Magnetically controlled rotary switch

Claim 1

A MULTI-POSITION ROTARY SWITCH COMPRISING A CENTRAL ROTARY SPINDLE, AT LEAST ONE BANK OF MAGNETICALLY ACTUATABLE REED CONTACT SWITCHING UNITS DISPOSED AT ANGULARLY SPACED SWITCHING POSITION AROUND THE SPINDLE IN A CIRCULAR ARRAY, A PERMANENT MAGNET SWITCHING ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON THE SPINDLE FOR ROTATION THEREWITH AND PROVIDING AT A POSITION RADIALLY OFFSET FROM THE SPINDLE A MAGNETIC FIELD WHICH CAN BE BROUGH BY SAID ROTATION INTO ACTUATING RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH CONTACT UNIT IN TURN, THEREBY TO EFFECT SEQUENTIAL SWITCHING THEREOF, AND A STEPPING MECHANISM FOR SAID SWITCH COMPRISING AN INTERNALLY TOOTHED RATCHET WHEEL DRIVINGLY COUPLED TO SAID SPNDLE, A RECIPROCABLE ACTUATING MEMBER, TWO FURTHER MEMBERS MOUNTED FOR ANGULAR OSCILLATION ABOUT THE RATCHET WHEEL AXIS AND COUPLED TO SAID ACTUATING MEMBER FOR ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT IN OPPOSITE ROTATIONAL DIRECTIONS ON EACH STROKE OF THE ACTUATING MEMBER IN ONE SENSE AND FOR REVERSE ANGULAR DISPLACEMENTS ON EACH STROKE OF THE ACTUATING MEMBER IN THE OPPOSITE SENSE, AND TWO PAWLS RESPECTIVELY CARRIED BY SAID TWO FURTHER MEMBERS AND COOPERATING WITH SAID RATCHET WHEEL AT SUBSTANTIALLY DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED LOCATIONS, SAID PAWLS ACTING ALTERNATELY IN DRIVING THE RATCHET WHEEL ON RECIPROCATION OF SAID ACTUATING MEMBER.