Switch operating mechanism

Claim 2

An operating mechanism for producing controlled oscillatory movement comprising a chassis, a member mounted for a cam mounted on said chassis and adapted to engage said follower and move said member, an electric motor mounted on said chassis for rotating said cam, arresting means to stop said motor and cam after limited movement of said oscillating member, a source of electric power connected to said electric motor, switch means including a diode in the circuit to said electric motor and means to render the diode effective to cause said arresting means to be effective when the operative supply of electric power is terminated to said motor, said arresting means being a spring actuated brake and the brake being released by a solenoid in parallel with the motor circuit and the diode being in a lead directly to the motor and the motor being a direct current motor having permanent field, and the supply of current being direct current.

Claim 3

An operating mechanism for producing controlled oscillatory movement comprising a chassis, a member mounted for oscillating movement on said chassis, a follower on said member, a cam mounted on said chassis and adapted to engage said follower and move said member, an electric motor mounted on said chassis for rotating said cam, arresting means to stop said motor and cam after limited movement of said oscillating member, a source of electric power connected to said electric motor, switch means including a diode in the circuit to said electric motor and means to render the diode effective when the operative supply of electric power is terminated to said motor, the current supply being alternating current and the motor being an induction motor and a switch supplying current to the motor having the diode and a resistance in shunt with such switch.

Claim 4

An operating mechanism for producing controlled oscillatory movement comprising a chassis, a member mounted for oscillating movement on said chassis, a follower on said member, a cam mounted on said chassis and adapted to engage said follower and move said member, an electric motor mounted on said chassis for rotating said cam, arresting means to stop said motor and cam after limited movement of said oscillating member, a source of electric power connected to said electric motor, switch means including a diode in the circuit to said electric motor and means to render the diode effective when the operative supply of electric power is terminated to said motor, the current supply being alternating current and the motor being an induction motor and a switch supplying current to the motor having the diode and a resistance in shunt with such switch.

Claim 5

An operating mechanism for producing reciprocating movement comprising a chassis, a crank rotatably mounted on said chassis and having a crank pin eccentric to the axis of said crank, a crosshead follower mounted for reciprocating movement on said chassis, said crosshead having a crank pin receiving slot extending transversely to the direction of reciprocation, said slot having crank pin engaging walls on opposite sides of said crank pin with some substantial length of wall portion on each wall concentric with the axis of said crank and having another wall portion on each wall forming an elongated channel substantially transverse to the direction of reciprocating movement and of a length at least several times the diameter of the crank pin and an electric motor mounted on said chassis for rotating said crank, motion arresting means for stopping the crank pin in a concentric portion of said crosshead upon limited movement of said crosshead caused by the crank pin moving from one concentric portion on one wall into and out of the elongated channel transverse to the direction of reciprocating movement of the crosshead to the opposite concentric portion on the opposite wall to move the crosshead from one limit position to an opposite limit position whereby when crank pin is stopped in the concentric portions of the slot or the crank pin is moved in the concentric portion of the slot no movement of the crosshead occurs whereby the precise position of the crankpin during starting and stopping in the concentric portions is not critical, whereby the motor is started without load and thereby reaches substantial speed before encountering the load thereby reducing the inrush current to a minumum and assuring reliable starting and operation.

Claim 6

An operating mechanism for producing reciprocating movement comprising a chassis, a crank rotatably mounted on said chassis and having a crank pin eccentric to the axis of said crank, a crosshead follower mounted for reciprocating movement on said chassis, said crosshead having a crank pin receiving slot extending transversely to the direction of reciprocation, said slot having crank pin engaging walls on opposite sides of said crank pin with some substantial length of wall portion on each wall concentric with the axis of said crank and having another wall portion on each wall forming an elongated channel substantially transverse to the direction of reciprocating movement and of a length at least several times the diameter of the crank pin and an electric motor mounted on said chassis for rotating said crank, motion arresting means for stopping the crank pin in a concentric portion of said crosshead upon limited movement of said crosshead caused by the crank pin moving from one concentric portion on one wall into and out of the elongated channel transverse to the direction of reciprocating movement of the crosshead to the opposite concentric portion on the opposite wall to move the crosshead from one limit position to an opposite limit position whereby when crank pin is stopped in the concentric portions of the slot or the crank pin is moved in the concentric portion of the slot no movement of the crosshead occurs whereby the precise position of the crankpin during starting and stopping in the concentric portions is not critical, whereby the motor is started without load and thereby reaches substantial speed before encountering the load thereby reducing the inrush current to a minumum and assuring reliable starting and operation.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 3 in which the motor is controlled by a circuit having a pair of switches in parallel and a cam is driven with the crank to alternatEly operate the switches to interrupt the flow of current.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 4 in which a double-throw switch controls the flow of current to the pair of switches.

Claim 9

The invention according to claim 5 in which the motor has a permanent field and the supply of current is direct current and a diode is provided in the lead to the motor and the motion arresting means is a spring pressed brake which is released by supply of current to the motor in a parallel connection with the motor.

Claim 10

The invention according to claim 5 in which the power supply is alternating current and the pair of switches have a diode and a resistance in shunt with such pair of switches and the motor is an induction motor.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 3 in which the chassis is an I-shaped member having guide rods extending between the base and end and the follower is mounted on such guide rods.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 3 in which the motion arresting means is a yieldable stop adjacent the position of the concentric and transverse portions of the slot and the motor is a reversing motor.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 9 in which the source of power is positive and negative and neutral and switches are provided to cause operation in opposite directions.

Claim 14

The invention according to claim 9 in which cam means controls the switches.