Importance

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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.

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First Claim