Time accumulator for accumulating workers' time on the job

Claim 2

Apparatus for accumulating the time a worker is on a job comprising (a) an electric power source, (b) means for producing a periodic electric timing pulse representative of a predetermined increment of time, (c) an electrical counter means in circuit with said periodic pulse producing means for counting said periodic pulses, (d) normally closed switch means in circuit with said periodic pulse producing means and said counter means for connecting and disconnecting said periodic pulse producing means and said counter to said electric power source, said normally closed switch means requiring a separable actuating device to open said switch and (e) a worker assigned separable actuating device which is normally applied by the worker to open said normally closed switch means when the worker stops working, and is withdrawn by the worker from said normally closed switch means when the worker goes on a job to permit said normally closed switch means to close and said counter to count the periodic pulses produced by said periodic pulse producing means during the time said separable actuating device is withdrawn.

Claim 3

The apparatus set forth in claim 1 together with an electric indicator means connected in circuit with said power source and said normally closed switch to bE energized when said normally closed switch is closed and said counter is counting for indicating when a worker is on the job.

Claim 4

The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said periodic timing pulse producing means comprises a periodic switch, and motor actuated means for opening and closing said periodic switch in a continuous manner.

Claim 5

The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein there are plural electrically actuated counters and plural normally closed switch means, there being one counter and one normally closed switch means in multiple parallel branches and each of said branches being serially connected with said periodic timing pulse producing means and said electric power source.

Claim 6

The apparatus set forth in claim 4 wherein there are plural electric indicator means for indicating which workers are on the job there being at least one indicator means for each normally closed switch means.

Claim 7

The apparatus set forth in claim 4 together with a box-like housing having one wall which is a display panel with front and rear faces, the front face of said display panel comprising a plurality of similar display areas within the confines of said display face, and there being mounted behind each display area within said housing, one of said plurality of counters, and one of said normally closed switches, each display area having means for viewing the counter mounted behind said display area and access means within the display area extending through said display panel for receiving said separable actuating device for opening said normally closed switch.

Claim 8

The apparatus set forth in claim 6 wherein there are plural electric indicator means corresponding in number to the number of said display areas, there being one electric-indicator means mounted within each of said display areas, each of said indicator means being connected in circuit with said power source and with the normally closed switch behind a corresponding display area to be energized when the normally closed switch behind a corresponding display area is closed for indicating when a worker assigned separable actuator for said corresponding normally closed switch is withdrawn and said worker is presumed to be on the job.

Claim 9

The apparatus set forth in claim 7 together with a plurality of remote electrical indicator means which are located remotely from said housing there being at least one remote indicator for each of the electrical indicator means mounted in said housing, for presenting a remote indication corresponding with the indication of a particular indicator means in said housing.

Claim 10

The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said normally closed switch means includes a receptacle for receiving said worker assigned separable actuating device, and means positioned within the receptacle for engaging said separable actuating device for opening said normally closed switch when said separable actuating device is inserted into said receptacle.

Claim 11

The apparatus set forth in claim 9 wherein the receptacle of said normally closed switch includes means for grounding said separable actuating device.

Claim 12

Apparatus for accumulating the time a worker is on a job comprising (a) an electric power source, (b) means for producing a periodic electric timing pulse representative of a predetermined increment of time, (c) an electrical counter means in circuit with said periodic pulse producing means for counting said periodic pulses, (d) normally closed switch means in circuit with said periodic pulse producing means and said counter means for connecting and disconnecting said periodic pulse producing means and said counter to said electric power source, said normally closed switch means requiring a separable actuating device to open said switch and (e) a worker assigned separable actuating device which is normally applied by the worker to open said normally closed switch means when the worker stops working, and is withdrawn by the worker from said normally closed switch means when the worker goes on a job to permit said normally closed switch means to close and said counter to count the periodic pulses produced by said periodic pulse producing means during the time said separable actuating device is withdrawn, said normally closed switch means including a receptacle for receiving said worker assigned separable actuating device, and means positioned within the receptacle for engaging said separable actuating device for opening said normally closed switch when said separable actuating device is inserted into said receptacle, said separable actuating device being a phone-type plug including a handle portion and a shank projecting from said handle portion, and said receptacle having a complementally shaped opening for receiving said shank, said shank having a body portion and a tip end portion and an annular groove adjacent said tip end portion, and means positioned within said receptacle for engaging said separable actuating device having a resiliently biased projection for engaging said groove and frictionally holding said separable actuating device in said receptacle.

Claim 13

Apparatus for accumulating the time a worker is on a job comprising (a) an electric power source, (b) means for producing a periodic electric timing pulse representative of a predetermined increment of time, (c) an electrical counter means in circuit with said periodic pulse producing means for counting said periodic pulses, (d) normally closed switch means in circuit with said periodic pulse producing means and said counter means for connecting and disconnecting said periodic pulse producing means and said counter to said electric power source, said normally closed switch means requiring a separable actuating device to open said switch and (e) a worker assigned separable actuating device which is normally applied by the worker to open said normally closed switch means when the worker stops working, and is withdrawn by the worker from said normally closed switch means when the worker goes on a job to permit said normally closed switch means to close and said counter to count the periodic pulses produced by said periodic pulse producing means during the time said separable actuating device is withdrawn, said normally closed switch means including a receptacle for receiving said worker assigned separable actuating device, and means positioned within the receptacle for engaging said separable actuating device for opening said normally closed switch when said separable actuating device is inserted into said receptacle, said separable actuating device being a phone-type plug including a handle portion and a shank projecting from said handle portion, and said receptacle having a complementally shaped opening for receiving said shank, said shank having a body portion and a tip end portion and an annular groove adjacent said tip end portion, and means positioned within said receptacle for engaging said separable actuating device having a resiliently biased projection for engaging said groove and frictionally holding said separable actuating device in said receptacle.

Claim 14

Apparatus for accumulating the time a worker is on a job comprising (a) an electric power source, (b) means for producing a periodic electric timing pulse representative of a predetermined increment of time, (c) an electrical counter means in circuit with said periodic pulse producing means for counting said periodic pulses, (d) normally closed switch means in circuit with said periodic pulse producing means and said counter means for connecting and disconnecting said periodic pulse producing means and said counter to said electric power source, said normally closed switch means requiring a separable actuating device to open said switch and (e) a worker assigned separable actuating device which is normally applied by the worker to open said normally closed switch means when the worker stops working, and is withdrawn by the worker from said normally closed switch means when the worker goes on a job to permit said normally closed switch means to close and said counter to count the periodic pulses produced by said periodic pulse producing means during the time said separable actuating device is withdrawn, said normally closed switch means including a receptacle for receiving said worker assigned separable actuating device, and means positioned within the receptacle for engaging said separable actuating device for opening said normally closed switch when said separable actuating device is inserted into said receptacle, said separable actuating device being a phone-type plug including a handle portion and a shank projecting from said handle portion, said receptacle having a complementally shaped opening for receiving said shank, said shank having a body portion and a tip end portion and an annular groove adjacent said tip end portion, and said means positioned within said receptacle for engaging said separable actuating device having a resiliently biased projection for engaging said groove and frictionally holding said separable actuating device in said receptacle, said body portion of said shank and said tip being of electrically conductive material and being separated by an insulated portion, the handle portion of said plug being hollow and enclosing a calibrated electrical resistance means, and means connecting one side of said resistance means to said tip portion and means connecting the other side of said resistance means to said body portion.

Claim 15

Apparatus for accumulating the time a worker is on a job comprising (a) an electric power source, (b) means for producing a periodic electric timing pulse representative of a predetermined increment of time, (c) an electrical counter means in circuit with said periodic pulse producing means for counting said periodic pulses, (d) normally closed switch means in circuit with said periodic pulse producing means and said counter means for connecting and disconnecting said periodic pulse producing means and said counter to said electric power source, said normally closed switch means requiring a separable actuating device to open said switch and (e) a worker assigned separable actuating device which is normally applied by the worker to open said normally closed switch means when the worker stops working, and is withdrawn by the worker from said normally closed switch means when the worker goes on a job to permit said normally closed switch means to close and said counter to count the periodic pulses produced by said periodic pulse producing means during the time said separable actuating device is withdrawn, said normally closed switch means including a receptacle for receiving said worker assigned separable actuating device, and means positioned within the receptacle for engaging said separable actuating device for opening said normally closed switch when said separable actuating device is inserted into said receptacle, said separable actuating device being a phone-type plug including a handle portion and a shank projecting from said handle portion, said receptacle having a complementally shaped opening for receiving said shank, said shank having a body portion and a tip end portion and an annular groove adjacent said tip end portion, and said means positioned within said receptacle for engaging said separable actuating device having a resiliently biased projection for engaging said groove and frictionally holding said separable actuating device in said receptacle, said body portion of said shank and said tip being of electrically conductive material and being separated by an insulated portion, the handle portion of said plug being hollow and enclosing a calibrated electrical resistance means, and means connecting one side of said resistance means to said tip portion and means connecting the other side of said resistance means to said body portion.