+6 -19V

PushOn /PushOff
Electronic Switch
By Robert F. Scott R6
4.7K

MECHANICAL PUSH -TO -MAKE, PUSH -TO-BREAK SEQUEN-

tial switches are available, but when you need one, you'll
R4 R5
probably have trouble getting it in the style or electrical 10K 10K
ratings you need. An electronic equivalent can be made by
using an Eccles- Jordan flip -flop circuit to drive a relay that
has switching contacts to handle the load you want to control.
We call our circuit the Push -on /Push -Off Electronic Switch,
and we believe that it will be cheaper to build than buy. Why?
Because you will be able to select an available and inexpen-
sive relay, or possibly have one in your junkbox right now.
The circuit for the Push -on /Push -off Electronic Switch is
shown in Fig. 1. Transistors QI and Q2 make up the flip -flop
while Q3 drives a reed relay. When power is first applied to R1

the circuit, QI and Q3 are conducting and Q2 is cut off.

33052
T, Fig.-Need a simple push -on push -off
1

0 0 sequential switch? The simple project

Momentarily closing SI causes the flip -flop to switch SI diagrammed here should do nicely.

PARTS LIST FOR

PUSH -ON PUSH -OFF ELECTRONIC SWITCH -QI cuts off and Q2 conducts. When Q2 is con-
states
ducting, its collector drops to around 0.6 volt. That prevents
SEMICONDUCTORS base current from flowing into Q3 so it is cut off, de- energiz-
01. 02, 03- 2N2222 PNP silicon transistor. or equal ing relay K1. The flip -flop changes state every time SI is
D1- 1N4001 silicon dude or equal pressed.
RESISTORS Capacitors CI and C2 ensure that Q1 is always the tran-
(All fixed resistors are 4 -watt, 5% units)
1
sistor that turns on when power is first applied to the circuit.
R1- 270 -ohm When power is first applied to the basic flip -flop, the initial
R2- 1- Megohm state is random -QI
and Q2 both try to conduct:and, usually,
R3, R6- 4700 -ohm
the transistor with the higher gain will take control. reaching
R4. R5. R7- 10,000 -ohm
full conduction and cutting off the other one. However,
CAPACITORS differences in the values of the collector and coupling re-
mylar or metal film sistors will also influence the initial state at power-on. With
C2- .01 -µF, ceramic disc C2 in the circuit, it and R4 form an R -C network that slightly
delays the rise in Q2's base voltage. That gives QI sufficient
ADDITIONAL PARTS AND MATERIALS
time to reach saturation and thus take control.
K1 -Reed relay. 5 -VDC. 180- to 220 -ohm coil: 1 -A at
125 -VAC contacts (Radio Shack 275 -232) The reed relay, K1, used in this project is a Radio Shack
S1-SPST. normally open type (see Parts List) with contacts rated at one ampere at 125 -
Breadboard -- solderless type. enclosure, wire. etc. (Continued on page 95)

Fig. 2 -The author's prototype was

built on a solderless breadboard.
The layout used is shown here.

IIIÍIIIIIÍf11ÌII IÍli11Ï1111Íf1!IÏII(Ifllllll

iliii! ifl' í1111l 'lliÍill111!IilllÍlilllÍil

o:
 own factories, to assure the precise, tight ing the signal path to be reduced
wind that is essential for magnetic field dramatically (more than 50 percent). That
strength and high efficiency. Tweeter di- audio -path reduction reduces the pos-
aphragms use reinforced, sandwich-type sibility of hum, crosstalk, and other audio
construction and have an acoustic lens in
front.
For additional information, write to:
Revox Division, Studer Revox American,
Inc., 1425 Elem Hill Pike, Nashville, TN
37210.
CIRCLE 941 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

Direct -Line Receiver interference found in conventional re-

CIRCLE 962 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD
Studio 3, a two -way design, carries a sug-
gested list of $175 each; the 3 -way Studio
4, a suggested list of $249 each.
Enclosures for the compact speakers
have the same massive low- resonance de-
sign used in larger Revox speakers. Driver
voice coils are manufactured in Revox's
Scientific Audio Electronics (SAE) has
introduced the R -102, a 50 watt- per -chan-
nel receiver. A Rockwell computer chip
programmed by SAE engineers allows the
circuitry to be isolated from the front pan-
el. Since front -panel controls no longer
come in direct contact with internal cir-
cuitry and the audio signal, there is no
need for audio switches. All audio circuit-
ry is located at the rear of the unit, allow-
ceivers.
The SAE phono power AMP -a sepa-
rate power amplifier for the phono cir-
cuit- provides extra power necessary to
drive both the phono -equalization net-
work and associated stages accurately. A
main power amplifier capable of deliver-
ing high current is needed to handle low
impedance loads. The R102 is all touch-
(Continued on page 104)

BRITISH HEE -HAW SIREN 27 -ohm series resistor. It will adequately protect the 555,
(Continued from page 72) assuming that the circuit is used intermittently.

output load impedance for that device. Lower impedances Building it

may draw excessive load currents (higher than 200 mA) and
thus increase internal power dissipation to beyond the de-
vice's rating. When lower-impedance speakers are used, se-
lect R6 so pin 3 sees a total of 75 ohms.
When you must use a series resistor, the power divides in
proportion to the impedance values. Thus, when R6 is greater
than the speaker impedance, it will dissipate most of the
available power and the volume will be low. When using a 9-
volt supply and an 8 -ohm speaker, you can get by with using a
To get the most out of the project, you may want to
consider building it on a plug-in type, solderless circuit board
such as Experimenter 300 from Global Specialties, the
276 -170 from Radio Shack, or a terminal strip such as AP
Products' 217 -L. Doing that will let you experiment with the
component values.
Nothing is critical about construction. Fig. 2 shows how to
duplicate the author's placement of components (see photo) if
you use one of the prototype boards mentioned above.

. .. ....r..

The Hee -Haw siren is hard-wired to a Radio Shack 276 -170 printed- circuit board that
duplicates the layout shown in Fig. 2. Economy- minded hobbyists can squeeze the parts to the
left and cut off the unused portion of the board, saving the excess for another project.

ELECTRONIC SWITCH
(Continued from page 93)
VAC. Should your external circuit that is being switched
exceed this rating, use the reed switch to control another relay
whose contacts have the desired rating.
While testing the prototype of the Push -on/Push -off Elec-
tronic Switch, we thought of a number of possible applica-
tions. One was as a replacement for the on -off switch on a
radial -arm power saw. We rejected that on second thought
because the circuit was not fail -safe. A component or circuit
failure might unexpectedly turn the saw on, creating a possi-
ble hazard. One possible use without foreseen dangers could
be as a low- voltage remote control for security around the
perimeter of the home. Another would be as a "panic button
controlling a siren or other alarm that you might use to scare
off a possible intruder. Of course, as a light switch it's
perfect.