Abstract: A rotary compressor comprising a cylindrical chamber, a vane slidably mounted in the peripheral cylinder wall and a torsion spring to bias the vane into contact with an eccentrically mounted roller. The spring includes an elongated central portion and a pair of arms extending from the central portion in parallel planes. The arms are curved or radiused in opposite directions. The central portion is connected to the outer edge of the vane while the ends of the arms are connected to opposite side of the cylinder so that the arms exert a torsional force on the central portion.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a cabinet having an upper compartment to be refrigerated and a lower machinery compartment. First and second elongated support members extend across the front and back of the machinery compartment respectively. A condenser is supported from the first support member and extends rearwardly in the machinery compartment. A support frame is supported from the second support member and extends forwardly in the machinery compartment in partial overlapping relationship with the condenser. The overlapping portions of the condenser and frame are structurally connected. A compressor is mounted on the frame. A condensate collection container is supported from the rear support member and extends forwardly in the machinery compartment in partial overlapping relationship with the condenser. The overlapping portions of the condenser and container are structurally connected.

Abstract: An electronic control arrangement for controlling the power applied to an electrical load, in which the electronic control includes in its memory a predetermined power control parameter look-up table associated with each of a plurality of potentially applicable voltage ranges. Each table contains the appropriate control parameters for controlling the load when the associated one of the input voltage ranges is applied to the load. The control, in response to an input signal identifying the voltage to be applied, selects the control parameters from the look-up table associated with the identified voltage. This signal may be generated by voltage sensing circuitry which monitors the supply voltage, or by a manually adjustable circuit which enables presetting for a particular supply voltage.

Abstract: An improved anti-tip apparatus for an appliance includes a generally L-shaped retaining bracket which mounts to the wall adjacent the appliance with one leg projecting forwardly to engage a retaining edge in the rear of the appliance. A downwardly extending hook member at the free end of the appliance engaging leg prevents the retaining edge from sliding off of the end of the retaining leg in the event of upward movement of the retaining edge as might result from forward tipping motion of the appliance.

Abstract: A fabric washing machine includes a container to receive fluid and fabrics to be washed in the fluid. A switched reluctance motor includes a stator and a rotor directly connected to the container so that the rotor and container oscillate together to wash the fabrics and continuously rotate together to extract fluid from the fabrics. A control stores a plurality of sets of empirically determined wash values representing instantaneous rotor velocities, calls up individual values in a predetermined timed sequence and controls the motor in accordance with the currently called up value to provide oscillation of the rotor and container. User operable means selects which set of wash values is used in a particular wash operation. The control also stores a set of empirically determined spin values representing instantaneous rotor velocities. User operable means selects at least one spin value representing a rotor velocity less than the maximum velocity represented by any stored spin value.

Abstract: A refrigerator has a compartment to be refrigerated and a refrigerant evaporator normally operable at frost producing temperatures to refrigerate the compartment. The evaporator includes an elongated tube to receive refrigerant with an elongated spine fin ribbon wrapped in an open spiral about and in intimate heat exchange contact with the tube. The ribbon includes an elongated base with a continuous series of fingers projecting outwardly of the tube along each edge of the base. The space between adjacent passes of ribbon is greater than the width of the base.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for installing a stretchable rectangular shaped gasket in a rectangular shaped channel member secured to a refrigerator door. A rectangular shaped frame is formed with side rails, the side rails as viewed in lateral cross-section having a vertical leg forming an outer periphery of the frame and joining a horizontal leg perpendicular thereto, the vertical leg being slightly larger than the outside dimensions of the door. The frame is pivoted to an upwardly facing position and the gasket is placed on the horizontal leg of the frame. The refrigerator door is positioned under the frame with the rectangular shaped channel member facing toward the frame and the frame is pivoted from an upwardly facing position to a downwardly facing position and moved downwardly to a lower position to contact the gasket with the channel member.

Abstract: A temperature sensor is formed with a metal substrate at least a portion of which is coated with a layer of porcelain enamel. At least one conductive element is deposited on the coated portion of the substrate in such a manner as to provide a first sensor configuration for sensing temperature as a function of the resistance of the conductive element itself. This conductive element in operative combination with the porcelain enamel layer and the metal substrate provides a second sensor configuration for sensing temperature over a second temperature range as a function of the resistance of the porcelain enamel layer.

Abstract: An arrangement provides for the electrical grounding of a temperature probe and allows its use in conjunction with a cooking appliance control circuit having a floating signal ground. An isolation transformer connects the temperature probe to the control circuit. A temperature sensing circuit includes two parallel voltage-dividing legs. One of the legs includes a primary winding of the isolation transformer, whereas the other of the legs includes a variable resistor allowing a consumer to set the predetermined temperature at which the control circuit will stop heating. Preferably the control circuit is used to control a full wave full bridge inverter connected to an AC input line by way of a bridge rectifier. The inverter is connected to a magnetron by way of a power transformer. The voltage-dividing legs are connected to receive gate pulses from the control circuit, which gate pulses also are used for controlling switches within the inverter.

Abstract: A combination evaporator and radiant heater defrost means including a heater housing which prevents defrost water from impinging directly on the heater while enhancing defrosting of the evaporator.

Abstract: A temperature sensor includes a glass-ceramic substrate and a plurality of conductive elements deposited on the substrate. The substrate serves both as a support for the conductive elements and as a temperature-sensitive resistive material forming an operative part of the sensor itself. The conductive elements are arranged to provide one sensor configuration for sensing temperature over a first temperature range as a function of the resistance of one of the elements, a second sensor configuration for sensing temperature over a second temperature range as a function of the surface resistance of the substrate between two of the elements, and a third sensor arrangement for sensing temperature over a third temperature range as a function of the bulk resistance of the substrate between two of the elements separated by a thickness of substrate material less than the surface distance therebetween. Four contact pads are provided to connect the three sensor configurations to external signal processing circuitry.

Abstract: A self-cleaning gas range has its frame support an oven with a storage compartment beneath the oven in spaced relation thereto. A burner, which is beneath the oven and above the storage compartment, heats the oven to a temperature to produce self cleaning. A baffle assembly, which is beneath a heat shield beneath the burner and above the storage compartment, prevents the top of the storage compartment from exceeding a predetermined maximum temperature when self cleaning occurs. The baffle assembly includes a bottom baffle of galvanized steel attached to the frame and forming the top of the storage compartment, an intermediate baffle of galvanized steel above the bottom baffle in spaced relation thereto, and an inner baffle of reflecting aluminum above the intermediate baffle in spaced relation thereto with the three baffles assembled to each other.

Abstract: A refrigerator liner of a vacuum formed plastic with a thickness of about 0.007" to 0.050" has each corner formed without crinkling when thermal insulation material is foamed against the outer surface of the liner. The non-crinkling of each corner of the refrigerator liner is accomplished through forming each of the corners with a flat surface having its periphery as a circle during vacuum forming of the refrigerator liner rather than with a spherical radius. This enables the flat surface to be placed in tension when moved against a corresponding flat surface of a foam plug by the pressure produced during foaming of the foamed thermal insulation material. This results in each corner having a central portion with a convex cross section and an outer portion surrounding the central portion and concave in cross section whereby it does not appear to be crinkled.

Abstract: A temperature control system incorporating a temperature sensor characterized by thermal inertia which causes the sensed temperature to lag the actual temperature during the transition from one operating temperature for the controlled environment to a different operating temperature. This control system controls temperature as a function of setpoint temperature and the value of a temperature control variable representing the sensed temperature. The value of the temperature control variable is set equal to the temperature sensed by the sensor during steady state operating conditions. In response to a change in setpoint temperature, the system adjusts the value of the temperature control variable to compensate for the thermal lag of the sensor.

Abstract: An arrangement for providing power to a cooking magnetron uses a full wave bridge inverter circuit. Four semiconductor switches, pairs of which are switched on and off by a pulse width modulation control circuit provide power to a primary winding of a power transformer. A secondary winding of the power transformer supplies the power to the magnetron. The control circuit switches two of the four transistors on and off by way of an isolated drive circuit such that the control terminals of the semiconductor switches float with respect to the other two semiconductor switches. The control circuit includes pulse width modulation circuitry which provides a control pulse having a width proportional to an input provided across a transconductance amplifier. A signal dependent upon magnetron current is used as part of a feedback loop such that a magnetron current is stabilized against variations due to line voltage changes.

Abstract: A refrigerator freezer compartment has an evaporator forward of its rear wall for maintaining the freezer compartment at the desired temperature with a cover forward of the evaporator to define the rear of the freezer compartment within which food may be stored. A side ladder is attached to each side wall of the freezer compartment. A horizontal bar extends between the bottoms of the two side ladders to which it is attached and is secured to the bottom of a center ladder. The upper end of the center ladder may be supported within a nipple supported by the top wall of the freezer compartment or secured to a horizontal bar extending between the tops of the two side ladders and secured thereto. Each of the side ladders and the center ladder has a column of rectangular shaped slots to receive portions of an adjustable shelf so that one shelf may be mounted between one of the side ladders and the center ladder and another shelf may be mounted between the other side ladder and the center ladder.

Abstract: The combination of a refrigerator cabinet, a hot refrigerant loop conduit passing through an opening in a peripheral wall of the cabinet and a grommet shielding the conduit from the edge of metal around the opening. The grommet, formed by a pair of molded body elements joined by an integral hinge, includes a pair of passages receiving portions of the conduit. Resilient rings extend into the passages and engage the conduit to preclude escape of foam insulation through the passages. An outwardly diverging mandrel extends from the refrigerated compartment end of each passage. A sealing lip projects outwardly from the grommet body and inclines toward the housing wall. Resilient fingers extend from the grommet body and have distal ends which overlap the distal edge of the sealing lip. The distal ends of the fingers and distal edge of the sealing lip engage opposite sides of the peripheral wall so the lip seals against leakage of foam through the opening.