Abstract: A charging apparatus for an electric storage heater includes a resistance heater in series with a low tariff time switch and a charging switch. While the low tariff time switch is closed, usually at night, an integrator controlled by a differential amplifier controls the charging switch in accordance with the total charge accumulated by the integrator which reflects the use of energy during the preceding day. The charge of the integrator at the end of the day is the result of it being intermittently charged and discharged by a voltage divider circuit which has one or more temperature responsive resistances and transmits a voltage to one input of a differential amplifier for the integrator which can be above or below a reference voltage on the other input of the amplifier.

Abstract: The invention relates to a coffee maker assembly which has a heat exchanger having inlet and outlet pipes. Heat for the heat exchanger is supplied by an electrical heating element. In one embodiment a PTC resistor is in series with the heating element and thermal connections are provided between the resistor and other parts of the system. This allows thermal conditions to be sensed which alter the resistance of the PTC resistor to effect a temperature control by varying the magnitude of current supplied to the heating element. Another embodiment illustrates the heating element itself being formed by an annularly shaped PTC resistor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a coffee maker of the type consisting of a water tank at the top, a discharge device at the bottom, connected via a pipe to an electrically heated heat exchanger which has a riser pipe with an outlet nozzle connected to its opposite end, plus a warming plate for a coffeepot to be placed under the outlet nozzle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a phase initiation control circuit for a three phase system which comprises three sets of blocking elements of the TRIAC type. Regulation is achieved by displacing the moment at which a control impulse is sent to each blocking element to render it conducting for the remainder of the half cycle. Associated with each phase is a continuously chargeable capacitor which, upon a predetermined voltage being reached, discharges to produce a control impulse and also is completely discharged through the collector emitter path of a junction transistor at the zero cross-over of the particular voltage phase. The capacitors are charged through charging transistors and are discharged to produce said control impulses through unijunction transistors and impulse transformers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a two terminal type thermostat having a switch controlled by a bimetal unit. An accelerator resistor assembly is in the circuit controlled by the switch with the accelerator resistor being in thermal proximity to the bimetal unit. The accelerator resistor assembly includes diode means in parallel with the accelerator resistor with at least two diodes connected in antiparallel relation to each other. In a more specific embodiment at least two diodes are in seris relative to each other.