Electrically released latching switch for timer-controlled appliances and the like

Claim 1

In an electrical appliance of the type having a timer and being capable of performing a plurality of cycles, each cycle comprising a plurality of events in sequence and having a cycle selector switch comprising a housing, a plurality of stationary contacts and a plurality of movable contacts within said housing, a plurality of slides within said housing movable longitudinally of said housing between first and second positions, each of said slides having a first set of cam sUrfaces thereon adapted in at least one of said first and second positions of said slide to close at least one of said movable contacts on at least one of said stationary contacts, a plurality of cycle select pushbuttons having plungers extending into said housing, each of said slides having a second set of cam surfaces thereon adapted to cooperate with said pushbutton plungers whereby depression of any one of said cycle select pushbuttons will move selected ones of said slides between their respective first and second positions, the improvement comprising connecting one of said movable contacts and its cooperating stationary contact in the main power line to the appliance so that when said last mentioned contacts are closed electrical power will be supplied to said appliance and when they are open electrical power to said appliance will be interrupted, the first set of cam surfaces on one of said slides being so arranged that when said last mentioned slide is in its first position said power line contacts will be open and when said slide is in its second position said power line contacts will be closed, means for biasing said last mentioned slide to its first position, said second set of cam surfaces on said last mentioned slide being so configured that depression of any one of said cycle select pushbuttons will shift said slide to its second position, latch means for mechanically engaging and maintaining said last mentioned slide in its second position when it has been moved thereto by actuation of one of said cycle select pushbuttons, said latch means being responsive to a signal from said timer to release said last mentioned slide, said slide thereafter being returned by said biasing means to its first position, whereby depression of any one of said cycle select pushbuttons will select the cycle to be performed by the appliance and supply electrical power to the appliance, which electrical power will be interrupted by a signal from the timer at the end of the cycle.