US 5,272,946 A · Safety control system for power operated equipment

Abstract

A safety control system for power operated equipment which ensures operator safety by immediately disconnecting the power drive from a power driven rotating member, such as a toothed feed shaft of a meat skinning machine or a moving blade of a band saw, and then positively stops and then reverses the direction of movement of the rotating member, upon a metal conductive glove worn by the operator, contacting the blade or toothed shaft. The operator's glove is electrically connected to a safety mechanism and upon the glove completing a circuit upon contact with the rotating member or equipment immediately disconnects the power drive from the rotating member by actuating a clutch or tensioning cylinder. A trigger mechanism then is actuated and permits a positive stopping element to engage and stop the moving element. A power actuated plunger then is actuated and moves the stopping element in an opposite direction to reverse the direction of the rotating member in an incremental step to further reduce the possibility of injury to the operator. A moisture impervious dielectric plastic glove preferably is worn by the operator to prevent the moisture in the meat from conducting current between the metal glove and machine until the plastic glove is cut and contact made with the metal glove. A switch requires manual actuation to connect the power drive to the rotatable member. The metal gloves are connected to the safety switch by electrodes secured to the metal gloves.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A safety control system for power operated equipment of the type having a moving metal component including:

a) motor means operatively connected to the metal component for moving said component in a forward direction;
b) electrical conductive gloves adapted to be worn by an operator of the power operated equipment;
c) first means for operatively connecting and disconnecting the motor means to and from the moving metal component;
d) second means independent of the motor means for positively stopping the movement of the metal component in the forward direction upon the first means disconnecting the motor means from the moving metal component;
e) third means independent of the motor means for reversing the direction of movement of the metal component;
and
f) electric circuit means operatively connected to the conductive gloves for controlling the operation of the first, second and third means for preventing injury to the operator if at least one of the operator's conductive gloves or portion of the operator's body contacts the moving metal component.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Safety control system for power operated equipment

Life of this patent

Safety control system for power operated equipment

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22