Control apparatus

Claim 2

Control apparatus for controlling the selective and individual operation of at least a first and a second device operable from the same cyclical energy source of the type requiring a finite interval of time to recycle comprising a first switch means operable to connect the first device to the energy source to energize said first device, second switch means operable to connect the second device to the energy source to energize said second device, first disabling means responsive to the operation of said first switch means for disabling said second switch means for a preselected interval of time at least as great as the interval required for said source to recycle after the operation of said first switch means, and second disabling means responsive to the operation of said second switch means for disabling said first switch means for a predetermined interval of time at least as great as the interval required for said source to recycle after the operation of said second switch means.

Claim 3

Control apparatus as in claim 1, in which said first disabling means comprises third switch means movable from a first to a second state to disable said second switch means, and time delay means for maintaining said third switch means in the second state for said preselected interval of time after operation of said first switch means.

Claim 4

Control apparatus as in claim 2, in which said third switch means comprises a silicon controlled rectifier having an anode, a cathode and a gate electrode, biasing means, inhibit means serially connected with said biasing means between said anode and cathode electrodes for inhibiting the operation of said second switch means when said silicon controlled rectifier conducts, said time delay means comprising a resistor-capacitor circuit connected between said gate and cathode electrodes and operable by said first switch means for maintaining said silicon controlled rectifier conductive for said preselected interval of time after operation of said first switch means.

Claim 5

Control apparatus as in claim 3, in which said inhibit means comprises a relay having contacts movable from a closed to an open state when said silicon controlled rectifier conducts to prevent operation of said second switch means.

Claim 6

Control apparatus as in claim 3, in which said second switch means comprises a silicon controlled rectifier, and circuit means including a transformer for driving said second switch means silicon controlled rectifier into conduction; said inhibit means comprising a winding for saturating said transformer when said third switch means silicon controlled rectifier conducts to prevent operation of said second switch means.

Claim 7

Control apparatus as in claim 1, in which said first switch means is operable to control a first auxiliary switch associated with said first device, and said second switch means is operable to control a second auxiliary switch associated with said second device; and main switch means responsive to the operation of said first or second switch means for connecting the energy source with said first and second aUxiliary switches.

Claim 8

In combination, a first device, a second device, a cyclical energy source of the type requiring a finite interval of time to recycle, and control apparatus for selectively and individually connecting said energy source with said first and second devices; said first device comprising a first auxiliary switch for connecting said energy source with said first device to operate said first device, said second device comprising a second auxiliary switch for connecting said energy source with said second device to operate said second device; said control apparatus comprising first selectively operable switch means for operating said first auxiliary switch, second selectively operable switch means for operating said second auxiliary switch, and disabling means responsive to the operation of one of said first and said second switch means for disabling the other of said first and second switch means for a preselected interval of time at least as great as the interval of time required for said source to recycle.

Claim 9

In combination, a first device, a second device, a cyclical energy source of the type requiring a finite interval of time to recycle, and control apparatus for selectively and individually connecting said energy source with said first and second devices; said first device comprising a first auxiliary switch for connecting said energy source with said first device to operate said first device, said second device comprising a second auxiliary switch for connecting said energy source with said second device to operate said second device; said control apparatus comprising first selectively operable switch means for operating said first auxiliary switch, second selectively operable switch means for operating said second auxiliary switch, and disabling means responsive to the operation of one of said first and said second switch means for disabling the other of said first and second switch means for a preselected interval of time at least as great as the interval of time required for said source to recycle.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 7, in which said energy source comprises main switch means responsive to the operation of said first or second switch means for connecting said energy source with said first and second auxiliary switches.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 7, in which said disabling means includes a first disabling means responsive to the operation of said first switch means for disabling said second switch means for said preselected interval of time, and second disabling means responsive to the operation of said second switch means for disabling said first switch means for said preselected interval of time.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 9, in which said first and second disabling means each comprise third switch means movable from a first to a second state to disable the other of said first and second switch means, and time delay means for maintaining the third switch means in the second state for said preselected interval of time after operation of the one of said first and second switch means.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 7, in which said first and second switch means each comprise a biasing source, at least a silicon controlled rectifier connected in series with said biasing source and the respective first and second auxiliary switches and each being operable to permit current flow to the associated auxiliary switch in response to a gating signal, and manually operable gating signal means for applying a gating signal to said silicon controlled rectifier.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 7, in which said energy source comprises a source of hydraulic pressure, said first auxiliary switch comprising a solenoid operated valve energizable in response to the operation of said first switch means, and said second auxiliary switch comprises a solenoid operated valve energizable in response to the operation of said second switch means.