Abstract: In a device for utilizing the heat of a condenser in refrigeration apparatus for heating; including means for monitoring the heat and pressure within fluid conduit means in regrigeration apparatus; and means for incorporating this apparatus within a table structure to provide storage and serving facilities for food and beverages at predetermined temperatures.

Abstract: A smoker's lighter of flat elongate shape has an inset bottom in one of its narrow ends. In the bottom are two orifices, one with a filling valve and the other equipped for the adjustment or replacement of an element such as a flint. The bottom has a cover pivoted about an off-center axis outside a line joining the two orifices so that the cover can be pulled out and pivoted to give access to the orifices individually.The invention relates to smoker's lighters of the type comprising a reservoir having a bottom into which two orifices open, one for filling the reservoir and the other for the adjustment or replacement of an element of the lighter, this bottom being covered by a rotatable cover carrying a pivot substantially perpendicular to said bottom and about which it can be turned, while remaining parallel to itself, to uncover the two orifices.

Abstract: A pressure regulator for a gas lighter which comprises, in a well of the lighter body, a porous membrane of constant natural porosity separating two chambers from one another to set the maximum flame height. A downstream chamber is connected to the burner outlet and serves for evaporation while upstream of the filter the wetting chamber communicates with the reservoir containing the fuel.

Abstract: A thermostatic expansion valve for large-capacity refrigeration systems has a pressure-balanced valve pin and no means of communicating inlet pressures to the underside of the diaphragm. The valve pin has a coaxial bore, a pair of end faces, a pair of cylindrical portions fitting slideably in a feed bore leading to an outlet chamber, a reduced stem portion of small diameter between the pair of cylindrical portions, and a pair of shoulders connecting the reduced stem portion to the pair of cylindrical portions. The shoulders are exposed to the same pressure so that the valve pin is balanced.

Abstract: A nonmetallic two-part vent particularly suitable for mounting upon the roof of recreational vehicles for the venting of appliances, particularly gas refrigerators. The vent includes a base having an integral screen formed of the base material and a cover is directly attached to the base overlying the screen.

Abstract: The defrost pressure control system for a refrigerator includes a reservoir connected in communication with the evaporator of the refrigerating system. The reservoir is placed in heat exchange relationship with a portion of the refrigerator which remains at a relatively low temperature during defrosting so that a portion of the refrigerant in the system condenses in the reservoir during defrosting, thereby being effectively removed from the refrigerating system. A suitable heat sink may also be employed in the heat exchange relationship with the reservoir. Because of withdrawal of the aforementioned refrigerant, the pressure in the refrigerating system at the end of the defrosting operation is substantially below that which would otherwise be present. As a result the torque required to start the compressor is significantly reduced, thereby insuring effective starting of the compressor even when driven by an electric motor having a relatively low starting torque.

Abstract: A control arrangement for a heating system including a furnace having a fuel-fired burner apparatus and a vent stack with a motor driven damper plate for opening and closing the stack, includes an interlock switch which provides a safety interlock between fuel supply valves of the system and first and second limit switches which control the energization of a drive motor for the damper plate and effect energization of the fuel supply valves of the system, permitting the fuel valves to operate only when the damper plate is in the open position and preventing energization of the fuel valves in the event of a malfunction of either of the limit switches. The interlock switch also permits recycling of the system in the event of a momentary power interruption. The control arrangement may include a stack mounted heat sensor switch which interrupts the energizing path for the fuel supply valves in the absence of heat from the main burner within a predetermined interval of time.

Abstract: A photoflash lamp array comprising a plurality of low voltage filament-type flashlamps mounted on a printed circuit board containing circuitry for sequentially igniting the flashlamps in response to successive low voltage firing pulses applied thereto. A plurality of reflectors respectively associated with the flashlamps are disposed between the lamps and the circuit board, with each reflector having an aperture in alignment with a corresponding aperture in the circuit board. The lamps are divided into upper and lower groups, with the circuit board having an upper connector coupled to the lower group of lamps and a lower connector coupled to the upper group of lamps, whereby one group of lamps functions as an extender for the other group to reduce the "red-eye" photographic effect.

Abstract: A housing, for the expansion unit of a cooling system, has a top wall, a bottom wall and end walls; and those walls define a space which accommodates that expansion unit. That housing has a front opening which is filled by an air-distributing transition member; and it has a rear opening that is substantially closed by an air-guiding member. That air-guiding member can support a motor and a pair of multi-vane blowers, or it can be an angular transition for a single blower. That air-guiding member is shorter than the rear opening to provide a short space which can accommodate the supply and return headers of the expansion unit. That air-guiding member can be set in either of two predetermined positions relative to that rear opening to permit the supply and return headers to be located at either end of the housing.

Abstract: An improved construction for an upwardly extending flare stack for the emergency venting to the atmosphere of large quantities of combustible gases, such improvement being for the purpose of preventing the inflow, and upstream flow of air, into the flare stack, comprising an annular obstruction means attached to the inner surface of the flare stack a short distance upstream of the downstream end of the stack.

Abstract: The invention is a mounting bracket for mounting a flint striker used to ignite an oxyacetylene torch, the bracket connecting the striker to the gas feed hoses of the torch so that the welder knows at all times where the striker can be found.

Abstract: For a signal device comprising a plurality of percussively ignitable flashlamps mounted on a support member and arranged in an array with respectively associated preenergized striker springs, a selective actuating mechanism for sequentially releasing the striker springs to fire respective flashlamps in response to successive hand actuated indexing. The selective actuating mechanism comprises a spring-loaded ratchet bar retained in a longitudinal channel in the support member in combination with a slidable member which is also retained in the channel in engageable contact with the ratchet bar. The lamps and striker springs are mounted in a row parallel to the channel with the strikers projecting beyond the periphery of the channel. The slidable member, which may comprise a folded flat spring having a first tang for engaging the ratchet bar and a second tang for engaging a surface of the channel, has a trip wire projection which is aligned with the projecting portions of the strikers.

Abstract: This invention relates to systems for clearing smoke from buildings when a fire occurs therein. Smoke detectors are provided in communal units in the building and means are provided for maintaining the pressure in accommodation units of the building above that in the communal units under normal conditions, so that there is a flow of air from the accommodation units to the communal units through the cracks in the doorways separating the accommodation units from the communal units. This flow of air ensures that, if a fire occurs in any one of the accommodation units, smoke will be carried into one of the communal units where it will be detected by one of the smoke detectors. When smoke is detected, conditions are reversed, so that the pressure in the communal units is maintained above that in the accommodation units. As a result, there will be a flow of air from the communal units to the accommodation units, once again through the cracks in the doorways.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a refrigeration system, for example, is provided. Refrigeration systems commonly include a compressor, an evaporator coil, a condensing coil and an expansion valve inserted in the refrigeration line between the evaporator coil and the condensing coil. In the preferred form of the invention, an electrically controlled expansion valve is operatively connected to control means. The control means includes a pair of sensors. The control means is used to control expansion valve operation so that evaporator operation is maximized, regardless of load on the system. Control is accomplished, in one embodiment, by sensing the temperature along two points of the evaporating coil, and using the control means to maintain a predetermined temperature relationship between the two points.

Abstract: The novelty is the low cost, versatile manner of mounting an evaporator pressure regulator valve (EPR) on a thermostatic expansion valve (TXV) to provide a compact combination valve. The TXV controls refrigerant flow to the evaporator in accordance with the pressure acting below the diaphragm and the temperature influencing the temperature responsive charged space above the diaphragm. The rider pin connecting the diaphragm to the valve is hollowed out so that the bottom of the hole in the rider pin is in the refrigerant return flow path. A restrictor is placed in the upper end of the rider pin to prevent migration of condensed refrigerant to the head chamber in the event the valve is mounted upside down. A sleeve of low thermal conductivity positioned around the rider pin where it passes through the return conduit damps temperature changes and reduces valve hunting. The EPR threads into the TXV outlet.

Abstract: A tube has one end portion supported within an opening in a heat-insulating wall and is fired by a dual fuel burner. Disposed within the one end portion of the tube is a combustion sleeve which extends the flame of the burner inwardly beyond the wall and thereby prevents the insulated end portion of the tube from being burned out. An abrupt restriction is formed at the discharge end of the combustion sleeve and creates turbulence in the air/fuel mixture to promote cleaner and more efficient burning.

Abstract: An airflow distribution arrangement in a side-by-side refrigerator includes a cover which is located in the freezer compartment and which has an inner surface against which cool evaporator airflow is directed. A portion of the airflow travels down the inner surface of the cover to emerge through openings in the bottom of the cover into the freezer compartment. Additionally, the inner surface of the cover forms a part of a lateral duct in communication with the fresh food compartment. In order to force a sufficient quantity of cool evaporator airflow through the lateral duct into the fresh food compartment, a horizontally-extending, inward bulge is formed in the cover and located generally between the region on the inner surface of the cover against which airflow is directed and the bottom of the cover. The inward bulge serves to interrupt the otherwise smooth downward flow of air to produce an air eddy which in turn produces back pressure.

Abstract: In a refrigerant system having a compressor and a pair of coils operatively interconnected to a reversing valve that is adapted to selectively interconnect one of the discharge side and suction side of the compressor to one of the coils while interconnecting the other of the discharge side and the suction side of the compressor to the other of the coils so that one of the coils will act as a condensor and the other coil will act as an evaporator, the improvement wherein the reversing valve has movable ball valve members for affecting the reversing operation thereof under the control of a solenoid operated pilot valve that biases a piston of a piston and cylinder arrangement that is operatively interconnected to the ball valve members.

Abstract: An apparatus operable to separate particulates, as dirt, dust and foreign materials, from air and deliver clean air to the operator's compartment of a tractor cab. The apparatus has a motor-driven fan which moves air through a chamber surrounded with a cylindrical casing. The air moves through the chamber in a circumferential spiral direction whereby the particulates separate to an annular outside zone. Spaced inclined vanes direct the central core of clean air to a clean air passage and the annular zone of air carrying particulates to an annular air discharge opening. Clean air is directed to a fiber filter which filters fine particulates from the air and disperses the air to the operator's compartment.

Abstract: A control arrangement for use in an automatic fuel ignition system for providing electronic detection of a leak condition for a pilot valve operable to supply fuel to a pilot outlet for ignition to establish pilot flame includes a flame sensing circuit which effects operation of a main valve when a pilot flame is established, the flame sensing circuit maintaining the main valve deenergized when a pilot flame is established during an ignition interval and permitting a delay device to deenergize the pilot valve for a time to interrupt the supply of fuel to the pilot outlet to attempt to extinguish the pilot flame, and a time out device operable to deactivate the system when the delay device fails to cause the pilot flame to be extinguished, the flame sensing means overriding the delay device and the timeout device when the pilot flame is established at the end of the ignition interval.