US3885165A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Press control switch
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-10-05
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Granted: 1975-05-20
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Expires: 1993-10-05
Abstract
Abstract A press control switch comprises a rotatable tuning shaft assembly rotatably driven in positive synchronism with a machine, such as a stamping press and associated infeed and/or outfeed equipment, for processing the workpiece therethrough. A plurality of proximity pickup units are fixedly mounted adjacent the shaft assembly in radially spaced relation therefrom and are axially spaced therealong. A plurality of disk pairs are axially spaced along the shaft in radial opposition to the corresponding ones of the proximity pickups and are provided, on their oppositely and outwardly facing radial surfaces, with circumferentially extending conductive segments adjacent the disk periphery. Means are provided for circumferentially adjusting the disks of each pair relative to each other for determining the angle of shaft rotation through which each disk pair will actuate its associated proximity sensor. The shaft assembly includes one end portion bearing at least one such disk pair which is rotatably adjustable with respect to the rest of the shaft assembly and which may be positively circumferentially locked with respect thereto. The shaft assembly further includes a motion detector disk having a plurality of circumferentially spaced conductive segments thereon which coact with a further proximity sensor to monitor shaft rotation and synchronism thereof with the machine to be controlled. Triac circuitry driven by respective proximity sensors actuates corresponding control functions of the machine by which the shaft assembly is rotatably driven.
Inventors
- 👤 Lawrence A Franks
- 👤 James E Perry
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 04:03
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/04; G05B19/06; G05B19/063; B; B21; B21D; B21D28/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
Control switch apparatus for a multifunction machine, comprising in combination: means defining a housing mountable on the machine to be controlled; rotatably driveable shaft means rotatably supported on said housing; disk means including a plurality of disk pairs on said shaft means, said disk pairs each including similar relatively circumferentially adjustable first and second slim waferlike disks of insulative material, each said disk having a coaxial flat semicircular layer of electrically conducting material on one radial face thereof and adjacent and within the periphery thereof, the total circumferential extent of such layers corresponding to their electrically effective extent and being variable by relative rotation of said disks; proximity pickup means axially and noncontactingly adjacent the rotational path of said layers of a disk pair for sensing the total circumferential extent of said disk pair occupied by both overlapping and non-overlapping portions of said layers opposed to said pickup means; spacer means on said shaft means and disposed between said disk pairs for determining the axial location of said disk pairs on said shaft means and frictionally preventing unintended circumferential displacement of said disks with respect to said shaft means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
189 words
Control switch apparatus for a multifunction machine, comprising in combination: means defining a housing mountable on the machine to be controlled; rotatably driveable shaft means rotatably supported on said housing; disk means including a plurality of disk pairs on said shaft means, said disk pairs each including similar relatively circumferentially adjustable first and second slim waferlike disks of insulative material, each said disk having a coaxial flat semicircular layer of electrically conducting material on one radial face thereof and adjacent and within the periphery thereof, the total circumferential extent of such layers corresponding to their electrically effective extent and being variable by relative rotation of said disks; proximity pickup means axially and noncontactingly adjacent the rotational path of said layers of a disk pair for sensing the total circumferential extent of said disk pair occupied by both overlapping and non-overlapping portions of said layers opposed to said pickup means; spacer means on said shaft means and disposed between said disk pairs for determining the axial location of said disk pairs on said shaft means and frictionally preventing unintended circumferential displacement of said disks with respect to said shaft means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
114 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which said pickup means comprises a plurality of proximity pickups supported on said housing in aligned relation with said shaft means, each of said pickups having a slotted sensing portion actuable by electrically conductive material and through which the peripheral portion of the adjacent disk pair is freely but closely rotatable, said first and second disks having opposed radial friction faces in face-to-face contact out to the disk-pair periphery, one said flat semicircular layer being provided on the outer radial face of each said disk of said pair, said layers being of similar circumferential extent and arranged in non-interfering relation with said friction contact faces of said disks.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 2 in which the disks are of resin impregnateD fiberglass and the conductive layer is a printed circuit-type layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
130 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which said shaft means includes a main shaft and a hollow shaft telescoped on a portion of said main shaft and clutchable thereto, bearings spaced on said housing and engaged by spaced journals on said main and hollow shafts respectively, abutting radially extending members respectively located on the interior end of said hollow shaft and intermediate the ends of said main shaft, axially adjustable compression means on each of said main and hollow shafts adjacent respective ones of said bearings, said spacer means comprising a plurality of spacers disposed in alternating fashion with the disk pairs of said first and second sets of said main and hollow shafts, and axially pressed between the corresponding radially extending means and axially adjustable means on said shafts.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
78 words
The apparatus of claim 4 in which said housing includes a shelf extending transversely thereacross in parallel relation with said shaft means and radially spaced therefrom, a plurality of brackets dependently mounted from a longitudinal edge of said shelf and in substantially radial planes of the shaft, pickup means on said brackets, each such pickup means being adapted to straddle one of said disk pairs for sensing orbiting of an electrically conductive portion of said disk pair therepast.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus of claim 5 in which said brackets include a bight wall extending along said shelf edge toward the axis of said shaft means and a leg extending from said shelf edge over the axis of said shaft means, said pickup being removably mounted on said leg and having a sensing slot for receiving the correspondding disk pair periphery looseley therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
104 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which said spacer means and disks are axially movable on said shaft means and including axially spaced abutment means at least fixable on said shaft means with a set of disk pairs and spacer means disposed in series therebetween, and resilient axial bias means on said shaft means axially inboard of said abutment means for applying a resilient axial compressive force on said disk pairs and spacer means of magnitude preventing unintended disk rotation with respect to said shaft while permitting manual circumferential adjustment of individual disks or disk pairs on said shaft without loosening said abutment means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
74 words
The apparatus of claim 7 in which said shaft means comprises at least one shaft member having an axial slot and said spacer means comprises a hollow spacer between and frictionally interengageable with adjacent flanking disk pairs, said spacer including inwardly extending means circumferentially locked but axially movable in said slot of said shaft member for preventing unintended rotation of one said disk upon circumferential adjustment of a disk of the adjacent disk pair.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 7 in which said resilient bias means comprises an axially compressible spring and at least one said abutment means comprises a nut axially threadedly adjustable on said shaft means for setting the precompression of said spring and means actuable for locking said nut on said shaft means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
114 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which said shaft means comprises a first shaft extending the length of said shaft means and an adjustable hollow shaft snugly telescoped on one end portion of said first shaft and including bearings spaced on said housing for engaging a respective journal on each of said first and hollow shafts, axially abutting means on said first and hollow shafts for positively limiting further inward axial movement of said hollow shaft on said first shaft and incorporating a nut axially threadedly adjustable on one said shaft and axially engageable means fixed on the other shaft for precisely adjusting the spacing of said journals to conform to the bearing spacing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
223 words
Control switch apparatus for a multifunction machine, comprising in combination: means defining a housing mountable on the mAchine to be controlled; rotatably driveable shaft means rotatably supported on said housing; disk means including a plurality of disk pairs on said shaft means, said disk pairs each including similar first and second waferlike disks of insulative material, each said disk having a coaxial semicircular layer of electrically conducting material on one radial face thereof and adjacent the periphery thereof; spacer means on said shaft means and disposed between said disk pairs for determining the axial location of said disk pairs on said shaft means and frictionally preventing circumferential displacement of said disks with respect to said shaft means; said spacer means comprising hollow cylindrical spacers snugly received on and slideable axially on said shaft means, and including means preventing circumferential movement of at least selected ones of said spacers on said shaft means and further including axially adjustable compression means for releasably sandwiching together an alternating series of disk pairs and spacers on said shaft means with sufficient force as to prevent unintended relative rotation of said disks and shaft means, and preventing unintended circumferential shifting of adjacent disks, but allowing circumferential adjustment of said disks with respect to each other, with respect to adjacent disk pairs and with respect to said shaft means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
223 words
Control switch apparatus for a multifunction machine, comprising in combination: means defining a housing mountable on the mAchine to be controlled; rotatably driveable shaft means rotatably supported on said housing; disk means including a plurality of disk pairs on said shaft means, said disk pairs each including similar first and second waferlike disks of insulative material, each said disk having a coaxial semicircular layer of electrically conducting material on one radial face thereof and adjacent the periphery thereof; spacer means on said shaft means and disposed between said disk pairs for determining the axial location of said disk pairs on said shaft means and frictionally preventing circumferential displacement of said disks with respect to said shaft means; said spacer means comprising hollow cylindrical spacers snugly received on and slideable axially on said shaft means, and including means preventing circumferential movement of at least selected ones of said spacers on said shaft means and further including axially adjustable compression means for releasably sandwiching together an alternating series of disk pairs and spacers on said shaft means with sufficient force as to prevent unintended relative rotation of said disks and shaft means, and preventing unintended circumferential shifting of adjacent disks, but allowing circumferential adjustment of said disks with respect to each other, with respect to adjacent disk pairs and with respect to said shaft means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
239 words
Control switch apparatus for a multifunction machine, comprising in combination: means defining a housing mountable on the machine to be controlled; rotatably driveable shaft means rotatably supported on said housing; disk means including a plurality of disk pairs on said shaft means, said disk pairs each including similar first and second waferlike disks of insulative material, each said disk having a coaxial semicircular layer of electrically conducting material on one radial face thereof and adjacent the periphery thereof; spacer means on said shaft means and disposed between said disk pairs for determining the axial location of said disk pairs on said shaft means and frictionally preventing circumferential displacement of said disks with respect to said shaft means; said disk means further including a detection disk having a plurality of uniform and uniformly spaced conductive segments on a radial face thereof and adjacent the periphery thereof, said detection disk being carried by said shaft means for rotation therewith, pickup means fixedly mounted on the housing in overlapped close relation with the orbit of said conductive segments and responsive to rotation of said segments therepast for producing a pulsed output corresponding to the actual speed of the shaft means, means determining an adjustable speed threshold and means responsive to said pulsed output and threshold for dicontinuing energization of said machine when the rotational speed of said shaft means falls below the expected minimum speed of said machine, represented by the threshold.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
239 words
Control switch apparatus for a multifunction machine, comprising in combination: means defining a housing mountable on the machine to be controlled; rotatably driveable shaft means rotatably supported on said housing; disk means including a plurality of disk pairs on said shaft means, said disk pairs each including similar first and second waferlike disks of insulative material, each said disk having a coaxial semicircular layer of electrically conducting material on one radial face thereof and adjacent the periphery thereof; spacer means on said shaft means and disposed between said disk pairs for determining the axial location of said disk pairs on said shaft means and frictionally preventing circumferential displacement of said disks with respect to said shaft means; said disk means further including a detection disk having a plurality of uniform and uniformly spaced conductive segments on a radial face thereof and adjacent the periphery thereof, said detection disk being carried by said shaft means for rotation therewith, pickup means fixedly mounted on the housing in overlapped close relation with the orbit of said conductive segments and responsive to rotation of said segments therepast for producing a pulsed output corresponding to the actual speed of the shaft means, means determining an adjustable speed threshold and means responsive to said pulsed output and threshold for dicontinuing energization of said machine when the rotational speed of said shaft means falls below the expected minimum speed of said machine, represented by the threshold.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-19 | 1978-11-18 | 1979-05-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-19 | 1982-11-18 | 1983-05-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-19 | 1986-11-18 | 1987-05-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |