US3185782A - Timer control system for electrical loads - Google Patents

Description

May 25, 1965 T. J. LAKIN TIMER CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRICAL LOADS Filed March so. 71961 FIG.|

lZO-VOLT-AC FIG.3

INVENTOR.

BY THEODORE a. LAKIN A TO RNE S United States Patent 3,185,782 TIMER CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRICAL LOADS Theodore J. Lakin, 1326 James St., Kent, Wash. Filed Mar. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 99,482 2 Claims. (Cl. filth-33) The present invention relates to an improved t mer control system for electrical loads whereby the load Will be energized for a predetermined time responsive to passage of a vehicle over a .given path or to manual actuation, and whereby the timer can be by-passed for complete manual control.

The invention aims to provide a reliable such system which is of particularly simple and economical construc tion, can be easily installed, and can be compactly housed.

A further object is to provide a control system which has all working parts deenergized whenever the load is inactive.

Other more particular objects and advantages in v1ew will, with the foregoing, appear and be understood in the course of the following description and claims, the invention consisting in the novel construction and in the adaptation and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view of my control system with part of the timer mechanism thereof shown in top plan view.

FIG. 2 is a detail vertical sectional view taken along along the line 2 2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the invention installed for operation of a garage light.

Referring to the drawings, it is seen that a diaphragm switch is provided which has its diaphragm 11 in communication via a conduit 12 with an elastic tube 13 laid across a travel path which is illustrated as be ng a driveway 14 to a garage .15 for purposes of example. A light 16 arranged to illuminate the vicinity of the garage door is shown as exemplary of a load for my control system. in a manner to be hereinafter explained, this light will be energized responsive to a depression of the tube 13 as by an automobile, or responsive to manual pressure on a push-button switch .17, and in either instance will be automatically turned off after a predetermined passage of time when a switch 18 of the single-pull double-throw centeroff type is set at its upper auto position. The light can be manually turned on for an indefinite period free of timer influence by pushing the Switch 18 down to manual position, and the control system can be deactivated by setting the switch 18 at its center oif position.

Before tracing the wiring circuit, attention is directed to the timing mechanism whose case is designated 19 and which comprises a clock 20 having a friction-driven output shaft 21 on which is fixed a cam disc 22. This disc has a notch 23 for receiving a lug 24 projecting transversely from a spring finger 25 yieldingly urging the lug toward the disc. Spring fingers 26-27 complement the finger 25 and together therewith form a triple throw switch 28 which self-opens when the lug 24 occupies the notch 23 and is closed responsive to an advancing of the disc from the position shown in FIG. 1. Such advancing is accomplished by action of a solenoid 30 whose pull rod 31 is retracted when the solenoid is energized and is returned by a spring 32. The pull rod 3 1 is pivotally connected at 33 with a link 34 which is generally U-shaped in crosssecti-on providing longitudinally tapered upper and lower leg flanges S ill-34b. These leg flanges are freely journaled at their wider ends on the clock shaft 21 and the center web 340 therebetween is arranged to be selectively engaged by the free end of a time-setting screw 35 which is threaded through the web 360 of a U-shaped crank 36. The latter has its leg flange-s 36a-36b sleeved on the clock shaft 21 between the leg flanges of the link 34 and is locked to turn in unison with the clock shaft by a set screw 37 which is threaded through the web 36c alongside the screw 35.

When the solenoid 30 is energized .and the pull rod 31 is responsively retracted, the link 34 is turned thereby counter-clockwise freely on the clock shaft 21 as viewed in FIG. 1 until the web 340 engages the time-setting screw 35. Thereupon, rotary thrust is exerted on the clock shaft 21 by the link 34 via the screw 35 and crank 36, and as a result thereof, the clock shaft and the disc 22 are turned counterclockwise a preset amount determined by the initial distance from the screw 35 to the link web 340, i.e. the less said initial distance, the greater the rotation of the clock shaft. Such turning of the disc 2 moves the notch 23 counterclockwise away from the lug 24 causing the switch 28 to close. The switch will remain closed after the clock is energized until sutficient time has passed to return tthc notch 23 to the lug 24. When the solenoid 30 has set the timer and been deenergized, the spring 32 automatically returns the pull rod 31 and link 34.

Continuing to the control circuit for the timer, it will first be assumed that the switch 18 is set at automatic and that the diaphragm switch 10 has just been closed responsive to the passage of an automobile over the tube v13. Starting at the switch .10, the terminal moved by the diaphragm connects by lead 40, switch 18, and lead 41 to one side of the power supply while the stationary terminal of the switch 10 traces by leads 42-43 to the solenoid 30 and thence by leads 44-45-46 to the other side of the power supply. Thus, it is seen that the solenoid is energized when the diaphragm switch is closed. Such closing is normally only instantaneous, its function being to set the timer and close the switch 28. The latter having been performed, two further results are thereby accomplished, and namely, an energizing of the load (light 16) and of the clock motor. The load is connected to one side of the power supply by lead 46 and to the other via lead 47, switch 28, lead 43, switch :18, and lead 41. On the other hand, the clock motor is in parallel with the load by'being connected to one side of the power supply by leads 49- 45-46 and to the other by lead 50, switch 28, lead 48, switch 18, and lead 41. Since these parallel circuits for the clock motor and the load both include the switch 2 8, it can be seen that as soon as the predetermined time has been passed moving the notch 23 back to the lug 24 and thereby opening the switch 28, the clock motor and the load will be automatically deenergized.

If it is desired to turn on the light 16 manually and have it turn off automatically, the switch 17 is pushed to close a circuit to the solenoid 30. Tracing this circuit, one pole of the switch is connected to the power by lead 51, switch 18, and lead 41, and the other pole carries forth on most of the same path as the stationary terminal of the switch It), and namely through lead 43, the solenoid, and leads 44-45-46.

Since the circuits from both the switches It) and 17 include the switch 18, it can be readily seen that the center off position of the latter inactivates the control system.

Turning now to the manual position of the switch 18, such energizes the load independently of the timer by connecting power lead 41 to the load by leads 52 and 47, the other side of the load being connected to the other power lead 46. A pilot light 53 may be provided on the control panel 54 which is wired by leads 55-56 to light whenever the load light 16 is on.

My control system can be very compactly housed for wall mounting in a box 57 to which power leads, load leads and the conduit 12 are connected. If the load is a garage light 16 as indicated the box 57 may be conveniently mounted adjacent the garage door or at a location adjacent one of the entrances to the dwelling. In any regard, the conduit 12, made for example of copper or plastic tubing, can be easily laid underground from the driveway to the box 57. It is preferred that the interconnection between the elastic tube 13 and the conduit 12 not be completely sealed so that if a vehicle is parked with one of its wheels on the tube 13, the resulting pressure on the diaphragm 11 of the switch it will be gradually dissipated by bleeding of the pressurized air at the connection between the tube 113 and conduit 12. In this way prolonged energizing of the solenoid 30 is prevented.

The timer of the control system is set by the screw 35 to allow adequate time for the driver after manual actuation by pressing the switch 17 to walk to the garage door and open it, get into the automobile and start it, and drive out, or to reverse these steps afteractuation by wheel depression of the tube 113 when the driver returns.

The advantages of the invention, it is thought, will have been clearly understood from the foregoing detailed description of the illustrated preferred embodiments. Minor changes will suggest themselves and may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, wherefore it is my intention that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexed claims be given a scope fully commensurate with the broadest interpretation to which the employed language fairly admits.

What I claim is:

1. In a timer control system, a self-opening switch, a solenoid, an electric clock with a friction-driven output shaft, a cam fixed on said shaft and having a constantradius surface and a depressed surface, a follower on said cam arranged to close said self-opening switch when the follower engages said constant-radius surface and to permit said self-opening switch to open when the follower engages said depressed surface, a link pivotally connected at one end to the armature rod of the solenoid and freely journaled toward its other end on an axis in alinement with said clock shaft, a crank fixed on said clock shaft and having a stop screw arranged to be engaged by said other end of the link during turning of the latter responsive to endw-ise movement of the solenoid rod, and spring means for returning the solenoid rod and link when the solenoid is deenergized.

2. The timer control system of claim 1 in which said self-opening switch includes a finger spring-urged toward said cam and having a terminal at its free end, and in which said follower comprises a lug projecting laterally from said finger toward said cam.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,034,744 3/36 Cam-pagna 315-360 X 2,120,787 6/38 Lowkrantz 317-141 X 2,270,531 1/42 Kloss 315-260 X 2,450,323 9/48 Williamson 317-141 2,644,119 6/53 Harris 317-141 2,912,685 11/59 Thomas 317-141 X 2,966,877 1/61 Konald 246-126 X SAMUEL BERNSTEEN, Primary Examiner.

WALTER L. CARLSON, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A TIMER CONTROL SYSTEM, A SELF-OPENING SWITCH, A SOLENOID, AN ELECTRIC CLOCK WITH A FRICTION-DRIVEN OUTPUT SHAFT, A CAM FIXED ON SAID SHAFT AND HAVING A CONSTANTRADIUS SURFACE AND A DEPRESSED SURFACE, A FOLLOWER ON SAID CAM ARRANGED TO CLOSE SAID SELF-OPENING SWITCH WHEN THE FOLLOWER ENGAGES SAID CONSTANT-RADIUS SURFACE AND TO PERMIT SAID SELF-OPENING SWITCH TO OPEN WHEH THE FOLLOWER ENGAGES SAID DEPRESSED SURFACE, A LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THE ARMATURE ROD OF THE SOLENOID AND FREELY JOURNALED TOWARD ITS OTHER END ON AN AXIS IN ALINEMENT WITH SAID CLOCK SHAFT, A CRANK FIXED ON SAID CLOCK SHAFT AND HAVING A STOP SCREW ARRANGED TO BE ENGAGED BY SAID OTHER END OF THE LINK DURING TURNING OF THE LATTER RESPONSIVE TO ENDWISE MOVEMENT OF THE SOLENOID ROD, AND SPRING MEANS FOR RETURNING THE SOLENOID ROD AND LINK WHEN THE SOLENOID IS DEENERGIZED.

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