Patent ID: 7838786

Claim:
A switching apparatus operable in each of an automatic mode and a manual mode, comprising: a frame with a circular notch in its operating surface, an operating handle in the notch, said handle being movable to change from a first position corresponding to automatic mode to a second position corresponding to manual mode, a gearing mechanism in the frame, said gearing mechanism comprising a main gear coupled to the handle, a clutch gear coupled to a motor, a switch gear coupled to the main gear, said switch gear having at least two switch positions, wherein the main gear, the clutch gear, the switch gear and the handle are constructed such in that automatic mode, the main gear engages the clutch gear and is rotatably driven by the clutch gear that causes the switch gear to accomplish a transferring motion of the switch gear, the handle rotating and indicating the rotation angle of the handle by marks on the handle and on the operating surface, and in manual mode, the main gear disengages from the clutch gear and is driven to rotate by the handle, that causes the switch gear to rotate and accomplish the transferring motion of the switch gear.