Closure-operated safety switch for automatic appliance

Claim 2

In a domestic automatic appliance including a cabinet having an opening therethrough to the interior of the appliance and having a closure member adapted to move between an open position and a closed position to control access through the opening to the interior of the cabinet, the closure member in its closed position serving to cover not only the opening but also a portion of the cabinet, the improvement of a safety switch means adapted to terminate the operation of the appliance when the closure member is moved from the closed position, the switch means comprising: a relatively large opening formed through the portion of the cabinet covered by the closure member when in the closed position; an escutcheon member positioned within said opening and adapted for movement relative thereto a limited distance in all directions, said escutcheon member being adapted to engage and cover the entire periphery of said opening at all times regardless of its position within said opening; said escutcheon member additionally having a substantially centrally located aperture formed therethrough, said aperture being tapered to provide a relatively large outer diameter facing the closure member and a relatively small inner diameter adjacent the interior of the cabinet; an electrical switch disposed within the cabinet and having an actuator of relatively large diameter positioned adjacent the inner diameter of said aperture so as to be aligned with said aperture regardless of the position of said escutcheon member within said opening, whereby access to said switch actuator may be had only through said aperture; said inner diameter of said aperture being sufficiently small to prevent manual operation of said switch by an operator attempting to extend his finger through said aperture; and an elongate projection of relatively small diameter carried by the closure member and adapted to engage said tapered aperture and to move said escutcheon member so as to align said relatively small inner diameter therewith when the closure member is closed, thereby enabling said projection to extend through said aperture and contact said switch actuator to operate said switch.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein said escutcheon member comprises a material which is sufficiently rigid to prevent manual operation of said switch by the depression of said escuTcheon through said opening into engagement with said switch actuator.

Claim 4

In a centrifuging device including a cabinet having an opening therethrough to the interior of the device and having a closure member adapted to move between an open position and a closed position to control access through the opening to the interior of the cabinet, the closure member in its closed position serving to cover not only the opening but also a portion of the cabinet, a container mounted within the cabinet for rotation, and electrically operated drive means adapted to rotate the container, the improvement of a safety-switch means connected in electrical series with the drive means and adapted to terminate the operation of the device when the closure member is moved from the closed position, the switch means comprising: a relatively large opening formed through the portion of the cabinet covered by the closure member when in the closed position; an escutcheon member positioned within said opening and adapted for movement relative thereto a limited distance in all directions, said escutcheon member being adapted to engage and cover the entire periphery of said opening at all times regardless of its position within said opening; said escutcheon member additionally having a substantially centrally located aperture formed therethrough, said aperture being tapered to provide a relatively large outer diameter facing the closure member and a relatively small inner diameter adjacent the interior of the cabinet; an electrical switch means disposed within the cabinet and having an actuator of relatively large diameter positioned adjacent the inner diameter of said aperture so as to be aligned with said aperture regardless of the position of said escutcheon member within said opening, whereby access to said switch actuator may be had only through said aperture; said inner diameter of said aperture being sufficiently small to prevent manual operation of said electrical switch means by an operator attempting to extend his finger through said aperture; and an elongate projection of relatively small diameter carried by the closure member and adapted to engage said tapered aperture and to move said escutcheon member so as to align said relatively small inner diameter therewith when the closure is closed, thereby enabling said projection to extend through said aperture and contact said switch actuator to operate said electrical switch means.

Claim 5

In a centrifuging device including a cabinet having an opening therethrough to the interior of the device and having a closure member adapted to move between an open position and a closed position to control access through the opening to the interior of the cabinet, the closure member in its closed position serving to cover not only the opening but also a portion of the cabinet, a container mounted within the cabinet for rotation, and electrically operated drive means adapted to rotate the container, the improvement of a safety-switch means connected in electrical series with the drive means and adapted to terminate the operation of the device when the closure member is moved from the closed position, the switch means comprising: a relatively large opening formed through the portion of the cabinet covered by the closure member when in the closed position; an escutcheon member positioned within said opening and adapted for movement relative thereto a limited distance in all directions, said escutcheon member being adapted to engage and cover the entire periphery of said opening at all times regardless of its position within said opening; said escutcheon member additionally having a substantially centrally located aperture formed therethrough, said aperture being tapered to provide a relatively large outer diameter facing the closure member and a relatively small inner diameter adjacent the interior of the cabinet; an electrical switch means disposed within the cabinet and having an actuator of relatively large diameter positioned adjacent the inner diameter of said aperture so as to be aligned with said aperture regardless of the position of said escutcheon member within said opening, whereby access to said switch actuator may be had only through said aperture; said inner diameter of said aperture being sufficiently small to prevent manual operation of said electrical switch means by an operator attempting to extend his finger through said aperture; and an elongate projection of relatively small diameter carried by the closure member and adapted to engage said tapered aperture and to move said escutcheon member so as to align said relatively small inner diameter therewith when the closure is closed, thereby enabling said projection to extend through said aperture and contact said switch actuator to operate said electrical switch means.