Predetermining timer device

Claim 2

A timer device for controlling the operation of an electrical appliance comprising signal means for signaling completion of a timed operation; a predetermining counter comprising a plurality of number wheels including higher order and lower order number wheels mounted for rotation in a first rotatable direction out of a predetermined count readout and in the opposite rotatable direction toward said predetermined count readout, the number wheels including locking means positioned relative to said predetermined count readout; signal actuating means for movement into and out of a signal actuating position and having restraining means adapted when out of the actuating position to cooperate with the locking means of the number whEels to prevent the continued rotation of the wheels in said opposite rotatable direction beyond said predetermined count readout, the locking means on at least one lower order number wheel including cam means operative upon movement of the lower order number wheel in said first rotatable direction for releasing said restraining means and moving said signal actuating means into said actuating position, a signal actuation control mounted for rotation with said one lower order number wheel through a lost motion connection and having a shoulder effective to hold said restraining means out of engagement with said cam means during movement of said one lower order number wheel in said opposite rotary direction until said predetermined count readout is reached.

Claim 3

The timer device of claim 1 wherein said signal actuation control is shiftable through said lost motion connection and the shoulder thereon shifts between a withdrawn position permitting engagement between the cam means and the restraining means upon movement of the lower order number wheel in said first rotatable direction and an extended position preventing engagement therebetween upon movement in said opposite rotatable direction.

Claim 4

The timer of claim 1 wherein the signal actuation control includes a rotatable disc mounted intermediate said one lower order number wheel and an immediately adjacent number wheel, said restraining means including a restraining finger engageable with both the lower order number wheel and the disc.

Claim 5

The timer of claim 1 wherein each number wheel is provided with a hub portion and the locking means includes a detent on the hub portion positioned relative to a predetermined count readout, said cam means includes a cam surface extending from the detent to the periphery of the hub and forming one wall of the detent, said signal actuating means comprising a pivotably mounted lever and said restraining means including a plurality of fingers adapted to engage the detents on the hubs of the number wheels and prevent the continued rotation of the wheels, said signal actuating means including spring means biasing said fingers into engagement with said detents, said counter including manually operated rotary drive means for driving the lower order number wheel and cam surface in a first rotatable direction out of its predetermined count readout, said cam surface driving said fingers out of said detents against the bias of said spring means.

Claim 6

The timer of claim 4 wherein said signal actuation control includes a disc and the cam surface on the hub of the lower order number wheel extends from the detent in a rotary direction generally opposite said first rotatable direction for driving aid fingers out of said detents during initial rotation of said lower order number wheel in said first rotatable direction, said lost motion connection facilitating rotation of said hub relative to said disc during said initial rotation, said spring means biasing said lever into engagement with the periphery of said disc.

Claim 7

The timer of claim 4 wherein said signal actuation control is a disc having a detent defined by an abrupt shoulder operative for holding a finger out of engagement with the cam surface of the hub during movement of the lower order number wheel in said opposite rotary direction.

Claim 8

A timer device for controlling the operation of a microwave oven and the like comprising signal means including a switch operable between open and closed circuit conditions and normally biased into said open circuit condition; a settable predetermining counter comprising a lowest order number wheel and a plurality of higher order number wheels coaxially mounted for rotation, each number wheel having a hub portion including a detent positioned relative to a predetermined count readout, the hub of the lowest order number wheel having a cam surface extending from the detent to the periphery of the hub and forming one wall of the detent, a floating signal control disc rotatably mounted intermediate the hub of the lOwest order number wheel and the immediately adjacent higher order number wheel, actuating means for the switch comprising a lever pivotably mounted for movement between a switch actuating position and a retracted position and having a plurality of fingers adapted to engage the detents on the hubs of the number wheels and said signal control disc to prevent the continued rotation of the wheels in said opposite rotatable direction beyond said predetermined count readout, a spring biasing said lever toward said retracted position and said fingers into engagement with said detents, first rotary drive means for driving the lowest order number wheel in a first rotatable direction out of its predetermined count readout and driving said fingers out of said detents against the bias of said spring to move said lever to the switch actuation position, said spring biasing said lever into engagement with the periphery of said disc, and second rotary drive means for driving the lowest order number wheel in a rotary direction opposite said first direction, said disc being effective to hold said finger out of engagement with the cam surface during movement in said opposite rotary direction.

Claim 9

A timer device for controlling the operation of a microwave oven and the like comprising signal means including a switch operable between open and closed circuit conditions and normally biased into said open circuit condition; a settable predetermining counter comprising a lowest order number wheel and a plurality of higher order number wheels coaxially mounted for rotation, each number wheel having a hub portion including a detent positioned relative to a predetermined count readout, the hub of the lowest order number wheel having a cam surface extending from the detent to the periphery of the hub and forming one wall of the detent, a floating signal control disc rotatably mounted intermediate the hub of the lOwest order number wheel and the immediately adjacent higher order number wheel, actuating means for the switch comprising a lever pivotably mounted for movement between a switch actuating position and a retracted position and having a plurality of fingers adapted to engage the detents on the hubs of the number wheels and said signal control disc to prevent the continued rotation of the wheels in said opposite rotatable direction beyond said predetermined count readout, a spring biasing said lever toward said retracted position and said fingers into engagement with said detents, first rotary drive means for driving the lowest order number wheel in a first rotatable direction out of its predetermined count readout and driving said fingers out of said detents against the bias of said spring to move said lever to the switch actuation position, said spring biasing said lever into engagement with the periphery of said disc, and second rotary drive means for driving the lowest order number wheel in a rotary direction opposite said first direction, said disc being effective to hold said finger out of engagement with the cam surface during movement in said opposite rotary direction.

Claim 10

The timer of claim 7 wherein said disc is provided with an arcuate slot and a slightly greater radial dimension than the hub of the adjacent lowest order number wheel, said disc having a detent defined by an abrupt shoulder, the hub of the adjacent lowest order number wheel having a pin positioned within said slot and cooperating therewith to provide a lost motion connection therebetween, said cam surface on the hub of the lowest order number wheel extending from the detent in a rotary direction generally opposite said first rotatable direction for driving said fingers out of said detent during initial rotation of said lowest order number wheel in said first rotatable direction, the finger of said lever adapted to engage said lowest order number wheel being of sufficient width to engage the periphery of said disc and with said lost motion connection facilitates rotation of said hub relative to said disc during said initial rotation.

Claim 11

The timer of claim 7 wherein said signal means includes a bell and said lever is provided with a bell clapper for actuating said bell upon movement of the fingers into the detents of the number wheels when the counter reaches a predetermined count readout.

Claim 12

A timer device for controlling the operation of a microwave oven and the like comprising a frame, signal means including a switch mounted on said frame for operation between open and closed circuit conditions and normally biased into said open circuit condition; a manually settable predetermining counter comprising a shaft mounted on the frame, a lowest order number wheel and a plurality of higher order number wheels coaxially mounted for rotation on said shaft, each number wheel having a hub portion including a detent positioned relative to a predetermined count readout, the hub of the lowest order number wheel having a cam surface extending from the detent to the periphery of the hub through an arc segment of less than 90* and forming one wall of the detent, a signal control disc rotatably mounted on the shaft intermediate the hub of the lowest order number wheel and the immediately adjacent higher order number wheel, said disc having an arcuate slot extending through an arc segment of about 90*, said disc having a slightly greater radial dimension than the hub of the adjacent lowest order number wheel and a detent defined by an abrupt shoulder, the hub of the adjacent lowest order number wheel having a pin positioned within said slot and cooperating therewith to provide a lost motion connection therebetween, actuating means for the first switch comprising a lever pivotably mounted on said frame for movement between a switch actuating position and a retracted position and having a plurality of fingers adapted to engage the detents on the hubs of the number wheels and said signal contRol disc to prevent the continued rotation of the wheels in said opposite rotatable direction beyond said predetermined count readout, a spring biasing said fingers toward said retracted position and said fingers into engagement with said detents, manually operated first rotary drive means mounted on the frame for driving the lowest order number wheel in a first rotatable direction out of its predetermined count readout and driving said fingers out of said detents against the bias of said spring to move said lever to the switch actuating position, said cam surface on the hub of the lowest order number wheel extending from the detent in a rotary direction generally opposite said first rotatable direction for driving said fingers out of said detents during initial rotation of said lowest order number wheel in said first rotatable direction, said spring biasing said lever into engagement with the periphery of said disc to facilitate rotation of said hub relative to said disc during said initial rotation, second rotary drive means for driving the lowest order number wheel in a rotary direction opposite said first direction, the abrupt shoulder on said disc being effective to hold said finger out of engagement with the cam surface of the hub during movement of the lowest order number wheel in said opposite rotary direction.

Claim 13

A timer device for controlling the operation of a microwave oven and the like comprising a frame, signal means including a switch mounted on said frame for operation between open and closed circuit conditions and normally biased into said open circuit condition; a manually settable predetermining counter comprising a shaft mounted on the frame, a lowest order number wheel and a plurality of higher order number wheels coaxially mounted for rotation on said shaft, each number wheel having a hub portion including a detent positioned relative to a predetermined count readout, the hub of the lowest order number wheel having a cam surface extending from the detent to the periphery of the hub through an arc segment of less than 90* and forming one wall of the detent, a signal control disc rotatably mounted on the shaft intermediate the hub of the lowest order number wheel and the immediately adjacent higher order number wheel, said disc having an arcuate slot extending through an arc segment of about 90*, said disc having a slightly greater radial dimension than the hub of the adjacent lowest order number wheel and a detent defined by an abrupt shoulder, the hub of the adjacent lowest order number wheel having a pin positioned within said slot and cooperating therewith to provide a lost motion connection therebetween, actuating means for the first switch comprising a lever pivotably mounted on said frame for movement between a switch actuating position and a retracted position and having a plurality of fingers adapted to engage the detents on the hubs of the number wheels and said signal contRol disc to prevent the continued rotation of the wheels in said opposite rotatable direction beyond said predetermined count readout, a spring biasing said fingers toward said retracted position and said fingers into engagement with said detents, manually operated first rotary drive means mounted on the frame for driving the lowest order number wheel in a first rotatable direction out of its predetermined count readout and driving said fingers out of said detents against the bias of said spring to move said lever to the switch actuating position, said cam surface on the hub of the lowest order number wheel extending from the detent in a rotary direction generally opposite said first rotatable direction for driving said fingers out of said detents during initial rotation of said lowest order number wheel in said first rotatable direction, said spring biasing said lever into engagement with the periphery of said disc to facilitate rotation of said hub relative to said disc during said initial rotation, second rotary drive means for driving the lowest order number wheel in a rotary direction opposite said first direction, the abrupt shoulder on said disc being effective to hold said finger out of engagement with the cam surface of the hub during movement of the lowest order number wheel in said opposite rotary direction.