having a drive gear, a pinion shaft extending parallel with the axis of said operators and adapted to engage said drive gears for rotating said operators, said drive gears being of the mutilated type for disengaging the pinion shaft at predetermined positions of said operators, a timing motor for driving said pinion shaft, and means for individually advancing said operatorsto re-engage the gears with the pinion shaft.

4. In a multiple time control, a plurality of separate control devices arranged side by side, a plurality of separate rotatable operators one for each of said control devices, said operators being arranged side by side adjacent their respective control devices and journaled on a common axis, each of said operators having a drive gear, apinion shaft extending parallel with the axis of said operators and adapted to engage said drive gears for rotating said operators, said drive gears being of the mutilated type for disengaging the pinion shaft at predetermined positions of said operators, a timing motor for driving said pinion shaft, means for individually advancing said operators to re-engage the gears with the pinion shaft, said pinion shaft being supported at each end in yieldable bearings arranged to permit movement of the pinion shaft away from the axis of said operators so as to prevent binding of the pinion shaft with said gears.

5. In a multiple time control, a plurality of separate control devices arranged side by side, a plurality of separate rotatable operators one for each of said control devices, said opera-tors being arranged side by side adjacent their respective control devices and journaled on a common axis, each of said operators having a drive gear, a pinion shaft extending parallel with the axis of said operators, and adapted to engage said drive gears for rotating said operators, said drive gears being of the mutilated type for disengaging the pinion shaft at predetermined positions of said operators, a timing motor for driving said pinion shaft, a starter shaft also driven by said timing motor, said starter shaft extending parallel with the axis of said operators and adjacent to said operators, said starter shaft being driven by said motor in a direction opposite to the direction in which the operators are driven by said pinion shaft, and adjustable means carried by said starter shaft for individually engaging and starting said operators in a predetermined sequence.

6. In a multiple time control, a plurality of separate control devices arranged side by side, a plurality of separate rotatable operators one for each of said control devices, said operators being arranged side by side adjacent their respective control devices and journaled on a common axis, means including a timing motor for individually driving said rotatable operators through one control cycle and stopping the same, and means for individually starting said rotatable opera-tors in a predetermined sequence.

7. In a multiple time control, a plurality of separate control devices arranged side by side, a plurality of separate rotatable operators one for each of said control devices, said operators being arranged side by side adjacent their respective control devices and journaled on a common axis, a master control shaft extending parallel with the axis of said operators and adjacent to said operators, a timing motor for driving said master control shaft, and means including said timing motor and adjustable means carried by said master control shaft for causing rotation of said rotatable operators in a predetermined sequence.

8. In a multiple time control, a plurality of separate control devices arranged side by side, a plurality of separate rotatable operators one \tor each of said control devices, said operators being arranged side by side adjacent their respective control devices and journaled on a common axis, a master control shaft extending parallel with the axis of said operators and adjacent to said operators, a timing motor for driving said master control shaft, and means including said timing motor and adjustable means carried by said master control shaft causing actuation of said control devices by said rotatable operators in a predetermined sequence.

9. In a time control, a cam, a cam follower, a control device, an operator for said control device, said cam follower and operator being pivoted on a common bearing for movement in unison and also being pivoted relative to each other to permit relative motion therebetween, a first spring for biasing said cam follower toward said cam, a second spring interposed between said cam follower and operator for biasing the operator relative to said cam vfollower, a latch between the cam follower and operator for locking them together thereby restraining said second spring, and means actuated with said cam for releasing said latch.

10. In a time control, a cam shaft, a switch including a switch blade spaced from said earn shaft and biased toward said cam shaft, a cam follower biased toward said cam shaft, a switch operator actuated by said cam follower and biased away from said cam shaft toward said switch blade with force suificient to overcome the bias of said switch blade, a latch between the cam follower and switch operator for causing the switch operator to move in unison with the cam follower when the cam follower moves toward said cam, and means actuated with the cam for releasing the latch for permitting the switch operator to move away from the cam for operating said switch blade.

11. In a multiple time control, a channel shaped base member having a main base portion and spaced leg portions, a switeh'panel having a mid portion, attached to the main base portion of said base member, a first overhanging por-tion extending beyond one side of said main base portion and a second overhanging portion extending beyond the other side of the main base portion, a series of separate switches arranged side by side on said switch panel, said switches including switch blades attached to the panel at one side thereof at one overhanging portion of said panel, said switch blades extending across the panel and cooperating with contact supports attached to the panel at the other overhanging portion thereof, a'first end plate attached to one end of the base member, a second end plate attached to the other end of said base member, a cam shaft extending between said end plates, a series of cams on said cam shaft, and means operated by said cams (for operating said switches.

References lited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/59 Harris 20038 7/63 Brock et al 2004s,

Claims (1)

1. IN A MULTIPLE TIME CONTROL, A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE CONTROL DEVICES ARRANGED SIDE BY SIDE, A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE ROTATABLE OPERATORS ONE FOR EACH OF SAID CONTROL DEVICES, SAID OPERATIONS BEING ARRANGED SIDE BY SIDE ADJACENT THEIR RESPECTIVE CONTROL DEVICES AND JOURNALED ON A COMMON AXIS, EACH OF SAID OPERATORS HAVING A DRIVE GEAR, A PINION SHAFT EXTENDING PARALLEL WITH THE AXIS OF SAID OPERATORS, AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID DRIVE GEARS FOR ROTATING SAID OPERATORS, AND A TIMING MOTOR FOR DRIVING SAID PINION SHAFT.

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