Need help in design and set-up of switches to timer and motor

I have a camera that is mounted on an elecrical trolley that hangs on a rail. The trolley moves back and forth on the rail contolled by a switch on each side of the trolley. The switch on each side of the trolley gets depressed as it hits a protuding metal tab on each end of the rail and then reverses direction. The trolley is controlled by a timer with on and off set points. The problem that I am trying to solve is how do I get the trolley to stop at one end of the rail according to the timer on and off times. If the timer shuts off power at a certain time, the trolley may stop moving anywhere on the rail. I need it to only stop at the end of one side of the rail. If I place a switch that can be depressed by the trolley at the end of the rail, how do I make sure that the trolley only stops when it hits that switch when the timer is off and doesn't affect the trolley when the timer is on. And how do I make sure that the trolley continues to the end of the rail to hit that switch if the timer shuts off power before it hits that switch. If you can give me any ideas for a solution on set-up of a switch with the timer, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Gary.

Hi Gary,

It is quite difficult to visualize this situation, maybe an image or drawing can help us to provide a suitable design.

But, how I understand the case, you need a sensor (proximity or impact) attached on the trolley or both ends of the rail that adds up to the logic of your system.

Power supply will then be controlled both through timer and sensor.

TIMER shuts off but SENSOR indicates that the trolley is not yet on the ends of the rail, so the power will continue to supply. If the trolley hits either of the end, the SENSOR will send signal for shut-off but the TIMER is still running so the Power will continue to supply until the TIMER ends.




Summary:
0 - OFF
1 - ON




CASE1
TIMER 1
SENSOR 1
POWER 1




CASE2
TIMER 1
SENSOR 0
POWER 1




CASE3
TIMER 0
SENSOR 1
POWER 1




CASE4
TIMER 0
SENSOR 0
POWER 0




Hope it helps.

God Bless.

Best,
Neil

Hi Neil,

Thanks for answering question and your help in design. To help you visualize the apparatus it is a 6 ft. rail that the trolley rides on within the groove of the rail with wheels and is powered by 120 volt motor. The trolley has a switch on each side that is able to be depressed when hitting against a metal stop on the rail at each end that allows the trolley to move forward and backwards. I plan on placing an additional switch at the end of the rail only on one side. When the timer shuts off the sensor would continue power to the trolley until it hits that one switch on that one side of the rail and then power stops completely to trolley.

Can you tell me what kind of a sensor I would need and am I able to use a standard switch that is depress-able?

Also could you draw out the wiring sequence for the sensor and switch to the timer?

Anything that you could provide would be greatly appreciated besides the appreciation that I already have for you to reply to this design problem.

You may also call me at: 530-209-5965 if you have any further questions.

Thanks again, Gary Weiss