Magnetically retentive programmable switching control device
AssigneeDieter Graesslin Feinwerktechnik
InventorFriedrich X. Thoma
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Abstract
A switching control device having a plurality of displaceable fingers programmable for controlling a sequence of switching operations in a time-controlled system has a magnetic element for exerting a magnetically retentive force on displaced fingers to hold the displaced fingers in displaced or programmed position, and permitting easy release of a displaced finger upon cancellation of a program so that the finger can return to an unprogrammed neutral position. The fingers may be mounted in a control disc having a permanent magnet or an electromagnet, the control disc functioning as a magnetic yoke, or the fingers themselves may be magnetic.
Claims29
A programmable switching control device for use in combination with a sensing means, said control device comprising:
- a program carrier;
- said program carrier having a plurality of outwardly extending control fingers consisting at least in part of ferromagnetic material, said control fingers having movable free ends individually displaceable by a programmer to a position in a sensing zone of said sensing means for actuating said sensing means in accordance with a program;
- and
- a magnetic means disposed adjacent to said free ends such that at least said free ends are within a magnetic field generated by said magnetic means for magnetically retaining a control finger free end in a displaced programmed position, said control finger being mechanically displaceable away from said magnetic means to a non-programmed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.