A timing mechanism has a segmented shaft one segment of which carries a camstack while the other segment carries a drive member coupled to an actuator for a momentary switch. The actuator is coupled to the drive member such that the shaft is free to rotate independent of the actuator, with the actuator being restrained from rotation. The actuator moves axially in response to movement of the drive member to open and close the momentary switch. A positive snap action breaking of the electrical contacts of the momentary switch is achieved by holding the movable electrical contact of the switch to the actuator so that it positively disengages from the other contact when the actuator is positively indexed.

An appliance timer has features to facilitate automated assembly or manual assembly. A timer housing base accepts timer components from two directions, and installation of components in either direction is along a straight axis. A motor in the timer engages a gear train which runs a drive cam. The drive cam imparts motion to a camstack which then engages timer blade switches, and the blade switches operate the appliance. A subinterval is also supplied on the timer to allow periodic operation of a switch without the use of the camstack. The timer also features a quiet manual advance which removes the blade switches from communication with the camstack to allow an operator to select various timer programs without any of the clicking noises that are usually associated with timer program selection. Furthermore, a detent slider is positioned in communication with the camstack to provide a tactile feel for the operator of the timer when selecting between various timer programs.

A cam-operated timer for a household appliance has a variety of improvements. An audible and tactile feedback member engages a textured surface on the cam wheel, to produce desired audible and tactile feedback when the timer is manually set. When the timer is manually set, the cam-actuated switches are moved away from the cam surfaces, and a clutch is opened to permit bi-directional slip between the cam wheel and motor, so that the sole source of audible and tactile feedback is the audible and tactile feedback member. The timer also features lanced switch arm contacts, that provide a sharp contact edge to permit the switch arms to make good contact with adjacent switch arms. The switch arms are mounted in a stack of wafers, where each wafer may have switch arms of differing thickness or metal, allowing high current and low current switches to be mixed. Features in the housing are used to receive and locate the wafers to prevent inaccuracies in wafer thickness from accumulating through the stack of wafers. Also, the motor and geartrain are reduced in size. The motor comprises a stator plate and a rotor mounted for rotation in the stator plate. The geartrain comprises meshing gears positioned on both opposite sides of the stator plate and mounted directly to the stator, for providing a gear reduction of the rotation of the motor.

A cam-operated timer for a household appliance including a housing and a switch wafer mounting in the housing used to receive and locate the wafers to prevent inaccuracies in wafer thickness from accumulating through the stack of wafers. The switch wafer mounting includes first and second locating features for receiving first and second switch arm wafers. The first switch arm wafer rests against the first locating feature, and the second switch arm wafer is stacked atop the first switch arm wafer and rests against the second locating feature.

Cam-operated timers for various appliances, such as a clothes washer and a dryer, wherein the timers that are nearly identical from the user's standpoint. For example, the timer may be provided on both a clothes washer and a dryer. Each timer may be set and started in a same or similar manner. The timers each include a rotatable cam-carrying member having cam surfaces thereon, a timing motor, a drive mechanism, a plurality of cam-actuated switches and members generating a motion pattern, audible and/or tactile feedback, and both timers in response to actions by an operator setting the timer.