Stepping switch system

Claim 2

The combination of a stretcher relay with a stepping switch, said stepping switch having fixed contacts, a movable contact, mechanism for moving said movable contact from fixed contact to fixed contact, a stepping coil for causing said mechanism to so move said movable contact, and a normally-closed snap switch adapted to automatically open, temporarily, upon completion of movement of said movable contact from any said fixed contact to the next said fixed contact; said stretcher relay having normally-open contact means and a coil energizable to close said normally-open contact means; said stepping switch having a circuit for connecting an electrical energy source to the last said coil both via said contacts of said stepping switch and independently of the lastsaid contacts, but in both cases via said snap switch, said circuit including said normally-open contact means connected between said source and said snap switch, said circuit also connecting said step coil to said source independently of the said last-said contacts, but via said normally-open contact means.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1, wherein said normally-open contact meanS includes first normally-open contacts and second normally-open contacts connected in series with each other and between said source and said step coil, said snap switch connecting said coil of said stretcher relay to the connection between said first and second normally-open contacts.

Claim 4

A stepping switch system having fixed contacts, a movable contact, and a normally-closed snap switch connectible to each said fixed contact sequentially; said system having a first coil energizable from said fixed contacts via said snap switch, and having normally-open contact means closeable by said first coil, when said first coil is energized, for energizing said first coil independently of said fixed contacts but via said snap switch; said system having a second coil energizable via said normally-open contact means, when said normally-open contact means is closed, but independently of said fixed contacts, for causing said movable contact to move to a said fixed contact, and said system having means for temporarily opening said snap switch in response to said movable contact reaching the last said fixed contact.

Claim 5

A stepping switch system having fixed contacts, a movable contact, and a normally-closed snap switch connectible to each said fixed contact sequentially; said system having a first coil energizable from said fixed contacts via said snap switch, and having normally-open contact means closeable by said first coil, when said first coil is energized, for energizing said first coil independently of said fixed contacts but via said snap switch; said system having a second coil energizable via said normally-open contact means, when said normally-open contact means is closed, but independently of said fixed contacts, for causing said movable contact to move to a said fixed contact, and said system having means for temporarily opening said snap switch in response to said movable contact reaching the last said fixed contact.

Claim 6

The stepping switch system of claim 3, wherein said normally-open contact means includes first normally-open contacts connected to said snap switch and closeable to energize said first coil independently of said fixed contacts, and also includes second normally-open contacts connected between said first normally-open contacts and said second coil, said first and second normally-open contacts closing in response to said first coil being energized from any of said fixed contacts.

Claim 7

The stepping switch system of claim 4, wherein normally-open switch means interconnects said fixed contacts and said snap switch for energizing said first coil from said fixed contacts and via said snap switch.

Claim 8

The stepping switch system of claim 3, wherein normally-open switch means interconnects said fixed contacts and said snap switch for energizing said first coil from said fixed contacts and via said snap switch.

Claim 9

A stepping switch system having a movable contact, fixed contacts, mechanism for stepwise moving said movable contact from fixed contact to fixed contact, and first coil means being pulse-energizable for causing said mechanism to so move said movable contact; said system also having second coil means, normally closed snap switch means, and limit switch means, said limit switch means having normally-closed contacts for connecting loads to said fixed contacts, and said limit switch means having normally-open contacts connecting said second coil means to said fixed contacts; said second coil means having normally-open contacts closeable in response to pulse-energization of said second coil means to establish a circuit for energizing said second coil means independently of said normally-open contacts of said limit switch means, and independently of said fixed and movable contacts, but via said snap switch means, and for simultaneously energizing said first coil means independently of said limit switch means and of said fixed and movable contacts; said limit switch means being operable to close its said normally-open contacts for pulse-energizing said second coil means, whereby said first coil means becomes energized and causes said mechanism to move said movable contact from that one of said fixed contacts connected to the last said normally-open contacts to the next of said fixed contacts, and said mechanism being adapted to temporarily open said snap switch means upon said movable contact reaching said next of said fixed contacts, whereby to deenergize said second coil means, and, therefore, said first coil means.

Claim 10

A stepping switch system having a movable contact, fixed contacts, mechanism for stepwise moving said movable contact from fixed contact to fixed contact, and first coil means being pulse-energizable for causing said mechanism to so move said movable contact; said system also having second coil means, normally closed snap switch means, and limit switch means, said limit switch means having normally-closed contacts for connecting loads to said fixed contacts, and said limit switch means having normally-open contacts connecting said second coil means to said fixed contacts; said second coil means having normally-open contacts closeable in response to pulse-energization of said second coil means to establish a circuit for energizing said second coil means independently of said normally-open contacts of said limit switch means, and independently of said fixed and movable contacts, but via said snap switch means, and for simultaneously energizing said first coil means independently of said limit switch means and of said fixed and movable contacts; said limit switch means being operable to close its said normally-open contacts for pulse-energizing said second coil means, whereby said first coil means becomes energized and causes said mechanism to move said movable contact from that one of said fixed contacts connected to the last said normally-open contacts to the next of said fixed contacts, and said mechanism being adapted to temporarily open said snap switch means upon said movable contact reaching said next of said fixed contacts, whereby to deenergize said second coil means, and, therefore, said first coil means.