Safety system incorporating a plurality of control switches

Claim 2

A safety system for signaling a malfunction of one of a plurality of elements in a driven instrumentality and for stopping the instrumentality comprising: a separate control switch for each of said plurality of elements; a signaling device in each of said control switches movable between an inactive position and a signaling position; a first electrical circuit extending from a power source through said control switches to said instrumentality; a safety switch associated with each of said elements adapted to open in the event of a malfunction in its associated element; a second electrical circuit extending from the power source through each of said safety switches and from each safety switch to its associated control switch; said control switches and said first and second electrical circuits being so constructed and arRanged as to maintain all of the signaling devices in their inactive positions when said first circuit and all of said second circuits are closed and to cause an opening of a particular safety switch to open the first circuit in the control switch associated with the open safety switch and to move the signaling device associated with said particular safety switch from its inactive to its signaling position; and a third electrical circuit interconnecting the control switches; said control switches and said third electrical circuit being so constructed and arranged that the remaining signaling devices are retained in their inactive positions when said particular safety switch is opened.

Claim 3

The system according to claim 1 wherein the control switches are so constructed that the signaling devices are manually movable from their signaling to their inactive positions; and wherein the control switches and said third electrical circuit are so constructed and arranged that the signaling device in its signaling position is retained in its inactive position when it is moved to its inactive position from its signaling position.

Claim 4

The system according to claim 2 further comprising: an instrumentality running switch, interposed in said first circuit between the control switches and the instrumentality, movable between a closed position wherein the instrumentality may be operated and an open position wherein the instrumentality is precluded from operation; and wherein the instrumentality running switch and the third electrical circuit are so constructed and arranged that the signaling device in its signaling position is retained in its inactive position when it is moved to its inactive position from its signaling position regardless of whether the running switch is in its closed or open position.

Claim 5

The system according to claim 1 wherein a case envelopes at least a part of each of said control switches; and wherein each of said signaling devices comprises a button movably mounted in each of said cases between a retracted position wherein it is in said inactive position and a projecting position wherein it is in said signaling position.

Claim 6

The system according to claim 4 wherein each of said buttons is manually movable from its projecting position to its retracted position; and wherein the control switches and said third electrical circuit are so constructed and arranged that the button in its projecting position is retained in retracted position when it is moved to its retracted position from its projecting position.

Claim 7

The system according to claim 5 further comprising: an instrumentality running switch, interposed in said first circuit between the control switches and the instrumentality, movable between a closed position wherein the instrumentality may be operated and an open position wherein the instrumentality is precluded from operation; and wherein the instrumentality running switch and the third electrical circuit are so constructed and arranged that the button in its projecting position is retained in its retracted position when it is moved to its retracted position from its projecting position regardless of whether the running switch is in its closed or open position.

Claim 8

The system according to claim 1 wherein each of said control switches comprises: a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, a fourth terminal and a fifth terminal; a solenoid having a coil and a core; a first electrically conductive means interposed between said fourth terminal and one end of said coil; a second electrically conductive means interposed between said fifth terminal and the other end of said coil; an armature movably mounted between a first armature position wherein the armature is attracted to and bears against the core pursuant to electric current flowing through the coil and a second armature position wherein the armature is spaced from the core when no electric current is flowing through the coil; a first spring means yieldably urging the armature to said second aRmature position; a first contact in electrically conductive connection with said first terminal; a second contact spaced from said first contact, in electrically conductive connection with said second terminal; an arm, having a finger located between said contacts, mounted for movement between a first arm position wherein the finger is in engagement with said second contact and a second arm position wherein the finger is in engagement with said first contact; a second spring means yieldably urging the arm to said second arm position; cooperative latching means on said armature and said arm so constructed and arranged as to retain the arm in said first arm position when the armature is in said first armature position and to permit movement of the arm to said second arm position under the influence of said second spring means when the armature is moved from said first armature position to said second armature position under the influence of said first spring means; stop means inteposed between said armature and said arm to retain the arm in said second arm position when the arm is moved to said second arm position under the influence of said second spring means; a third electrically conductive means interposed between said third terminal and said arm; a fourth electrically conductive means interposed between said first terminal and said first electrically conductive means so constituted as to permit current flow from said first terminal to said first electrically conductive means and to inhibit current flow from said first electrically conductive means to said first terminal; a case enveloping at least a part of the control switch; a button, in registry with the arm, mounted to the case for movement between a first button position wherein the button is retracted with respect to the case and wherein the button is in engagement with the arm while the arm is in said first arm position and a second button position wherein the button is projecting with respect to the case and wherein the button is in engagement with the arm while the arm is in said second arm position, said button constituting said signaling device, said first button position constituting said inactive position of the signaling device, and said second button position constituting said signaling position of the signaling device; and a third spring means yieldably urging the button to said first button position; wherein said first electrical circuit comprises: an electrical connection between said power source and the third terminal of a first of said control switches; an electrical connection between the second terminal of a second of said control switches and said instrumentality; and electrical connections extending in series between the second terminals of each of the control switches, excepting said second control switch, and the third terminal of another control switch; wherein said second electrical circuit comprises: an electrical connection between each of said safety switches and the fourth terminal of its associated control switch; and an electrical connection between the fifth terminal of each control switch and the power source; and wherein said third electrical circuit comprises: electrical connections extending in series between the first terminals of each of the control switches.

Claim 9

The system according to claim 7 further comprising: an instrumentality running switch, interposed in said first circuit between the control switches and the instrumentality, movable between a closed position wherein the instrumentality may be operated and an open position wherein the instrumentality is precluded from operation; and wherein said third electrical circuit comprises: an electrical connection between one of said first terminals and the power source when the running switch is in said open position.

Claim 10

A control switch comprising: a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, a fourth terminal, and a fifth terminal; a solenoid having a coil and a core; a first electrically conductive means interpoSed between said fourth terminal and one end of said coil; a second electrically conductive means interposed between said fifth terminal and the other end of said coil; an armature movably mounted between a first armature position wherein the armature is attracted to and bears against the core pursuant to electric current flowing through the coil and a second armature position wherein the armature is spaced from the core when no electric current is flowing through the coil; a first spring means yieldably urging the armature to said second armature position; a first contact in electrically conductive connection with said first terminal; a second contact, spaced from said first contact, in electrically conductive connection with said second terminal; an arm, having a finger located between said contacts, mounted for movement between a first arm position wherein the finger is in engagement with said second contact and a second arm position wherein the finger is in engagement with said first contact; a second spring means yieldably urging the arm to said second arm position; cooperative latching means on said armature and said arm so constructed and arranged as to retain the arm in said first arm position when the armature is in said first armature position and to permit movement of the arm to said second arm position under the influence of said second spring means when the armature is moved from said first armature position to said second armature position under the influence of said first spring means; stop means interposed between said armature and said arm to retain the arm in said second arm position wnen the arm is moved to said second arm position under the influence of said second spring means; a third electrically conductive means interposed between said third terminal and said arm; a fourth electrically conductive means interposed between said first terminal and said first electrically conductive means so constituted as to permit current flow from said first terminal to said first electrically conductive means and to inhibit current flow from said first electrically conductive means to said first terminal; a case enveloping at least a part of the control switch; a button, in registry with the arm, mounted to the case for movement between a first button position wherein the button is retracted with respect to the case and wherein the button is in engagement with the arm while the arm is in said first arm position and a second button position wherein the button is projecting with respect to the case and wherein the button is in engagement with the arm while the arm is in said second arm position; and a third spring means yieldably urging the button to said first button position.

Claim 11

A control switch comprising: a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, a fourth terminal, and a fifth terminal; a solenoid having a coil and a core; a first electrically conductive means interpoSed between said fourth terminal and one end of said coil; a second electrically conductive means interposed between said fifth terminal and the other end of said coil; an armature movably mounted between a first armature position wherein the armature is attracted to and bears against the core pursuant to electric current flowing through the coil and a second armature position wherein the armature is spaced from the core when no electric current is flowing through the coil; a first spring means yieldably urging the armature to said second armature position; a first contact in electrically conductive connection with said first terminal; a second contact, spaced from said first contact, in electrically conductive connection with said second terminal; an arm, having a finger located between said contacts, mounted for movement between a first arm position wherein the finger is in engagement with said second contact and a second arm position wherein the finger is in engagement with said first contact; a second spring means yieldably urging the arm to said second arm position; cooperative latching means on said armature and said arm so constructed and arranged as to retain the arm in said first arm position when the armature is in said first armature position and to permit movement of the arm to said second arm position under the influence of said second spring means when the armature is moved from said first armature position to said second armature position under the influence of said first spring means; stop means interposed between said armature and said arm to retain the arm in said second arm position wnen the arm is moved to said second arm position under the influence of said second spring means; a third electrically conductive means interposed between said third terminal and said arm; a fourth electrically conductive means interposed between said first terminal and said first electrically conductive means so constituted as to permit current flow from said first terminal to said first electrically conductive means and to inhibit current flow from said first electrically conductive means to said first terminal; a case enveloping at least a part of the control switch; a button, in registry with the arm, mounted to the case for movement between a first button position wherein the button is retracted with respect to the case and wherein the button is in engagement with the arm while the arm is in said first arm position and a second button position wherein the button is projecting with respect to the case and wherein the button is in engagement with the arm while the arm is in said second arm position; and a third spring means yieldably urging the button to said first button position.

Claim 12

The switch according to claim 9 wherein said fourth electrically conductive means is comprised of a diode.

Claim 13

The switch according to claim 9 further comprising: a base; means mounting the solenoid to the base; a stand mounted to and extending upwardly of the base rearwardly of the solenoid; means pivotally mounting the armature to the stand so that a median portion of the armature extends forwardly of the stand and overhangs the core and the back of the armature extends rearwardly of the stand; means mounting the first spring means so that it extends between the back of the armature and the stand; an aperture in said arm through which the front of the armature extends; a first shoulder on the bottom surface of the armature, said first shoulder coacting with the bottom surface of the aperture to constitute said latching means; and a second shoulder on the top surface of the armature, located forwardly of said first shoulder, said second shoulder coacting with the top surface of the aperture to constitute said stop means.

Claim 14

The switch according to claim 9 further comprising: a bracket mounted to said arm; and a third contact in electrically conductive connection with said third terminal; and wherein said third electrically conductive means comprises a wire extending between said bracket aNd said third terminal.

Claim 15

The switch according to claim 9 further comprising: a third contact forming said first electrically conductive means, in electrically conductive connection with said fourth terminal to which said one end of the coil is connected; and wherein said fourth electrically conductive means is comprised of a wire, incorporating a diode, that extends between said first contact and said third contact.