Christmas tree lighting control

Claim 2

An ornamental lighting control including in combination a plurality of solid state duty cycle units having a common input and respectively variable duty cycle outputs, connector means respectively connected to each duty cycle output for connecting thereto an ornamental lighting source with the duty cycle of said output determining the light output intensity of a lighting source connected therewith, an RC gating circuit forming a respective part of each duty cycle unit and wherein the resistance value of the gating circuit resistor determines the duty cycle of the unit and output thereof, a resistance disk forming the gating circuit resistor in each RC circuit and including a resistance surface having differing resistance values for predetermined fixed distances across its surface, contact means electrically engaging the resistance surface of said disk and respectively connecting the resistance surface of the disk in the gating circuit of each duty cycle unit, motor means opperable to effect relative movement between said contact means and said resistance surface to apply predetermined random like resistance changes from said disk respectively to the gating circuit of each duty cycle unit to vary gradually and in predetermined random and in respectively differing order the duty cycle of each duty cycle unit whereby the light output intensity pattern of each lighting source respectively connected to the output of each duty cycle unit shall differ one from the other for a predetermined operating interval of said motor means.

Claim 3

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 1 wherein said contact means engages in predetermined spaced relation the resistance surface of said disk.

Claim 4

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 1 wherein the differing resistance values for differing fixed distances across the surface of the disk is effected by altering selectively the configuration of the disk.

Claim 5

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 1 wherein the said differing resistance values for differing fixed distances across the surface of the disk is effected by altering selectively the configuration of its resistance surface.

Claim 6

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 1 wherein the differing resistance values for differing fixed areas across the surface of the disk is effected by coating a nonconductive surface with a resistance material of differing densities as applied to the surface.

Claim 7

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 1 wherein the differing resistance values for differing fixed areas across the surface of the disk is effected by coating a nonconductive surface with materials of differing electrical resistance characteristics.

Claim 8

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 1 wherein the light intensity of any lighting source connected to a duty cycle output thereof is never reduced below an incandescent state.

Claim 9

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 1 wherein said light intensity changes between lighting sources is effected gradually.

Claim 10

An ornamental lighting control including in combination, a plurality of solid state duty cycle units having a common input and respectively variable duty cycle outputs, connector means respectively connected to each duty cycle output for connecting thereto an ornamental lighting source with the duty cycle of said output determining the light output intensity of a lighting source connected therewith, an RC gating circuit forming a respective part of each duty cycle unit and wherein the resistance value of the gating circuit resistor determines the duty cycle of the unit and output thereof, a resistance surface having differing resistance values for predetermined fixed distances across its surface forming the gating circuit resistor in each RC circuit, contact means electrically engaging said resistance surface and respectively connecting the resistance surface in the gating circuit of each duty cycle unit, motor means operative to effect relative movement between said contact means and resistance surface to apply predetermined random like resistance changes from said resistance surface respectively to the gating circuit of each duty cycle unit to vary gradually and in a predetermined random and in respectively differing order, the duty cycle rate of each duty cycle unit whereby the light output intensity pattern of each lighting sources respectively connected to each output differs from the other for a predetermined operating interval of said motor means.

Claim 11

An ornamental lighting control including in combination, a plurality of solid state duty cycle units having a common input and respectively variable duty cycle outputs, connector means respectively connected to each duty cycle output for connecting thereto an ornamental lighting source with the duty cycle of said output determining the light output intensity of a lighting source connected therewith, an RC gating circuit forming a respective part of each duty cycle unit and wherein the resistance value of the gating circuit resistor determines the duty cycle of the unit and output thereof, a resistance surface having differing resistance values for predetermined fixed distances across its surface forming the gating circuit resistor in each RC circuit, contact means electrically engaging said resistance surface and respectively connecting the resistance surface in the gating circuit of each duty cycle unit, motor means operative to effect relative movement between said contact means and resistance surface to apply predetermined random like resistance changes from said resistance surface respectively to the gating circuit of each duty cycle unit to vary gradually and in a predetermined random and in respectively differing order, the duty cycle rate of each duty cycle unit whereby the light output intensity pattern of each lighting sources respectively connected to each output differs from the other for a predetermined operating interval of said motor means.

Claim 12

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 9 wherein the said resistance surface having differing resistance values for differing fixed distances across its surface is effected by selectively altering the configuration of the resistance surface.

Claim 13

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 9 wherein the differing resistance values for differing fixed areas across the surface of the disk is effected by coating a nonconductive surface with a resistance material of differing densities as applied to the surface.

Claim 14

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 9 wherein the differing resistance values for differing fixed areas across the surface of the disk is effected by coating a nonconductive surface with materials of differing electrical resistance characteristics.

Claim 15

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 9 wherein the light intensity of any lighting source connected to a duty cycle output thereof is never reduced below an incandescent state.

Claim 16

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 9 wherein said light intensity changes between lighting sources is effected gradually.

Claim 17

An ornamental lighting control including in combination, a plurality of solid state duty cycle units having a common input and respectively variable duty cycle outputs, connector means respectively connected to each duty cycle output for connecting thereto an ornamental lighting source with the duty cycle of said output determining the light output intensity of a lighting source connected therewith, an RC gating circuit forming a respective part of each duty cycle unit and wherein the resistance value of the gating circuit resistor determines the duty cycle of the unit and output thereof, means respectively forming the gating circuit resistor in each RC circuit and including a resistance surface having differing resistance values for predetermined fixed distances across its surface, contact means electrically engaging said resistance surface and respectively connecting the resistance surface in the gating circuit of each duty cycle unit, motor means operative to effect relative movement between said contact means and said resistance surface to effect predetermined random like resistance changes from said resistance surface respectively to the gating circuit of each duty cycle unit to vary gradually and in a predetermined random and respectively differing order with respect to the other the duty cycle rate of each duty cycle unit whereby the light output intensity pattern of each lighting source respectively connected to each output of each duty cycle unit differs one from the other for a predetermined operating interval of said motor means.

Claim 18

An ornamental lighting control including in combination, a plurality of solid state duty cycle units having a common input and respectively variable duty cycle outputs, connector means respectively connected to each duty cycle output for connecting thereto an ornamental lighting source with the duty cycle of said output determining the light output intensity of a lighting source connected therewith, an RC gating circuit forming a respective part of each duty cycle unit and wherein the resistance value of the gating circuit resistor determines the duty cycle of the unit and output thereof, means respectively forming the gating circuit resistor in each RC circuit and including a resistance surface having differing resistance values for predetermined fixed distances across its surface, contact means electrically engaging said resistance surface and respectively connecting the resistance surface in the gating circuit of each duty cycle unit, motor means operative to effect relative movement between said contact means and said resistance surface to effect predetermined random like resistance changes from said resistance surface respectively to the gating circuit of each duty cycle unit to vary gradually and in a predetermined random and respectively differing order with respect to the other the duty cycle rate of each duty cycle unit whereby the light output intensity pattern of each lighting source respectively connected to each output of each duty cycle unit differs one from the other for a predetermined operating interval of said motor means.

Claim 19

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 15 wherein the resistance surface forming the gating circuit resistor in each RC circuit and having differing resistance values for predetermined fixed distances across its surface is effected by altering selectively the confiruration of the resistance surface.

Claim 20

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 15 wherein the differing resistance values for differing fixed areas across the resistance surface is effected by coating a nonconductive surface with a resistance material of differing densities as applied to the surface.

Claim 21

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 15 wherein the differing resistance values for differing fixed areas across the surface of the disk is effected by coating a nonconductive surface with materials of differing electrical resistance characteristics.

Claim 22

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 15 wherein the light intensity of any lighting source connected to a duty cycle output thereof is never reduced below an incavdescent state.

Claim 23

An ornamental lighting control as called for in claim 15 wherein said light intensity changes between lighting sources is effected gradually.