Wash program selection and indexing apparatus

In fabric washing apparatus having a program band having a continuous program surface encoded with a plurality of program triggering elements occupying zones of varying extent about the program surface each of the program triggering elements being associated with at least one laundering function, and control means operatively connected to survey the continuous program surface and being responsive, when activated, to the encoded program triggering elements to cause said washing apparatus to sequentially preform selected ones of the laundering functions in time dependent manner as the program band is advanced, the improvement comprising:

• a. a continuous indexing band connected to said program band to advance therewith, said indexing band being divided into a plurality of laterally spaced tracks extending longitudinally about said band, each of said tracks being characterized by indexing elements thereon marking the start and end of a different laundry program defined by the program triggering elements representing laundry functions encoded within one of the zones on said program band whose longitudinal extent corresponds to the spacing of said indexing elements within that associated track and has a predetermined longitudinal position with respect thereto;
• b. a plurality of individual sensing means each operatively mounted in fixed position relative a different one of said tracks and disposed to survey a small area of its associated said track, for sensing when energized said indexing elements of its associated said track within said surveyed area thereof;
• c. a plurality of manually operated input selector switching means, one each of said selector switching means being operatively connected with a different one of said sensing means, for selectively energizing in response to manual stimulation thereof said sensing means, each of said switching means being operative upon stimulation thereof to energize a different one of said sensing means;
• d. motor means, responsive to energization of any one of said sensing means, for moving said indexing band relative said sensing means;
• e. means, responsive to each of said sensing means for activating the control means upon the sensing of one of said indexing elements by any one of said energized sensing means;
• and
• f. timer means, responsive to each of said energized sensing means upon the sensing thereof of their respective said indexing elements for moving said program band relative said control means in time dependent fashion to sequentially execute the laundering functions of the selected said laundry program.

In a laundry machine control system of the type having a laundry cycle controller including first means defining a continuous movable program surface encoded with a plurality of laterally spaced groups of laundry function triggering elements occupying zones of different lengths in the direction of movement of the program surface, with the zone lengths being dependent upon the desired execution time for the associated laundry function, timing means for advancing the encoded program surface relative a sensing area, and sensing control means for surveying the program surface at the sensing area and responsive to the encoded triggering elements to sequentially drive a laundry machine through the laundry functions at a rate dependent upon the speed of movement of the program surface, laundry program indexing and selection apparatus for automatically synthesizing distinct laundry programs from selected ones of the laundry function, comprising:

• a. second means defining a continuous movavle indexing surface, operatively subdivided into a plurality of laterally spaced program tracks, each track having a portion of its total length encoded with indexing elements of varied lengths in predetermined position relative selected ones of the laundry function indexing elements of the program surface and defining a different laundry program of related extent on the program surface;
• b. means operatively connecting said second means for simultaneously advancing said indexing surface for movement with said program surface by the timing means;
• c. a plurality of switching means one each of said switching means being positioned relative a different one of said indexing tracks for sensing said encoded indexing elements thereof each of said switching means being normally operative in a first state and being operable in response to detection of said indexing elements in its associated track to change from said first state to a second state in response thereto when the sensed indexing element has a particular positional relationship to its associated switching means;
• d. program selection means for providing power to a selected one of said switching means associated with a desired program track:
• e. indexing drive means connected to said plurality of switching means, and responsive to the selected energized one of said switching means for advancing said program and indexing surfaces at a first rate of speed when the selected energized switching means is in its said first state;
• f. means operatively connected to said plurality of switching means for preventing the sensing control means from driving the laundry machine while said selected switching means is operative in its said first state;
• and
• g. means responsive to an energized switching means operative in its said second state for energizing said timing means, whereby said first and said second means are driven at a second slower time dependent speed while indexing element bearing portions of said program track are in said particular positional relationship to said energized switching means.