Abstract: A temperature regulating control unit and method of making the same are provided, the unit comprising a RTD temperature sensor, a unit for applying electrical signals to the sensor, and a microcomputer for receiving digital signals from the sensor in relation to the temperature being sensed by the sensor, the unit for applying electrical signals to the sensor applying a varying voltage to the sensor.

Abstract: An intermittent patient suction system, a self-contained control device therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the self-contained control device having a housing that contains two restrictor units therein for respectively controlling the "on" time and "off" time that the control device applies a vacuum and does not apply a vacuum through the output of the control device to the patient.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus, a burner construction therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the cooking apparatus comprising a frame unit having a top surface unit provided with an opening passing therethrough, and a burner construction carried by the frame unit so that the burner construction projects out of the opening above the top surface unit, the burner construction comprising a first portion that extends above the top surface unit, the first portion having a chamber therein and having ports out of which fuel can issue from the chamber to burn externally to the first portion above the top surface unit, the burner construction comprising a second portion that extends below the top surface unit and has structure for interconnecting with a fuel source conduit and for delivering fuel therefrom to the chamber, the first portion and the second portion being separate parts respectively having first structure interconnecting the same together in one of a plurality of selectable rotational positions therebe

Abstract: A fuel control valve construction having a flexible diaphragm defining two chambers that are disposed on opposite sides of the diaphragm that carries a main valve member that is urged in a direction to close a main valve seat by a spring, and a control unit interconnected to an inlet and an outlet and to the chambers and being adapted to interconnect the inlet to one of the two chambers and the outlet to the other of the two chambers to move the diaphragm to a first position that causes the main valve member to close the main valve seat whereby inlet pressure in the one chamber will generate an additional seating force on the main valve member to ensure a tight closure of the main valve seat and adapted to interconnect the inlet to the other of the two chambers and the outlet to the one of the two chambers to move the diaphragm to a second position that causes the main valve member to open the main valve seat.

Abstract: A control device having a push to turn selector arrangement and method of making the same are provided, the control device comprising a support unit, a first selector member threadedly carried by the support unit so as to be rotatable and axially movable relative thereto, a second selector member rotatably carried by the support unit and being axially movable relative thereto, a coupling structure coupling the selector members together to cause the first selector member to rotate in unison with the second selector member when the second selector member is axially pushed inwardly and then rotated, and a spring unit disposed between the selector members to tend to maintain the second selector member axially away from the first selector member, the coupling unit comprising a drive plate rotatably carried by the support unit intermediate the selector members and having parts thereof respectively splined to the selector members to transmit rotatable movement of the second selector member to the first selector memb

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing liquid from liquid bearing material are provided, the apparatus comprising a pair of electrodes having portions thereof disposed adjacent each other and defining an inlet to the adjacent portions and an outlet from the adjacent portions, structure for feeding the liquid bearing material into the inlet, structure for moving the liquid bearing material from the inlet to the outlet so that sections of the material serially move from the inlet to the outlet while being disposed between the adjacent portions, and a unit for creating a voltage arrangement between the pair of electrodes so as to create an electrostatic field arrangement between the adjacent portions of the pair of electrodes for acting through the material that is disposed therebetween to remove liquid from that material, the unit providing different voltages between different parts of the pair of electrodes so that different intensities of the electrostatic field arrangement serially act through each section of

Abstract: A burner construction, igniter assembly therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the igniter assembly comprising an electrically insulating body member having an intermediate portion and having opposed end surfaces one of which is adapted to be disposed adjacent a cap of a burner construction, and an electrically conductive L-shaped electrode carried by the body member and having two legs one of which extends out of the intermediate portion thereof for sparking to the cap and the other of which extends out of the other of the opposed end surfaces of the body member for electrical connection purposes, the body member comprising a one-piece member, the two legs of the electrode initially comprising two separate parts having adjacent ends that have now been secured together inside the body member.

Abstract: A control system and methods of making and operating the control system are provided, the system comprising an RTD temperature sensor, an applying unit operatively interconnected to the sensor for applying a varying voltage across the sensor and thereby providing a certain current level through the sensor for each certain voltage value being applied across the sensor while the sensor is sensing a certain temperature, and a microcomputer operatively interconnected to the sensor and the applying unit for determining from the voltage being applied across the sensor the actual temperature being sensed by the sensor, the applying unit comprising a charge pump arrangement.

Abstract: A hot water tank construction, an electrically operated heating element construction therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the electrically operated heating element construction comprising a heating element and an externally threaded fitting for threading into an internally threaded opening in a wall of the tank, the heating element comprising an outer metallic tubular sheath and an inner conductive heater wire insulated from the sheath, the fitting comprising polymeric material, the heating element construction comprising an electrical resistance electrically interconnected to the sheath and being adapted to electrically interconnect the sheath to the wall of the tank, the polymeric material comprising an electrically conductive polymeric material that also comprises the resistance of the heating element construction.

Abstract: A pressure operated switch construction, parts therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the pressure operated switch construction comprising a housing having an external surface and carrying an electrical switch unit and a diaphragm assembly therein, and a compression spring unit carried by the housing and being interconnected to the switch unit and the diaphragm assembly to control the operation thereof in relation to the compressive setting of the spring unit, the housing having a bracket member extending outwardly from the external surface thereof in a flange-like manner and having first structure for mounting a first movable actuator unit to the housing that is to be interconnected to the spring unit to select the desired compressive setting thereof, the switch construction comprising a bracket interconnected to a second structure of the bracket member, and a second movable actuator carried by the bracket and being interconnected to the spring unit to select the desired compressive setting th

Abstract: A fuel control device, valve member therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the valve member comprising a rigid tubular part carrying a resilient polymeric part and having opposed ends one of which has an opening therethrough for receiving part of a guide stem therein for guiding purposes, the polymeric part having opposed sides one of which has an opening therein that snap-fittingly receives the other end of said opposed ends of the tubular part therein to interconnect the polymeric part and the tubular part together.

Abstract: A burner construction and a method of and an apparatus for making the same are provided, the burner construction comprising a wall structure having an exterior surface and having an interior surface that defines a chamber in the burner construction for receiving fuel from a fuel source, the wall structure having a plurality of elongated ports formed through the surfaces thereof and thereby communicating with the chamber, the ports being disposed in spaced apart substantially parallel relation with each port being defined between a pair of adjacent edges of the wall structure that are disposed in spaced apart substantially parallel relation whereby fuel is adapted to flow from the chamber out through the ports between the adjacent edges thereof to burn adjacent the exterior surface of the wall structure, the edges each being extruded into the chamber beyond the interior surface of the wall structure.

Abstract: An electrical system for controlling the operation of a heat exchanger, control device therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the system comprising a first electrical transformer, a relay for causing the heat exchanger to be in one condition thereof when the relay is activated and for causing the heat exchanger to be in another condition thereof when the relay is deactivated, a switch for placing the relay across the secondary winding of the first transformer to activate the relay when the switch is in one condition thereof and to deactivate the relay when the switch is in another condition thereof, and a second transformer having a low voltage high current winding disposed in series with the switch when the switch is in one condition thereof so as to supply power to the low voltage high current winding and to increase the current flow from the secondary winding through the relay to activate the relay, the second transformer having only one other winding that is so arranged that power is suppli

Abstract: A fuel control device and method of making the same are provided, the device comprising a housing carrying a thermostatically operated valve member mounted on an axially movable shaft that has an annular flat shoulder normally engaged by a substantially flat side of the valve member under the urging force of a spring, the valve member having a first opening that defines a generally continuous cylindrical surface on the valve member that faces the shaft in a telescoping relation therewith and that is substantially transverse to the flat side thereof, the valve member having a second opening that is disposed outboard of the first opening and that cooperates with the main valve seat of the housing to provide at least part of a by-pass flow of fuel when the valve member is closed against the valve seat.

Abstract: A burner construction and method of making the same are provided, the burner construction comprising a burner body having a chamber therein and having opposed ends one of which is open to the chamber and the other of which has structure for interconnecting a source of fuel to the chamber, and a removable cap closing the one end of the body, the burner construction having ports interconnecting the chamber to the exterior of the burner construction and through which the fuel can issue to burn externally to the burner construction, the burner construction comprising a removable venturi section disposed in the chamber and being removable therefrom through the open end of the body when the cap has been removed therefrom.

Abstract: A hot surface ignition system for a gas furnace or the like, control device therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the system comprising a burner, a settable thermostat, an electrically operable gas valve, a control unit, and an electrically operable hot surface igniter disposed so as to be in the path of gas issuing from the burner that is adapted to be fed the gas from a source thereof through the gas valve when the control unit has been activated by the thermostat to operate the igniter and the gas valve in a certain sequence, the control unit having a lockout unit for deactivating the system should ignition of the gas issuing from the burner not take place by the end of the certain sequence, the control unit having a resetting unit for causing the control unit to be reactivated to be adapted to repeat the certain sequence of the system when the resetting unit is activated, the control unit being adapted to select the certain sequence to have one or more attempts of the control unit to ignit

Abstract: A burner construction and method of making the same are provided, the burner construction comprising a burner body having a chamber therein and having opposed ends one of which is open to the chamber and the other of which has structure for interconnecting a source of fuel to the chamber, and a removable cap closing the one end of the body, the cap having opposed sides and an annular peripheral edge interconnecting the opposed sides together, the burner construction having ports interconnecting the chamber to the exterior of the burner construction and through which the fuel can issue to burn externally to the burner construction, the cap having an annular groove in one of the opposed sides thereof and inboard of the peripheral edge thereof, the burner body having a projection disposed in the groove to hold the cap on the one end of the burner body in its closing position thereof.

Abstract: A control device, refrigerator system utilizing the control device and methods of making the same are provided, the control device comprising a housing having a valve seat and having an inlet and an outlet interconnected together by the valve seat, a movable valve member carried by the housing and being adapted to open and close the valve seat by being respectively moved to an open position thereof and a closed position thereof, and a shape memory unit carried by the housing and being operatively interconnected to the valve member to move the valve member to one of the positions thereof by the unit sensing a temperature above a first temperature and to move the valve member to the other of the positions thereof by the unit sensing a temperature below a second temperature, the shape memory unit comprising a shape memory wire having opposed ends interconnected to the housing and having an intermediate portion thereof operatively interconnected to said valve member.

Abstract: A fuel control device, system using the device and method of making the same are provided, the device comprising a housing having an inlet for being interconnected with a fuel source and an outlet for being interconnected to a main burner, the housing having a main valve seat between the inlet and the outlet and a thermostatically operated valve member for opening and closing the main valve seat, the housing having an annular heater pilot valve seat surrounding the main valve seat and being opened and closed by the thermostatically operated valve member at the same time that the thermostatically operated valve member is opening and closing the main valve seat, the housing having an annular auxiliary fuel supply valve seat surrounding the heater pilot valve seat and being adapted to be opened and closed by the thermostatically operated valve member at the same time that the thermostatically operated valve member is opening and closing the main valve seat and the heater pilot valve seat, the housing having a pa

Abstract: A liquid level sensing device for determining the level of a liquid in a liquid confining unit, methods of making and operating the device and a laundry machine using the device are provided, the device comprising a pair of electrode plates disposed in spaced apart relation so as to be adapted to be in a certain position relative to the confining unit and having opposed ends, an electrical circuit connected to the electrode plates for creating a voltage signal therefrom that varies in relation to the level of the liquid in the confining unit relative to the electrode plates, a control for determining the actual level of the liquid from the signal, and a third electrode plate disposed in spaced apart relation to the pair of electrode plates and being adapted to cooperate with one of the pair of electrode plates to provide a reference voltage signal to determine the electrolytic base of the liquid.