Electronic sequence switch with holding circuit

Claim 1

In a sequence switch circuit composed of a plurality of sequence switch members each including a signal input, a switching unit switchable between a switched-on state and a switched-off state, and a holding circuit connected to said unit, said input, unit and holding circuit of each said member being connected for causing a signal at said input of one said member to switch said switching unit of said one member to its switchedon state and to initiate flow of a holding current in said holding circuit of said one member to hold said associated unit in its switched-on state, and for causing such holding current to continue to flow until a signal is applied to said input of another one of said members to cause: said switching unit of said one member to be switched to its switched-off state; said switching unit of said other member to be switched to its switched-on state; and a holding current to flow in said holding circuit of said other member, the improvement comprising: a nonlinear current/voltage element connected to said holding circuit in such a manner that holding current flows through said element and maintains said element at an operating point such that it is driven with small differential resistance and that it represents a relatively low electrical resistance for a disturbance pulse.