US2267394A - Switch operating means - Google Patents

Description

'Dec. 23, 1941. w BUTLER 2,267,394

SWITCH OPERATING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet l William Lawrence Butler,

b x MW Ha /Attorney.

Dec. 23, 1941. w. L. BUTLER SWITCH OPERATING MEANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug; 27, 1940 A Invefitor: William Lawrence Butler 7 51 JM/M Attorney.

Dec. 23, 1941. w BUTLER 2,267,394

SWITCH OPERATING MEANS Filed Aug. 2'7, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 Inventor: William Lawrence Butler;

b H's Attorrwey.

Patented Dec. 23, 1941 SWITCH OPERATING MEANS William Lawrence Butler, Schenectady, N. Y. assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application August 27, 1940, Serial No. 354,400

18 Claims.

,My invention relates to switch-operating .means and particularly to means for sequentially and intermittently operating a plurality of switches.

In the application of electric motors to various machinery, and particularly to printing press drives, it is desirable to provide control means capable of controlling the motor speed in very small increments. For this purpose, wound-rotor induction motors have been used in the manner illustrated in Patent 2,083,531, Jones, filed November 28, 1936, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. In the arrangement illustrated in the Jones patent, corresponding sections of the three-phase resistor are simultaneously controlled by the switchoperating mechanism. It has been found that control of speed in even smaller increments may be obtained if corresponding sections of resistance in the three-phase resistor are removed or inserted sequentially rather than simultaneously. In prior arrangements, it has also been customary to control the motor resistance by means of relays energized through a switch of small capacity. It has been found more desirable to control the resistance directly through the contacts of the speed-regulating switch wherever this is possible.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide sequentially operating snap-acting means for driving a plurality of switch-operating members.

It is a further object of my invention to provide such a snap-acting sequentially operating drivemeans with self-operated disabling means effective after a predetermined number of switching operations.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a lost-motion connection operable upon each reversal of direction of switch operation in order to permit the switch last operated in the time sequence to operate first in reversed sequence.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a notching mechanism for controlling each switchoperating shaft. Each notching mechanism includes a spring biased pawl cooperating with a star wheel. A pair of spring-biased levers are crossed at their pivot point and are biased apart by a compression spring. A driving gear driven from a source of energy through a geared transmission is provided with a pin for engaging one of the spring-biased levers. A second pin attached to the star wheel engages the other spring-biased lever. In operation, the driving gear, through its pin, stores energy in the compression spring while the star wheel and its pin are temporarily held in position by the cooperating pawl to prevent movement of the other pivoted lever. When the pin on the driving wheel has compressed the spring to such an extent that the pivoted levers are in alignment at their points of engagement with the pins, a positive driving connection is formed between the driving pin and the pin on the star wheel. Through this positive driving connection, the pawl is forced to release the star wheel and allow it to rotate to its next notching position.

For a more complete understanding of my invention, reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment of my invention, in which Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a switch-operating mechanism embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lost-motion mechanism and limit switch shown at the top of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side View taken in section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the spring-biased snap-acting arms shown in perspective in Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a simplified circuit diagram of the electrical connections for the pilot motor.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1, a reversible pilot motor I0 is permanently connected to a drive shaft II through gears I2 and I3, a shaft I4, a worm I5, and a worm wheel I6. The shaft II is provided at one end with a worm I! meshing with a worm wheel I8 for driving, through a hollow shaft I9, a plurality of gears 20, 2I, 22, and 23. The upper end of the shaft II is connected through a lost-motion mechanism 24 to a limit switch assembly 25. The lost-motion mechanism 24 and the limit switch assembly 25 will be more fully described hereinafter. A plurality of switchoperating shafts 26, 21, and 28 are located in alignment with driving shafts 29, 39, and 3I which carry the gears 2|, 22, and 23, respectively. The shafts 26, 21, and 28 are each provided with a plurality of cams 32, 33, and 34 for operating motor-controlling switches in any desired timed sequence. A notching mechanism is associated with each switch- operating shaft 26, 21, and 28. The notching mechanism comprises star wheels 40, 4|, and 42 fixedly attached to the shafts 26, 21, and 28, respectively, and spring-biased pawls 43, 44 and 45. Spring-biased energy-storing means 46, 41, and 48 are arranged intermittently to connect the shafts 29 and 26, and 30 and 21, and 3| and 28, respectively.

For purposes of simplicity and clarity, only one of three similar switch-operating mechanisms will be described in detail. By way of i1- lustration, the snap-acting mechanism connecting shafts 29 and 26 will be described. The energy-storing means 46 is located between the gear 2i and the star wheel 48 and comprises a pair of crossed levers and 5| loosely mounted upon the shaft 26 at a pivot point 52. A compression spring 53 engages the abutments 54 and 55 of the levers 58 and 5|, respectively to bias the levers to a normal position of angular sep'a ration. The lever 50 is provided with lugs 56, 56a and 51, while the lever 5| carries lugs 58, 59 and 59a. A pin 60 is fixed in the gear 21 at BI and engages the lugs 56 and 58, while a pin 62 is fixed to the star wheel 48 at 63 and engages the lugs 51 and 59. The star wheel 49 has a serrated periphery 65 adapted to engage an antifriction member 66 pivotally mounted upon the pawl 43. The antifriction member 66 is biased to a normal position in engagement with the serrated periphery 65 of thestar wheel 48 by the spring 68. The pawl 43 is pivoted at one end to a portion I9 of the frame or base upon which the switch is mounted, while the spring 68 resiliently connects the other end of the pawl 43 to a portion 180, of the frame. Similarly one end of the pawl 44 is pivoted to the frame at 18a. while the other end of the pawl is biased into engagement with the star wheel 4| by a spring I I. The spring 1! and one end of the pawl 45 are pivotally connected to the frame at 101), while a spring 12, fastened to the frame at 15, biases the pawl 45 into engagement with the periphery ofthe star wheel 42.

In operation, when the pilot motor 18 is started, it rotates the gear 2! through the geared transmission comprising the gears l2 and IS, the

' shaft M, the worm 15, the worm wheel l6, the

shaft H, the worm I1, the worm wheel I8, the hollow shaft l9, and the gears 28-anol 2|. Assuming a counterclockwise rotation of the gear 2 I, the pin 68 engages the lug 58 androtates the arm 55 counterclockwise about the pivot point 52 and against the force of the spring 53. At this time, movement of the lever 58 and its spring abutment 54 is prevented by engagement of the lug 51 with the pin 62, which is fixed in the star wheel 46. The star wheel 49 is prevented from moving while the spring 53 is compressed due to the spring-pressed engagement of the antifriction member 66 with the serrated periphery 85 of the star wheel. As the spring 53 is compressed by the movement of the lug 58 in the counterclockwise direction, a point isreached where the lugs 51 and 58 come into alignment.

In this condition, the spring 53 is fully wound,

and a positive driving connection is formed between the pin 68 and the pin 62 through the stop formed by the now aligned lugs 51 and 58. An energy-storing mechanism in this wound-up condition is illustrated at 48. When such positive driving connection is formed, continued rotation of the gear 2! and the pin 68 forces the pin 62 to move'the star wheel 48. The movement of the star wheel 40 forces the antifriction member 66 out of its notch in the star wheel. As soon as the antifriction member 66 is free of the star wheel, the spring 53 expands and releases its energy to move the lever 58 and the lug 51 in a counterclockwise direction. At this time,

movement of the lever 5| and the lug 58 in a clockwise direction is prevented by positive engagement of the lug 58 with the pin 66. Counterclockwise movement of the lug 51 under the influence of the spring 53 takes place at a greater rate than the continuing counterclockwise movement of the lever 5| and the lug 58 under the influence of the pin 60. The energy-storing mechanism 46, therefore, again assumes its deenergized position in which the lugs 51 and 58 are angularly displaced. The movement of the lug 51 under the influence of the spring 53 causes continued rotation of the star wheel 48 until -the spring-biased antifriction member 66 comes into engagement with the next notch of the serrated periphery 65.

.By the means described above, the shaft 26 has been moved through one step of its switchoperating sequence in one direction. The operaassociated springs 82 and 83.

tion of the shaft 26 in the other direction takes place in response to the reversal of the pilot motor ID. The reverse operation of the shaft 26 is analogous to the forward operation just described except that the lugs 56, 59a. and 59, 56a, come into operation in place of the lugs 51 and 58, respectively.

While the operation of the shaft 26 as described above has been taking place, the shaft 29 has also been rotating the gears 22 and 23.

These latter gears through their attached pins 88 and 8!, respectively, have been winding their The angular location in which the pins 60, 80, and 8| are set in the gears 2!, 22, and 23, respectively, is such that th energy-storing means 46, 41, and 48 are caused to act successively. The energy-storing means 46, 41, and. 48, therefore, have been shown in Fig. 1 in successive stages of their operating sequence. As shown, the energy-storing means 48 is just about to be released to r0- tate the shaft 28, the energy-storing means 41 is in an intermediate stage of compression, and the energy-storing means 46 is shown completely deenergized.

The gear ratio between the shafts H and I9 is such that three revolutions of the shaft II are required to operate any one energy-storing means through a complete cycle, for instance, from the deenergized position of 46 back to that same deenergized position. It will, therefore, be apparent that one of the energy-storing means 46, 41, or 48 will be released at each single revolution of the shaft II. A limit switch assembly 25 is provided to stop the rotation of the motor I6 after the shaft H has completed one revolution. Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the assembly 25 consists of two separate'limit switches 85 and 86 associated with cams 81 and 88, respectively.

The switch 85 controls the pilot motor l0 in one direction of its rotation independently of the switch 86, while the switch 86 independently controls the pilot motor H] in the other direction of its rotation. The switches 85 and 86 comprise resilient contact members 89, 98, 9|, and 92 mounted upon supporting posts 93 and 94. The members 98 and 92 are biased toward the cams 81 and 88 respectively. The cams 81 and 88 are shown as consisting of a plurality of cylinders 95 mounted between disks 96. The cylinder assembly of each cam is provided with a single depression into which resilient members 90 or 92 may fall once each revolution of the cams to open switches 85 and 88, respectively. To form the depression two adjacent cylinders on each cam are omitted.

As previously mentioned, the cams 81 and 88 are; driven from the shaft H through a lost-motion connection 24. Referring particularly to attached thereto.

2,267,894 Figs. 1 and 3, a sleeve I is loosely mounted on the shaft II and carries an arm IIII fixedly The cams 81 and 88 are fixedly attached to the sleeve I00 by means of disks 96 which are rigidly secured to the sleeve I00. The disks 96 are preferably made of a suitable welded electrically insulating material, such as a phenolic condensation product. A gear I02 is keyed upon the shaft II and meshes with a gear I03 rotatably mounted upon a pivot pin I04 set in the arm I05. A lug I05 fixedly attached to a small gear I00 is mounted upon pivot pin I04 and held in position by a nut I01. A second lug I05a, similar in construction to the lug I05, and having a second small gear I06a fixed thereto may also be mounted upon the pin I04. The provision of the two lugs I05 and I05a permits adjustment of the angle between them and thereby the selection of a desired degree of lost motion. In operation shaft II may rotate gear I03 with respect to arm IOI until the lug I05 or the lug I 05a comes in contact with projection I 08 of shaft II. Engagement of the projection I08 with the lug I05 Or the lug I05a prevents further relative rotation of gears I02 and I03. A positive driving connection is thus formed between shaft II and sleeve I00. This driving connection may be followed from the shaft II through the gear I02, the gear I03, the pivot pin I04, the lug I05 or the lug I05a to the sleeve I00 and thus to the cams 01 and 88. So long as the shaft II continues to rotate in the same direction, the driving connection remains positive. Upon reversal of direction of rotation of the shaft II, however, the arm I0! remains stationary for such time as is required to rotate the gear I03 and the lugs I 05 and I05a until one of the lugs engages the other side of the projection I08. In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, two revolutions of the shaft I I will be permitted upon reversal before the arm IOI begins to rotate the sleeve I00. The shaft I I then makes one more complete revolution before it is stopped by the cam switch 25.

I The lost-motion connection described above is necessary upon the reversal of direction of operation of my sequentially operating switch in order to avoid the necessity of starting the pilot motor I0 three times before any switch will operate. When a sequentially operating switch of the type disclosed in the present embodiment of my invention is reversed, it is necessary that the switch last operated in the forward direction be the first to operate in the reverse direction. Referring to Fig. 2 the switch last operated is that driven by the shaft 26 and the energy-storing means 45. Assuming that the energy-storing means 45 has just been operated in the counterclockwise direction and it is now desired to reverse the direction of operation, it will be recalled that it required three revolutions of the shaft II to bring any energy-storing means from its completely deenergized position through a single operating sequence and back to its deenergized position. During these three revolutions of the shaft I I, the completely wound spring 83 and the partially wound spring 02 are being gradually unwound while the spring 53 is being wound. When the spring 53 is completely wound in the reverse direction, the spring 82 will be partially wound in this direction, and the spring 83 will be completely deenergized. However, without the lost-motion connection 24 described above, it would have been necessary to start the motor I'D three times before any switch would operate in the reverse direction. This would be due to the fact that the limit switches 05 and 05 are arranged to stop the motor I0 after each single revolution of the shaft II. Through the lost-motion connection 24, however, reverse operation of the shaft II through two revolutions is permitted before the cams 81 and begin to rotate. Once the cams 81 and 80 begin to rotate in the reverse direction, operation proceeds in the normal manner without any lost motion.

My invention also provides means for limiting to any predetermined extent the degree of rotation of the shafts 26, 21, and 28. The extent of the rotation of shafts 26, 21, and 28 determines the extent to which the speed of the main control motor is changed. The maximum speed of the main motor may be limited by limiting the degree of rotation of the shafts 26, 21, and 28 in one direction, while the minimum speed of the main motor may be predetermined by limiting the degree of rotation of these shafts in the other direction. In order to predetermine the extent to which switch-operating shafts 25, 21, and 28 are rotated, one of the shafts 29, 30, or 3I, for example shaft 29, is provided with a loosely mounted cam I I0 which engages a limit switch III. The limit switch II is connected in circuit with the pilot motor I0 in such a manner that the pilot motor I0 is completely disabled upon the opening of the switch III. The circuit connections of the motor I0 will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to Fig. 5. In the assembly for the limit switch I I I, an arm I I2 is fixedly attached to the shaft 29 and provided with a removable pin I I3. The pin I I3 is adapted to engage any one of a plurality of holes H4 in the cam II 0. Since the cam H0 is loosely mounted upon the shaft 29, it will be apparent that the cam may be fixed to the shaft in any desired angular position by means of the arm I I2 and the pin II 3. The cam surface II5 on the cam H0 is adapted to engage a lug IIS upon an operating arm II1 of the switch III. The operating arm H1 is biased into engagement with the surface of cam IIO by means of a spring H8, one end of which abuts a portion H9 of the frame upon which the switch is mounted. The cam surface H5 is of such configuration that the switch III is opened once during each revolution of the cam. Since the cam I I0 may be adjusted on the shaft 20, the angle through which the shaft 20 and consequently the shafts 26, 21, and 28 rotate, may be predetermined.

Referring now to Fig. 5, I have shown by way of example one possible arrangement for the control circuits and limit switches associated with the pilot motor I 0. A pair of field coils I200. and I20?) of the motor I0 are adapted to drive the motor in forward and reverse directions respectively. The circuit for coil I20a may be traced from the wire I20 through the limit switch III, the contacts I22 of a relay I23 and the coil I20a to the wire I2I. The circuit for the coil I202) may be traced from the wire I20 through the limit switch III, the contacts I24 of a relay I25 and the coil I2-0lr to the wire I2I. An operating coil I20 of the relay I25 is connected across the supply wires I20 and I2I through a circuit which may be followed from the supply wire I20 through the limit switch III, the push button I21, the coil I20, and the wire I28 to the wire I2I. The push button I21 is shunted by a limit switch 85. The coil I29 of relay I 23 is connected across the supply wires I20 and I2I through a circuit which may be followed from the supply wire I26 through the limit switch III, the push button I30, the coil I29, and the wire I28 to'the wire I2I. The push button I30 is shunted by a limit switch 86. In operation, any desired direction of rotation of the motor It may be selected by depressing one or the other of the push buttons I21 and I30. If the push button I39, for example, is depressed, a circuit is completed for the operating coil I29 of the relay I23. The relay I23 thereupon picks up and completes an operating circuit for the motor II! through contacts I22 and limit switch III. As soon as motor III begins to rotate, the cam 88 closes the limit switch 86 to complete a shunt circuit for the push button I39. Only momentary closure of the push button I30 is, therefore, necessary to set the motor ID into operation. As previously pointed out, after the motor III has rotated the shaft II through one complete revolution, the cam 88 opens the circuit of the pilot motor IE1 at the contacts I22. For operation of the motor II! in the reverse direction, the push button I2'I, the limit switch 85, and the relay I25 operate in a manner analogous to that of the push button I30, the limit switch 36, and the relay I23 previously described.

Referring now to Fig. 1, I have shown means for performing any desired number of controlling operations independently of the lost motion in shafts I9, 29, 3i] and BI. Passing through the hollow shaft I9 I provide a shaft I46 carrying a cam It! arranged to operate a cam switch M2. The shaft I48 is actuated by the hollow shaft I9 through a lost motion mechanism which may comprise an arm I43 attached to the hollow shaft I9 and carrying a pin bi l which cooperates with a slot formed between two lugs I45 and I66 on an arm I47 carried by the shaft Hill. A small angular displacement of the pin IM between the lugs I45 and M6 is permitted. Preferably the angular displacement between the lugs I45 and I46 is such that the shaft I46 moves in synchronism with the sleeve Ifit bearing the earns 81 and 88. The angle between the lugs will therefore depend upon the gear ratio between the shaft II and the hollow shaft I9 and upon the setting of the lugs Hi and I65a and may obviously be made adjustable. The shaft MI may carry any desired number of switch operating cams similar to the cam I II. for any desired controlling operations in connection with any system in which my switch operating mechanism may be applied. For example, the switch I 52 may be used to control the primary circuit of the motor whose secondary is being controlled by the cam shafts 2t, 2?, and 28 or it may be used to effect further controlling operations in connection with the pilot motor III.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto. For example, while I have shown my invention as applied to the control of three operating shafts for the three phases of a wound rotor induction motor, it will be understood, of course, that my invention has a broad application wherever it is desired to obtain rapid and intermittent action of a switch-operating shaft, and wherever it is desired to obtain sequential operation of any desired number of such shafts. Furthermore, the particular gear ratios specified are for purpose of illustration only. It will be understood that any desired gear ratios may be used, so long as the various elements of the apparatus are co- These cams may be used ordinated for proper sequential operation. I

therefore contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by I Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination with a driving shaft, a driven shaft in alignment therewith, notching mechanism for controlling movement of the driven shaft, and resilient driving means disposed between said shafts comprising a pair of cross pivoted levers biased to a position of angular separation, said levers being provided with lugs arranged to be driven into alignment to form a positive driving connection between said shafts.

ally extending pin attached to each of said shafts 7 spaced radially from the centers thereof, and a'pair of crossed levers pivoted about the axis of said shafts, each lever having a lug for engaging said pins, and a compression spring for biasing said levers to a normal position of relative angular separation.

4. In combination, a driving shaft and a driven shaft having aligned centers, a spring pressed pawl for controlling movement of the driven shaft, a pair of crossed levers pivoted about an axis aligned with said shaft centers, each lever being provided with a lug, means for biasing said lugs to a normal position of spaced angular relation, a pin attached to each shaft spaced from the centers thereof and engaging said lugs, the pin on the driving shaft being adapted first to drive the lugs into alignment and then positively to drive the pin on the driven shaft.

5. In combination, a first shaft and a second shaft having a radial arm attached thereto, a

. driving means attached to the first shaft for rotating the arm, and means loosely mounted on said arm permitting limited reverse movement of said driving means while said arm remains stationary.

6. In combination, a first shaft having a first gear fastened thereto, driving means connected to said first shaft, a second shaft having an arm fastened thereto, a second gear pivotally mounted on said arm and engaging said first gear, and stop means for limiting movement of the second gear about its pivot upon reversal of rotation of said driving means.

'7. The combination of a driving shaft having a first gear fastened thereto, a driven shaft in alignment with the driving shaft having a radial arm attached thereto, a gear rotatably mounted on said arm and meshing with said first gear, and stop means limiting relative rotation of said gears upon reversal of rotation of said driving shaft.

8. In combination, a first shaft having a first gear fastened thereto, a second shaft concentric with said first shaft and having a radial arm attached thereto, a second gear pivotally mounted upon said arm, and means for limiting relative rotation of said second gear and said arm.

9. In combination, a first shaft, a second shaft concentric therewith, a radially projecting arm on said second shaft, driving means attached to said first shaft for rotating said arm, said driving means including elements relatively rtatable through a predetermined limited angle whenever the direction of rotation of said first shaft is reversed.

10. In combination, a first shaft, a second shaft concentric therewith, a radially projecting arm on said second shaft, a gear pivotally mounted on said arm, a plurality of relatively adjustable lugs detachably secured to said gear, driving means attached to said first shaft and engaging said gear, and a projection on said first shaft arranged to engage said lugs.

11. In combination, a first shaft having a first gear attached thereto, a second shaft concentric with the first shaft and having a radial arm mounted thereon, a second gear pivotally mounted upon said arm in meshing relationship with said first gear, a projecting lug fixed upon said second gear, and stop means associated with said arm for engaging said lug.

12. In a switch operating mechanism, a plurality of switch operating shafts, a separate snap-acting energy storing means for driving each shaft, means for sequentially releasing said energy storing means, a common reversible driving means for said energy storing means, disabling means for said driving means, and a lost motion mechanism disposed between said driving means and said disabling means and arranged to delay the operation of said disabling means upon reversal of rotation of said driving means.

13. In a switch operating mechanism, a plurality of switch operating shafts, a spring pressed pawl for controlling movement of each of said switch operating shafts, a driving shaft aligned with each of said switch operating shafts, a pair of crossed levers pivoted about the axis of each of said switch operating shafts, each lever being provided with a lug, a compression spring associated with each pair of crossed pivoted levers for biasing said lugs to normal positions of angular separation, a pin attached to each driving shaft and to each switch operating shaft, said pins being spaced from the centers of said shafts and engaging said lugs, the pins on said driving shafts being angularly displaced with respect to each other to sequentially drive each pair of lugs into alignment with each other and then positively to drive the associated switch operating shaft, a common source of energy connected to said driving shafts, a rotatable limit switch also driven by said source of energy and arranged to disable said source of energy after each operation of a single switch operating shaft, and a lost motion mechanism disposed between said source of energy and said limit switch, said lost motion mechanism comprising a pair of concentric shafts, a radially projecting arm on the outer concentric shaft, a gear attached to the inner concentric shaft, a second gear pivotally mounted on said arm in meshing relationship with said first gear, a projecting lug fixed upon said second gear, and stop means associated with said arm for engaging said lug, whereby limited reverse rotation of said inner concentric shaft may occur while said outer concentric shaft remains stationary.

14. In a switch-operating mechanism, a plurality of switch-operating shafts, separate intermittently operating energy-storing means for the shafts, a common source of energy associated with the energy-storing means, means for sequentially releasing the energy of the separate energy-storing means, and means for disabling said source of energy after the release of each energy-storing means.

15. In a switch operating mechanism, a plurality of sequentially and intermittently operating energy-storing means, a common source of energy associated with said energy-storing means, a releasing means for each of the energystoring means, and means for disabling said source of energy after each operation of any releasing means.

16. In a switch-operating mechanism, a plurality of sequentially and intermittently operating energy-storing means, a common reversible source of energy associated with the energystoring means, releasing means for each of said energy-storing means, means for disabling said source of energy and a lost-motion connection between said source of energy and said disabling means.

17. In a switch-operating mechanism, a plurality of sequentially and intermittently operating energy-storing means, a common reversible source of energy associated with said energystoring means, energy-releasing means also associated with each of said energy-storing means, means for disabling said source of energy, and means for driving said disabling means and each of said energy-storing means from said source of energy, said driving means including a lostmotion mechanism between the source of energy and the disabling means operative upon each reversal of the source of energy.

18. In a switch operating mechanism, the combination of the continuously rotating reversible shaft, a second shaft geared thereto having a predetermined relative rate of rotation, driving means connected to said first shaft, rotatable control means for said driving means, an adjustable lost motion mechanism operable upon reversal of said first shaft and connected between said control means and said first shaft, a second rotatable control means, and a second lost motion mechanism connected between said second control means and said second shaft and arranged to drive said second control means in synchronism with said first control means.

WILLIAM LAWRENCE BUTLER.

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