U.S. patent number 3,758,734 [Application Number 05/146,132] was granted by the patent office on 1973-09-11 for sequential switch means with a linearly movable and rotatable actuator means.
Invention is credited to Klaus W. Gartner.
United States Patent |
3,758,734 |
Gartner |
September 11, 1973 |
SEQUENTIAL SWITCH MEANS WITH A LINEARLY MOVABLE AND ROTATABLE
ACTUATOR MEANS
Abstract
The sequential signal producing means has a housing including a
back wall mounting a row of a desired number of individual push
button switches, and including a mating, open backed cover with a
front longitudinal slot, and with a like number of upper windows; a
slider assembly of a knob plate with a rectangular sleeve extending
through the slot and secured to an inner plate to be thereby
slideably mounted to the housing for movement along the slot; a
strip spring coiled at one end, anchored to the housing at the one
end, secured to the sleeve of the slider assembly mid-way thereof,
and extended along the slot to be collected in a tube adjacent the
other end of the slot to bias the slider assembly toward the one
end to a ready position, a spring ball in the inner plate for
dropping into one of a like number of indentations in the housing
to precisely locate the slider assembly in a respective distinct
position along the slot; an arm on the inner plate for blocking the
window corresponding to the distinct position of the slider
assembly; a knob with a shaft extending through the sleeve of the
slider assembly to locate an eccentric over the row of switches to
depress an aligned push button upon rotation of the knob to an
operating position; a shoulder from the inner plate extending into
an arcuate slot in the knob to limit rotation thereof; a torsion
spring from the shaft to the inner plate to bias the knob to a
non-operating position; a spring ball in the knob which drops into
an identation in the knob plate to temporarily hold the knob in
non-operating position, and a switch on the housing operated by
movement of the knob away from a ready position to energize the
switches whereby when the knob is located in a respective distinct
position and is rotated, a respective switch is operated, upon a
patterned movement between distinct positions and upon rotation in
these positions, to produce a sequential signal for being sent to a
means for discriminately receiving a sequential signal.
Inventors: |
Gartner; Klaus W. (Palos Verdes
Peninsula, CA) |
Family
ID: |
22515972 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/146,132 |
Filed: |
May 24, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
200/5R; 200/4;
267/156 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01H
25/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01H
25/00 (20060101); H01h 009/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;340/365
;200/18,153T,5R,5E,16R,16C,1R,153K,166SD,153W,4 ;317/112
;267/156 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Truhe; J. V.
Assistant Examiner: Vanderhye; Robert A.
Claims
I claim:
1. In a sequence switch mechanism including a manually movable
actuator means for movement between distinct positions associated
with a housing having sensing means mounted thereto, the
improvement comprising:
first means for mounting the actuator means to the housing for
movement linearly along the housing in a non-operating relation to
the sensing means, said first means including a longitudinal slot
in the housing and means mounting said actuator means for
longitudinal movement in said slot including a pair of inner and
outer sleeves located on the inner and outer surface of the housing
slot; and
second means associated with said first means for mounting said
actuator for relative rotation between a non-operating position not
operating the sensing means and an operating position operating the
sensing means, said second means including means for mounting said
actuator means for rotational movement in said slot including the
provision of a central bore in the sleeve through which said
actuator means extends to be rotatably mounted in said slot, said
actuator means being thereby movable linearly to a preselected
distinct position while in the non-operating position and then
being rotatable from the non-operating position to the operating
position for operating the preselected sensing means.
2. In a sequence switch mechanism including a manually movable
actuator means for movement between distinct positions associated
with a housing having sensing means mounted thereto, the
improvement comprising;
first means for mounting the actuator means to the housing for
movement linearly along the housing in non-operating relation to
the sensing means associated with said housing, said first means
including a longitudinal slot in the housing through which the
actuator means extends for longitudinal movement and for relative
rotation; and
second means associated with said first means for mounting said
actuator means for relative rotation between a non-operating
position not operating the sensing means and an operating position
operating the sensing means; and
said actuator means including a knob, a shaft mounted to the knob
and extending through said slot to the sensing means, and wherein
said first mounting means includes a knob plate between said knob
and said housing, said knob plate having a sleeve extending through
a slot with said shaft passing through said sleeve, and an inner
plate on the inner side of the sleeve inside the housing, said
plates sliding on the housing to mount the knob and shaft for both
linear movement and rotational movement in said slot, said actuator
means being thereby movable linearly to a preselected distinct
position while in the non-operating position and then being rotated
from the non-operating position to the operating position for
operating the preselected sensing means.
3. In a sequence switch mechanism including a manually movable
actuator means for movement between distinct positions associated
with a housing having sensing means mounted thereto, the
improvement comprising:
first means for mounting the actuator means to the housing for
movement linearly along the housing in non-operating relation to
the sensing means, said first means including a longitudinal slot
in the housing through which said actuator means extends for
longitudinal and rotational movement;
second means associated with said first means for mounting said
actuator means for relative rotation between a non-operating
position not operating the sensing means and an operating position
operating the sensing means;
longitudinal biasing means for biasing said actuator means towards
one end of said slot including a strip spring attached to the
housing in a coil adjacent one end thereof and extending to the
other end of the housing, said actuator means being mounted to the
spring such that movement of said actuator means along the slot
away from one end unwinds the spring and upon release of said
actuator means the spring rewinds to return said actuator means to
the one end of said slot, and strip spring collector means provided
in said housing adjacent the opposite end of the slot for
collecting the end of the spring adjacent thereto as said actuator
means is moved along said slot toward the opposite end thereof,
whereby said actuator means may be moved against the spring biased
linearly to a preselected distinct position while in the
non-operating position and then may be rotated to the operating
position for operating a preselected sensing means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to means for producing a sequential signal
to open an electrically controlled lock and more particularly to an
actuator means therefore which is linearly movable between distinct
positions and which is rotatable between operating and
non-operating positions in each distinct position.
This invention is related to the invention shown in my co-pending
patent application Ser. No. 116,909 filed Feb. 19, 1971 and
entitled SEQUENTIAL SIGNAL PRODUCING MEANS.
The means of this invention uses a linear movement as one mode of
movement and rotational movement as the other mode of movement to
produce the sequential signal. By selecting such modes of movement,
the sequential signals producing means provides not only all the
advantages of the previous invention but in addition some very new
and desirable advantages which will become apparent from a reading
of the specification hereafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Therefore it is the primary object of this invention to provide a
sequential signal producing means with linearly movable and
rotatable actuator means.
Other and additional objects of this invention are to provide such
an actuate means for a sequential signal producing means which is
easiy movable between distinct positions, which is automatically
energized upon movement from a ready position, which is movable
along a slot which is closed to permit foreign objects from
entering the means, which permits the use of rows of switches,
which simply indicates the distinct positions and the rotative
positions, which is biased to the normal positions, which indicates
its positions relative a housing and which is economical to
manufacturer, inexpensive to assemble, and easy to use to provide a
long and useful life of security.
Generally, the improvement in a means for producing a sequential
signal to be sent to a means for discriminately receiving a
sequential signal includes means for movably mounting an actuator
means in a housing in association with a sensing means for linear
movement along the housing and for rotation relative the housing,
the actuator means moving linearly between distinct positions and
rotating between an operating position and a non-operating position
to operate the sensing means in a preselected pattern to produce
the sequential signal. The sensing means may be switches mounted in
the housing in a row. The actuator means may include a knob with
shaft having an eccentric. The mounting means may include a knob
plate, a sleeve and an inner plate to slideably and rotatably mount
the actuator means. Linear biasing means, such as a strip spring,
and rotational biasing means, such as a torsion spring, may be
provided. Detent means such as spring biased balls and indentations
may be provided for temporarily maintaining a position of the
actuator means. Indicating means may be provided for indicating the
position of the actuator means and energizing means may be provided
for energizing the sensing means automatically upon movement of the
actuator means from a ready position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a partially broken away, front elevational view of the
sequential signal producing means with a linearly movable and
rotatable actuator means, according to this invention, which is
shown in a ready position.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane II--II of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane III--III of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a partially broken away fragmentary, front elevational
view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the actuator means in a distinct
position and rotated to an operating position.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the plane
V--V of FIG. 3 showing the eccentric of the actuator means in the
non-operating position over the switch means.
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but showing the eccentric
rotated to an operating position to depress a respective push
button of the switch means.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1, the
sequential signal producing means according to this invention is
generally denoted by the number 10. The preselected sequential
signal produced by the means 10 is to be sent to a means for
discriminately receiving a sequential signal (not shown) to perform
a desired function such as unlock a door, energize a machine,
etc.
Generally the means 10, according to this invention, includes a
hollow housing 15 with a back wall 16, a mating cover 20 and
attaching means 25 securing the two together; a sensing means 30
for generating the signal, an actuator means 40 for linear movement
from a ready positions to and between distinct positions and for
rotation between non-operating and operating positions to operate
the sensing means; mounting means 55 including linear mounting
means 60 for mounting the actuator means 40 for linear movement,
with linear biasing means 70, linear detent means 80 and linear
indicating means 90 associated therewith and including rotational
mounting means 100 for mounting the actuator means 40 for
rotational movement, with rotational limit means 105, rotational
biasing means 110, and rotational detent means 115 associated
therewith; and energizing means 125 for selectively energizing the
sensing means 30.
Referring now to FIG. 3, the hollow housing 15 has a back wall 16
of generally rectangular shape with a flat back side for mounting
flush with a wall (not shown) of a building, machine, etc. The
open-backed cover 20 has a front wall 21 and integral therewith,
four sloping sidewalls 22 which together form a rearwardly opening
cavity closed by the back wall 16. The back wall 16 seats on
shoulders 23 formed in the sidewalls 22 adjacent the rear edges
thereof. The attaching means 25 for attaching the back wall 16 to
be cover 20 includes counter sunk holes 26 in the back wall 16 and
tapped holes 27 in the sloping sidewalls 22 into which flat head
screws 28 extend.
The sensing means 30 for sensing a respective distinct position of
the actuator means 40 when the actuator means is in a respective
distinct position and is rotated to the operating position includes
a source of energy and a receiver of energy, both of which are
included a switch 31 in each of the distinct positions. The switch
31 includes a generally box shaped housing 32 with a pair of holes
33 therethrough and a push button 34 on the upper end thereof. The
housings 32, each have wires running thereto and therefrom to carry
an electrical signal but these wires have been omitted from the
drawings for sake of clarity.
The mounting means 35 for mounting the housing 32 on the back wall
16 includes the provision of a spaced pair of end walls 36 integral
with the back wall 16 and having spaced holes 37 therein. An
apertured top wall 38 is integrally formed in the back wall 16 and
extends between the end walls 36 to form a housing receiving cavity
in which the housing 32 are mounted by cross bolts 39 extending
through the holes 37 and 33. When the housings 32 are mounted in
the cavity as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the buttons 34 extend up
through the apertures in the top wall 38 ready to be depressed by
the actuator means 40.
The actuator means 40 for association with the sensing means 30 is
best seen in FIG. 3 and includes a knob 41, a shaft 45 and an
eccentric 50. The knob 41 is generally rectangular in cross section
with scooped sides to make it easier to grasp. The knob 41 has an
inwardly opening central bore 42 which is joined at its inner end
to a tapped hole 43 with a set screw 44 therein. The shaft 45 is of
a diameter to be snugly received in the central bore 42 with the
end inserted therein being flatted at 46 to lockingly receive the
set screw 44 while the inner end 47 protrudes from the knob 41. An
eccentric 50 is mounted on the inner end 47 of the shaft and as
seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 includes a blade 51 with the shaft 45
attached thereto at 52 to provide an actuating end 53 for
depressing a respective push button 34 of a switch 31. As seen by
compring FIGS. 5 and 6, upon rotation of the knob 41 and shaft 45
thereby from the non-operating position to the operating position
while in a respective distinct position, the end 53 depresses a
respective push button 34. The knob 41 the shaft 46 and the
eccentric 50 are mounted in the housing 15 for movement by mounting
means 55.
The mounting means 55 for mounting the actuator means 40 to the
housing 15 in association with the sensing means 30 includes the
provision of a longitudinal slot 56 formed in the front wall 21.
Further, the mounting means 55 can be divided into a portion which
provides a linear mode of movement i.e., a linear movement mounting
means 60 for mounting the actuator means 40 to the housing 15 for
linear movement between the distinct positions and into a portion
which provides a rotational mode of movement i.e., a rotational
movement mounting means 100 for mounting the actuator means 40 to
the housing 15 for rotational movement between the non-operating
and operating positions relative the sensing means 30. Both
portions necessarily include means which relate to the type of
movement provided and these means will be described in conjunction
with the description of the mounting means providing the particular
type movement to which they relate.
In the preferred embodiment, the linear movement mounting means 60
includes a slider assembly 61 which is slideably mounted on the
front wall 21 for movement along the slot 56. The slider assembly
61 has an outer or knob plate 62 of a shape to blend with the knob
41. The plate 62 has a rectangular sleeve 63 extending rearwardly
therefrom. The rectangular sleeve 63 is of the proper dimension to
be slideably inserted through the slot 56. When the knob plate 62
is adjacent the outside of the front wall 21, the sleeve 63 extends
through the slot 56 and through an inner plate 64 on the inside of
the front wall 21. The shaft 45 has a disk shaped shoulder 65 which
maintains the inner plate 64 on the sleeve 63 while the shaft 45
extends through a central bore 66 in the sleeve 63 to be secured to
the knob 41 by the set screw 44. Thus, the actuator means 40 is
slidably mounted for linear movement along the slot 56 between the
distinct positions.
The actuator means 40, in the preferred embodiment, is biased to
the left end of the slot 56 to a ready position by a longitudinal
biasing means 70. As best seen in FIG. 2, the longitudinal biasing
means 70 of the preferred embodiment includes a strip spring 71
with an initially coiled left end 72 and an initially straight
right end 73. The left end 72 is anchored by a pin 74 extending
from the cover 20 and extends along the slot 56. The spring 71 has
a hole 75 therein through which the sleeve 63 of the slider
assembly 61 extends to be mounted thereto. The right end 73 of the
spring 71 is located at the right end of the slot 56 for being
received in a collector means 76. The illustrative collector means
76 is a cylindrical tube 77 mounted to the cover 20 and having a
vertical slot 78 into which the right end 73 extends.
The coiled left end 72 of the spring 71 biases the slider assembly
61 and the actuator means 40 carried thereby to a ready position,
as shown in FIG. 2. The knob 41 of the actuator means 40 is
manually grasp and slid to the right to a distinct position, such
as is shown in FIG. 4, whereupon the coiled left end 72 of the
spring 71 unwinds while the right end 73 extends into the tube 77
to be loosely coiled therein. Upon release of the knob 41, the
coiled left end 72 returns to its coiled state to return the slider
assembly 61 to the ready position and pulling the right portion of
the spring 71 from the tube 77. It should be noted that at all
times, the strip spring 71 keeps the slot 56 closed to keep foreign
material out of the housing 15.
A longitudinal detent means 80 is provided for precisely locating
the actuator means 40 in each of the distinct positions. In the
preferred embodiment, the longitudinal detent means 80 includes the
provision of an enlargement 81 on the lower end of the inner plate
64. The enlargement 81 has an outwardly opening bore 82 into which
is received a spring 83 and a ball 84. An indentation 85 is
provided on the inside surface of the front wall 21 adjacent the
location of the ball 84 when the eccentric 50 of the actuator means
40 is aligned with a corresponding switch 31 of the sensing means
30. As the actuator means 40 is moved longitudinally along the slot
56, the ball 84 will be biased by the spring 83 to drop into each
indentation 85 and precisely locate the actuator means at the exact
position of each of the distinct positions.
An indicating means 90 is provided for indicating in which of the
distinct positions the actuator means 40 is located. In the
preferred embodiment, the indicating means 90 includes the
provision of a hole 91 in the upper side wall 22 which corresponds
to each distinct position of the actuator means 40. As seen in FIG.
1, the holes 91 are staggered in two rows and are filled with clear
or translucent plastic to provide windows 92. The housing 15
contains a light (not shown) therein which emits light rays through
the windows 92. An arm 93 is mounted to the inner plate 64 to
extend along the inside of upper side wall 22 of the cover 20 and
block the window 92 which corresponds to the location of the
actuator means 40 and thereby indicate the position of the actuator
means 40.
Thus, the actuator means 40 is mounted to the housing 15 by the
longitudinal movement mounting means 60 for linear movement between
distinct positions whose precise location established by the detent
means 80 and which location is indicated by an indicating means 90
while the actuator means 40 is biased to a ready position by the
longitudinal biasing means 70. Besides this linear movement, the
actuator means 40 also requires rotational movement between
non-operating and operating positions to operate the sensing means
30.
The rotational movement mounting means 100 of the mounting means 55
is for mounting the actuator means 40 for rotational movement
between non-operating and operating position relative the sensing
means 30. In the preferred embodiment, the rotational movement
mounting means 100 includes the provision of the shaft 45 which
extends through the central bore 66 of the rectangular sleeve 63 to
rotate therein.
A rotational limit means 105 is provided for limiting the rotation
of the actuator means 40 to movement between the non-operating and
operating positions. In the preferred embodiment the limit means
105 includes, as best seen in FIG. 4, the provision of a protruding
shoulder 106 on the knob plate 62 which protrudes into an arcuate
slot 107 in the knob 41 to limit the rotation of the knob 41.
In order to bias the actuator means 40 to the non-operating
position, a rotational biasing means 110 is provided. In the
preferred embodiment, the rotational biasing means 110 includes a
hole 111 in shaft 45 into which one end of a torsion spring 112
extends while the other end of the spring 112 seats against the arm
93 to exert a counter-clockwise biasing on the shaft 45 and thereby
bias the actuator means 40 and the eccentric 50 thereof, to the
non-operating position of FIG. 1.
To help the biasing means 110 hold the actuator means 40 in the
non-operating position, a rotational detent means 115 is provided
which in the preferred embodiment includes an inwardly opening bore
116 in the knob. The bore 116 contains a spring 117 with a ball 118
on the end thereof. An indentation 119 is provided in the knob
plate 62, aligned with the ball 118 when the knob 41 is in the
non-operating position enabling the ball 118 to be moved by the
spring 117 into the indentation 119 and thereby temporarily hold
the knob 41 in the non-operating position. Manual rotation of the
knob 41 to the operating position against the biasing of spring 113
moves the ball 117 out of the indentation 119 and release of the
knob 41 permits the biasing of the spring 113 to return the knob 41
to the non-operating position whereupon the ball 117 drops into the
indentation 119.
The means 10 is provided with energizing means 125 for energizing
the sensing means 30 to make it ready to sense the position of the
actuator means 40. The energizing means 125 could be a manually
operated switch but in the preferred embodiment, the energizing
means 125 includes a normally closed switch 126 which, as seen in
FIG. 3, is mounted to the back wall 16. The normally closed switch
126 includes a push button 127 which is biased by spring 128
outwardly into engagement with the arm 93 to be depressed thereby
when the actuator means 40 is located in the ready position. As the
actuator means 40 is moved from the ready position, the arm 93 is
moved away from the push button 127, permitting the spring 128 to
move the button 127 to the normal position to close the switch 126
and energizes the switches 31 of the sensing means 30 and the light
of the indicating means 90. When the actuator means 40 is returned
to the ready position, the arm 93 depresses the button 127 to
deenergize the switches 31 and the light of the indicating means
90.
When the means 10 is assembled, mounted and operably connected to a
means (not shown) for discriminately receiving a sequential signal,
the operation of the means 10 is very simple. The knob 41 is grasp
and moved longitudinally against the biasing of the strip spring 71
from the ready position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, which
automatically closes switch 126 to energize the switches 31. The
knob 41 is moved to a preselected distinct position, such as shown
in FIG. 4, wherein the ball 84 drops into the indentation 85 to
precisely locate the knob 41 in that distinct position. The knob 41
is then rotated from the non-operating position, as is shown in 1,
2, 3 and 5 against the biasing of the torsion spring 112, to the
operating position, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. The rotation of the
knob 41 pivots the eccentric 50 from the position of FIG. 5 to the
position of FIG. 6 to operate the corresponding respective switch
31 and generate a signal. The knob 41 is then, returned by the
spring 112 to the non-operating position wherein the ball 118 drops
into indentation 119 to help hold the knob 41 while the knob 41 is
moved to another preselected position for rotation to the operating
position. The repetition of these steps produces the preselected
sequential signal for being sent to the receiving means. After the
sequential signal is produced, the knob 41 is returned by the strip
spring 71 to the ready position which opens the switch 126 to
deenergize the switches 31 until the knob 41 is again moved.
Thus, the means 10 according to this invention provides actuator
means which is linearly movable and rotatable to generate a
sequential signal for being sent to a means for discriminately
receiving this signal.
* * * * *