FOOT CONTROL FOR SWITCHING OF AN ELECTRIC DRIVE

• US 3,663,772 A
• Filed: 08/11/1970
• Issued: 05/16/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Peter Michaelis, Ulrich Grabel
• Original Assignee: Peter Michaelis, Ulrich Grabel
• Inventors: Grabel, Ulrich, Michaelis, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, J. R.
• Application Number:
  US05/062,973
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 200/6A,59B,61.29,86.5 74/512
• US Class Current: 200/86.5
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/30 Controlling members actuated by foot
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/10 Manually-operated control; Solenoid-operated control G11B15/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/16 adapted for operation by a part of the human body other than the hand, e.g. by foot
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 21/26 adapted for operation by a part of the human body other than the hand, e.g. by foot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated

Abstract

A foot control particularly for a dictating apparatus. The electric drive of the dictating apparatus is to be switched between an inoperative mode, a forward mode and a reverse mode and the switching between these modes is to be sequential. A housing includes an upwardly open lower shell section and a superimposed downwardly open shell section having two spaced marginal portions. The sections are connected with bayonet-type closures permitting the upper section to move upwardly and downwardly with reference to the lower section. A leaf spring is located in the housing and has a first end portion fixed to the lower shell section and urges the upward shell section upwardly with its remote second end portion. A spherical element is interposed between the second end portion and the upper shell sections so that the latter rocks about the spherical element with reference to the lower shell section when downward pressure is applied on one of two spaced marginal portions of the upper shell section. Pressure on one of these marginal portions causes the upper shell section to be rocked downwardly to a first position in which the drive is switched from inoperative to forward mode, and pressure on the other marginal portion causes the upper shell section to be rocked downwardly to a second position in which the drive is switched sequentially past the forward mode to a reverse mode.

Claims

1. A foot control, particularly for use with a dictating machine, for effecting sequential switching of an electric drive between an iNoperative mode, a forward mode and a backspace mode, comprising a housing including an upwardly open lower shell section and a superimposed downwardly open upper shell section having two spaced marginal portions;

connecting means configurated as bayonet couplings and connecting said upper shell section to said lower shell section with limited freedom of movement towards and away from the latter;

a leaf spring in said housing and having a first end portion fixed to said lower shell section and a free second end portion urging said upper shell section upwardly away from said lower shell section; and

rocker bearing means interposed between said second end portion and said upper shell section so that the latter, in response to downward pressure on one of said marginal portions, rock relative to said lower shell section to a first position in which said electric drive is switched from inoperative mode to forward mode, and in response to additional downward pressure on the other of said marginal portions rocks to a second position in which said electric drive is switched past said forward mode to said backspace mode.

2. A foot control as defined in claim 1;

further comprising a first and a second set of cooperating abutments on said upper and lower shell sections, respectively, the abutments of said first set being engageable in response to rocking of said upper shell section to said first position and the abutments of said second set being engageable in response to rocking of said upper shell section to said second position.

3. A foot control as defined in claim 1;

further comprising a first switch in said housing connectable with said drive and displaceable, in response to movement of said upper shell section to said first position, from a normal inactive position to an active position initiating said forward mode of said drive; and

a second switch in said housing also connectable with said drive and displaceable, in response to movement of said upper shell section to said second position, from a normal rest position to an operating position initiating said backspace mode of said drive.

4. A foot control as defined in claim 1, said rocker bearing means comprising a rocker bearing element of roundish configuration interposed between and in contact with said upper shell section and said second end portion of said leafspring.

5. A foot control as defined in claim 4, said rocker bearing element being of spherical configuration.

6. A foot control as defined in claim 5, said second end portion having a recess dimensioned to partly accommodate said spherical rocker bearing element, and the latter being partly accommodated in said recess.

7. A foot control as defined in claim 3, said first and second switches being rocker switches.

8. A foot control as defined in claim 1, said bayonet-couplings each comprising cooperating male and female connecting portions provided on said shell sections.

9. A foot control as defined in claim 8, said upper and lower shell sections having respective juxtaposed side walls, and said connecting portions being provided on said side walls.

10. A foot control as defined in claim 1, said upper and lower shell sections being of polygonal outline.

11. A foot control as defined in claim 1, said upper and lower shell sections being of quadratic outline.