Power switch module

In an automatic washer having a timing means for sequencing said washer through a plurality of operations in a washing cycle and a plurality of electrical devices connectable to a source of electric potential to perform said operations in accordance with a program command from said timing means, a switch module for making connections between said potential and said devices, said module comprising:

• a rotatable shaft;
• an array of switches disposed in a pattern about said shaft, each of said switches connecting one of said devices to said electric potential and said switches each having an actuator movable between a switch open and a switch closed position;
• a hammer connected to said shaft normally disposed in a first portion, said hammer having a cam surface and a striking surface, said cam surface operable to move said switch actuator from one of said open or closed positions to the other of said open or closed positions whenever said hammer is moved from said first position to a second position, and said striking surface operable to move said switch actuator to switch positions opposite to the switch positions effected by said cam surface;
• a solenoid electrically connected to said timing means and actuatable to move said hammer from said first position to said second position, a motor connected to said shaft for driving said shaft in rotation;
• and
• feedback means providing said timing means with a signal indicating the angular position of said hammer, said timing means processing said feedback signal to provide a program command to actuate said solenoid to connect or disconnect said devices at desired times in said washing cycle.

A method of sequentially operating a plurality of switches in response to signals received from a control device, each switch having an actuator associated therewith movable to change the state of the associated switch, said method comprising the steps of:

• arranging said actuators in a closed pattern around a rotating shaft having a hammer perpendicularly attached thereto;
• continuously rotating said hammer a distance above said actuators;
• relaying the angular position of said shaft to said control device;
• generating a displacement signal from said control device upon said shaft attaining a pre-selected angular position;
• moving said hammer toward a selected actuator upon generation of said displacement signal;
• and
• engaging said hammer with said selected actuator to change the state of an associated switch.