Safety lockout system for interrupting unintentional flow of electrical current controlled by a safety switch

A safety lockout system for preventing close alignment of a pair of power control switch components which cooperate to control the flow of electric current or signals to an electrically powered device, which components are respectively mounted on a moveable door-like closure at a portion of a fixed member adjacent said edge, such as a portion of a door-like frame member;

• and
• said switch being normally activated to pass electrical current when the closure is in a closed position with the components aligned and closely adjacent each other and with the electrical switch being deactivated to prevent the flow of current or signals when the components are widely separated due to partial opening of the door-like closure, said system comprising:
• a slider member located above one of the switch components and a keeper mounted above the other of the components;
• said slider member being arranged to normally engage the keeper when the closure is normally positioned in its closed position;
• said slider member being manually slideably upwardly moveable to disengage it from the keeper whereby the closure may be moved away from said edge member into a closure open position;
• and said slider member being normally automatically slideable downwardly into a position to cover over its respective adjacent component and to block any locking engagement with the keeper so that the closure cannot be closed and the components cannot be closely aligned, whereby the switch is deactivated against the passage of current;
• and whereby the slider member being manually raised to simultaneously uncover its respective switch components and to engage the keeper for permitting moving the closure into its closed position and enabling activation of the then closely aligned switch components for allowing the passage of electrical current by the switch.

A safety lockout system for a safety switch mounted upon a door-like closure for an access opening in a barrier for protecting an electrically powered device, and an adjacent portion of an edge defining such opening for controlling the flow of electrical current, to said device for thereby limiting access to said device, which switch comprises a pair of cooperating components, with one component secured to the closure and the other component secured to said edge portion and with the switch being actuated for allowing current or signals to flow to the device when the closure is in a closed position over said opening when the switch components are arranged closely adjacent to, and aligned with, each other, and with the switch being deactivated when the closure is at least partially opened so that the switch components are widely separated from each other;

• said system comprising:
• a slider mounted adjacent one of said components and arranged for sliding over and covering said adjacent component and simultaneously keeping the other component away from said covered component a sufficient distance to prevent activation of the switch components;
• a keeper element mounted adjacent the other component and positioned to normally lockingly engaging the slider when the closure is in its closed position and to temporarily engage the slider for blocking the closure from moving into a closed position when the slider is in position to cover its adjacent component, said slider being moveable manually into a position to disengage from locking with the keeper and for then automatically sliding into a position to cover its adjacent component and hold the keeper in its disengaged position;
• and thereafter said slider being manually moveable into its initial position away from its adjacent component and into locking engagement with the keeper for holding the door closure in closed position;
• whereby the slider may be manually moved to a first position to disengage it from the keeper in order to move the closure into an open position to separate the components and the slider may move into a second position to cover over its adjacent component and to prevent the keeper from lockingly engaging the slider and for holding the keeper at a position which prevents the components from being closely adjacent to thereby prevent the switch from allowing the passage of the electrical current to said device.

A safety lockout system for a safety switch which controls the flow of electrical current or signals to an electrically powered device which is protected against unintentional access by a wall-like barrier having an access opening that is normally closed by a door-like closure, with the safety switch having a switch component mounted on the closure and a cooperating switch component mounted on a portion of an edge defining said access opening, and with the two components cooperating when closely aligned when the closure is in closed position to permit the flow of electrical current or signals to the device and to prevent the flow of current to the device when the components are widely separated when the closure is in its open position relative to the barrier opening, comprising:

• a slider mounted above the components upon one of the closures or portion of said opening;
• said slider normally being located in an upwards position above one of the components, and being slideable into a downward position to cover said one component;
• a keeper element mounted on the other of the closure or portion of the opening edge and normally lockingly engaging the slider when the slider is in its upward position to thereby lock the slider from moving downwardly and to prevent the closure from moving into an open position;
• said slider being manually movable further upwardly to disengage it from the keeper so that the closure may be opened relative to the barrier opening, and the slider may then be movable downwardly into a position covering said one component;
• and
• a blocking element adjacent the keeper location and extending towards said slider in a position to contact said slider to block the movement of the closure into its fully closed position relative to the barrier opening until the slider is again manually moved upwardly to its upward position above said one component;
• whereby when the closure is opened, the components are widely separated to prevent current flow to said device and the closure is prevented from being inadvertently moved into its closed position and cannot be closed until the slider is deliberately, manually raised to its original position above said one component.