Method and apparatus for achieving three positions
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsBahrudeen Sirajtheen, Radhesh R. Panchal
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A three position apparatus and method of operation thereof is disclosed. The apparatus includes an actuator plate a first spring assembly in operable communication with the actuator plate a second spring assembly in operable communication with the actuator plate a first drive plate in operable communication with the actuator plate and first spring assembly and a second drive plate in operable communication with the actuator plate and second spring assembly. A driver is in operable communication with the first drive plate and with the second drive plate. The three position apparatus is configured to provide quick movement of the driver to at least three discrete positions.
Claims21
A three position apparatus for operating a driver in operable communication with a switch, the apparatus comprising:
- an actuator plate;
- a first spring assembly in operable communication with the actuator plate;
- a second spring assembly in operable communication with the actuator plate;
- a first drive plate in operable communication with the actuator plate and first spring assembly;
- and
- a second drive plate in operable communication with the actuator plate and second spring assembly;
- wherein the first drive plate and the second drive plate are in operable communication with the driver;
- and
- wherein the three position apparatus is configured to provide quick movement of the driver to at least three discrete positions.
A method of moving a driver from one of three positions to another of three positions, the method comprising:
- charging one of two spring assemblies;
- rotating one of two drive plates by discharging the one of the two spring assemblies;
- and
- moving the driver from one of three positions to another of the three positions while the one of two drive plates is rotating.
A three position apparatus for operating a driver in operable communication with a switch, the apparatus comprising:
- means for charging one of two spring assemblies, one of the spring assemblies being in operable communication with a first drive plate and the other of the spring assemblies being in operable communication with a second drive plate;
- and
- means for moving the driver from one of the three positions to another of the three positions by discharging the one of two spring assemblies thereby driving one of the first drive plate and the second drive plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.