Abstract: An element protector control for protecting the electrically powered heating element of a kettle against overheating has primary and secondary (or back-up) modes of operation. The primary protection mode utilizes a dished, snap-acting bimetal which is oriented so that the side of the bimetal which is convex when the blade is cold faces the heating element head, and the bimetal is sprung against a flat rear surface of the element head so that the bimetal in its cold condition flattens against the element head. The bimetal determines the condition of a pair of switching contacts provided in the control.

Abstract: An HRC-fuse as an insulating body surrounding a main fusible conductor and an auxiliary fusible conductor connected to a spring biased impact pin. A conductive cap serving as a terminal for the fusible conductors is arranged on the insulating body and is provided with an outlet opening opposite the impact pin. A tripping hollow pin or sleeve coaxially surrounds at least a part of the impact pin and passes through the outlet opening. A bimetal release pawl is arranged in the one cap parallel to the pin and being electrically connected to the fusible conductors. The pawl engages a rest on the tripping sleeve to counteract a biasing spring. The impact pin and the tripping sleeve are triggered independently one from the other either by a short-circuit current melting the auxiliary conductor, or by an overload which heats up the bimetal release and triggers the sleeve. Both the tripping sleeve and the impact pin act on a load interruptor arranged opposite the outlet opening.

Abstract: Temperature responsive control apparatus includes a body portion, a socket portion, a circuit portion, a connecting portion, a temperature responsive portion and a fastening portion. The body portion includes a housing member including a front face section, a plurality of sidewall sections and a rear section. The socket portion includes a plurality of openings in the front face section with the openings being arranged into groups of at least two adjacent openings with each group providing a combination of openings mateable with an electrical plug member. The circuit portion includes a contact section within the body portion adjacent each socket opening. The connecting portion includes positive and neutral contact terminals disposed on an outer surface of a sidewall or rear section of the body portion with each contact section of one group of socket openings being connected electrically to a different contact terminal.

Abstract: A secondary circuit breaker for a distribution transformer characterized by electrical inductive apparatus within an oil-filled housing, and circuit interrupter for controlling current flow through said apparatus and comprising a releasable latch arm, trip means operable upon overload conditions to release the latch arm, a latch lever between the trip means and the latch arm, and a signal light circuit for activating a signal light when current through the circuit breaker exceeds a low signal overload value. That is less than the trip value.

Abstract: Temperature responsive control apparatus including a housing portion, a socket portion, a circuit portion, a temperature responsive portion, a connecting portion and a fastening portion; the housing portion including an enclosure member including a major face section, sidewall sections and a cover section forming a chamber; the socket portion including a plurality of openings in the enclosure member, the openings being arranged into groups of at least two adjacent openings with each group providing a combination of openings mateable with an electrical plug member; the circuit portion including at least two spaced buss bar members, each of the buss bar members including a contact section adjacent each end thereof extending in one direction therefrom toward the socket openings and terminating adjacent thereto, one of the contact sections that extends from one of the buss bar members being disposed adjacent a socket opening of each socket opening group and one of the contact sections that extends from another bu

Abstract: A thermostatically controlled electric flatiron having a heater circuit of sufficient wattage to achieve abnormally high soleplate temperatures on continuous operation is provided with an overtemperature protection assembly for opening the heater circuit before damaging high soleplate temperature occurs on thermostat failure. The assembly includes first and second members connected in the heater circuit and electrically isolated from the soleplate and each other bridged by a third spring-biased circuit member to complete the heater circuit. A slug of eutectic alloy forms a fusible joint bonding the third member intermediate its ends to one of the first and second members to hold the third member against the spring bias in circuit completing contact with the first and second.

Abstract: An electric motor protection device comprising a body, an electric strip, a plunger, and pressure and temperature sensitive snap discs. The electric strip moves from a current conductive, closed position to a current nonconductive, open position when the current conducted through the strip exceeds a preset level. The plunger engages the electric strip also to move the strip from the closed position to the open position. The pressure and temperature discs move from normal positions to overcenter positions to engage the plunger and move the electric strip from the closed position to the open position, respectively, when the vapor pressure forces on the pressure disc and the temperature of the temperature disc exceed preset values.

Abstract: An electrically heated appliance, such as a steam iron, is provided with an adjustable stacked thermostat assembly having an integrated overtemperature protection control. In the case of a steam iron, the thermostat assembly is mounted on a boss on the soleplate and includes a pair of contacts carried by spring contact blades and adapted to be actuated by a heat deformable bimetallic blade to make and break the circuit to the electric heating element of the iron. The overtemperature protection control includes an electrically conductive rivet electrically connected to one of the electrical power supply terminals of the iron and a U-shaped electrically conductive spring having a first end electrically connected to a conductive member in circuit with one of the spring contact blades and a second end soldered to the rivet by a solder joint fusible at a selected overtemperature to melt and break the circuit between the rivet and the spring.

Abstract: A gravity switch for automatic control of an operative cycle in an appliance, such as a toasting cycle in a toaster oven or the like, includes an imbalanced weight member interposed between a displaceable member that moves in accordance to operation of the cycle and mechanical component parts operative between an OFF position and an ON position. During ON cycle operation, the imbalanced weight member is directly supported against the pull of gravity by the displaceable member. When the cycle operation reaches completion, the displaceable member is sufficiently moved so as to cause the release of the imbalanced weight member which is then free to move under the influence of gravity. This gravitional action initiates an interaction among the mechanical component parts resulting in quick return to the OFF position causing the cycle operation to rapidly terminate.

Abstract: An adjustable stacked thermostat assembly, particularly for use in an electric appliance, such as an electric steam iron, includes a lower bimetallic heat deformable blade, an intermediate stiff conductive spring blade carrying a electrical contact and connected to a first electric terminal and an upper less stiff conductive spring blade carrying a cooperating contact and connected to a second terminal, with all of the blades being supported, secured and spaced apart at one end by interposed insulators. In operation movement of the deformable blade is transmitted to the upper blade to make and break the contacts to control heat to the appliance controlled by the thermostat.

Abstract: An overtemperature protector for an appliance having an electrical heating element includes a fixed contact, a movable contact carried by a spring blade and settable into engagement with the fixed contact to complete the energizing circuit to the heating element by stressing the spring blade, and a torsion spring having an arm engageable with the spring blade to hold the contacts in engagement against the stress bias of the spring blade. A fusible pin retains the arm of the torsion spring in engagement with the spring blade, thus locking the contacts closed. Excessive heat in the appliance causes the pin to soften, thereby allowing the torsion spring to shear the pin and release the movable contact to open the heating element energizing circuit.

Abstract: A temperature responsive switching device is provided in which a pair of spaced bimetallic electrical switching arms each are anchored to opposite sides of a mounting block for attachment to the respective power leads of an electrical supply circuit. The free end of the spaced bimetallic arms each contain an electrical contact. A central arm is disposed between the contacts and has a neutral contact mounted thereon such that each of the contacts on the bimetallic arm is biased at room temperature into contact with the central electrical contact. Upon one of the bimetallic arms experiencing a predetermined temperature the circuit is broken by deflection of the bimetallic arm. Upon the switch experiencing a second predetermined but higher temperature, the second bimetallic arm is deflected to open the circuit.

Abstract: An actuator for use as part of an electrically heated thermal delay valve (FIG. 1) or switch (FIG. 2) includes a thermally responsive plate (12) the periphery of which is fixed and the central part of which forms a temperature-dependent control element. The actuator also includes a metal carrier plate (9) which has a PTC element (10) mounted on it and which is free to move in a direction normal to its surface between stop abutments, and at least one spring (11) which electrically contacts the PTC element (10) and biases the carrier plate (9) towards the thermally responsive plate (9) to ensure that it is constantly in thermal contact with the carrier plate (10). This ensures that a direct thermal contact between the PTC element and the thermally responsive plate is constantly maintained which results in consistently reproducible functions being achieved with the apparatus by virtue of this direct thermal contact. The thermally responsive plate (9) may be biased towards the carrier plate (10).

Abstract: A variable resistor having a short-circuiting member which is displaced in response to the generation of abnormally high heat in the resistance member of the variable resistor with a piece thereof in contact to short-circuit the input and output terminals of the resistance member. This results in a bypass for large current, so that a protection circuit in an output amplifier is operated to suspend the generation of heat.

Abstract: An overtemperature protector for an appliance having an electrical heating element, the overtemperature protector being formed basically of just a spring blade positionable to bring a contact on the surface of the blade into circuit-energizing engagement with a fixed contact, and an insulator-capped fusible pin retaining the blade in that position. Excessive heat in the appliance softens the pin, allowing the spring blade force on the insulator cap to shear the pin and interrupt the circuit. The overtemperature protector is preferably incorporated in a thermostatic control, the fixed contact being supported on a lateral extension projecting from one circuit element of the thermostat assembly and the spring blade being supported within the assembly with an insulating spacer separating it from the thermostat element having the lateral extension. The spring blade is preferably sickle-shaped for compactness despite having a long length for low force to minimize effects of creep of the fusible pin.

Abstract: A device (1) for sensing the presence of a dielectric liquid at a predetermined level in a tank is described. The main feature of device (1) is that it comprises a first and a second bimetallic strip (23, 44) disposed facing each other and a resistor (48) disposed in proximity to said second strip (14) at a level in said tank equal to said predetermined level.

Abstract: A thermostatic switch (10) employs a switch blade (22) having spaced thereon a set of service contacts (16, 20).One end of the blade is supported by a heat collapsible support (46) and a second set of contacts (26, 24), the contact sets being electrically in series. The service contacts are actuated by a slider (30) driven by a bi-metallic heat sensing element (32). A spring loaded button (52) biases the blade (22) against the collapsible support. Both sets of contacts (16, 20), (26, 24) are normally closed and upon the thermostat experiencing excessive temperatures the heat-collapsible support yields to the force of the bias spring (54) and causes the second set of contacts (26, 24) to open irrespective of the condition of the service contacts (16, 20).

Abstract: A push switch construction with an adjustable switching point which includes a piston or membrane adapted to be pressurized by a pressure medium and to actuate a switching element against an action of a restoring spring when a predetermined switching point is reached. The piston or membrane is operationally linked with a pivotably mounted switch lever which is adapted to actuate the switching element. The switch lever is tensioned by a leaf spring through a counter bearing displaced lengthwise relative to the switch lever in a direction opposite to a torque exerted by the piston or membrane.

Abstract: An electric oven toaster construction wherein a unique inverted L-shaped lever is provided for controlling operation of an oven toaster switch and a toaster timer. The lever is pivotally mounted at the intersection of its legs and a generally horizontal leg extends outwardly from the oven toaster to a position where it may be manually actuated. The other leg extends downwardly for moving the toaster timer to its on position. The generally horizontal leg of the lever includes a downwardly extending latch arm which is movable into engagement with a solenoid armature for holding the lever and the switch in a closed position during a toasting cycle. Thus, at the end of a toasting cycle, the toaster timer actuates the solenoid to release the latch arm and a spring bias of the switch moves the switch and the inverted L-shaped lever to an open position.

Abstract: A circuit breaker particularly adapted for use in an oil filled distribution transformer includes an improved bimetal trip actuator which exhibits greater deflection for a given degree of power dissipation. The trip actuator includes a planar bimetal element held relatively stationary at one end and free to deflect at the other end in response to overload current conditions through the circuit breaker. The bimetal element is constructed to have a higher power dissipation in proximity to the stationary end than in proximity to the deflecting end.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an improved composite-type heat-system fire sensing device consisting essentially of a differential sensing element and constant-temperature sensing element, capable respectively of actuating a pair of electric contacts. These two type of sensing elements used in customary devices are difficult to assemble and to adjust. There are also serious problems for production and wider utilization of the sensing device. Further, the elements lack practical utilizability as well as reliability. The sensing device of this invention overcomes the abovementioned problems of the customary devices by effecting sensitivity matching of different operation characteristics of the two sensing elements, and makes it possible to optionally and freely adjust the sensitivity of the sensing device as required in accordance with the conditions of the place of installation of the sensing device so as to ensure a higher reliability and wider application of the sensing device.