Work-scheduling apparatus

Claim 1

Work-scheduling apparatus comprising: a panel mounting a number of indicator sets to be assigned to different work-performing media, each indicator set including first and second indicator lamps, said first indicator lamp being an availability indicator for indicating the availability of the respective medium to assume a new job assignment and being adapted to be illuminated to indicate said medium is occupied and darkened to indicate said medium is unoccupied, said second indicator lamp being a job status indicator for indicating the estimated status of completion of an assigned job, switch means in each indicator set for illuminating the respective availability indicator lamp when a job is assigned to the corresponding medium and darkening the latter lamp when the medium is available for a new job assignment, and presettable timer means including a single timing motor, a timer presetting means for each indicator set which is adjustable from a zero position to a range of timing positions representing different estimated job completion time intervals, and timing switch means operatively connected to each presetting means and said motor and responsive to adjustment of said presetting means from said zero position to any selected position within said range representing a selected estimated job completion time interval for illuminating the corresponding job status indicator lamp throughout the selected time interval and returning said presetting means to zero position and darkening the corresponding status indicator lamp at the expiration of the selected time interval, and means in each indicator set for indicating the time remaining in the selected time interval.