Press control apparatus

Claim 2

In a machine which has a work producing portion movable by an operating drive means from a remote starting position, where an operator is relatively safe, to a work producing position where it can injure an operator in the vicinity thereof, and is then movable back to said starting position, said machine including main electrical connector means including at least a first pair of contact terminals to be interconnected by manually operable switch means of an operator control station, the opening or closing of the circuit across said pair of contact terminals resulting in either the energization of de-energization of said operating drive means, the improvement comprising: a first connector duplication unit for enabling selectively the installation of one or more operator control stations including manually operable switch means to be connected in series between said first pair of contact terminals of said main connector means, said first connector duplicating unit including first electrical connector means complementary and removably connected to said main electrical connector means of the machine, and second electrical connector means for removably receiving complementary electrical connector means of circuit completing means; a first operator control station having manually operable switch means; and circuit completing means including first electrical connector means complementary and removably connected to said second electrical connector means of said first connector duplication unit; said first connector duplicating unit and said circuit completing means including circuit forming means for connecting said manually operable switch means of said first operator control station and any similar manually operable switch means which may be present in said circuit completing means in series between said first pair of contact terminals of said main electrical connector means.

Claim 3

The machine of claim 1 wherein at least part of said circuit completing means includes a second operator station with manually operable switch means connected in series with said manually operable switch means of said first operator control station.

Claim 4

The machine of claim 1 wherein said first connector duplicating unit includes, as an integral part thereof, said first operator control station including said manually operable switch means.

Claim 5

The machine of claims 1 wherein said first circuit completing means is a terminal circuit completing unit providing a continuous circuit connected in series with said manually operable switch means of said operator control station.

Claim 6

The machine of claim 1 wherein said first connector duplicating unit includes third electrical connector means for removably receiving complementary electrical connector means of a circuit completing means, said first operator control station forming a separate unit having first electrical connector means complementary and removably connected to said third electrical connector means of said first connector duplicating unit, said manually operable switch means of said first operator control station being electrically connected through said first electrical connector means thereof to said circuit-forming means of said first connector duplicating unit.

Claim 7

The machine of claim 2 wherein said second operator control station form part of said circuit completing means and constitutes a connector duplicating unit by including second electrical connector means for removably receiving complementary electrical connector means associated with a terminal circuit completing unit and a terminal circuit completing unit forming part of said circuit completing means and having associated electrical connector means complementary and removably connected to said second electrical connector means of said second operator control station,and circuit forming means in said terminal circuit completing unit and second operator control station completing connections which connect said manually operable switch means of said first and second operator control stations in series between said pair or contact terminals of said main electrical connector means.

Claim 8

In a machine which has a work producing portion movable by an operating drive means from a remote starting position, where an operator is relatively safe, to a work producing position where it can injure an operator in the vicinity thereof, and is then movable back to said starting position, said machine including main electrical connector means for removably receiving complementary connector means of an external circuit completing means and including at least a first pair of contact terminals to be interconnected by manually operable switch means of an operator control station, the opening or closing of a circuit across said pair of contact terminals resulting in the energization or de-energization of said operating drive means, the improvement comprising: a first connector duplicating unit for enabling selectively the installation of a number of operator control stations respectively including manually operable switch means to be connected in series between said first pair of contact terminals of said main electrical connector means, said first connector duplicating unit including first electrical connector means removably connected to said main electrical connector means and having a first pair of contact terminal engaging said first pair of contact terminals of said main electrical connector means, and second electrical connector means for removably receiving complementary electrical connector means of circuit completing means which provides a continuous interconnection between said first pair of contact terminals of said second electrical connector means of the first connector duplicating unit or an operator control which has manually operable switch means to be connected between said first pair of contact terminals of said second electrical connector means of said first connector duplicating unit; a first operator control station including manually operable switch means having one terminal connected to one of said first electrical connector means of said first connector duplicating unit, means connecting the other terminal of said manually operable switch means of said first operator control station to one of said pair of contact terminals of said second electrical connector means of said first connector duplicating unit, means within said first connector duplicating unit which connects the other of said pair of contact terminals of said second electrical connector means of said first connector duplicating unit to the other contact terminal of said first pair of contact terminals of said first electrical connector means of said first connector duplicating unit; and circuit completing means having electrical connector means with a pair of contact terminals removably connected to said pair of contact terminals of said second electrical connector means of Said first connector duplicating unit and circuit completing means connected to said pair of contact terminals of said electrical connector means thereof for completing a circuit which connects said manually operable switch means of said first operator control station across said first pair of terminals of said main electrical connector means.

Claim 9

In a machine which has a work producing portion movable by an operating drive means from a remote starting position, where an operator is relatively safe, to a work producing position where it can injure an operator in the vicinity thereof, and is then movable back to said starting position, said machine including main electrical connector means for removably receiving complementary connector means of an external circuit completing means and including at least a first pair of contact terminals to be interconnected by manually operable switch means of an operator control station, the opening or closing of a circuit across said pair of contact terminals resulting in the energization or de-energization of said operating drive means, the improvement comprising: a first connector duplicating unit for enabling selectively the installation of a number of operator control stations respectively including manually operable switch means to be connected in series between said first pair of contact terminals of said main electrical connector means, said first connector duplicating unit including first electrical connector means removably connected to said main electrical connector means and having a first pair of contact terminal engaging said first pair of contact terminals of said main electrical connector means, and second electrical connector means for removably receiving complementary electrical connector means of circuit completing means which provides a continuous interconnection between said first pair of contact terminals of said second electrical connector means of the first connector duplicating unit or an operator control which has manually operable switch means to be connected between said first pair of contact terminals of said second electrical connector means of said first connector duplicating unit; a first operator control station including manually operable switch means having one terminal connected to one of said first electrical connector means of said first connector duplicating unit, means connecting the other terminal of said manually operable switch means of said first operator control station to one of said pair of contact terminals of said second electrical connector means of said first connector duplicating unit, means within said first connector duplicating unit which connects the other of said pair of contact terminals of said second electrical connector means of said first connector duplicating unit to the other contact terminal of said first pair of contact terminals of said first electrical connector means of said first connector duplicating unit; and circuit completing means having electrical connector means with a pair of contact terminals removably connected to said pair of contact terminals of said second electrical connector means of Said first connector duplicating unit and circuit completing means connected to said pair of contact terminals of said electrical connector means thereof for completing a circuit which connects said manually operable switch means of said first operator control station across said first pair of terminals of said main electrical connector means.

Claim 10

In a machine which has a work producing portion movable by drive means from a remote starting position, where an operator is relatively safe, to a work producing position where it can injure an operator in the vicinity thereof; and is then movable back to said starting position, said machine including main connector means for removably receiving complementary connector means of an external circuit completing means and including at least a first pair of contact terminals to be interconnected by normally closed manually operable switch means of an operator control station, a second pair of contact terminals to be interconnected by normally open manually operable switch means of an operator control station, and a third pair of contact terminals to be continuously interconnected to permit energization of said drive means, the opening of the circuit across said first pair of contact terminals resulting in the de-energization of said drive means and the closing of the circuit across said second pair of contact terminals resulting in the energization of said operating drive means, the improvement comprising: a combination connector duplicating and operator control station unit having input connector means with a first, second and a third pair of contact terminals which can be respectively removably connected across said first, second and third pair of contact terminals of said main connector means, and output connector means with a first, second and third pair of contact terminals for respectively making connection to the contact terminals of an input connector means associated with circuit completing means to be connected thereto, at least one normally closed manually operable switch means and circuit connecting means connecting the corresponding first and second pair of contact terminals of said input and output connector means together with said normally closed manually operable switch means connected in series between one of the corresponding contact terminals of said first pair of contact terminals of said input and output connector means and said normally open manually operable switch means connected in series between one of the corresponding contact terminals of said second pair of contact terminals of said input and output connector means, and means short circuiting said third pair of contact terminals of said input connector means; a terminal circuit completing unit having input connector means with contact terminals which can be mistakenly removably connected with said main connector means and is removably connectable to contact terminals of said output connector means of said combination connector duplicating and operator control station unit, and means for respectively electrically short circuiting only said first and second pair of contact terminals of said output connector means of said combination connector duplicating and operating control station unit so said third pair of contact terminals of said main connector means will remain unconnected if said circuit completing unit is mistakenly directly connected to said main connector means, and circuit-forming means connected to the contact terminals of the last mentioned input connector necessary for completing a circuit where said normally open and normally closed manually operable switch means are respectively electrically connected across said first and second contact terminals of said main connector means.

Claim 11

In a machine which has a work producing portion movable by drive means from a remote starting position, where an operator is relatively safe, to a work producing position where it can injure an operator in the vicinity thereof; and is then movable back to said starting position, said machine including main connector means for removably receiving complementary connector means of an external circuit completing means and including at least a first pair of contact terminals to be interconnected by normally closed manually operable switch means of an operator control station, a second pair of contact terminals to be interconnected by normally open manually operable switch means of an operator control station, and a third pair of contact terminals to be continuously interconnected to permit energization of said drive means, the opening of the circuit across said first pair of contact terminals resulting in the de-energization of said drive means and the closing of the circuit across said second pair of contact terminals resulting in the energization of said operating drive means, the improvement comprising: a combination connector duplicating and operator control station unit having input connector means with a first, second and a third pair of contact terminals which can be respectively removably connected across said first, second and third pair of contact terminals of said main connector means, and output connector means with a first, second and third pair of contact terminals for respectively making connection to the contact terminals of an input connector means associated with circuit completing means to be connected thereto, at least one normally closed manually operable switch means and circuit connecting means connecting the corresponding first and second pair of contact terminals of said input and output connector means together with said normally closed manually operable switch means connected in series between one of the corresponding contact terminals of said first pair of contact terminals of said input and output connector means and said normally open manually operable switch means connected in series between one of the corresponding contact terminals of said second pair of contact terminals of said input and output connector means, and means short circuiting said third pair of contact terminals of said input connector means; a terminal circuit completing unit having input connector means with contact terminals which can be mistakenly removably connected with said main connector means and is removably connectable to contact terminals of said output connector means of said combination connector duplicating and operator control station unit, and means for respectively electrically short circuiting only said first and second pair of contact terminals of said output connector means of said combination connector duplicating and operating control station unit so said third pair of contact terminals of said main connector means will remain unconnected if said circuit completing unit is mistakenly directly connected to said main connector means, and circuit-forming means connected to the contact terminals of the last mentioned input connector necessary for completing a circuit where said normally open and normally closed manually operable switch means are respectively electrically connected across said first and second contact terminals of said main connector means.

Claim 12

The machine of claim 8 wherein said terminal circuit completing unit is a dummy unit devoid of any manually operable switch means and containing only means electrically short circuiting said first and second pair of contact terminals of said output connector meaNs of said combination connector duplicating and operating control station unit.

Claim 13

The machine of claim 8 wherein said terminal circuit completing unit constitutes a second operator control station unit having a normally closed manually operable switch means coupled across said first pair of contact terminals of said output connector means of said combination connector duplicating and operator control station unit.

Claim 14

The machine of claim 8 herewith said input connector means of said combination connector duplicating and operator control station unit is directly physically and electrically removably connected to said main connector means.

Claim 15

The machine of claim 8 wherein there is provided between said main connector means and said combination connector duplicating and operator control station unit an intervening connector duplicating unit having input connector means having is first, second and third pair of contact terminals respectively connected to said first, second and third pair of contact terminals of said main connector means respectively having a first, second and third pair of contact terminals: the input connector means of said combination connector duplicating and operator control station unit having its first, second and third pair of contact terminals respectively removably connected with said first, second and third pair of contact terminal means of said first output connector means of said intervening connector duplicating unit, and a second operator control station unit having input connector means with first, second and third pair of contact terminals respectively removably making contact with said first,second and third pair of contact terminals of said second output connector means of said intervening connector duplicating unit, and at least normally closed manually operable switch means coupled across said first pair of contact terminals of said input connector means of the second operator control station unit circuit-forming means in said intervening connector duplicating unit which connect said first and second pair of contact terminals of said first and second output connector means of said intervening connector duplicating unit respectively between said first and second pair of contact terminals of said main connector means, and said third pair of contact terminals of said first and second output connector means of said intervening connector duplicating unit respectively in parallel with one another and with said third pair of contact terminals of said main connector means.