Timer controlled high and low temperature thermostat

• US 3,917,165 A
• Filed: 02/19/1974
• Issued: 11/04/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Walter A. Cross
• Original Assignee: Walter A. Cross
• Inventors: Cross, Walter A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/443,811
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 236/46,47 337/304,301
• US Class Current: 236/46.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/275 with sensing element expanding, contracting, or fusing in response to changes of temperature

Abstract

A control device for automatically regulating flow of energyproviding substance to a heating source in order to effect optimum usage of energy. The device is particularly adapted to control the temperature of a house, or a room therein, or other space in accordance with day and night heat requirements or occupancy and non-occupancy requirements. Readily available and well known components may be used, and include a low heat and a high heat thermostat, a conventional timer to automatically switch from one thermostat to the other, and these may be electrically wired to components already existing in heating units, such as a household furnace or boiler.

Claims

1. A control device for supply of energy to a heating unit which is adapted to heat a space, comprising:

a low heat thermostat responsive to a lower range of temperatures within said space, and a high heat thermostat responsive to a higher range of temperatures within said space, a control unit for controlling flow of heat-producing energy from a source to said heating unit, switch means for selectively placing said control unit under the influence of said low heat thermostat or said high heat thermostat, timer means for controlling operation of said switch means, said thermostats, said control unit and said switch means being wired in an electrical circuit, said switch means comprising a relay having a coil and an electrical switch operated by energization of said coil, and a manually operable electric switch in said electrical circuit between said timer means and said relay, whereby manual operation of such switch interrupts flow of current to said relay without stopping operation of said timer means.

2. The construction according to claim 1 wherein said timer is adjustable so that it may be programmed to control operation of said switch means at selected times.

3. The construction according to claim 1 wherein said control unit includes a relay having a coil and a control operated by energization of said coil.

4. The construction according to claim 3 wherein said control unit relay coil is in electrical circuit with the secondary of a step-down transformer, and wherein said circuit is interrupted when the thermostat in the circuit responds to a predetermined temperature within said space.

5. The construction according to claim 1 further including an electric light in the circuit between said timer means and said relay coil, said light being energized simultaneously with energization of said relay coil.

6. The construction according to claim 1 wherein operation of said switch means by energization of said relay coil places said low heat thermostat in control of said electrical circuit and removes said high heat thermostat from control of said circuit.

7. A control device for supply of energy to a heating unit which is adapted to heat a space, comprising:

timer means connected directly across the lines of a power source and including a switch for controlling flow of electrical current from said power source, a relay electrically connected to said timer means switch and energized when the latter is closed. switch means including a pair of contacts and a switch arm movable from normal engagement with one of said contacts to engagement with the other of said contacts when said relay is energized, a low heat thermostat responsive to a lower range of temperatures within said space, and a high heat thermostat responsive to a higher range of temperatures within said space, each of said thermostats including switches, a control unit for controlling flow of heat-producing energy from a source to said heating unit, said control unit including a relay and a switch controlled by said relay, one of said contacts of said switch means being electrically connected to one side of the low thermostat switch and the other side of the latter being electrically connected by a bridging conductor to one side of the high heat thermostat switch, the other side of the latter being electrically connected to the other contact of said switch means, a step-down transformer having its primary winding connected across the lines of said power source, one side of the secondary winding of said transformer being electrically connected to one side of said control unit relay and the opposite sidE of the latter being electrically connected to the switch arm of said switch means, and the opposite side of said transformer secondary being electrically connected to said bridging conductor.