Automatic multiple unit control apparatus

• US 3,979,060 A
• Filed: 03/20/1975
• Issued: 09/07/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James Allen Tierce
• Original Assignee: James Allen Tierce
• Inventors: Tierce, James Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/560,156
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 236/46, 236/1 B, 62/231, 62/158, 165/12, 219/492, 219/486
• 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

Control apparatus for automatically enabling and disabling the thermostatic control of a plurality of building temperature control units. A programmable timer is provided for adapting the control apparatus to a desired building use schedule. A manually operable override switch is also provided to allow for temperature control during unscheduled building occupancies and additional circuitry automatically disables the override switch to prevent the control apparatus from remaining overridden for an extended period of time in the event the override switch is not reset. A temperature limit switch is further provided to return the temperature control units to thermostatic control if the building temperature drifts outside a predetermined range during periods of disablement.

Claims

1. Apparatus for controlling a plurality of devices to be alternately enabled and disabled during predetermined cyclically recurring time periods including:

two state programmable timer means arranged to be in a first of its states during those of said time periods when said plurality of devices are to be enabled and in the second of its states during those of said time periods when said plurality of devices are to be disabled;

a plurality of bistable elements connected in chain-like configuration to said timer means so as to sequentially switch in a predetermined order from their first states to their second states responsive to said timer means changing from its first state to its second state and to sequentially switch in said predetermined order from their second states to their first states responsive to said timer means changing from its second state to its first state, said bistable elements including delay means so that the sequential switching is spread out over a predetermined period of time;

switch means operatively connecting said plurality of devices to respective ones of said plurality of bistable elements so as to enable each of said devices when its respective bistable element is in its first state and to disable each of said devices when its respective bistable element is in its second state;

manually operable override switch means for providing an indication that said devices are to be enabled;

override enabling means connected to said override switch means and responsive to said indication for switching said bistable elements to their first states;

override disabling means interposed between said override switch means and said override enabling means, said override disabling means being responsive to said indication from said override switch means and to said timer means changing to its first state for opening the connection between said override switch means and said override enabling means, and said override disabling means being further responsive to a subsequent termination of said indication from said override switch means for closing the connection between said override switch means and said override enabling means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said devices are thermostatically responsive temperature control units including control wires connecting each of said units to a respective thermostat through said switch means and said switch means is arranged to disconnect respective thermostats from respective units when the respective bistable elements are in their second state and to connect respective thermostats to respective units when the respective bistable elements are in their first state.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further including:

temperature limit switch means providing an indication of a temperature outside a predetermined range; and

means responsive to said indication for switching said bistable elements to their first states.

4. Apparatus for controlling a plurality of devices to be alternately enabled and disabled during predetermined cyclically recurring time periods including:

two state programmable timer means arranged to be in a first of its states during those of said time periods when said plurality of devices are to be enabled and in the second of its states during those of said time periods when said plurality of devices are to be disabled;

a plurality of bistable elements connected in chain-like configuration to said timer means so as to sequentially switch in a predetermined order from their first states to their second states responsive to said timer means changing from its first state to its second state and to sequentially switch in said predetermined order from their second states to their first states responsive to said timer means changing from its second state to its first state, said bistable elements including delay means so that the sequential switching is spread out over a predetermined period of time; and

switch means operatively connecting said plurality of devices to respective ones of said plurality of bistable elements so as to enable each of said devices when its respective bistable element is in its first state and to disable each of said devices when its respective bistable element is in its second state;

said bistable elements comprising time delay relays and said switch means comprising normally closed contact pairs of respective ones of said time delay relays.

5. Apparatus for enabling and disabling the thermostatic control of a plurality of building temperature control units according to a predetermined and programmable cyclically recurring schedule including:

a programmable timer providing a signal along a first path during time periods of enablement and along a second path during time periods of disablement; and

a plurality of time delay relays each having a slow acting energization element and a plurality of normally closed contact pairs, the thermostat control wires of each of said temperature control units being serially connected to a respective one of said normally closed contact pairs, the energization element of a first of said time delay relays being connected to said second path, said first time delay relay having a normally open contact pair connected to an energization path for a second of said time delay relays, said second time delay relay having a normally open contact pair connected to an energization path for a third of said time delay relays, etc., whereby the energization or de-energization of said first time delay relay causes a sequential and staggered energization or de-energization, respectively, of said plurality of time delay relays and a corresponding disablement or enablement, respectively, of the thermostatic control of said plurality of temperature control devices;

a first relay having a normally closed contact pair serially connected in said second path; and

a temperature limit switch serially connected to the energization element of said first relay, said temperature limit switch closing when the building temperature varies outside a predetermined range.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further including a manually operable override switch serially connected to said energization element of said first relay in a path parallel to said temperature limit switch.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further including a second relay having a normally closed contact pair serially connected between said override switch and the energization element of said first relay, the energization element of said second relay being serially connected between said first path and said override switch, said second relay having a normally open contact pair connected to lock, in an energized state, said second relay until said override switch is opened.