Expanded scale timer and method of operating such

Claim 2

An expanded scale timer comprising means adapted to be driven for indicating the operating time of the timer, a pair of means conjointly and relatively movable for respectively driving the indicating means at different predetermined speeds, and means for effecting actuation of the driving means conjointly to drive the indicating means through one of the driving means at one of the speeds and for effecting actuation of the other of the driving means relative to the one driving means to also drive the indicating means at another speed with the one driving means being overridden by the indicating means.

Claim 3

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the actuation effecting means comprises means for slipping the one driving means so that it may be overridden by the indicating means when the other driving means is driving the indicating means.

Claim 4

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the actuation effecting means comprises means for clutching the driving means together to effect the conjoint movement thereof when the one driving means is driving the indicating means.

Claim 5

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the driving of the indicating means by the other driving means establishes a force therebetween in excess of that between the one driving means and the indicating means thereby to effect the overriding relation of the one driving means with the indicating means.

Claim 6

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means for urging the driving means toward frictional engagement to effect the conjoint movement thereof, the frictional engagement being overcome when the other driving means is driving the indicating means.

Claim 7

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 5, wherein the urging means is a spring.

Claim 8

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 5, wherein the driving means respectively include adjacent opposite faces, the urging means acting on one of the one and other driving means to urge the faces toward the frictional engagement.

Claim 9

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 5, further comprising means interposed between the driving means to predetermine the extent of the frictional engagement therebetween.

Claim 10

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the indicating means comprises a cluster gear having a continuous gear portion and a segment gear portion for respective engagement with the one driving means and the other driving means.

Claim 11

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 9, wherein the engagement of the segment gear portion with the other driving means establishes a force therebetween great enough to effect the over riding relation between the continuous gear portion and the one driving means.

Claim 12

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 9, wherein the driving relation of the one driving means with the indicating means defines a predetermined portion of the operating time and the driving relation of the other driving means with the indicating means defines another portion of the operating time in excess of the predetermined portion thereof.

Claim 13

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 11, wherein the other portion of the operating time in its entirety is predeterminately greater than the predetermined portion thereof.

Claim 14

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the one speed is predeterminately greater than the other speed.

Claim 15

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means adapted to yield in the event of any interference between the other driving means and the indicating means thereby to ensure the driving actuation thereof.

Claim 16

An expanded scale timer comprising means adapted to be driven from an operator selected time set position toward an at-rest position for indicating the remaining operating time of the timer, a pair of means for respectively driving the time indicating means at different predetermined speeds during different predetermined periods of time to return the time indicating means from its selected time set position to its at-rest position, and means for urging the driving means into clutching engagement, the urging means being operable generally to slip one of the driving means engaged with the indicating means when the other of the driving means is drivingly engaged with the indicating means to drive it at one speed during one time period and also to effect the clutching engagement of the driving means upon disengagement of the other driving means from the indicating means to drive it through the one driving means at another speed during another of the predetermined time periods.

Claim 17

An expanded scale timer comprising means adapted to be driven from an operator selected time set position toward an at-rest position for indicating the remaining operating time of the timer, a pair of means for respectively driving the time indicating means at different predetermined speeds during different predetermined periods of time to return the time indicating means from its selected time set position to its at-rest position, and means for urging the driving means into clutching engagement, the urging means being operable generally to slip one of the driving means engaged with the indicating means when the other of the driving means is drivingly engaged with the indicating means to drive it at one speed during one time period and also to effect the clutching engagement of the driving means upon disengagement of the other driving means from the indicating means to drive it through the one driving means at another speed during another of the predetermined time periods.

Claim 18

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 15, further comprising an electric motor connected with the other driving means for effecting the drive thereof.

Claim 19

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 16, further comprising a reduction gear train operably interposed between the electric motor and the other driving means.

Claim 20

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 16, further comprising means for controlling energization and deenergization of the electric motor, the controlling means being operable generally to effect the energization of the electric motor in response to operator movement of the indicating means toward the selected time position thereof and to de-energize the electric motor upon the driven return of the indicating means to its at-rest position by the driving means.

Claim 21

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 15, wherein the urging means comprises a clutch spring engaged with the one driving means for biasing it toward the clutching engagement with the other driving means.

Claim 22

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 15, wherein the indicating means comprises a cluster gear having a continuous gear portion connected for conjoint movement with a segmented gear portion, the one driving means being continuously engaged with the continuous gear portion and slipped with respect to the other driving means upon the driving engagement thereof with the segmented gear portion.

Claim 23

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 15, further comprising means for yielding to compensate for displacement of the other driving means relative to the indicating means in the event of any interference therebetween upon the driving engagement of the other driving means with the indicating means.

Claim 24

An expanded scale timer as set forth in claim 15, further comprising means for sounding an alarm, and means for displacing the alarm sounding means and effecting snap-action return thereof to sound the alarm in response to the operator movement of the indicating means toward the selected time position thereof and the driven return of the indicating means to its at-rest position by the driving means, respectively.

Claim 25

An expanded scale timer comprising an electric motor, a low speed pinion and a high speed pinion adapted to be displaced toward respective time setting positions, means operably displaced generally from an at-rest position in response to an operator applied force thereon for selecting a desired operating time for the timer, the operating time selecting means including a cluster gear conjointly displacable therewith, the cluster gear having a continuous gear portion meshed with the high speed pinion and a segment gear portion for meshing engagement with the low speed pinion, means for urging the low speed pinion and the high speed pinion into clutching engagement, the clutching engagement initially effecting conjoint displacement of the low speed pinion with the high speed pinion through the meshing of the high speed pinion with the continuous gear portion of the cluster gear in response to the operator applied force and the urging means thereafter acting to slip the high speed pinion upon the driving engagement of the segmented gear portion with the low speed pinion to permit further relative displacement of the low speed pinion toward its time setting position, a drive train between the motor and the low speed pinion, means operable generally in response to the displacement of the operating time selecting means for controlling energization of the motor, the motor being energized by its controlling means upon the displacement of the operating time selecting means from its at-rest position thereby to actuate the drive train for returning the low speed pinion from its time setting position and conjointly driving the segmented gear portion therewith until it disengages the low speed pinion while the urging means acts to slip the high speed pinion in its meshing engagement with the continuous gear portion of the cluster gear, and the urging means acting to effect the clutching engagement of the high speed pinion to the low speed pinion for conjoint return displacement therewith generally at the time of the disengagement of the segmented gear portion from the low speed pinion wherein the cluster gear is thereafter driven through the meshing engagement of its continuous gear portion and the high speed pinion to return the operating time selecting means to its at-rest position and thereby de-actuate the controlling means to de-energize the motor.

Claim 26

An expanded scale timer comprising an electric motor, a low speed pinion and a high speed pinion adapted to be displaced toward respective time setting positions, means operably displaced generally from an at-rest position in response to an operator applied force thereon for selecting a desired operating time for the timer, the operating time selecting means including a cluster gear conjointly displacable therewith, the cluster gear having a continuous gear portion meshed with the high speed pinion and a segment gear portion for meshing engagement with the low speed pinion, means for urging the low speed pinion and the high speed pinion into clutching engagement, the clutching engagement initially effecting conjoint displacement of the low speed pinion with the high speed pinion through the meshing of the high speed pinion with the continuous gear portion of the cluster gear in response to the operator applied force and the urging means thereafter acting to slip the high speed pinion upon the driving engagement of the segmented gear portion with the low speed pinion to permit further relative displacement of the low speed pinion toward its time setting position, a drive train between the motor and the low speed pinion, means operable generally in response to the displacement of the operating time selecting means for controlling energization of the motor, the motor being energized by its controlling means upon the displacement of the operating time selecting means from its at-rest position thereby to actuate the drive train for returning the low speed pinion from its time setting position and conjointly driving the segmented gear portion therewith until it disengages the low speed pinion while the urging means acts to slip the high speed pinion in its meshing engagement with the continuous gear portion of the cluster gear, and the urging means acting to effect the clutching engagement of the high speed pinion to the low speed pinion for conjoint return displacement therewith generally at the time of the disengagement of the segmented gear portion from the low speed pinion wherein the cluster gear is thereafter driven through the meshing engagement of its continuous gear portion and the high speed pinion to return the operating time selecting means to its at-rest position and thereby de-actuate the controlling means to de-energize the motor.

Claim 29

The method as set forth in claim 24, comprising the preliminary step of moving the indicating means manually from a generally at-rest position to the selected operating time and generally simultaneously therewith actuating the one driving means and the other driving means toward their respective overriding and driving engagements with the indicating means of the overriding and actuating step.

Claim 30

The method as set forth in claim 24, wherein the overriding and actuating step comprises slipping the one driving means relative to the other driving means upon the driving engagement thereof with the indicating means and applying a motive force only to the other driving means for driving the indicating means through the excess time period.

Claim 31

The method as set forth in claim 24, wherein the indicating means includes a portion for interrupting the driving engagement between the other driving and the indicating means, and wherein the disassociating and actuating step comprises terminating the driving engagement of the other driving means with the indicating means generally at the interrupting portion thereof thereby ending the excess time period and clutching the driving means together to effect the driving engagement of the one driving means with the indicating means through the predetermined time period.

Claim 32

The method as set forth in claim 25, comprising the generally simultaneous step of energizing means for applying a motive force to the other driving means in response to the manual movement of the indicating means from its at-rest position to its selected operating time.

Claim 33

The method as set forth in claim 24, comprising the preliminary step of associating with the other driving means means for yielding to compensate for displacement of the other driving means which may occur in the event of any interferring driving engagement of the other driving means with the indicating means.