US2783835A - Timer mechanism - Google Patents

Description

March 5, 195 7 A. B. POOLE 2,783,835

TIMER MECHANISM Filed Feb. 8, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 use ARTHUR B. POOLE March 5, 1957 Filed Feb. 8, 1952 A. B. POOLE TIMER MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 2a n a nti/23%;

ARTHUR B. POOLE March 5, 1957 A. B. POOLE. 2,783,835

, TIMER MECHANISM Filed Feb. 8, 1952 3 Shets-Sheet 3 PW 196-- 214 2) I92 9 I00 I? o 90 m )gz 4 I42 7 Ln 5 154 ARTHUR B. POOLE By W 8.

d 'wonroz f TIMER MECHANISM Arthur B. Poole, Harwinton, .Conn., assignor to Haydon Manufacturing Company, Ine., Torrington, Coma, a corporation of Connecticut Application February 8, 1952, Serial No. 270,609

7 Claims. (Cl. 161--I') This invention relates to timing mechanisms and more particularly to "a mechanism which includes an automatically operated electric switch for energizing an electrical load during a predetermined time interval.

Such mechanisms may be used in timers for :kitchen ranges or in other controlling means for electrical cooking appliances wherein the circuit to the cooking element is closed at a predetermined time and opened at a later time. For other uses the parts may be so arranged as to cause the load to be tie-energized only during the pre determined interval.

In some respects the present invention is an improvement on the timing mechanism disclosed and claimed in U. S. Patent No. 2,545,617 granted upon an application of Martin H. Kaefer and Everett S. Bassett.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved time switch of unusually inexpensive construction which is positive and accurate in its operation, and which is provided with legible and easily adjusted control means.

-It is another object of the invention to provide proved time responsive means to actuate electrical contacts at a predetermined time and to restore the contacts to their original position at a later time.

A further object is to provide an improved timing mechanism having an adjustable control member for preselecting either manual or automatic operation, the control member being adjustable at any time in either direction between its manual and automatic settings so that manual operation can readily be restored after the timing mechanism has been set for automatic operation.

it is a further object of the invention to provide an improved time switch in which the components are unusually few in number and relatively simple in construction, several of the components nevertheless being adapted to perform a plurality of functions. A more specific object in this regard is to provide :an improved time switch in which various indicating components such as clock hands and time setting dials are constructed so as to perform switch operating functions.

A further object is to provide a time switch having an improved contact arrangement.

A further object is to provide an improved timing mechanism in which the frictional drag on the motor is minimized during the timing sequence and is automatically removed at the completion of the sequence. It is a related object to provide a low friction timing mechanism in which any tendency of the drag to aifect the initial settings is completely overcome.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the external appearance of :a timing mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention, the controls being set in this instance to energize the load at 10:00 and to de-energize the load at 11:30.

Fig. 2 is a right side elevation of the timing mechanism.

United States Patent 2,783,835 Patented Mar. 5, 1957 Fig. 3 is "a fragmentary front elevation showing the positions of the time setting dials and the clock hands immediately after the load has been energized.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation showing the po sition of the dials and hands immediately after the load has been de-energized.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view showing the clock hands and the time setting dials together with other associated timing components.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side section taken in elevation generally along the line 66 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a mechanism to provide frictional loading on the time setting dials when 'a timing operation is in progress.

Fig. 8 is an elevational sectional view taken along the line 88 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing details of a switch-cocking mechanism, the view being similar to the left-hand portion of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a large scale fragmentary perspective view showing certain details of the switching arrangement of the timer.

Fig. 11 is .a large scale fragmentary elevational view of the switching arrangement, the view being partly in section generally along the line 1111 in Fig. 9.

While the invention is susceptible of various modification and alternative constructions, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that it is not thereby intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed, but it is intended to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the .appended claims.

It will be seen from Fig. 1 that the illustrative timing mechanism includes a number of clock components including a dial 10, a minute hand 12, and an hour hand 14. Mounted on the right hand side of the dial 10 is a knob 16 for setting the clock hands 12 and 14.

A start disc or dial 18 and a stop disc or dial 20 are mounted behind the hands 12 and 14 for independent rotation in coaxial relationship to the hands. The stop dial 20 is visible through a semi-circular slot 22 in the start dial 18. The start dial is provided with an arrow or pointer 24 alined with the counterclockwise end of the slot 22 and labeled Start. The stop dial 20 is marked with an arrow or pointer 28 labeled Stop. Hourly and quarter-hourly graduations 30 extend around the stop dial in 'a counterclockwise direction from the pointer 28, the hourly gradu-ations being given appropriate hour numerals.

At the lower right hand portion of the dial 10 is a knob 32 for adjusting the position of the start dial 18. A similar knob 34 for adjusting the position of the stop dial 20 is positioned at the lower left hand portion of the dial 10.

Mounted at the left hand edge of the dial 10 is a knob 35 which is utilized to cock the switching mechanism (to be described) and also to preselect either automatic timed operation or manual operation of the electrical load device controlled by the timer. The knob 35 has a pointer portion 37 to indicate the position of the knob. The dial 10 is labeled Auto above the knob and Man below the knob to indicate the automatic and manual positions of the knob, respectively.

The timing mechanism is provided with a generally rectangular mounting plate 36 which supports the dial 10 and serves as a base to support the working parts of the mechanism.

As best shown in Fig. 5, the dial setting knobs 32 and 34 are connected to the dials 18 and 20'by means includlmobs are mounted, and to which the pinions 42 and 44" are secured. The shafts 38 and do are journaled in respective bushings 45 extending through the mounting plate 36. The pinions 42 and 44 mesh with pinions 46 and 48, respectively, which are fixedly secured to rotatable countershafts 54 and 52 suitably journaied in the plate 36.

Pinions d and 56 on the countershafts mesh with peripheral gear racks 5'8 and 66 on the dials 18 and 20 respectively. By virtue of the countershafts 5t and 52, the dials 1S and 2t? conveniently rotate in the same direction as do the knobs 32 and 3d, when the latter are rotated manually. p

The clock hands 12 and 34 are driven by a conventional clock motor 62 (Fig. 2) which preferably is of the synchronous'electrical type. The hands are connected to the motor by a conventional clock movement. Thus, the minute hand 12 and the hour hand 14 are respectively secured to a rotatable shaft 64 (Figs. 6 and 8) anda sleeve 66 which is slidably and rotatably carried on the shaft 64. The shaft 64 and the sleeve 66 are connected to the motor 62 by means of a suitable gearing which may include a driving pinion 68 (Fig. 2) on the motor 62, a gear 70 rotatably mounted on the minute hand shaft 64 and meshing with the motor pinion 63, a pinion 72 secured to the minute hand shaft 6-: and frictionally driven by the gear 70, a gear 74 meshing with the pinion 72 and mounted on a rotatable shaft 76, a pinion 73 mounted on the shaft 76, and a gear 8% meshing with the pinion 7S and secured to the hour hand sleeve 66. The handsetting knob 16 is mounted on a shaft 31 which carries a pinion 82 meshing with the gear 74-. In this way the hands and the setting same direction, when the latter is rotated manually.

The timing mechanism is provided with a rear frameplate 83 supporting a bushing 84 in which the rear end of the minute hand shaft 64' is journaled. The gear shafts 76 and 81 are journaled in the rear plate 83 and the front mounting plate 36. The hour hand sleeve 66 is journaled in a bushing 85 extending through and secured to the front mounting plate 36. The start and stop dials are rotatably carried on the outside of the bushing 85 in front of the plate 36. The bushing has a head 86 to retain the dials thereon. Washers or spacers 87 and 88 are interposed respectively'between the two dials 18 and 20 and between the stop In accordance with one of the features of the invention, the hour hand 14 serves the start and stop dials i8 and 2 serve as detent receiving means which permit the detent member to shift axially in two successive steps. The axial movement of the hour hand is utilized to operate switching means. Accordingly, the hour hand 14 is provided with detent means comprising a pair of detent members which in this instance take the form of rearwardly projecting prongs 89 and 9t] struck fromthe hour hand. The hour hand is urged rearwardly by means'of a spiral helical compression spring 91 positioned between the hour hand 34 and the minute hand 12. The minute hand is anchored against forward movement by a collar 91 secured'to the rear end of the minute hand shaft 64. In order to retain and conceal the spring 91, the hands 12 and 1d are tions 92 and 93 having peripheral flanges or rims 94 and 95 which extend toward each other and thus partly enclose the spring. The start disc or dial 18 is provided with apertures 96 and 97 for receiving the detent members 89 and 90, and the stop disc or dial 26 is provided with similar detent receiving apertures 98 and 99. The detent member 90 and the detent apertures 97 and 99 are positioned at a slightly greater distance from the axis of the minute hand shaft 64 than the detent member 89 and the detent receiving apertures 96 and 98, so that there is but a single position of registry between the detent members and the detent receiving apertures.

knob conveniently rotate inthedial 2-9 and the frame plate 36.;

as a detent member and provided with disc-like hub por-.

The axial movement of the hour hand 14 resulting from entry of the detent members 89 and 90 into the apertures 9699 is utilized for switch operating purposes by means of a follow-up member which in this instance takes the form of a butterfly plate 169 (Fig. 6). The follow-up plate 100 is pivotally mounted by means of a horizontal pivot shaft 101 positioned between the hour hand sleeve 66 and the dial setting shafts 3S and h), the pivot shaft 101 being parallel to the mounting plate 36. The pivot shaft extends through a pair of suitable eyes 103 struck out of the butterfly plate 1%, and is supported in the frame by a pair of rearwardly projecting lugs 19.2 struck out of the front mounting plate 36.

The hour hand sleeve 66 has at its rear end an enlarged hub-like portion 104 provided with an annular groove 165 which engages with the follow-up plate 1%. The butterfiy plate has an aperture 106 provided with opposed projections 107 which are positioned in the groove 165, the projections being generally parallel with the pivot shaft 101. The aperture Hi6 has an enlarged fan-shaped lower portion 108 to facilitate assembly. In order to move the butterfly follow-up plate 1% into its cocked position and to effect withdrawal of the detents 89 and 99 for setting purposes, the plate includes downwardly extending arm portions 109 and 116, which arm portions lie in the path of inward movement of the dial setting shafts 33 and 40 respectively. These shafts are slidably as well as rotatably mounted so that when either of the knobs 32, 34 is pushed in, the follow-up plate 1% is rocked in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 6) causing withdrawal of the detent members 89 and 90 from the dials l8 and 2t. Operation of the mechanism thus far described is as follows: The timing mechanism is set by first pushing in the start knob 32. This operation disengages the detents 89 and 90 from the start and stop dials 18 and 26. The start knob 3a may then be rotated until the start arrow 24 points to the desired starting time on the dial 10, the inward pressure on the knob being maintained move the detent receiving apertures 96-99 out of register with the cletents 89 and 90. As the hour hand 14 is ad-.

vanced by the clock motor 62, the ends of the detents 89 and 90 ride on the front face of the start dial 1%, the detentsbeing urged against the dial by the spring 91. When the preselected starting time is reached, the detents 89 and 90 enter the apertures 96 and 97, and thereafter the detents carry the start dial 18 along with the hour hand 14. The detents ride along the face of the stop dial 20 until the preselected stopping time is reached. At this time the detents enter the detent receiving apertures 98 and 99 and thereafter the stop dial 2% is carried along with the hour hand 14.

Means are provided to prevent the start and stop dials 18 from being dragged along by friction when the detents 89 and 9d are riding on the faces of the dials. In this instance the dials 13 and 26 are restrained against rotation by a pair of drag pawls 3.12 and 113 mounted on pivots 114 and 115 secured to the frort mounting plate.

tical arms and 121 between which a helical tension spring 122 is stretched in order to urge the pawls into engagement with the pinions 46 and 4%.

Provision is made for removing the frictional restraint from the dials 18 and 20 when the detents $9 and .96 on the hour hand engage the detent receiving apertures 96-99 in the dials. Thus the clock motor 62 is relieved of the additional load which would otherwise be imposed by the frictional restraining means. In this instance, the pawls 112 and 113 are disengaged from the pinions 46 and 48 by the follow-up plate 100 when the detents 89 and 90 enter the detent receiving apertures in the dials 18 and 20 respectively. For this purpose, the follow-up plate 100 has depending arms or cam members 123 and 124 which are positioned adjacent and generally parallel with the depending arms 120 and 121 of the pawls, the latter being provided with rearwardly extending, outwardly inclined lugs or cam following members 125 and 126. The camming member 123 and the cam following member 125 are so conformed that the pawl 112 is disengaged from the pinion 46 when the detent members 89 and 90 move rearwardly into the detent receiving apertures 96 and 97 in the start dial 18. The camming arm 124 and the cam following lug 126 are conformed so as to disengage the pawl 113 from the pinion 48 when the detents 89 and 90 move rearwardly into the detent receiving apertures 98 and 99 in the stop dial 20. This sequential disengagement of the pawls 112 and 113 may be obtained by bending the camming arms 123 and 124 rearwardly at different angles as shown in Fig. 7, or by bending the cam following lugs 125 and 126 at slightly different angles.

The timer is provided with a switch mechanism 136, capable, in this instance, of controlling two electrical circuits. Accordingly, the switch mechanism 136 includes two pairs of resilient switch blades 138, 140, and 142, 144, carrying respective pairs of opposed contact points 150, 152, and 154, 156, the points of each pair normally being spaced apart (Figs. 2 and Closure of the points is effected by the operation of a member or cam 160, rotatable with a cocking shaft 162, and having two oppositely extending blade- like lobes 164 and 166 for spreading the switch blades 140 and 142, the latter being provided with opposed rounded nubs 168 and 170 serving to cam the blades outwardly when the cam moves between the blades. It will be noted that the cam is rotatable in a plane generally perpendicular to the direction of contact movement, and that the nubs provide camming surfaces of intermediate direction, with respect to the directions of cam and contact movement.

By means of the knob 35 (Fig. 1), which is mounted on the front end of the shaft 162, the switching mechanism 136 may be set to provide either manual or automatically timed control of the oven or other load device. The extremes of rotation of the shaft define manual control and automatic or fully cocked positions, the shaft being suitably biased counterclockwisely toward its manual control position, in this case by a contractile spring 172. In this manual control position the contact pairs 150, 152 and 154, 156 are closed by the cam lobe 166.

In accordance with the present invention the successive positions of the follow-up plate are employed to cause the rotary switch mechanism to step successively from a fully cocked position to an on position and then to an off position. This is accomplished by providing laterally otfset stops on the follow-up plate, the stops being arranged for successive engagement by a radial projection in the rotary switch mechanism. Thus the follow-up plate 100 serves as the latching element of a latching mechanism 174 which, in the course of a switching cycle, latches the switch shaft 162 successively in an off position with the shaft fully cocked, an on position, and a second off position with the shaft still partly cocked. In the on position, the cam lobe 164 closes the contact pairs 150, 152 and 154, 156.

As intimated above, the follow-up plate 100 is provided with a pair of stops or catches 176 and 178, offset in a direction generally parallel to the shaft 162, for successively arresting the rotation of an arm or pawl 180 carried by the shaft, the pawl being yieldable radially to permit it to be snapped over the stops manually. In the exemplary embodiment, the pawl is mounted for limited radial movement on a pawl carrier 182 by means of headed studs 184 and 186 thereon, extending through slots 188 and 190 in the pawl, and is biased outwardly by a contractile spring 192 strung around the stud 184 between spring anchor posts 194 and 196 on the carrier. The carrier is freely rotatable on the shaft 162, but the pawl is restrained from rotation by a cam 198 fixed to the shaft and positioned in a generally rectangular aperture 200 in the pawl, the cam being provided with twin oppositely projecting lobes 202 and 204 connected by a fiat 206, against which one edge 208 of the aperture is normally held by the spring 192. On its nose, the pawl has a radial striking surface 210 on one side, adapted to be arrested positively by the stops 176 and 178 on the follow-up plate, and an inclined camming or striking surface 212 on the opposite side, shaped so as to cam the pawl inwardly.

The extreme counterclockwise and clockwise positions of the shaft 162 are defined by respective fixed stops 214 and 216, struck out of the front mounting plate 36 and engageable with the stud 184 on the pawl carrier 182. A similar fixed stop 218 arrests the pawl 180 in the second off position at the completion of an automatic switching cycle.

In the operation of the timer, the electrical clock motor 62 is connected to an alternating current supply, and the load device to be controlled by the timer is connected in circuit with the switching mechanism 136. The con tact pairs 150, 152, and 154, 156 may be utilized to control either two separate circuits or a single heavy duty load such as the heating element of a cooking oven.

The clock hands 12 and 14 are set initially to the correct time by turning the setting knob 16, and are driven continuously by the motor 62 so that they continue to indicate the correct time. In the ensuing explanation, it will be assumed that the time initially is 9:30, that it is desired to commence an automatic switching cycle at 10:00, and that the switching cycle is to be terminated at 11:30. Thus in Fig. 1 the clock hands indicate 9:30.

In order to set the start dial 18 to the desired starting time, the start knob 32 is pushed rearwardly as far as it will go, preparatory to rotation thereof. The consequent rearward translation of the shaft 38 swings the arm 109 rearwardly, so that the follow-up plate 100 slides the hour hand sleeve 66 forwardly along the minute hand shaft 64, in opposition to the bias of the spiral spring 91. The detents 89 and on the hour hand 14 are thereby withdrawn from the apertures 96-99 in the start and stop dials 18 and 20. The inward pressure on the start knob is maintained while the knob is being turned a sufficient distance to move the detents out of register with the apertures 96 and 97 in the start dial, and then the pressure may be released, whereupon the spiral spring moves the detents into engagement with the face of the start dial. The start knob may then be rotated until the start arrow 24 points to the desired starting time on the clock dial 10 (10:00 in Fig. l).

The desired stopping time is selected by rotating the stop knob 34 until the stop arrow 28 on the stop dial 20 points to the desired time (11:30 in Fig. 1). The timer is so constructed that the stop dial may be set first, rather than the start dial, if desired. If this is done, the stop knob 34 must be pushed rearwardly to rock the follow-up plate and thereby release the detents 89 and 90 from the stop dial 20. In subsequently setting the start dial, the start knob is pushed rearwardly to release the detents from the start dial.

After the start and stop dials 18 and 20 have been set, the timer may be adjusted for automatic operation by turning the control knob 35 as far as it will go in a clockwise direction, in order to cock the switching mechanism 136. During the course of the accompanying rotation of the shaft 162, the pawl is momentarily greases arrested-by the fixed stop 218, but the continued rotation of the shaft162 forces the pawl radially inwardly so that it can pass the stop. This radial withdrawal of the pawl 180 is effected by the cam lobe 204 which acts against the edge 208 of the cam aperture 200. The clockwise striking surface 212 of the pawl is formed so as to provide an additional inward camming action thereon. Farther along in the course of the rotation of the shaft 162, the pawllSt) engages and is momentarily arrested by the stop 176 on the follow-up plate 100, but again the cam 193 withdraws the pawl radially so that it can move around the stop.

The clockwise cocking rotation of the shaft 162 is limited by engagement of the stud 184 with the fixed stop'216. When the manual cocking torque is removed from the control knob 35, the return spring 172 tends to rotate the shaft 162 back to its original manual position, but the shaft is arrested in its fully cocked position by engagement of its counterclockwise striking surface 210 with the stop 176, as shown in Fig. 8. The timer is now fully adjusted for automatic timing operation.

The construction of the timer is such that the manual condition of adjustment can be restored manually after the timer has been set for automatic operation. This is accomplished merely by rotating the control knob 35 in a counterclockwise direction back to its manual position. During this operation, the cam 198 withdraws the pawl 180 whenever resistance is encountered, so that the pawl snaps over the movable stop 176 and the fixed stop 218.

Once the dials 13 and 29 have been set and the control knob 35 has been rotated to its fully cocked position, the timing cycle proceeds automatically. Since they are urged rearwardly by the spring 91, the detents are dragged along the front face of the start dial 18 as the hand 14 advances, but the position of the dial is not disturbed thereby, because the pawl 112 exerts a frictional braking or restraining torque on the dial driving pinion 46.

At the previously selected starting time, the detents S9 and 90 come into register with the apertures 96 and 97 in the start dial 13, as shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the spring 91 moves the detents rearwardly until they engage the face of the stop dial 20. The hour hand sleeve 66 rocks the follow-up plate into its half-cocked position, and the accompanying rearward movement of the catch 176 releases the pawl 189 so that the shaft 162 is freed for counterclockwise rotation by the spring 172. However, the shaft 162 is arrested in its on position by the catch 176, which has been moved into the path of the pawl by the rearward movement of the detents.

When the shaft 162 is in its fully cocked posit-ion, the switch operating cam 15% is disengaged from the switch blades 141 and 142 so that the contact pairs 15), 152 and 15 156 are open. As the pawl 180 moves into engagement with the catch 17% after having been released by the catch 176, the lobe 164 of the cam moves between the nubs 16$ and 170 on the blades 14-0 and 142, thus spreading the blades and closing the contact pairs so as to energize the load device.

When the follow-up plate 11113 is rocked into its halfcocked position, the camming aim 123 on the plate lifts the pawl 112 from the dial driving pinion 46, so that a minimum of torque is required of the motor 62 in advancing the start dial along with the hour hand 14. As the detents 89 and 9t! slide along the stop dial 20 toward the apertures 98 and $9, the drag pawl 113, acting on the dial driving pinion 48, prevents the previously adjusted position of the dial from being disturbed.

During the advance of the detents S9 and $9, the start dial progressively obscures the graduations 31? on the stop dial, so that the graduations remaining visible at any moment indicate the cooking time yet to elapse.

At the preselected stopping time the detents come into registration with the apertures 98 and 99 (Fig. 4), so that the spring 91 can move the detents rearwardly,

thereby rocking the follow-up plate into its at rest position. The arm 124 on the plate withdraws the pawl 113 from the pinion 48 so as to release the stop dial for free rotation by the motor 62. The stop 178 is moved rearwardly, thereby releasing the pawl 180 so that'the return spring 172 can rotate the shaft 162 until the pawl is arrested by the fixed stop 218. In this position of the shaft, the cam 16!) is again disengaged from the switch blades 140 and 142, so that the contact pairs 150, 152 and 154, 156 resume their open positions.

After these operations the automatic switching cycle is complete, and another cycle cannot be initiated until the shaft 162 is again manually rotated into its fully cocked position. In this respect the timer is self-deleting.

Manual control of the load device may be restored by rotating the control knob counterclockwise into its manual position, causing rotation of the shaft 162 and accompanying rotation of the cam 1%. The lobe 2412 on the cam withdraws the pawl radially, and the return spring 172 thereupon rotates the shaft 162 until the stud 184 engages the stop 214. The lobe 166 of the switchoperating cam spreads the switch blades 149 and 142 and thereby closes the contact pairs 159, 152 and 154, 156.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a timer, the combination comprising a clock dial having time indicia around its periphery, a clock hand in front of the dial, means for rotating said clock hand relative to said indicia to indicate time of day, a pair of time-selecting discs coaxially arranged immediately be hind the hand, means for ro-tatably adjusting said timeselecting discs to positions denoting predetermined times of day, said clock hand being axially movable and having means for biasing the same toward the discs, said hand and said discs having respective interengageable detent elements for causing said hand to move successively toward said discs when said hand is rotated into positions denoting the times of day indicated by the preadjusted positions of the time-selecting discs, respective restraining means for restraining the discs against rotation due to friction between the discs and the detent element on the hand, respective means for successively rendering said restraining means ineffective in response to successive interengagement of the detent elements, a controlled mechanism and means responsive to the successive movement of the hand for selectively controlling said mechanism.

2. In a timer, the combination, comprising a clock dial having time indicia around its periphery, a clock hand in front of the dial, means for rotating said hand relative to said dial to indicate time of day, a pair of time-select ing discs coaxially arranged between the hands and the dial, means for rotatably adjusting said time-selecting discs to positions indicative of predetermined times of day, said clock hand being axially movable and having means for biasing the same toward the discs, interengageable detent means on said hand and said time-selecting discs for permitting said hand to move progressively axially toward said discs when said hand reaches successive positions indicative of the times of day indicated by the preadjusted positions of the time-selecting discs, and a two position control device actuated into its first and second positions in response to the successive axial movements of said hand.

3. in a timer, the combination comprising a clock dial having time indicia around its periphery, a clock hour hand in front of the dial, means for rotating said hour hand relative to said dial to indicate time of day, an on disc, and an cit disc, coaxially arranged between the hour hand and the dial, means for rotatably adjusting each of said discs to a position indicative of a predetermined time of day, said hour hand having a rearwardly biased detent mounted thereon, apertures in said discs arranged in the path of movement of said detent so that the detent is received first by said on disc as said hour hand is rotated into position denoting the time of day for which said on disc is adjusted, further movement thereof being restrained by said oil disc, and next by said oft disc as said hour hand is rotated into position denoting the time of day for which said ofi disc is adjusted, a two position control device, and means responsive to the successive axial movement of the detent for progressively actuating said control device into its first and second positions.

4. In a timer, the combination comprising a clock dial having time indicia around its periphery, a clock hand in front of the dial, said hand being mounted for relative axial movement and rearwardly biased, means for rotating said hand relative to said dial to indicate time of day, a pair of discs coaxially arranged with respect to said clock hand and manually adjustable relative to said indicia to positions denoting predetermined times of day, interengageable detent means on said hand and said discs to produce a first axial movement of said clocr; hand when said hand is rotated to the position denoting the time preset on the first of said discs, further axial movement thereof being restrained by the second of said discs, and a con tinued axial movement when said hand is rotated to the position denoting the time preset on the second of said discs, a follow-up plate operably coupled to said clock hand for movement in accordance with the axial movement of said hand, a two position control member, and means responsive to the successive axial movement of the clock hand for progressively actuating said control member into its first and second positions.

5. In a timer, the combination comprising a clock dial having time indicia around its periphery, a clock hand in front of the dial, said hand being mounted for relative axial movement, means for rotating said clock hand relative to said dial to indicate time of da a pair of members coaxially arranged with respect to said clock hand and manually adjustable relative to said indicia to positions denoting predetermined times of day, detent means on said hand interengageable with said members to produce a first axial movement between the hand and the adjustable members when said hand is rotated into position denoting the time of day for which the first of said members is adjusted, further axial movement thereof being restrained by the second of said members, and a continued axial movement when said hand is rotated to the position denoting the time ot' day for which the second of said members is adjusted, a latch member operably coupied to said clock hand for axial movement therewith, a spring biased control member, and means on said latch member for progressively actuating said control memher into successive operating positions.

6. In a timing mechanism, the combination compris ing a dial having time indicia around its periphery, a minute hand in front of the dial, an hour hand mounted coaxially therewith for relative axial and rotary movement, means for rotating said hands relative to said dial to indicate passage of time, a pair of time selecting members coaxially arranged with respect to said hour hand and mounted behind said hour hand adjacent to the front Eli of a said dial, a compression spring positioned between the hands for effecting relative axial movement of the hour hand away from the minute hand and toward the members, interchangeable detent means between said hour hand and said members to produce a first axial movement between the hour hand and the members when said hand is rotated into a position denoting the time for which the first of said members is adjusted, further axial movement of said hour hand being restrained by engagement or" said detent means with the second of said members, and to produce continued axial movement of said hour hand when said hand is rotated into a position denoting the time for which the second of said members is adjusted, and control means actuable to perform successive control functions in response to the successive axial movements or" said hour hand.

7. in a control device, the combination comprising: a clock dial; a continuously rotated axially movable clock hand to indicate time of day mounted in front of the clock dial; two adjacent adjustably rotatable selector elements mounted behind the clock hand and coaxially therewith; means for biasing said clock hand toward said selector elements; detent receiving means in said two selector elements; a first and a second restraining means for restraining movement of said selector elements, respectively; detent means on said clock hand for successively en gaging and passing through the detent receiving means on the first selector element as said clock hand is rotated into position corresponding to a preadjusted setting of the first of said selector elements, further movement toward said selector elements being interrupted by engagement of said detent means by the second of the selector elements, and the detent receiving means on the second of said selector elements as said clock hand is rotated into position corresponding to a preadjusted setting of the second of said selector elements; and a first and a second releasing means for successively releasing said first and second restraining means responsive to said successive progressive axial movements of said clock hand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,860,159 Porter May 24, 1932 1,935,232 Smith Nov. 14, 1933 2,056,400 Holtz Oct. 6, 1936 2,145,082 Grayson J an. 24, 1939 2,145,083 Dynes Jan. 24, 1939 2,200,110 Anderson May 7, 1940 2,202,721 Anderson May 28, 1940 2,259,188 Whitehead Oct. 14, 1941 2,300,950 Lux Nov. 3, 1942 2,325,812 Thompson Aug. 3, 1943 2,440,142 Elliott Apr. 20, 1948 2,499,270 Ellis Feb. 28, 1950 2,505,573 Prophet Apr. 25, 1950 2,545,617 Kaefer et al Mar. 20, 1951

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