US3325609A

US3325609A - Timer switch controlled by push button and motor operated cams

Info

Publication number: US3325609A
Application number: US476476A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jon L Otterlei
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-08-02
Filing date: 1965-08-02
Publication date: 1967-06-13
Anticipated expiration: 1984-06-13

Description

lune H3, 1967 J. OTTERLEI 3,325,609

TIMER SWITCH CONTROLLED BY PUSH BUTTON AND MOTOR OPERATED CAMS Filed Aug. 2, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Jo/v L.OTTEPLEI AT TORNE Y8 June 13, 1967 J. L. OTTERLEI TIMER SWITCH CONTROLLED B 3,325,609 Y PUSH BUTTON AND MOTOR OPERATED CAMS Filed Aug. fl, 1955 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 :9: 6- a -I E0. 6 go J 01v L. OTTERLEI BY ATTORNE YS June 13, 1967 OTTERLEI 3,325,609

J. TIMER SWITCH CONTROLLED BY PUSH BUTTON AND MOTOR OPERATED CAMS Filed Aug. 2:, 1965 I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A 5/ INVENTOR. Z/ M [2/ /3 2/ ,z ,z Jalv L.OTTEHLEI A T TOPNEYS United States Patent 3,325,609 TIMER SWITCH CONTROLLED BY PUSH BUTTON AND MOTOR OPERATED CAMS Jon L. Otterlei, 6525 Belmore Lane, Hopkins, Minn. 55343 Filed Aug. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 476,476 8 Claims. (Cl. 20038) This invention pertains to a new and improved timer switch and more particularly to a timer switch having push buttons and associated motor operated cams connected in a manner so that when a push button is depressed the associated cam releases the button after a predetermined period of time.

In prior art timing switches one of the major difiiculties is the setting of the switches for the desired time interval. In general these settings are either extremely difficult to make or are relatively inaccurate. Also, the apparatus is either extremely complicated or relatively inaccurate.

In the present apparatus a relatively accurate and simple timing switch is described which is extremely easy to set for any desired time interval. The present timer switch utilizes a plurality of push buttons each releasable by means of an associated adjustable motor driven cam. The switches are quickly set to the desired time intervals by use of an Allen wrench or the like to adjust the cams to the desired position. Because the cams are self-locking there is no loosening of apparatus before setting the cams to the desired time interval with the consequent over-adjusting that frequently occurs in this type of apparatus.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved timer switch.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a'timer switch which is easily and quickly adjustable to the desired time interval.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a timer switch using a novel self-locking adjustable cam which is quickly adjustable to provide the desired time interval.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a timer switch which is accurate and relatively sim-' ple to construct and operate.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the accompanying specification, claims, and drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters in- 'dicate like parts throughout the figures:

FIG. 1 is a view in top plan of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view as seen from the line 2-2 in FIG. 1, parts thereof broken away;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view as seen from the line 3-3 in FIG. 1, parts thereof broken away;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded view in perspective of a single adjustable cam;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged exploded view in perspective of an adjustable cam illustrating the side opposite to that shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view as seen from the line 6-6 in FIG. 3, pants thereof broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view in bottom plan, parts thereof broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view as seen from the line 8-8 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view as seen from the line 9-9 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a view in perspective of a release bar;

FIG. 11 is a view in perspective of a stop element guide;

FIG. 12 is a view in perspective of a stop element;

FIG. 13 is a view in perspective of a modified stop element; and

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 6 of a modified embodiment using the stop element of FIG. 13.

In the figures the numeral 10 generally designates an array of push button switches 11-14 which are mounted in juxtaposition for parallel movement. As can be seen most clearly in FIGS. 6 and 8, the push button switches 1114 are operatively positioned in a base member 15 having a somewhat U-shaped cross section. The base member 15 has a plurality of slots and openings through its

upstanding arms

16 and 17 the former of which forms the front wall for the switch array 10 and the latter of which forms the back Wall for the switch array 10. A mounting bracket 18 on the left and a mounting bracket 19 on the right of the base member 15 are fixedly attached to the ends thereof by some means such as extensions 20 of the base means 15 passing through openings in the

brackets

18 and 19 and bent over.

Since each of the switches 11-14 is similar the various parts of the single switch 11 will be explained and similar parts in the other switches 12-14, when referred to will be numbered identically. The push button switch 11 has a somewhat cube-shaped button 21 which is hollow and has the back side open. A sliding element 22 is somewhat rectangular-shaped with the forward end engaged in the button 21. The sliding element 22 passes through a slot in the forward wall 16 of the base member 15 and through a similar slot, aligned with the first slot, in the back wall 17. A contact carriage 23, which in this embodiment is made of a nonconducting plastic, is fixedly attached to the sliding member 22 between the front and

back walls

16 and 17 of the base member 15 by some means such as dogs 24 extending from the undersurface of the carriage 23 at either end thereof and fitting into slots 25 in the sides of the sliding member 22. The carriage 23 is positioned on the sliding member 22 so as to limit the forward motion thereof and prevent the sliding member 22 from sliding out of the slots in the front and back walls 16 and 17 A,cylindrical compression spring 26 is fitted in a centrally located slot 27 in the forward portion of the sliding member 22 and has one end butting against the forwardmost edge of the slot in the sliding member 22 while the other end but-ts against the front wall 16 of the base member 15. The spring 26 biases the sliding member 22 in a normally forward or outward direction.

A release bar 30, illustrated in FIG. 10, has a plurality of axially elongated slots 31 therein and an upstanding shoulder 32 at the front edge of the bar 30 for each of the switches 11-14 as well as an upstanding shoulder 33 at the rear edge of the bar as well as an upstanding shoulder 33 at the rear edge of the bar 30, offset to the left of the shoulders 32, for each switch 11-14. The back wall 17 of the base member 15 has a plurality of vertical openings extending the entire length thereof. Thus, the back wall appears as a series of posts each having a somewhat rectangular-shaped cross section. The slots 31 in the release bar 30 are of such a size as to allow the bar 30 to be placed down over the back wall 17 so that the wall extends through the slots 31 and substantially prevents movement of the bar 30 in the direction of movement of the switches 11-14 while allowing limited axial movement of the release bar 30.

The sliding member 22 has a second somewhat rectangular-shaped opening 34 at the rearrnost portion thereof. The shoulder 32 on the front edge of the release bar 30 is positioned so as to extend upwardly through the opening 34 in the sliding member 22 adjacent the rearmost edge thereof. The sliding member 22 has a somewhat tooth-shaped member 35 extending into the opening 34 from the right-hand edge thereof. The tooth-shaped member 35 is positioned with respect to the shoulder 32 so that the shoulder 32 and release bar 30 are moved to the left as the sliding member 22 is depressed inwardly. When the shoulder 32 passes the outermost extended point of the tooth 35 the release bar 30, which is biased to the right by leaf spring 36, moves to the right placing the shoulder 32 in the groove behind the tooth-shaped member 35 and thereby preventing the sliding member 22 from returning to its forward position. It should be noted that if a second switch 12-14 is depressed the tooth member 35 will cam the release bar 30 to the left whereby the sliding member 22 of push button switch 11 will be released just as the second push button switch is locked.

A terminal board 37, constructed of some nonconducting material, is fixedly attached across the uppermost extremities of the front wall 16 and the back wall 17 of the base member 15. The terminal board 37 has a plurality of lugs 38 extending therethrough. The lugs 38 are assembled in horizontally spaced apart rows of three lugs 38 each, extending from the front wall 16 to the back wall 17, and include two rows per push button switch 1114. The upper end of the lugs 38, extending above the terminal board 37, is bifurcated for soldering electrical wiring thereto. The lower end of the lug 38, extending below the terminal board 37, is adapted to have an electrical contact engaged therewith. Each of the carriages 23 carries a pair of spring biased electrical contacts 39 fixedly attached in the upper surface thereof by means of a pair of downwardly extending spring teeth 40, illustrated most clearly in FIGS. 3 and 8, wedged into a groove 41 extending laterally across the mid-section of the carriage 23. The contacts 39 have a sutficient length to engage two adjacent lugs 38 in a row, simultaneously. When the push button switch 11 is in its normal or forward position the pair of contacts 39 attached to the carriage 23 engage the first two lugs 38 in the row at the far right and the first two lugs 38 in the next row, which is actually four sets of holes to the left in FIG. 1. When the push button switch 11 is depressed the contacts 39 engage the second and third lugs 38 in the row at the far right and the second and third lugs 38 in the next adjacent row.

In FIG. 12 an L-shaped stop element 45 is illustrated in which the outside corner of the short arm is cut off diagonally to provide a cam-like surface 46 and the inside corner is cut to provide a 90 notch 47 in the end thereof. A stop element guide 48 is illustrated in FIG. 11 as having a somewhat rectangular-shaped cross section with a groove 49 extending the length thereof, positioned approximately midway between the upper and lower surfaces thereof, and extending from the front to within a short distance of the rear thereof. The guide 48 also has a groove 50 for each of the push button switches 1114, which extends from the upper surface downwardly a distance slightly greater than the width of a release arm 51, the operation of which will be described in more detail later. The slots 50 are positioned in the guide 48 so as to provide a plurality of openings which extend through the guide 48 perpendicular to the axial length thereof. The guide 48 is fixedly attached to the rear surface of the back wall 17 by some means such as screws or the like.

The guide 48 is of a sufficient length to butt against the

brackets

18 and 19 on either end of the base member 15. Three stop elements 45 are placed in the slot 49 in the guide 48 so that the short arm extends outwardly toward the rear wall 17 and the long arm extends along the slot to the right. It should be noted that there will always be one less stop element 45 than there are push button switches in the array 10. A small cylindrical compression spring 52 is placed in the slot 49 at the far right end thereof so that one end is in abutment with the bracket 19 and the other end butts against the first stop element 45. The guide 48 is positioned so that the stop elements 45 are in a plane with the sliding elements 22 of the push button switches 11-14. The sliding elements 22 and the stop elements 45 cooperate in the following manner to limit the device so that only one push button switch can be depressed at a time.

In the normal position the inside surface of each of the short arms of the stop elements 45 are aligned, respectively, with the left edges of the sliding members 22 of the push button switches 11, 12 and 13. Thus, when the push button switch 11 is depressed the far end of the sliding member 22 butts against the inside or front surface of the long arm of the stop element 45 while the left edge of the sliding member 22 is parallel with and in juxtaposition to the inside surface of the short arm of the stop element 45. The right rear corner of the sliding element 22 of the push button switch 12 is positioned approximately centrally in the cam surface 46 of the first stop element 45 and any attempt to depress the push button 12 will tend to force the stop element 45 to the right. However, the short arm of the stop element 45 is against the left edge of the sliding element 22 of the push button switch 11 and therefore the stop element 45 cannot move to the right. Thus, the push button switch 12 cannot be depressed. In a similar manner the push button switches 13 and 14 cannot be depressed.

Assuming the push button switches 11-14 are all released, when the push button switch 13 is depressed, as illustrated in FIG, 6, the rear right corner of the sliding 'member 22 engages the cam surface 46 of the short arm of the second stop element 45 and forces that stop element along with the first stop element 45 to the right thereby compressing the spring 52. The third stop element 45 remains in place and the rear edge of the sliding element 22 butts against the long arm thereof while the left edge is in juxtaposition to the short arm thereof. Thus, the push button switch 14 cannot be depressed since its rear right corner butts against the cam surface 46 of the third stop element 45. Also, the push button switches 11 and 12 cannot be depressed because their rear left corners extend into the notch 47 in the short arm of the first and second stop elements 45. Therefore, whenever a push button switch 11-14 is depressed none of the other push button switches can be depressed until the depressed switch is released.

Each of the push button switches 11-14 has an I..- shaped release arm 51 associated therewith in the following manner. The short arm of the L-shaped release arm 51 is fixedly connected to the sliding member 22 by wedging it between the spring 26 and the forward edge of the front groove 27 in the sliding member 22. Thus, the release arm 51 moves with the sliding member 22. The long arm of the release arm 51 extends along the lower surface of the sliding member 22 through the slot 50 in the guide 48 approximately flush with the rear surface of the guide 48 when the push button 11 is in the normal position. When the push button 11 is depressed the release arm 51 extends a substantial distance past the rear surface of the guide 48. The release arm 51 is also positioned so as to butt against the right edge of the shoulder 33 on the back edge of the release bar 30, The slot 50 in the guide 48 is of such a width as to allow the release arm 51 to move to the right in .FIG. 7 (to the left in FIG. 6) which movement forces the release bar 30 to the right, by means of the shoulder 33, therefore, moving the shoulder 32 to the right and disengaging it from behind the tooth 35, releasing sliding member 22.

The switch array 10 is fixedly mounted on a larger housing or base assembly 55 by some means such as bolts, welding, etc. Fixedly attached to the right side of the base assembly 55 is a motor 56 with a gear assembly 57 forming an integral part thereof. The gear assembly 57 may have any desired ratio so that a shaft 58 protruding therefrom turns at any desired speed. In the present embodiment for example the shaft 58 turns at the speed of one-sixth revolution per minute or one revolution every six minutes. The shaft 58 extends through a hole in the right wall of the base assembly 55 and has a plurality of adjustable cams 60 attached thereto. For clarity the several cams will be referred to hereinafter individually as 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d and 602.

The motor 56 is energized by means of a pair of

leads

54 and 54 which are adapted to be connected to a suitable energy source. The lead 54 is connected to the uppermost lugs 38 in at least one of the rows associated with each of the push button switches 11-14. A lead 53 is connected with the center lugs 38 in the same rows set forth above so that depressing any of the switches 1114 will complete a circuit between leads 53 and 54. The leads 53 and 54 are then connected to a suitable energization source, not shown, and the motor 56 is energized by depressing any of the push button switches 11-14.

The various parts of the adjustable earns 60 are best seen by referring to FIGS. 4 and 5. A first disk-shaped member 61 has a coaxial cylindrical portion 62 extending from the left side thereof having a substantially smaller diameter than the disk-shaped portion 61. A cylindricalshaped aperture 63 in the left surface of the disk-shaped member 61 and coaxial therewith encircles the cylindrical portion 62. A somewhat rectangular-shaped aperture 64 in the left surface of the disk-shaped member 61 is positioned so that it is in communication with the aperture 63 and externally accessible through an opening 65. The right surface of the disk-shaped member 61 has a cylindrical portion 66 extending therefrom which is coaxial therewith and has a diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of the cylindrical portion 62. A hole 67 extends through the cylindrical portion 62, the disk 61 and the cylindrical portion 66 and is coaxial-with all of these portions. At the outer extremity of the cylindrical portion 66 the hole 67 is enlarged somewhat so that the inner diam eter of the cylindrical portion 66 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 62. The cylindrical portion 62 has a pair of axial slots 68 extending from the outer end inwardly and the cylindrical portion 66 has a pair of protrusions 69 extending radially inwardly and of a size to mate with the slots 68. Thus, the cylindrical portion 62 of a cam 60a can be engaged with the cylindrical portion 66 of a cam 60b whereby a plurality of earns 60 can be engaged together to form an extended shaft. It should be noted that the entire disk-shaped member 61, including

portions

62 and 66, is produced as an integral member in this embodiment by some means .such as molding or the like but that it could actually be constructed of several pieces fixedly connected together.

A second disk-shaped member 70 has a cam-shaped surface or lobe 71 protruding outwardly from the left. surface adjacent the outer periphery thereof. A pinion gear 72 is fixedly attached to the right surface of the diskshaped member 70 and is coaxial therewith. The diskshaped member 70 and the pinion gear 72 have a coaxial hole 73 therethrough which'has a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 62 of the disk-shaped member 61. The outer diameter of the pinion gear 72 is such that it fits within the aperture 63 in the disk-shaped member 61 when the cylindrical portion 62 is engaged in the hole 73. The two

members

61 and 70 are placed in juxtaposition so that the right surface of the disk-shaped member 70 abuts against the left surface of the disk-shaped member 61. It should be noted that the entire disk-shaped member 70, including pinion gear 72, is produced as an integral member in this embodiment by some means such as molding or the like but that it could actually be constructed of several pieces fixedly connected together.

A worm gear 75 is placed in the rectangular-shaped aperture 64 and has a length such that either end butts against the ends of the aperture 64, whereby the worm gear 75 may rotate but axial movement is substantially prevented. The diameter of the worm gear 75 is such that it is in operative engagement with the pinion gear 72 when the disk-shaped

members

61 and 70 are assembled. The worm gear 75 has an opening 76 at the right end thereof for receiving an Allen wrench, which opening is externally accessible through the opening in the member 61 when the members 61 and are assembled. Thus, by placing an Allen wrench in the opening 76 of the Worm gear and rotating the worm gear 75 the cam 71 and the disk-shaped member 70 can be moved relative to the disk-shaped member 61. However, since the axis of the worm gear 75 is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the pinion gear 72 any rotational force on the pinion gear 72 will be transmitted as nearly linear force along the axis of the worm gear 75 and will have substantially no tendency to rotate the Worm gear 75. Thus, the cams 60 are self-locking since any forces on the cam surfaces 71 will not disturb the initial settings.

.A first cam 60a is attached to the shaft 58 of the gear assembly 57 by placing the end of the shaft 58 in the opening 67 in cylindrical portion 66 and fixedly connecting it by some means such as set screws. A second cam 60b is then fixedly attached to the first cam 60a by placing the cylindrical portion 66 of the second cam 60b in engagement with the cylindrical portion 62 of the first cam 60a. Third, fourth and

fifth cam members

60c, 60d and 602 are attached in a similar fashion and a sleevelike shaft 77 is positioned in a hole in the left side of the base member 55 and extends through the holes 67 in the cylindrical portions 62 of all the cams 60a-60e to rotatably mount the entire assembly between the right and left walls of the base member 55. Cam 60a as seen particularly in FIG. 6 is secured to shaft 77 by means of set screws or the like and is further secured to cams 60a- 600, as above described, for common rotation therewith. It will be noted that cam 60e actually serves as a stop member for cams 60a-60d and is formed by rigidly joining the

members

61 and 70 together. As seen particularly in FIG. 2 a stop lug 71 takes the place of lobe 71 and is engageable with an ear formed on the base assembly 55. A coil spring 76 has its inner end fixedly attached to the cylindrical portion 62 of the fifth cam 60e and its outer end fixedly attached to the base member 55. The spring 76 is attached so that it winds when the shaft 58, shaft 77 and cams 60 rotate in a clockwise direction in FIG. 2 and unwinds when they rotate in a counterclockwise direction. In each case winding or unwinding of spring 76 is limited by engagement of stop 71' with base 55. Thus, substantially one revolution of earns 60 is permitted.

In the operation of the present device the motor 56 and the gear assembly 57 rotate the shaft 58and the earns 60 at the speed of one revolution every six minutes. Thus, the cam surfaces 71 on the disk-shaped member 70 of the cams 60 can be moved, by rotating the worm gear 75, to any desired interval from zero to six minutes. In general the cams 60a-60d from right to left would be set at progressively higher times and might be such time intervals as for example one minute, two minutes, three minutes and four minutes. I

Thus, to obtain a one minute interval the first push button switch 11 is depressed. This closes a circuit be tween the leads 53 and 54' thereby energizing the motor 56 which starts the earns 60 rotating in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2. Since the push button switch 11 is depressed the release arm 51 associated therewith protrudes from the rear of the switch array 10.- As the cams 60 rotate the first cam surface 71 strikes the release arm 51 associated with push button switch 11 thereby forcing it to the left after the motor 56 has been energized for one minute. When the release arm 51 is forced to the left in FIG. 1 it moves the release bar 30 to the left thereby disengaging the shoulder 32 thereon from the tooth 35 on the slide member 22 and releasing the push button switch 11. When the push button switch 11 is released the contact between leads 53 and 54' is removed and the motor 56 is dc-energized. In a similar fashion push button switch 12 can be depressed to obtain a two minute time interval, push button switch 13 can be depressed to obtain a three minute time interval and push button switch 14 can be depressed to obtain a four minute time interval. Again it should be noted that these time intervals are only utilized for example and the time interval on any one of the push button switches 11-14 can be quickly and easily changed from zero to six minutes by simply rotating the worm gear 75 therein by means of an Allen wrench or the like.

As a safety precaution to prevent overload on motor 56 in the event any one of the cams 60a, 60b and 60e should fail to release its

respective switch

11, 12, 13, release arm 51 of switch 14 is of a length to engage cam surface 71 of cam 60d even though switch 14 is not depressed. In the above example cam 600! has the longest time interval, and is provided with the longer release arm 51, thus any malfunction of a lesser timed switch permits the release arm 51 associated with cam 60d to move release bar 30 to release the particular switch 11-13 which has failed to release. It will be seen particularly in FIG. 2 that when the motor 56 has been de-energized spring 76 will thereafter unwind or bias stop lug 71' into engagement with base 55. Thus motor 56 and cams 60 will be reset for a new timing cycle.

7 While the stop elements 45 are constructed so that any depressed switch 11-14 must be released before another switch can be depressed, in another embodiment, FIGS. 13 and 14, a stop element 45' allows an operator to depress a second switch 1114 While a first switch is depressed and the result will be that the first depressed switch will be released while the second switch depressed will remain depressed. However, as in the stop element 45 this embodiment prevents two push button switches 11-14 from being depressed simultaneously. As can be seen in FIG. 13 the stop element 45' has the outside corner of the short arm cut diagonally to form a camlike surface 46' similar to the surface 46 on the stop element 45. The inside corner of the short arm is cut in a similar cam-like surface 47'.

Thus, as can be seen in FIG. 14 when the push button switch 13 is depressed the back surface of the slide member 22 butts against the front edge of the long arm of the stop element 45 and the left edge of the sliding member 22 is adjacent the short arm of the element 45', as in the previous embodiment. However, assuming the operator wants to depress the push button switch 12 while the push button switch 13 is depressed he simply depresses the push button switch 12 to produce the following results. As the slide member 22 of push button switch 12 is depressed the release bar 30 is forced to the left by the tooth-shaped member 35 on the sliding member 22 which butts against the shoulder 32 on the forward edge of the release bar 30. The distance between the left rear edge of the sliding member 22 of the push button switch 12 and the cam surface 47' of the second stop element 45 is such that the push button switch 12 can be depressed far enough to force the release bar 30 to the left a sufficient distance to release the push button switch 13.

Further depressing of the push button switch 12 causes the left rear corner of the sliding member 22 to engage the cam surface 47 of the stop element 45' thereby forcing the second stop element 45' to the left and allowing the push button switch 12 to be depressed until the shoulder 32 engages the tooth-shaped cam 35 in the second sliding member 22 thereby holding the push button switch 12 depressed. In a like manner any of the other push button switches 11, 13 or 14 can be depressed, thereby, releasing the push button switch 12.

While any one of the push button switches 11-14 may be depressed individually no two switches may be depressed simultaneously since the rear corners of the sliding members 22 of the two switches (in this case 12 and 13) being depressed will engage the adjacent cam surfaces 47 and 46 respectively. Thus sliding members '22 are prevented from moving to a position where 52 will be moved against the bias of spring 52 permitting final movements of switch 13 and engagement of shoulder 32 with tooth 35.

Thus, a timer switch has been disclosed which is simple to construct .and operate and is relatively accurate. In addition the disclosed timer switch is operated by a selflockin g, adjustable cam which is quickly and easily adjustable to any desired time interval.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of this invention, further modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled in the art. I desire it to be understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular form shown and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A timer switch comprising:

(a) a plurality of push button switches containing means for locking individual buttons in the depressed position, said locking means having a bar positioned perpendicular to the movement of said push buttons which releases said depressed push buttons when moved axially a predetermined distance;

(b) a rod attached to each push button for axial movement therewith and pivotal transverse movement;

(c) a plurality of shoulders fixedly positioned on said bar for cooperation with said rods to move said bar axially when 'said rods are moved tranversely; and

(d) a motor driven, adjustable cam associated with each of said push buttons and positioned so said rod attached to said associated push button is moved transversely to release said associated push buttton at a predetermined time.

2. The timer switch set forth in claim 1 wherein the adjustable cams are axially aligned and driven by a single motor which is electrically connected through the push button switches so as to be energized when a push button is depressed and de-energized when said push button is released.

3. The timer switch set forth in claim 1 having in addition means operatively attached to the push buttons for allowing only one push button to be depressed at a time which depressed push button must be released before any other push button can be depressed.

4. An adjustable cam comprising:

(a) a first disk-shaped member;

(b) a second disk-shaped member operatively connected to said first disk for relative rotation therebetween having a pinion gear fixedly attached on one side coaxial thereto and a cam'shaped surface extending from the other surface thereof;

(c) a worm gear rotatably attached to said first disk perpendicular to the axis thereof having substantially no axial movement and operatively engaged with said pinion gear, said worm gear having means externally accessible for manual rotation thereof; and

(d) means for mounting said first disk-shaped member fixed with respect to a shaft or the like.

5. An adjustable cam comprising:

(a) a first disk-shaped member having a cylindrical portion extending coaxially from one side thereof, a cylindrical-shaped coaxial aperture in said disk and encircling said cylindrical portion and a second aperture in communication with said coaxial aperture and the outer periphery of said first disk;

(b) a second disk-shaped member mounted by means of a centrally located mounting hole coaxially on said cylindrical portion for relative rotation therewith and having a pinion gear fixedly attached coaxially to one surface of said second disk and positioned within said aperture for relative rotation with the surface thereof and a cam-shaped surface extending from the other surface thereof; and

(c) a worm gear positioned for rotation but substantially no axial movement within said second aperture perpendicular to the axis of said first disk having externally accessible means for manually rotating said worm gear and cooperating with said pinion gear to rotate said second disk relative to said first disk when said worm gear is rotated while substantially preventing relative movement therebetween at all other times.

6. The adjustable cam set forth in claim having in addition means fixedly connected to one side of said first disk adapted to receive means fixedly attached to the other side of a second adjustable cam therein.

7. A timer switch comprising:

(a) a plurality of push button switches containing means for locking individual buttons in the depressed position, said locking means having a bar positioned perpendicular to the movement of said push buttons which releases said depressed push buttons when moved axially a predetermined distance.

(b) a rod attached to each push button for axial movement therewith and pivotal transverse movement; (c) a plurality of shoulders fixedly positioned on said bar for cooperation with said rods to move said bar axially when said rods are moved transversely;

(d) a motor driven, adjustable cam associated with each of said push buttons and positioned so said rod attached to said associated push button is moved transversely to release said associated push button at a predetermined time including (1) a first disk-shaped member,

(2) a second disk-shaped member operatively connected to said first disk for relative rotation therebetween having a pinion gear fixedly attached on one side coaxial thereto and a camshaped surface extending from the other surface thereof, and

(3) a worm gear rotatably attached to said first disk perpendicular to the axis thereof having substantially no axial movement and operatively engaged with said pinion gear, said worm gear having means externally accessible for manual rotation thereof.

8. A timer switch comprising:

(c) a plurality of shoulders fixedly positioned on said bar for cooperation with said rods to move said bar axially when said rods are moved transversely;

(d) a motor driven, adjustable cam associated with each of said push buttons and positioned so said rod attached to said associated push button is moved transversely to release said associated push button at a predetermined time including (1) a first disk-shaped member having a cylindrical portion extending coaxially from one side thereof, a cylindrical-shaped coaxial aperture in said disk and encircling said cylindrical portion and a second aperture in communication with said coaxial aperture and the outer periphery of said first disk,

(2) a second disk-shaped member mounted by means of a centrally located mounting hole co axially on said cylindrical portion for relative rotation therewith and having a pinion gear fixedly attached coaxially to one surface of said second disk and positioned within said aperture for relative rotation with the surface thereof and a cam-shaped surface extending from the other surface thereof, and

(3) a worm gear positioned for rotation but substantially no axial movement within said second aperture perpendicular to the axis of said first disk having externally accessible means for manually rotating said worm gear and cooperating with said pinion gear to rotate said second disk relative to said first disk when said worm gear is rotated while substantially preventing relative movement therebetween at all other times.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,574,841 11/1951 Powell et al ZOO--38 2,737,548 3/ 1956 Mead 20022 X 3,015,003 12/1961 Simmons 200-38 3,202,013 8/ 1965 Strader 2005 X 3,259,699 7/ 1966 Rougemont et al 200-5 BERNARD A. G'ILHEA NY, Primary Examiner.

E. SPRINGBORN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A TIMER SWITCH COMPRISING: (A) A PLURALITY OF PUSH BUTTON SWITCHES CONTAINING MEANS FOR LOCKING INDIVIDUAL BUTTONS IN THE DEPRESSED POSITION, SAID LOCKING MEANS HAIVNG A BAR POSITIONED PERPENDICULAR TO THE MOVEMENT OF SAID PUSH BUTTONS WHICH RELEASES SAID DEPRESSED PUSH BUTTONS WHEN MOVED AXIALLY A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE; (B) A ROD ATTACHED TO EACH PUSH BUTTON FOR AXIAL MOVEMENT THEREWITH AND PIVOTAL TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT; (C) A PLURALITY OF SHOULDERS FIXEDLY POSITIONED ON SAID BAR FOR COOPERATION WITH SAID RODS TO MOVE SAID BAR AXIALLY WHEN SAID RODS ARE MOVED TRANSVERSELY; AND (D) A MOTOR DRIVEN, ADJUSTABLE CAM ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF SAID PUSH BUTTONS AND POSITIONED SO SAID ROD ATTACHED TO SAID ASSOCIATED PUSH BUTTON IS MOVED TRANSVERSELY TO RELEASE SAID ASSOCIATED PUSH BOTTON AT A PREDETERMINED TIME.