Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A timer including a program member rotatable about an axis and provided with spaced cams, a switch fixed relative to the program member for actuation by a cam, said switch including two blades the free ends of which are biased towards the program member, a follower on one of the blades engaging a cam whereby the cam actuates said one blade relative to the other, follower means on the second blade engaging the program member to reference the second blade relative to the program member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
85 words
A timer including a program member rotatable about an axis and provided with spaced cams, a switch fixed relative to the program member for actuation by a cam, said switch including two blades the free ends of which are biased towards the program member, a follower on one of the blades engaging a cam whereby the cam actuates said one blade relative to the other, follower means on the second blade engaging the program member to reference the second blade relative to the program member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A timer according to claim 1 in which the switch includes a third blade biased towards the program member, said follower means including a stop limiting movement of the third blade towards the program member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A timer according to claim 2 in which said follower means engages a separate cam on the program member for actuation thereby.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A timer according to claim 1 in which the switch includes a third blade, said follower means including a stop engageable by said third blade to limit movement of the third blade.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
A timer according to claim 4 in which the first blade is actuated by the cam to first engage the third blade and upon continued motion to move the third blade from said stop into contact with the second blade.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
79 words
A timer according to claim 4 in which the follower means engages a separate cam track on the program member whereby the second and third blades are referenced by the separate cam track while the first blade is actuated by the first named cam, said first blade being engageable with either the second or third blades and the blades moving into or out of contact may be moved in the desired direction simultaneously to increase the speed of switching.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
143 words
A timer including a program member provided with spaced cams for operating switches and means for rotating the program member, a plurality of switches fixed relative to the program member for actuation by respective cams, each of the switches including a blade having its proximal end fixed and its distal end including a contact and spacer means engaging the program member so as to reference the contact relative to the program member, a second blade having its proximal end fixed relative to the first blade with its distal end including a contact and a depending follower engaging one of the cams on the program member, the second blade being self-biased to urge the follower into engagement with the cam whereby the second blade is actuated in accordance with the configuration of the cam to open and close said contacts in a programmed sequence.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
143 words
A timer including a program member provided with spaced cams for operating switches and means for rotating the program member, a plurality of switches fixed relative to the program member for actuation by respective cams, each of the switches including a blade having its proximal end fixed and its distal end including a contact and spacer means engaging the program member so as to reference the contact relative to the program member, a second blade having its proximal end fixed relative to the first blade with its distal end including a contact and a depending follower engaging one of the cams on the program member, the second blade being self-biased to urge the follower into engagement with the cam whereby the second blade is actuated in accordance with the configuration of the cam to open and close said contacts in a programmed sequence.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The construction of claim 7 including means confining the follower on the second blade against lateral movement whereby the follower is kept on its Associated cam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
A timer according to claim 7 in which the program member is flat and said cams are concentric about the center of rotation of the program member, said switches being disposed in generally tangential relationship to the cams.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A timer according to claim 7 in which the program member is cylindrical with the cams axially spaced along the cylinder and the switches are disposed in generally tangential relationship to the cylinder.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 in which said spacer means engages another cam on the program member whereby both blades may be actuated by their respective cams.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 including an electrical barrier projecting from one of the blades between it and the adjacent blades of the adjacent switch a sufficient height to electrically shield the contacts associated with the first switch from the adjacent switch contacts.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
91 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the distal end of the first blade is provided with an upwardly projecting stop, a third blade having its proximal end fixed relative to the first and second blades and having its distal end overlying said stop and having a contact adapted to be engaged by the second blade contact, said third blade being self-biased against said stop and movable upwardly therefrom in response to elevation of the second blade by the cam to close the second blade contact on the upper blade contact.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A timer according to claim 7 in which the follower on the second blade is generally disposed on the projected diameter of said program member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
96 words
A timer including a program member having spaced cams, an assembly of spaced switches fixed relative to the program member for actuation by the cams, each of said switches including a blade having its free end self-biased towards said program member and including a spacer acting on the program member to reference the blade relative thereto, second blade operatively associated with the first blade in a switch and having a depending follower biased into contact with the associated cam, contacts on said blades which are opened and closed according to the configuration of the associated cam.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
96 words
A timer including a program member having spaced cams, an assembly of spaced switches fixed relative to the program member for actuation by the cams, each of said switches including a blade having its free end self-biased towards said program member and including a spacer acting on the program member to reference the blade relative thereto, second blade operatively associated with the first blade in a switch and having a depending follower biased into contact with the associated cam, contacts on said blades which are opened and closed according to the configuration of the associated cam.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
A timer according to claim 15 in which said spacer is part of an assembly molded on the end of the first blade, said assembly including an electrically insulative barrier disposed between the contacts of said switch and the contacts of an adjacent switch.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
A timer according to claim 15 in which each said second blade follower engages its associated cam between means limiting lateral movement of the follower.