Control system for operating machine

A control system for controlling an operating system for performing a sequence of operating steps, said operating system having a plurality of power means each being adapted to be actuated and de-actuated for controlling said operating steps, said control system comprising:

• a plurality of manually controllable switch means,
• each switch means being associated with one of said power means,
• each switch means being adapted to be moved to a control position and to a clear position creating a program mode and to an automatic position creating an automatic mode,
• memory means coupled to each switch means and adapted to be coupled to the power means associated with each of said switch means,
• each memory means comprising a plurality of addresses each of which is capable of storing a binary bit of a "0" or "1" state,
• address means for sequentially addressing the addresses of each memory means,
• each switch means when in its control position causing a binary bit of one of said states to be applied to and stored in the addresses of its associated memory as sequentially selected by said address means,
• each switch means when in its clear position causing a binary bit of the other of said states to be applied to and stored in the addresses of its associated memory as sequentially selected by said address means,
• each power means being adapted to be actuated or de-actuated in accordance with the states of the binary bits stored in the address of its associated memory as sequentially selected by said address means,
• each memory means when its associated switch means is in its automatic mode position being incapable of having its memory content altered whereby said memory means when sequentially addressed by said address means will automatically cause its associated power means to be actuated or de-actuated in accordance with the states of the binary bits previously stored therein and in the same time relationship as occured when its associated switch means was moved to its control and clear positions during the program mode.

A method of operating a control system for controlling an operating system for performing a sequence of operating steps, said operating system having a plurality of power means each being adapted to be actuated and de-actuated for controlling said operating steps, said control system comprising a plurality of manually controllable switch means;

• each switch means being associated with one of said power means;
• each switch means being adapted to be moved to a control position and to a clear position creating a program mode and to an automatic position creating an automatic mode, memory means coupled to each switch means and to the power means associated with each switch means;
• each memory means comprising a plurality of addresses each of which is capable of storing a binary bit of a "0" or "1" state;
• and address means for sequentially addressing the addresses of each memory means, said method comprising the steps of:
• sequentially addressing the addresses of each memory means,
• moving each switch means to its control position in a desired sequence to cause a binary bit of one of said states to be applied to and stored in the addreses of its associated memory as sequentially selected by said address means,
• moving each switch means to its clear position in a desired sequence to cause a binary bit of the other of said state to be applied to and stored in the addresses of its associated memory as sequentially selected by said address means,
• as said binary bits are sequentially stored in the addresses of each of said memories applying data representative of said binary bits to each of said power means associated with each of said memories to actuate or de-actuate said power means in accordance with the states of the binary bits sequentially stored in the addresses of the memories.
• moving each of said switch means to its automatic mode,
• sequentially addressing the addresses of each of said memory means to sequentially read out the data stored therein, and
• applying data representative of the binary bits stored in each of said memory means to the associated power means to cause the associated power means to be actuated or de-actuated in accordance with the states of the binary bits previously stored in the associated memories whereby said associated power means will be actuated or de-actuated in the same time relationship as occured during the program mode.