Motion sensing latch system

Claim 2

A safety door control for use in a laundry apparatus or the like including a rotatable member, the combination of a structure forming an enclosure for said rotatable member and access means including a door movable between a generally closed position and an open position to selectively provide access to within said enclosure; latch means operable between said structure and said door to control movement of said door from said closed position; and condition sensing means including a member disposed adjacent to said rotatable member and actuated responsive to initial movement of said door from said closed position, said sensing means being operable upon said actuation for permitting movement of said latching means to a non-latching posture in the absence of rotation of said rotatable member and for effecting operation of said latch means to a door-latching posture in the presence of rotation of said rotatable member to prevent access to within said enclosure.

Claim 3

A safety door control for an apparatus including a rotatable member, the combination comprising: a cabinet structure substantially enclosing said rotatable member and having access means including a door movable between a generally closed position and an open position to selectively provide access into said cabinet structure; self-engaging latch means movably operable between said cabinet structure and said door to control movement of said door from said closed position; and rotation sensing means including a movable probe effectively connected to said latch means and engageable with said rotatable member responsive to initial movement of said door from said closed position toward said open position against said latch means, said rotation sensing means being operable for permitting movement of said latching means to a non-latching posture in the absence of rotation of said rotatable member and for maintaining said latch means in a door-latching posture in the presence of rotation of said rotatable member to prevent access into said cabinet structure.

Claim 4

A safety door control for an apparatus including a rotatable member, the combination comprising: a cabinet structure substantially enclosing said rotatable member and having access means including a door movable between a generally closed position and an open position to selectively provide access into said cabinet structure; self-engaging latch means movably operable between said cabinet structure and said door to control movement of said door from said closed position; and rotation sensing means including a movable probe effectively connected to said latch means and engageable with said rotatable member responsive to initial movement of said door from said closed position toward said open position against said latch means, said rotation sensing means being operable for permitting movement of said latching means to a non-latching posture in the absence of rotation of said rotatable member and for maintaining said latch means in a door-latching posture in the presence of rotation of said rotatable member to prevent access into said cabinet structure.

Claim 5

A safety door control for an apparatus including a rotatable member, the combination comprising: a cabinet structure substantially enclosing said rotatable member and having access means including a door movable between a generally closed position and an open position to selectively provide access into said cabinet structure; latch means movably mounted on said cabinet structure to control movement of said door from said closed position; and rotation sensing means including a probe engageable with said rotatable member responsive to initial movement of said door from said closed position for sensing the condition of rotation member and said rotatable m4eand operable to permit movement of said latching means to a non-latching posture in the presence of a stationary condition of said rotatable member and operable to effect operation of said latching means to a door-latching posture in the presence of a condition of rotation of said rotatable member to prevent access into said cabinet structure.

Claim 6

A safety door control for an apparatus including a rotatable member, the combination comprising: a cabinet structure substantially enclosing said rotatable member and having access means including a door movable between a generally closed position and an open position to selectively provide access into said cabinet structure; latch means movably mounted on said cabinet structure to control movement of said door from said closed position; and rotation sensing means including a probe engageable with said rotatable member responsive to initial movement of said door from said closed position for sensing the condition of rotation member and said rotatable m4eand operable to permit movement of said latching means to a non-latching posture in the presence of a stationary condition of said rotatable member and operable to effect operation of said latching means to a door-latching posture in the presence of a condition of rotation of said rotatable member to prevent access into said cabinet structure.

Claim 7

A safety door control for an apparatus including a rotatable member, the combination comprising: a cabinet structure substantially enclosing said rotatable member and having access means including a door movable between a generally closed position and an open position to selectively provide access into said cabinet structure; latch means movably mounted on said cabinet structure and operable from a first posture to a door-latching second posture and to non-latching third posture to selectively control movement of said door toward said open position; and control means including a movable probe effectively connected to said latch means and engageable with said rotatable member responsive to initial movement of said door from said closed position toward said open position against said latch means, said control means being operable responsive to the absence of rotation of said rotatable member for permitting operation of said latching means to said third posture and responsive to rotation of said rotatable means for causing operation of said latch means to said second posture for interlocking said door to said cabinet structure whereby said door is movable to said open position when said rotatable member is not rotating and is maintained in the closed position when said rotatable member is rotating.

Claim 8

A safety door control for an apparatus including a rotatable member, the combination comprising: a cabinet structure substantially enclosing said rotatable member and having access means including a door movable between a generally closed position and an open position to selectively provide access into said cabinet structure; latch means movably mounted on said cabinet structure and operable from a first posture to a door-latching second posture and to non-latching third posture to selectively control movement of said door toward said open position; and control means including a movable probe effectively connected to said latch means and engageable with said rotatable member responsive to initial movement of said door from said closed position toward said open position against said latch means, said control means being operable responsive to the absence of rotation of said rotatable member for permitting operation of said latching means to said third posture and responsive to rotation of said rotatable means for causing operation of said latch means to said second posture for interlocking said door to said cabinet structure whereby said door is movable to said open position when said rotatable member is not rotating and is maintained in the closed position when said rotatable member is rotating.

Claim 9

A safety door control is defined in claim 4 wherein said latch means is self latching and is juxtaposed said door for latching thereof, said control means being responsive to said initial movement of said door toward said open position for operating said probe into engagement with said rotating member to in turn control operation of said latch means.

Claim 10

A safety door control as defined in claim 5 wherein said control means is cooperable with said door for maintaining said self latching latch means in said door-latching posture responsive to an attempt to open said door in the presence of rotation of said rotatable member.

Claim 11

A safety door control as defined in claim 3 wherein said rotation sensing means is responsive to one direction of rotation of said rotatable member for effective operation of said latch means to said door latching posture for interlocking said door to said cabinet structure and responsive to rotation of said rotatable member in the opposite direction and to non-rotation of said rotatable member for permitting movement of said latch means to said non-latching posture.

Claim 12

A safety door control for a laundry and including a rotatable fabric container and associated means rotatable therewith, the combination comprising: a cabinet structure substantially enclosing said rotatable fabric container and having access means including a door movable between a generally closed position and an open position to selectively provide access to said fabric container; latch means movably mounted on said cabinet structure and operable from a first posture to a door-latching second posture and to a non-latching third posture to selectively control movement of said door from said closed position toward said open position; rotation sensing means including a probe operatively connected to said latch means an engageable with said associated means responsive to initial movement of said door toward said open position and operable for controlling actuation of the latch means to said second posture responsive to rotation of said container and for permitting actuation of said latch means to said third posture in the absence of rotation of said container whereby said door is maintained latched in said closed position while said fabric container is rotating and is free for movement to said open position when said container is not rotatinG.

Claim 13

A safety door control for a laundry and including a rotatable fabric container and associated means rotatable therewith, the combination comprising: a cabinet structure substantially enclosing said rotatable fabric container and having access means including a door movable between a generally closed position and an open position to selectively provide access to said fabric container; latch means movably mounted on said cabinet structure and operable from a first posture to a door-latching second posture and to a non-latching third posture to selectively control movement of said door from said closed position toward said open position; rotation sensing means including a probe operatively connected to said latch means an engageable with said associated means responsive to initial movement of said door toward said open position and operable for controlling actuation of the latch means to said second posture responsive to rotation of said container and for permitting actuation of said latch means to said third posture in the absence of rotation of said container whereby said door is maintained latched in said closed position while said fabric container is rotating and is free for movement to said open position when said container is not rotatinG.

Claim 14

A safety door control as defined in claim 8 wherein said latch means is juxtaposed said door and movable from said first posture responsive to initial movement of said door toward said open position and wherein said rotation sensing means and said door means are cooperable for positioning said latch means in said door-latching second posture and said non-latching third posture responsive to conditions of container rotation and non-rotation, respectively.

Claim 15

A safety door control as defined in claim 8 wherein said rotation sensing means is responsive to one direction of rotation of said container for controlling operation of said latch means to said second posture for interlocking said door to said cabinet structure and responsive to rotation of said container in the opposite direction and to non-rotation of said container for permitting movement of said latch means to said non-latching third posture.

Claim 16

A safety door control for a laundry apparatus including a rotatable fabric container and associated means rotatable therewith, the combination comprising: a cabinet structure substantially enclosing said rotatable fabric container and having access means including a door movable between a generally closed position and an open position to selectively provide access to said fabric container; latch means movably mounted on said cabinet structure and operable from a first posture to a door-latching second posture and to a non-latching third posture to selectively control movement of said door to said open position; and rotation sensing means including a probe connected to said latch means and engageable with said associated means responsive to initial movement of said door toward said open position, said probe being operable for limiting movement of said latch means to said door-latching second posture responsive to rotation of said container and for permitting movement of said latch means by said door means through said door-latching second posture to said non-latching third posture in the absence of rotation of said container whereby said door is maintained latched in said closed position while said fabric container is rotating and is free for relatively unrestricted movement to said open position when said container is not rotating.

Claim 17

A safety door control for a laundry apparatus including a rotatable fabric container and associated means rotatable therewith, the combination comprising: a cabinet structure substantially enclosing said rotatable fabric container and having access means including a door movable between a generally closed position and an open position to selectively provide access to said fabric container; latch means movably mounted on said cabinet structure and operable from a first posture to a door-latching second posture and to a non-latching third posture to selectively control movement of said door to said open position; and rotation sensing means including a probe connected to said latch means and engageable with said associated means responsive to initial movement of said door toward said open position, said probe being operable for limiting movement of said latch means to said door-latching second posture responsive to rotation of said container and for permitting movement of said latch means by said door means through said door-latching second posture to said non-latching third posture in the absence of rotation of said container whereby said door is maintained latched in said closed position while said fabric container is rotating and is free for relatively unrestricted movement to said open position when said container is not rotating.

Claim 18

A safety door control as defined in claim 11 wherein said rotation sensing means includes a housing in which said probe is axially movable in the absence of rotation of said rotatable associated means and wherein said probe includes a member pivotable in the presence of rotation of said rotatable associated means to effectively limit movement of the probe and to effectively position said latch means in said door-latching second posture.

Claim 19

A safety door control for an apparatus including a rotatable member, the combination comprising: a cabinet structure substantially enclosing said rotatable member and having access means including a door movable between a generally closed position and an open position to selectively provide access into said cabinet structure; means associated with said door movably mounted on said cabinet structure and selectively operable from a first condition to a second condition to permit movement of said door toward said open position; and control means including sensing means disposed adjacent to said rotatable member for sensing rotation thereof and effectively connected to said door-associated means for actuation thereby, said sensing means being responsive to a force manually applied for initiating movement of said door from said closed position and transmitted through said door-associated means to effect in the presence of rotation of said rotatable member a locking of said sensing means for preventing operation of said door-associated means to said second condition, said sensing means being further responsive to said manually applied force transmitted through said door-associated means in the absence of rotation of said rotatable member for permitting operation of said door-associated means to saiD second condition to permit movement of said door means to said open position whereby said door is movable to said open position when said rotatable member is not rotating and is maintained in the closed position when said rotatable member is rotating.

Claim 20

A safety door control for an apparatus including a rotatable member, the combination comprising: a cabinet structure substantially enclosing said rotatable member and having access means including a door movable between a generally closed position and an open position to selectively provide access into said cabinet structure; means associated with said door movably mounted on said cabinet structure and selectively operable from a first condition to a second condition to permit movement of said door toward said open position; and control means including sensing means disposed adjacent to said rotatable member for sensing rotation thereof and effectively connected to said door-associated means for actuation thereby, said sensing means being responsive to a force manually applied for initiating movement of said door from said closed position and transmitted through said door-associated means to effect in the presence of rotation of said rotatable member a locking of said sensing means for preventing operation of said door-associated means to said second condition, said sensing means being further responsive to said manually applied force transmitted through said door-associated means in the absence of rotation of said rotatable member for permitting operation of said door-associated means to saiD second condition to permit movement of said door means to said open position whereby said door is movable to said open position when said rotatable member is not rotating and is maintained in the closed position when said rotatable member is rotating.

Claim 21

A safety door control as defined in claim 13 wherein said sensing means includes a movable probe engageable with said rotatable member responsive to actuation of said sensing means by said manually applied force.