the electric multi - point positioner of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the particular application of a valve positioner for operatively controlling a water distribution system for directing the flow of water between a reservoir , such as a livewell on a fishing boat , and a water source , such as a lake or river , such as described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 708 , 084 and co - pending ser . no . 07 / 713 , 626 . of course , it must be understood that a variety of other applications for the present invention can be envisioned , as mentioned above . the valve construction for the valve referred to below is similar to the valve with two one - way flappers disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 948 , 095 , except that the valve rotor of the present invention is free to rotate 360 °. as will be understood after reading this description , only a single one - way flapper need be used with the valve described in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 589 , 441 and 4 , 708 , 084 ( a flapper which will rotate between two positions which are 180 ° apart ), while only two one - way flappers ( one of them spring - loaded ) need be used with co - pending ser . no . 07 / 713 , 626 ( the flappers being spaced 90 ° apart ). the electric positioner of the present invention eliminates the need for the detent and compound , , linkage actuation mechanisms disclosed in ser . no . 07 / 713 , 626 , as well as the push - pull valve control disclosed in that application and u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 589 , 441 and 4 , 708 , 084 . the preferred embodiment of the present invention enables electrical control of a rotatable valve means positioned within a valve , which allows the directing of a flow of water between a water source , such as a lake or river , and a reservoir , such as a livewell which is used on fishing vessels for oxygenating water and recirculating it . referring to the drawings in greater detail , the invention can be seen in schematic or diagrammatic detail in fig1 in which the electric multi - point valve positioner , generally designated as 10 , is shown , together with suitable electric switching means 11 , and a small motor 12 with connecting worm gear 43 . when an operator positions the switching means in position &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;, for example , current ( provided by an external electrical supply means , such as battery 13 ) runs through the wires to the motor and to box &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;, but not through boxes &# 34 ; 2 &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; 3 &# 34 ;. ( indexing electrical contacts c1 , c2 and c3 , described below , are pictorially represented as electrically communicating with switching means 11 by boxes &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; 2 &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; 3 &# 34 ;, respectively , in fig1 .) fig2 shows the portion of the electric multi - point valve positioner of the present invention which is housed above the valve chamber . annular cylinder wall 21 contains a generally circular , rotating guiding means 25 , which is connected by valve stem 27 to valve rotor 31 . a stressed flexible or &# 34 ; buckled &# 34 ; band 20 is housed between wall 21 and guiding means 25 . band 20 is made of a suitable metal , electrically conductive band . it has been found that for the particular application of an electrical positioner for use in rotating flapper to selectively engage ports within a multi - port valve , given the typical valve size ( about a 2 &# 34 ; diameter ) the band thickness is preferably about 0 . 002 &# 34 ;. of course , this thickness will vary for a given application . it has been found that a suitably resilient metal band with a diameter of 2 inches , for example , when fitted within a cylinder having a diameter of 1 . 95 inches , will buckle elastically into the generally convex shape shown in fig2 forming a smaller non - circular and concave portion 22 . electrical , generally l - shaped metal &# 34 ; indexing &# 34 ; contacts c1 , c2 and c3 are provided in spaced relation as shown . these indexing contacts can be biased to maintain contact with the flexible band , allowing the rotating band to provide a wiping action against the indexing contacts , thus helping to keep the contacts clean and free from debris . the biased indexing contacts c1 , c2 and c3 and guiding means 25 also cooperate to prevent the band from tracking away from annular wall 21 . an extended - length arcuate &# 34 ; bridging &# 34 ; metal contact 23 is also shown , having an arcuate length &# 34 ; r &# 34 ;. the length &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; represents the contact length along the arcuate band for indexing contacts c1 , c2 and c3 . rotating guiding means 25 is in constant frictional and slidable contact with buckled band 20 ; thus , as the guiding means rotates , it causes the band to rotate as well . should the band be rotated in the wrong direction , pin 28 will prevent damage to the band . virtually any number of electrical contacts can be used in other applications , provided that the contact circumferential span is set so that only one contact is open at any time . this requires that the distance &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; or contact length be greater than the distance r minus the minimum circumferential travel ( i . e ., the distance from the trailing edge of one contact to the trailing edge of the next contact ) of the band . this assures that only one contact will be open ( i . e ., not in contact with the band ) at any time . minimum arcuate travel is established by the number of indexing positions required for the application . this determines the arcuate span between the trailing edge points of the contacts . contact length &# 34 ; d &# 34 ; must be long enough so that the open span of the band cannot bridge two contacts . since only one contact can be open at a time , the distance between the trailing edge of one contact and the leading edge of the next contact must be less than r . thus , before the band breaks contact with the powered contact , it must make contact with all other indexing contacts ( a &# 34 ; make before break &# 34 ; function ). referring now to fig3 a side view of the preferred embodiment is shown . power housing 41 contains the electric multi - point valve positioner 10 ( including the flexible band 20 and contacts as described above ), as well as the motor 12 , gear wheel 42 , and worm gear 43 which engages the gear wheel 42 . power housing 41 is connected by o - ring 32 to valve housing 33 . valve 30 includes valve rotor 31 ; o - ring 34 surrounds valve stem 27 and is thus operatively connected to rotating guide means 35 . one or more flexible sealing flappers 55 are connected to valve rotor 31 , and adapted to seal one or more of the valve ports . valve stem 27 can tilt slightly vertically , since valve rotor 3 - can be slightly horizontally flexed within valve 30 . elastomeric grommet 46 houses the wiring ( not shown ) which leads from the positioner to the switching means and external electrical supply means . fig4 is an end view of fig3 showing a portion of the positioner of the present invention , as well as the power housing 41 , and its connection to valve housing 33 by o - rings 32 . a boss ( not shown ) is attached to the interior of power housing 41 and provides a convenient seat whereby motor 12 is securely positioned within power housing 41 , enabling continual accurate alignment with gear wheel 42 . this accurate alignment allows gear wheel 42 and worm gear 43 to cooperate with the motor to cause the band to rotate without coasting of gear wheel 42 . the particular operation of the electric multi - point valve positioner of the present invention will now be described . in the rest or de - energized (&# 34 ; open &# 34 ;) circuit position , the operator selects , for example , position &# 34 ; 2 &# 34 ; on switching means 11 . a closed or energized circuit now exists : one leg of the circuit runs from motor 12 to the negative end of battery 13 , while the other leg runs from motor 12 to c2 ( represented by box &# 34 ; 2 &# 34 ; in fig1 ) to the positive end of battery 13 . current will always be able to run from motor 12 through one of indexing contacts c1 , c2 or c3 , since bridging contact 23 is of a sufficient length r so that it bridges non - circular or concave portion 22 of flexible band 20 . this closed circuit causes the motor to drive worm gear 43 , and thus gear wheel 42 . in the preferred embodiment , gear wheel 42 is rigidly mounted on the opposite face of the annular element 50 which includes rotating guide 25 . annular element 50 , in turn , is operatively connected to valve rotor 32 through valve stem 27 . therefore , in response to the rotation of gear wheel 42 , valve rotor 32 will rotate . valve rotor 32 in turn causes rotation of the flappers within valve 30 ( not shown ), which are operatively connected to valve rotor 32 . the flappers , together with valve rotor 32 , will continue to rotate until the non - circular portion 22 of the flexible band 20 is positioned over contact c2 . now , with the conductive band no longer electrically connected to indexing contact c2 , the circuit is now open or de - energized ( i . e ., the positive end of battery 13 is no longer in electrical communication with the motor , since switching means 11 is no longer in communication with the motor through indexing contact c2 ). accordingly , power is cut to the motor and rotation is immediately ceased through the stopping action of worm gear 43 . while the motor is off and the circuit is open , no power is consumed . the electric valve positioner of the present invention will tolerate wobble in the rotor , which can be caused by contact of the spring - loaded flapper ( if present ) on the valve wall , thereby exerting a varying bending load on the center valve stem 27 . o - ring 34 and valve stem 27 can flex , as described above , so that the actuation torque is nearly constant despite the varying load exerted on valve stem 27 . also , since the band and band guide can move vertically relative to each other , the tilt or wobble in the rotor and band guide has a minimal effect on the position of the band in relationship to the electrical contacts . accordingly , with the two one - way flappers described above positioned 90 ° away from each other , the three positions mentioned in - co - pending ser . no . 07 / 713 , 626 , the &# 34 ; recirculate - only &# 34 ; position , the &# 34 ; dual - fill - and - recirculate &# 34 ; position , and the &# 34 ; empty &# 34 ; position , can each be selectively achieved by the operator . motor 12 is , of course , not limited to a 12 - volt , direct current permanent - magnet motor . while livewell applications only require a small motor that operates on 0 . 15 amps at 12 - volt direct current , other applications may require more power . in such applications , power amplifying means , such as a relay between the electrical switching means and a larger motor , can be used which allows a higher torque ( and higher electrical loads ) to be controlled . of course , it should be understood that various changes and modifications to the preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art . such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages . it is , therefore , intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the following claims .