Abstract: An improved excitation system for a microwave oven employing a circular rotating disk antenna configured to radiate peripherally from its outermost edge to provide backgound radiation in the oven cavity. Primary microwave energy radiation is emitted from a pair of transverse radiating slots formed in the disk antenna. A first slot is positioned radially outwardly relative to the second slot. The first slot alternately functions as a relatively strongly coupled series and shunt radiating slot and the second slot concurrently alternately functions as a moderately coupled shunt and series slot with each quarter revolution of the disk antenna. Both slots are louvered for improved coupling to the load being heated in the cavity.

Abstract: This invention relates to centrifuging machines, and more particularly to vertical axis washing machines, wherein improved vibration-isolating devices are provided to prevent unbalance-caused vibrations of the movable mass from being transmitted to the support structure of the machine to the extent that damage to or "walking" of the machine may occur.A suspension system is provided for suspending the movable mass above the machine support structure. The suspension system is formed by a plurality of circumferentially spaced spring members supported at the lower ends to the support structure. The springs are connected at their upper ends to a support member. The suspension system for supporting the movable mass on the support member includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced links which extend in the general direction of the vertical axis.

Abstract: A power control arrangement for a cooking appliance equipped with an automatic surface unit, the energization of which under normal operating conditions is controlled in accordance with a closed loop control strategy as a function of the sensed utensil temperature and the user selected temperature setting. The control arrangement is operative to detect a failure of the sensor circuit for the automatic surface unit and operative upon detection of such a failure to control energization of the surface unit in accordance with an open loop control strategy only as a function of the user selected setting. A user discernible signal is provided alerting the user to the sensor circuit failure. By this arrangement the user is informed of the malfunction and is able to use the automatic surface unit as a standard surface unit until the failure can be repaired.

Abstract: This invention relates to automatic clothes washing machines, and more particularly to an improved structure in such machines for affecting the washing of very small loads of clothing in a high detergent concentration. The clothes washing machine has wash, rinse and spin extraction operations including an outer imperforate tub, an agitator, a first basket within the tub, a second smaller basket disposed within the first basket and positioned on the agitator for movement therewith. There is also a water supply for feeding water into the machine, drive system for operating the agitator to effect washing of clothes and for rotating the basket to centrifugally extract water from the clothes. Water is allowed to flow from the basket to the tub and then recirculated through a filter and into the baskets. The recirculation system is controlled wherein only a predetermined volume of water is transferred from the outer tub to the small basket by the recirculation system.

Abstract: This invention relates to automatic clothes washing machines, and more particularly to an improved structure in such machines for affecting the washing of very small loads of clothing in a high detergent concentration. The clothes washing machine has wash, rinse and spin extraction operations including an outer imperforate tub, an agitator, a first basket within the tub, a second smaller basket disposed within the first basket and positioned on the agitator for movement therewith. There is also a water supply for feeding water into the machine, drive system for operating the agitator to effect washing of clothes and for rotating the basket to centrifugally extract water from the clothes. Water is allowed to flow from the basket to the tub and may be recirculated from the tub into the baskets. The improvement is a controlled recirculation system wherein only a predetermined volume of water is transferred from the outer tub to the small basket by the recirculation system.

Abstract: Precipitated silica, formed by the interaction of sodium water glass and sulfuric acid, followed by mechanical processing, is employed as an insulating material having a low thermal conductivity. The precipitated silica is dried, compressed, placed in an evacuable pouch, and evacuated. The resulting board-like insulation configuration is used directly as insulation in, for example, household refrigerators.

Abstract: A domestic cooking appliance vent system including a first vertical vent conduit communicating with the oven, extending through a support plate, and a second vertical conduit that is located above the first conduit but horizontally offset therefrom. A horizontal adapter duct positioned in a locating area on the support plate joins the first vent conduit with the second vent conduit. The adapter duct includes a continuous side wall, a top wall forming an open bottom positioned over the first vertical duct and a top vent opening in one end of the top wall communicating with the second vertical conduit. The support area and adapter duct is dimensioned so that its position in the locating area insures that the top vent opening in the adapter duct is axially aligned with the second vertical conduit.

Abstract: A power control and diagnostic arrangement illustratively embodied in an electric range having multiple surface heating units which are selectively coupled to an AC power supply by commutated relay switching circuitry. The commutated relay switching circuitry includes two switching networks. Each network includes a diode commutated master relay serially connected to a pair of pilot relays. Each pilot relay is serially connected to one of the surface units. Timing and control circuitry periodically interrupts operation of the power circuit in a normal mode to operate in a diagnostic mode. In the diagnostic mode the relays are switched in a predetermined sequence to test for a short circuit failure of the master relays or commutated diodes, an open circuit failure of the diodes, an open circuit failure of the master relays, a short circuit failure of the pilot relays and an open circuit failure of any individual pilot relay.

Abstract: A variable discharge grille assembly is arranged in an air discharge opening of a room air conditioner. The assembly includes a frame surrounding the air discharge opening and a louvered air deflecting grille arranged in the frame. The louvered air deflecting grille is pivotally supported on the air discharge opening frame, and a built-in stop feature keeps the grille from coming out of the frame during operation. The position variations of the air deflecting grille relative to the air discharge opening frame is accomplished by a rachet arrangement that includes a yieldable finger on the grille which snaps into detents formed on the frame surrounding the air discharge opening.

Abstract: A power control arrangement particularly applicable to a multiple surface unit cooking appliance providing a griddle heated by the combination of a standard surface unit and an automatic surface unit. Temperature information for the standard surface unit is provided by a counter implemented in the controller which is incremented and decremented at rates which cause the count to approximately track the griddle temperature proximate the surface unit.

Abstract: A refrigerator cabinet having an outer metal case including side walls and a top wall, a plastic inner liner and a partition separating a freezer and fresh food compartments and separate front door openings. A front face is formed along the front edge of the side walls and top wall defining the door openings. The front face along each side wall is provided with a first pair of vertically spaced openings arranged in the area adjacent the partition and a lower pair of vertically spaced openings arranged in the lower end of the front face. A support frame system is provided including vertically extending side support bars, each having pairs of vertically spaced upper and lower openings dimensioned to align with the upper and lower openings in the front face. An upper cross member extending between the side walls is positioned adjacent the front portion of the partition and a lower cross member extending between the lower edge portion of the side walls.

Abstract: An improved touch control circuit arrangement for electrical appliances having one or more electrical loads to be individually controlled in accordance with user selected power settings. Each load has associated with it a power relay for coupling the load to an external power supply. Each relay is coupled to a latch circuit operative when set to close the relay and when reset to open the relay. The touch control arrangement includes a matrix array of touch keys having an input line for each row and an output line for each column to facilitate the multiplexing of touch key information to the microprocessor in conventional fashion. However, the OFF keys are continuously enabled and coupled to the reset input of the associated latch circuit such that user actuation of an OFF key directly resets the relay control circuit for the associated load. This enables the user to turn off the load independent of the microprocessor.

Abstract: Compartment partition assembly and method for a refrigerator cabinet of the type having an outer shell, an inner liner with a rear wall and side walls and a partition separating the freezer and fresh food compartments. There is provided a channel having a bottom and upper and lower side walls formed on each of the side walls of the refrigerator liner. An insulating member is formed having a top, bottom, side, front and rear walls, the bottom wall of which overlies a plate defining a surface of the fresh food compartment. The top wall of the insulating member is formed to provide a drain and sealing system having troughs with exterior walls along the periphery of the top wall adjacent the side and rear walls of the insulating member and deflected inwardly by the rear wall of the liner and the upper side walls of the liner channels. This compartment partition assembly prevents any gaps or thermal leakage and provides a drain system for defrosting the freezer compartment.

Abstract: A test initiating device connectible to the power cord of an electronically controlled appliance for initiating appliance operation in either a normal operating mode or a self-diagnostic test mode. When so connected the test device is selectively switchable between a first state in which the device is operative to suppress power signal half cycles of one polarity and a second state in which the power signal from the power supply is coupled to the appliance control circuit essentially unchanged. The appliance control circuit includes circuitry operative to generate interrupt pulses marking the pulsations of the power signal applied to the control circuit. Logic circuitry monitors the pulse rate of these interrupt pulses.

Abstract: An ice piece dispenser comprising a receptacle for storing ice pieces and including a front plate having a discharge opening therein. There is provided a dispenser horizontally supported in the receptacle and includes a rotatable feed section having an inlet end and a discharge end with a central axle therebetween, the feed section comprising a cylindrical collar adjacent the front plate and a double bladed screw auger within the collar forming two helical passages. The blades of the screw auger extend from the central axle to the collar and are spaced rearwardly from the front plate with the trailing edge of each blade being curved rearwardly between the axle and collar sufficiently to prevent ice pieces being wedged between the front plate and the blades during rotation of the feed section. A wire auger which is rotatably driven is secured to the feed section for rotation in unison therewith.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatic coil feed of a sheet metal stock strip in progressive dies for punch press die operations which adjust the length of stock strip being intermittently fed to the punch press die while the press is operating. The apparatus comprises feed apparatus for feeding a predetermined length of stock strip to the punch press die which feed apparatus normally operates at a preset feed length. There is a control for maintaining the correct feed length of the stock strip being intermittently fed into the punch press die and includes a correction arrangement operable to mementarily change the preset feed length to supply a correcting length of stock strip to the punch press die. There are two longitudinal arrays of registration openings in the stock strip.

Abstract: A friction applying assembly for a panel movable from a first position to a second position which includes a mounting plate rigidly secured to the panel with the plate having a non-circular aperture. There is a hinge support arm having at one end a non-circular aperture and a bolt arm having a head at one end, which bolt arm is inserted into the non-circular aperture of the hinge support arm to prevent relative movement between the bolt arm and hinge support arm. The bolt arm is elongated having a large diameter section adjacent the head and a smaller diameter section at the opposite end and a tapered conically shaped intermediate section between the large diameter section and small diameter section. An elongated bushing body having one end inserted into the non-circular aperture of the mounting plate is secured thereto to prevent relative movement between the bushing and mounting plate.

Abstract: In a hermetic compressor there is provided a resilient retainer member adapted to removably secure a thermal overload protector relative to the compressor casing. The overload protector is arranged in a housing which is adapted to engage the upper wall of the casing. The retainer member includes one end portion dimensioned to engage the housing whereby downward pressure on the retainer member secures the overload protector relative to the casing. The overload protector housing is formed to include a pair outwardly projecting leg members. A slot formed on one of the legs aligns with an opening in the other leg are engageable by a tool which is employed to exert an external force on the housing sufficient to allow removal and replacement of the thermal protector housing relative to the retainer member.

Abstract: An ice dispenser comprising a receptacle for storing ice pieces and having a front discharge opening. Supported in the receptacle is a cylindrical, rotatable, feed section having the outer end thereof positioned adjacent the receptacle discharge opening and the inner end thereof having an opening to receive ice pieces. A rotatable wire auger comprising an elongate axial portion is secured to the cylindrical, rotatable, feed section at one end and at the opposite end to a helically coiled portion concentric therewith and spaced therefrom. The helically coiled portion has a terminal end spaced from the feed section and the axial portion of the auger. A drive arrangement is provided to rotate the feed section and auger.

Abstract: A duty cycle power control circuit for a magnetron including a power transformer having a primary winding, a secondary anode winding for supplying anode voltage to the magnetron and a secondary filament winding for energizing the filament of the magnetron. In the illustrative embodiment the power transformer primary winding comprises a main winding and a serially connected standby winding. Duty cycle controlled switching devices are effective in a standby state to connect the main winding in series with the standby winding across an external power supply and are effective in the power on state to disconnect the standby winding and connect the main winding directly across the external power supply.