Timer device for an electrostatic gas purifying system

Claim 1

IN AN ELECTROSTATIC AIR CLEANER OF THE TYPE HAVING A PLURALITY OF ELECTRODES ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED IN THE DUCTS OF A FORCED AIR SYSTEM AND REMOVABLE THEREFROM THROUGH AN ACCESS OPENING IN THE DUCTS FOR WASHING, MEANS FOR INSURING THAT THE ELECTRODES ARE DRY BEFORE THE AIR CLEANER IS REENERGIZED AFTER WASHING COMPRISING: POWER SUPPLY MEANS FOR ENERGIZING THE ELECTROSTATIC AIR CLEANER; MOTOR MEANS, SAID MOTOR MEANS HAVING AN OUTPUT SHAFT; TERMINAL MEANS ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF ALTERNATING CURRENT; SWITCH MEANS HAVING A FIRST POSITION WHEREIN SAID TERMINAL MEANS ARE ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO SAID POWER SUPPLY MEANS AND A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN SAID TERMINAL MEANS ARE ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO SAID MOTOR MEANS; A DOOR ADAPTED TO BE HINGED ON THE DUCT AND TO CLOSE THE ACCESS OPENING; LATCH MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID DOOR IN A CLOSED POSITION, A HANDLE ASSOCIATED WITH SAID LATCH MEANS AND ROTATABLE TO LOCK OR UNLOCK SAID DOOR; TOOTHED RACK MEANS OPERABLY CONNECTED TO SAID HANDLE AND ADAPTED TO BE MOVED AXIALLY UPON ROTATION OF SAID HANDLE; CAM MEANS DRIVEN BY SAID MOTOR MEANS AND IN OPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SWITCH MEANS; ROTATION OF SAID OUTPUT SHAFT OF SAID MOTOR MEANS THROUGH A PREDETERMINED ANGULAR DISTANCE LESS THAN A COMPLETE ROTATION DEFINING A TIME DELAY PERIOD; AND A GEAR HAVING A TOOTHED PORTION AND A BLANK PORTION ON ITS PERIPHERY, SAID GEAR BEING FIXED ON SAID OUTPUT SHAFT, SAID BLANK PORTION OF THE PERIPHERY OF SAID GEAR BEING IN OPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID RACK MEANS DURING THE INITIAL PORTION OF SAID TIME DELAY PERIOD AND SAID BLANK PORTION THEREOF BEING IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID RACK MEANS WHEN SAID GEAR IS IN ALL OTHER ANGULAR POSITIONS, SAID RACK MEANS COACTING WITH SAID GEAR UPON ROTATION OF SAID HANDLE SO THAT SAID CAM IS IN A POSITION CORRESPONDING TO THE INITIAL PORTION OF SAID TIME DELAY PERIOD WHENEVER SAID DOOR IS OPENED, SAID CAM THUS BEING EFFECTIVE TO PLACE SAID SWITCH MEANS IN SAID SECOND POSITION SO THAT SAID MOTOR MEANS IS ENERGIZED, SAID CAM MEANS THEN BEING DRIVEN BY SAID MOTOR MEANS TO RETURN SAID SWITCH MEANS TO SAID FIRST POSITION AFTER SAID TIME DELAY PERIOD, SAID PERIOD BEING SUFFICIENTLY LONG TO ALLOW SAID ELECTRODES TO DRY AFTER WASHING.