Subinterval timer drive system

Claim 2

A subinterval timer, the combination comprising: a housing; sequence control means including sequence control cam means and subinterval switching cam means movably supported in said housing relatively movable to each other and further including a plurality of switches actuated by said sequence control cam means and said subinterval switching cam means; and drive means for advancing said sequence control cam means and said subinterval switching cam means through a predetermined cycle of operation, said drive means including advancing means drivingly engageable with said subinterval switching cam means and periodically engageable with both said sequence control cam means and said subinterval switching cam means for effecting advancement of said subinterval switching cam means after a predetermined period of time and effecting advancement of both said sequence control cam means and said subinterval switching cam means after a multiple of said predetermined period of time whereby said subinterval switching cam means and said sequence control cam means are advanced at different effective rates while maintained in synchronization.

Claim 3

A timer, the combination comprising: a housing; sequence control means including first and second relatively movable cam means supported in said housing and further including first and second switches operated by said first and second cam means; drive means including incremental advancing means operable for advancing said first and second cam means; first means drivingly connected to said first cam means and engageable by said advancing means; and second means drivingly connected to said second cam means and periodically engageable by said advancing means, said first means being normally engageable by said advancing means for regular predetermined incremental advancement of said first cam means and formed to effect common engagement of said advancing means with said first means and said second means after at least one predetermined intermediate advancement of said first cam means alone for advancing said first and second cam means substantially simultaneously whereby said first and second cam means are advanced at different effective rates while synchronization is maintained therebetween.

Claim 4

A timer, the combination comprising: a housing; sequence control means including first and second relatively movable cam means supported in said housing and further including first and second switches operated by said first and second cam means; drive means including incremental advancing means operable for advancing said first and second cam means; first means drivingly connected to said first cam means and engageable by said advancing means; and second means drivingly connected to said second cam means and periodically engageable by said advancing means, said first means being normally engageable by said advancing means for regular predetermined incremental advancement of said first cam means and formed to effect common engagement of said advancing means with said first means and said second means after at least one predetermined intermediate advancement of said first cam means alone for advancing said first and second cam means substantially simultaneously whereby said first and second cam means are advanced at different effective rates while synchronization is maintained therebetween.

Claim 5

A timer, the combination comprising: a housing; sequence control means including relatively movable sequence control cam means and subinterval switching cam means supported within said housing and operable for actuating first and second switches; a driven ratchet pawl means operable for advancing said sequence control cam means and said subinterval switching cam means; first ratchet means drivingly connected to and comprising a portion of said subinterval switching cam means engageable by said ratchet pawl means; and second ratchet means drivingly connected to and comprising a portion of said sequence control cam means and periodically engageable by said ratchet pawl means, said first ratchet means being normally engageable by said ratchet pawl means for regular predetermined incremental advancement of said subinterval switching cam means and formed to effect common engagement of said ratchet pawl means with said first ratchet means and said second ratchet means after a predetermined number of intermediate incremental Advancements of said subinterval switching cam means alone for advancing said sequence control cam means and subinterval switching cam means substantially simultaneously whereby said sequence control cam means and subinterval switching cam means are advanced at different effective rates while synchronization is maintained therebetween.

Claim 6

A timer, the combination comprising: a housing; sequence control means including relatively movable sequence control cam means and subinterval switching cam means supported within said housing and operable for actuating first and second switches; a driven ratchet pawl means operable for advancing said sequence control cam means and said subinterval switching cam means; first ratchet means drivingly connected to and comprising a portion of said subinterval switching cam means engageable by said ratchet pawl means; and second ratchet means drivingly connected to and comprising a portion of said sequence control cam means and periodically engageable by said ratchet pawl means, said first ratchet means being normally engageable by said ratchet pawl means for regular predetermined incremental advancement of said subinterval switching cam means and formed to effect common engagement of said ratchet pawl means with said first ratchet means and said second ratchet means after a predetermined number of intermediate incremental Advancements of said subinterval switching cam means alone for advancing said sequence control cam means and subinterval switching cam means substantially simultaneously whereby said sequence control cam means and subinterval switching cam means are advanced at different effective rates while synchronization is maintained therebetween.

Claim 7

In a timer as defined in claim 3 wherein one of said sequence control cam means and said subinterval switching cam means is in the form of a disclike member and wherein said first ratchet means is in the form of first ratchet teeth on the periphery thereof for engagement by said ratchet pawl means.

Claim 8

In a timer as defined in claim 4 wherein the other of said sequence control cam means and said subinterval switching cam means is in the form of an annular member rotatably mounted on said one of the sequence control cam means and the subinterval switching cam means and includes second ratchet teeth on the periphery thereof juxtaposed to said first ratchet teeth.

Claim 9

In a timer as defined in claim 3 wherein said first ratchet means includes regularly spaced teeth extending beyond said second ratchet means for regular engagement and advancement by said driven ratchet pawl means and further includes recesses between predetermined numbers of teeth for permitting engagement of said ratchet pawl means with said second ratchet means while engaging said first ratchet means and thereby effecting substantially simultaneous advancement of said sequence control cam means and said subinterval switching cam means.

Claim 10

In a timer as defined in claim 3 wherein said first and second ratchet means includes a plurality of ratchet teeth operatively engageable by said ratchet pawl means and wherein the radial depth of a first portion of the ratchet teeth of said first ratchet means permits common engagement of said ratchet pawl means with said first and second ratchet means and the radial depth of a second portion of the ratchet teeth of said first ratchet means prevents engagement of said ratchet pawl means with said second ratchet means.

Claim 11

A timer, the combination comprising: a housing; sequence control means including first and second rotatable members supported within said housing and operable for actuating first and second switches, said first rotatable member including cam means on at least one face thereof and further including first ratchet teeth around the periphery thereof, said second rotatable member being rotatable relative to said first rotatable member and including cam means on one face thereof and second ratchet teeth around the periphery thereof closely juxtaposed to said first ratchet teeth; and driven ratchet pawl means for common engagement with said first and second ratchet and advancement thereof, said first ratchet teeth extending beyond said second ratchet teeth and including shallow intermediate teeth operatively engageable with said ratchet pawl means while preventing operative engagement of said ratchet pawl means with the second ratchet teeth for achieving subinterval advancement of said first rotatable member.

Claim 12

A timer, the combination comprising: a housing; sequence control means including first and second rotatable members supported within said housing and operable for actuating first and second switches, said first rotatable member including cam means on at least one face thereof and further including first ratchet teeth around the periphery thereof, said second rotatable member being rotatable relative to said first rotatable member and including cam means on one face thereof and second ratchet teeth around the periphery thereof closely juxtaposed to said first ratchet teeth; and driven ratchet pawl means for common engagement with said first and second ratchet and advancement thereof, said first ratchet teeth extending beyond said second ratchet teeth and including shallow intermediate teeth operatively engageable with said ratchet pawl means while preventing operative engagement of said ratchet pawl means with the second ratchet teeth for achieving subinterval advancement of said first rotatable member.

Claim 13

A timer as defined in claim 8 wherein each of said rotatable members includes the same number of teeth on the periphery thereof and wherein said first rotatable member includes alternating full depth and shallow depth teeth whereby said first rotatable member is advanced twice for each advance of said second rotatable member with one of the advanced of the first rotatable member being synchronized with the advance of said second rotatable member.

Claim 14

A timer, the combination comprising: a housing; sequence control means including subinterval switching cam means having a first cam track on a face thereof and a first ratchet wheel on the periphery thereof and further including sequence control cam means rotatable relative to said subinterval switching cam means and having a second cam track on a face thereof and a second ratchet wheel on the periphery thereof juxtaposed to the first ratchet wheel of said subintervAl switching cam means; and a driven ratchet pawl means operable for advancing said subinterval switching cam means and said sequence control cam means, said first ratchet wheel extending radially beyond said second ratchet wheel to normally engage with said ratchet pawl means and selectively prevent engagement of said ratchet pawl means with the second ratchet wheel, said first ratchet wheel being formed with recesses between selected groups of ratchet teeth extending radially inwardly to generally the second ratchet wheel of said sequence control cam means to receive said ratchet pawl means and to periodically effect generally simultaneous driving engagement of said ratchet pawl means with said first and second ratchet wheels.

Claim 15

A timer, the combination comprising: a housing; sequence control means including subinterval switching cam means having a first cam track on a face thereof and a first ratchet wheel on the periphery thereof and further including sequence control cam means rotatable relative to said subinterval switching cam means and having a second cam track on a face thereof and a second ratchet wheel on the periphery thereof juxtaposed to the first ratchet wheel of said subintervAl switching cam means; and a driven ratchet pawl means operable for advancing said subinterval switching cam means and said sequence control cam means, said first ratchet wheel extending radially beyond said second ratchet wheel to normally engage with said ratchet pawl means and selectively prevent engagement of said ratchet pawl means with the second ratchet wheel, said first ratchet wheel being formed with recesses between selected groups of ratchet teeth extending radially inwardly to generally the second ratchet wheel of said sequence control cam means to receive said ratchet pawl means and to periodically effect generally simultaneous driving engagement of said ratchet pawl means with said first and second ratchet wheels.

Claim 16

A timer as defined in claim 10 wherein one of said subinterval switching cam means and said sequence control means is formed as a disclike member having a cam track on one face thereof and ratchet teeth formed on the periphery thereof and wherein the other of said subinterval switching cam means and said sequence control cam means is an annular ring mounted on said disclike member and formed with a cam track on one face thereof and ratchet teeth on the periphery thereof and positioned juxtaposed to the ratchet teeth on the disclike member for common engagement by said ratchet pawl.

Claim 17

A timer as defined in claim 11, wherein the ratchet teeth on said subinterval switching cam means and said sequence control cam means are similarly formed and the ratchet teeth on said subinterval switching cam means include shallow intermediate teeth for periodically preventing operative engagement of the ratchet pawl with the ratchet teeth of said sequence control cam means whereby the subinterval switching cam means is advanceable on a self-synchronizing subinterval basis relative to advancement of said sequence control cam means.