Abstract: A hot water tank construction, parts therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the hot water tank construction comprising a hot water tank having a wall provided with an opening therethrough and a spud carried by the wall and having an opening therethrough that is disposed in aligned relation with the opening in the wall, and a fuel control valve unit having a shank provided with a portion thereof disposed in the opening of the spud and being interconnected to the opening of the spud so as to be carried by the wall, the opening of the spud having axial securing structure therein, the portion of the shank having axial securing structure thereon, the portion of the shank having been axially pushed into the opening of the spud until the portion is in a predetermined position thereof whereby the axial securing structures cooperate together to interconnect the fuel control valve unit to the spud.

Abstract: An engine control system is disclosed having a unit for providing signals indicative of the position of an engine throttle member. The unit comprises a housing assembly associated with an engine throttle member and containing a stator assembly and a rotor assembly. The rotor assembly moves relative to the stator assembly as the throttle member moves. The rotor and stator assemblies are electrically coupled together for producing first and second continuously variable, ratiometrically identical signals whose values depend upon the throttle member position. The first signal is delivered from the housing assembly for use in controlling the engine operation. Processing circuitry processes the second signal for producing a throttle position validation signal having a first value when the throttle member is in an engine idle range of positions and a second value when the throttle member moves beyond the idle range of positions.

Abstract: A control device and method of making the same are provided, the control device having a plurality of electrical switch units carried by a support, a bracket structure carried by the support and having a plurality openings passing therethrough and being respectively aligned with the switch units, a cover carried by the bracket structure and having a plurality of finger movable areas respectively covering the openings, and a plurality of plungers disposed in the openings, the plungers each having been initially integral and one-piece with the bracket structure and having been separated therefrom to freely float relative to the bracket structure between its respective movable area of the cover and its respective switch unit.

Abstract: A control device and method of making the same are provided, the control device comprising two generally flat and rectangular circuit boards each having a component carrying side and an opposite solder side, each circuit board having a peripheral edge, and mounting structure holding the two circuit boards in spaced apart generally parallel relation with certain sides thereof facing each other, the mounting structure comprising a bracket unit generally engaging and encircling the peripheral edges of the two circuit boards so as to generally close the space between the two circuit boards around generally the entire peripheral edges thereof.

Abstract: A control system, a control device therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the control device having an axially movable shaft for moving a movable valve into its latching position with an electromagnetic unit and also being rotatable from a first position thereof to a second position thereof to place and hold an electrical switch in an operating condition thereof, the switch being in series with the electromagnetic unit so that the electromagnetic unit can not have an electrical current flowing therethrough unless the switch is in the operating condition thereof.

Abstract: A method of making a jet burner construction having an outlet opening provided with a central opening part and a plurality of spaced apart opening portions interconnected thereto and radiating outwardly therefrom whereby flows of fuel respectively issuing out of the portions and the central part of the outlet opening merge together in a turbulent manner externally to the outlet opening, the burner construction having a flame retainer unit carried by a body unit of the burner construction and extending beyond the outlet opening to prevent flows of induced air from being created between the flows of fuel issuing from the radiating portions, the burner body unit being formed of two generally similar body sections secured in superimposed relation and each having generally one-half of the outlet opening and one-half of the flame retainer unit, each one-half of the flame retainer unit being integral and one-piece with its respective body section.

Abstract: A control device, parts therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the control device having a temperature sensing unit comprising a rod and tube means utilizing a heat expandable and contractible polymeric member disposed between one end of the rod and an abutment of the tube to tend to cause an outer end of the rod to move toward an actuator of the control device upon the unit sensing decreasing temperature and to tend to cause that end of the rod to move away from the actuator upon the unit sensing increasing temperature, a biasing member being operatively interconnected to the unit to continuously place the tube under compression between an open end thereof and the abutment thereof and to continuously place the rod under tension between the opposite ends thereof to tend to reduce the temperature differential of the control device.

Abstract: A method of testing for leaks in a closed fluid filled system and a system tested by such method are provided, the method comprising the steps of disposing the system in a chamber, disposing a fluid in the chamber under a pressure so that if a leak path of a certain size or larger exists in the system such fluid of the chamber will be forced through the leak path to change the fluid condition in the closed volume of the system, removing the system from the chamber after a certain period of time, then subjecting the system to a certain pressure and temperature condition so that an expandable part of the system will be in an adverse expanded position beyond its normal position for that certain pressure and temperature if the leak path of at least a certain size existed, and then detecting the adverse expanded position of the part of the system.

Abstract: A jet burner construction, heating apparatus utilizing the jet burner construction and methods of making the same are provided, the jet burner construction having opposed ends and having a fluted portion disposed spaced from and intermediate the inlet and the outlet of the burner body and having opposed ends, the fluted portion defining a central opening part and radiating portions of the outlet opening of the burner body which is generally located in the middle of the fluted portion, the fluted portion expanding and extending axially beyond the central opening part at one of the opposed ends thereof and comprising part of a flame retainer unit that also comprises a generally ring-like structure between the one of the opposed ends of the fluted portion and the one of the opposed ends of the burner body, the one of the opposed ends of the fluted portion expanding outwardly substantially at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the burner construction.

Abstract: A fuel control system, a control unit therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the system comprising a control unit that reduces the length of the warm-up time period of an igniter in subsequent successive burner cycles in which ignition is successful until the control device detects an increase in the length of the flame detecting time period in that particular successive burner cycle over the length of the flame detecting time period on a previous burner cycle at which time the control device then increases the length of the previously reduced warm-up time period a certain amount.

Abstract: A control device and methods of making and operating the same are provided, the control device comprising a microcomputer unit, a vacuum fluorescent display unit having a filament unit, a power supply unit for being interconnected to a high voltage alternating current power supply that has a certain frequency, and a circuit operatively interconnecting the units together, the power supply unit comprising a transformerless capacitor arrangement for creating a low voltage direct current from the power source to power the microcomputer unit, the circuit comprising an oscillator unit that receives the direct current and pulses the same through the filament unit at a frequency that is greater than the certain frequency and that causes the filament unit to heat to an operating temperature thereof.

Abstract: A refrigerator system, a control device therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the control device comprising a housing having a valve seat and a movable valve member being adapted to open and close the valve seat, the housing having a substantially straight angled edge and the valve member having an end edge that is adapted to pivot on the angled edge, the end edge of the valve member comprising a pair of pivot parts respectively disposed at the opposite ends of the end edge thereof in spaced apart relation and being the only parts of the end edge thereof that engage the angled edge of the housing to pivot thereon.

Abstract: A valve construction and method of assembling the same are provided, the valve construction having a deflector unit for directing fluid flow from the inlet of the housing means of the valve construction away from an operating part of a bimetallic lever means of the valve construction that controls a valve seat means thereof, the deflector unit having a part engaging one of a top and bottom edge of a screen at the inlet of the housing means so as to hold another part of the deflector unit in a cantilevered manner in the internal chamber of the housing.

Abstract: A hot water tank construction, parts therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the hot water tank construction comprising a hot water tank having a wall provided with an opening therethrough and a spud carried by the wall and having an opening therethrough that is disposed in aligned relation with the opening in the wall, and a fuel control valve unit having a shank provided with a portion thereof disposed in the opening of the spud and being interconnected to the opening of the spud so as to be carried by the wall, the opening of the spud having axial securing structure therein, the portion of the shank having axial securing structure thereon, the portion of the shank having been axially pushed into the opening of the spud until the portion is in a predetermined position thereof whereby the axial securing structures cooperate together to interconnect the fuel control valve unit to the spud.

Abstract: A heat exchanger system, a fuel control system therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the fuel control system having an electrical circuit means that comprises an ignition trial portion, a flame sensing control portion and a timer portion that comprises a counter having a plurality of outputs and a timer that clocks the output of the counter on each discharge of the timer, the timer portion also comprising a capacitor, a trial time resistor and a wait time resistor that are selectively placed in series with the capacitor by the counter when clocked to certain outputs by the timer to determine an ignition trial time period and a wait time period, and a transistor operatively interconnected to the capacitor to discharge the capacitor when flame is sensed by the flame sense portion.

Abstract: An electrically operated control device and system for an appliance and method of operating the same are provided, the system comprising a power source of alternating electrical current that has a repeating voltage wave cycle and a repeating current wave cycle, a load for using the electrical current to provide an output of the load for the appliance, a relay having normally open contacts and a coil for closing the contacts only when the coil is energized, an electrical circuit for interconnecting the power source to the load through the contacts only when the contacts are closed, and a control unit for causing the coil to close the contacts substantially at a certain point on the voltage wave cycle each time the relay coil closes the contacts from the open condition thereof whereby the current flow through the contacts at each closing thereof is at substantially a desired level thereof.

Abstract: A pneumatic valve that has slow start and quick exhaust features and includes a housing structure defining a main flow passage between a supply inlet and a system outlet and a by-pass flow passage around a main valve in the main flow passage, a control valve that controls flow through the by-pass flow passage, an adjustable restriction in the by-pass flow passage, and an exhaust valve member that opens or closes an exhaust opening to the main flow passage.

Abstract: A water heater, a burner unit therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the water heater comprising a tank for containing water therein and a burner unit for receiving fuel from a source thereof and issuing the fuel therefrom so as to burn and heat the tank and thus the water therein by conduction, the burner unit comprising a top burner plate having a top wall provided with an opening therethrough for draining away water that has accumulated thereon and that comprises condensate that has dripped from the flue of the tank onto the top wall, the opening to be so constructed and arranged that the water that drains therethrough is adapted to pass out through a central opening of the bottom burner plate of the burner unit and through which fuel is directed to the burner unit.

Abstract: A jet burner construction, heating apparatus utilizing the jet burner construction and methods of making the same are provided, the jet burner construction having an outlet opening provided with a central opening part and a plurality of spaced apart opening portions interconnected thereto and radiating outwardly therefrom whereby flows of fuel respectively issuing out of the portions and the central part of the outlet opening merge together in a turbulent manner externally to the outlet opening, the burner construction having a flame retainer unit carried by a body unit of the burner construction and extending beyond the outlet opening to prevent flows of induced air from being created between the flows of fuel issuing from the radiating portions, the burner body unit being formed of two generally similar body sections secured in superimposed relation and each having generally one-half of the outlet opening and one-half of the flame retainer unit, each one-half of the flame retainer unit being integral and on

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