Abstract: A control valve is provided with environmental temperature compensation. Preferably, the valve is an electrically operated device having a valve member mounted for movement between at least first position and a second position. Means for electrically operating the device includes heater means interleafed with bi-metallic discs so that electrical energy input to the heater means controls disc expansion and contraction, thereby controlling physical position of the valve member. In a stand alone version of the control valve, a sensor is operatively connected between the bi-metallic discs and an electrical control means. The electrical control means is adapted to compare the signal generated by the sensor with a predetermined set point for controlling electrical energy input to the heater means. The control means regulates that electrical input until equality of comparison is attained.

Abstract: A temperature control system having heating and cooling means is provided with a means for automatically shifting the temperature control point in accordance with the outdoor ambient temperature and the K-Factor of the room in which the temperature control system is operating. Means are provided for modifying a signal corresponding to the outdoor ambient temperature in accordance with the K-Factor of the room and the modified signal is used to shift the control point so that room temperature changes caused by heat transfer through the walls are prevented by providing additional heating or cooling to compensate for such transfer without the need for adjusting the set point of the temperature control system. The K-Factor adjustment is made during installation of the temperature control system and is set in accordance with the K-Factor provided by the building architect.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for measuring or controlling the thermal comfort in spaces used by living beings. In operation an output signal is produced which indicates whether or how much the actual thermal conditions in the space differ from comfort conditions and this output signal may be used to control the comfort conditions in the space. The sensing means takes into account the same conditions as does a living being with respect to convection heat, radiation heat and the heat produced by metabolism. The last mentioned heat might be set in accordance to the activity level of the living being. The surface temperature of the sensing means is compared with a comfort temperature set by a second setting means. If the first setting means is set to a higher heat supply, the second setting means is simultaneously set to a lower comfort temperature and vice versa.

Abstract: A load shedding control device, for reducing the electrical energy demand of an electrical load apparatus having a load depending upon ambient temperature, having an ambient temperature responsive switch adapted to be connected in a control system of the electrical load apparatus for reducing the use of electrical energy by the electrical load apparatus as the ambient temperature increases. The ambient temperature responsive switch has its control temperature reset by an artificial heater energized proportionally to the percent of operating time of electrical load apparatus, whereby as the desired operating time of the load apparatus increases, the actual operating time is reduced to conserve electrical energy.

Abstract: A heat source, preferably a resistor or the like, is positioned adjacent the temperature sensing means of a conventional thermostat. A timer is electrically connected to the heat source and to a source of power to control the application of power to the heat source which in turn affects the temperature of air immediately adjacent the thermostat temperature sensing means which in turn controls the operation of the thermostat.

Abstract: An improved temperature control apparatus includes a main control unit of the on-off type which is utilized to maintain a room at a relatively high temperature during the day and a secondary control unit which is utilized to maintain the room at a relatively low temperature during the night. When it is desired to change from the high day temperature to the low night temperature, an actuator button on the secondary control unit is manually depressed. Depressing the actuator button moves a relay contact to complete a holding circuit. This holding circuit includes a battery which supplies energy to maintain the relay actuated. When the air conditioning system has been operated to maintain the relatively low night temperature for the desired length of time, the battery will have been discharged to such an extent that it is no longer effective to hold the relay actuated.

Abstract: The room thermostat for the room whose temperature is to be set-back is enclosed in an enclosure having an air inlet at the bottom and an air outlet at the top. Air from the room flows into the enclosure through the inlet and out through the outlet. During the interval when the temperature is to be set-back, the inlet air is preheated by a lamp in a second enclosure in communication with the first enclosure through the inlet. The lamp remains energized throughout the whole set-back interval. To set the magnitude of the set-back the lamp is pivotal between a position where substantially all of its heat is maintained within the second enclosure and a position where a large portion of its heat is dissipated outside of the second enclosure. The room thermostat responds to the increased temperature in the first enclosure to set-back the ambient temperature in the room.

Abstract: A timer-controlled thermostat, being set for a lower room temperature, actuates a miniature heating element beneath and in close proximity to an existing thermostat that controls the heating system in a building. The heat radiated from the miniature heating element shuts down the existing building thermostat until the room temperature drops below the temperature at which the timer-controlled thermostat is set, whereupon the miniature heating element is de-energized and the building thermostat senses the lower room temperature and turns the building heating system back on. This cycling continues throughout the timed period. Control of an air conditioning system is accomplished by inserting a controlled relay box between the wall power receptacle and a plug-in type air conditioner power cord, or by incorporating a thermo-electric cooler to produce a cooling effect to control the thermostat used in a central air conditioning system.

Abstract: An automatic temperature setback system for controlling a heating unit includes the use of two devices. One device includes a oscillator circuit which is actuated by a timer control. The oscillator circuit can be an astable or free-running multivibrator. The output from such device is coupled across the low voltage secondary transformer winding of a typical heating system control unit so that, at specific timed intervals, the low voltage (i.e., 24 volts RMS) can have high frequency modulations superimposed upon either the positive cycles of such voltage or alternatively the negative cycles or alternatively both cycles. Such one device could be termed, in general, means for half-wave modulating the low alternating voltage carrier from a typical heating system control unit. The low voltage wires from the typical heating system control unit, in a conventional household, are coupled through the house to a low voltage thermostat located in one of the rooms of the house.

Abstract: The disclosure describes an improved thermostat for a heating or cooling system which is capable of accurately controlling the duration of the cycle periods of the system. The improved thermostat includes an anticipator capable of dissipating heat at a substantially constant rate over a wide range of applied voltages and current. According to a preferred teaching of the disclosure, the anticipator comprises a thermistor consisting of positive temperature coefficient (PTC) material.

Abstract: A temperature control system for providing an automatic reduction in the temperature of a room or a house during the nighttime hours which requires only the conventional two conductor wiring between the furnace and the thermostat thereby avoiding the necessity of adding to or replacing the existing wiring between the furnace and the thermostat. The system includes a temperature responsive element, a heater near the temperature responsive element for providing supplemental heating of the element, a conventional furnace control, a clock-operated current control for the heater, and a diode steering circuit for directing one portion of an alternating current waveform through the heater current control and the heater, and another portion of the alternating current waveform through the temperature responsive element and the furnace control for providing independent control of the heater and the furnace control.

Abstract: .Iadd.A thermostat for controlling heating apparatus is converted to a thermostat for controlling heating and cooling apparatus by the addition of a subbase. The heating thermostat has a double switch attached to a bimetal and a heating anticipation heater whereby heating apparatus is controlled when connected to the terminals of the thermostat. When it is desired to use the thermostat to control both heating and cooling apparatus, the thermostat is removed from the wall and a subbase is placed under the thermostat. The subbase has a cooling anticipation heater which is thermally connected to the bimetal. The subbase has terminals to connect the assembly of thermostat and subbase to the heating and cooling apparatus. .Iaddend.