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...When G.G. Hubbard learned of his future son-in-law's invention, he called it "only a toy." His daughter was engaged to a young man named Alexander Graham Bell.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7455581 | Air duct outlets with remotely-located joystick louver controls An air duct outlet includes a housing having a front wall with an opening therein through which air flows. A louver assembly is operably coupled with the housing and includes a first set of louvers pivotally secured within the housing, and a second set of louvers pi... | 11/25/2008 |
| 6185483 | Real-time pricing controller of an energy storage medium A method and apparatus is provided for controlling an energy storage medium connected to an environmental control system that is providing environmental conditioning. The controller includes an energy pricing data structure for storing a real-time energy ... | 02/06/2001 |
| 6015142 | Spring module for return-to-normal actuator A spring module having a shaft movable in first and second directions and a biasing element for urging the shaft into a normal position upon loss of power. The spring module also includes motion limiting means for limiting the deenergization of the biasin... | 01/18/2000 |
| 5804999 | Appliance AC power control apparatus An apparatus for controlling an electrical appliance coupled with an output terminus and configured to operate in response to an alternating input signal, such as input AC power. The apparatus comprises a reference signal generator for receiving the input... | 09/08/1998 |
| 5728001 | Remotely trippable and resettable damper A fail-safe closed damper for installation in a system of ducts. The damper includes at least one damper blade connected to a spring-loaded shaft. A power-actuated unit is employed to disengage a coupling which interconnects the spring-loaded shaft to an ... | 03/17/1998 |
| 4836497 | Adjustable valve linkage A valve actuator mechanism for supplying a selectively adjustable close-off force to an associated valve. The mechanism comprises a means for urging the valve plunger into engagement with the valve seat with a predetermined initial force and resistive mea... | 06/06/1989 |
| 4458841 | Function control module for air treating systems A modular fluid control module having a plug-in connector is provided for control of one or more functional load devices in response to fluid condition and demand input signals. The module includes a fluid circuit board having top and bottom plate members... | 07/10/1984 |
| 4456168 | Modular fluid control apparatus and method of making A modular pneumatic control apparatus controls a mixed air handling units in an air conditioning system. The apparatus includes a single configured manifold module plate having a plurality of function module plug-in connectors and a plurality of input/out... | 06/26/1984 |
| 4398087 | Fluid signal square root extractor A square root signal extractor generates an output signal which is a square root function of an input signal. First and second diaphragm amplifiers have cascaded output chambers connected to a high gain output amplifier. The first and second amplifiers ar... | 08/09/1983 |
| 4397702 | Fabrication of non-conductive charged sensing probe unit A sensing probe unit includes an electrically nonconductive polymeric layer charged with a permanent electric charge to form an electret and intimately bonded to a compensating metal electrode. In the fabrication, the polymeric layer is cleaned and the me... | 08/09/1983 |
| 4390959 | Optimal start programmer An optimal start programmer for starting a heating or cooling cycle for an intermittently occupied building includes a digital counter which is enabled at the start of a pre-occupancy "search" period and accumulates counts from a timing source. A digital ... | 06/28/1983 |
| 4387369 | Broad spectrum charged electric field polar gas sensing and detection system An air pollutant and/or fire combustion sensing apparatus includes a capacitive sensor having spaced sensing electrodes producing a free space mounted within an environment subject to possible fire or the like. One of the sensing electrodes has an outer d... | 06/07/1983 |
| 4384671 | Temperature responsive vent damper A heater vent having a temperature responsive damper such as a bimetallic element is disclosed. A shroud-like structure is positioned to cooperate with the temperature responsive element to close the vent at an elevated temperature and thereby reduce loss... | 05/24/1983 |
| 4374569 | Furnace draft control system with electronic loss-of-draft timer The system includes a damper plate equipped with a draft controller or sensing switch and a motor for positioning the damper plate to control the furnace draft. Upon generation of a call-for-heat signal, an initialization signal drives the damper off its ... | 02/22/1983 |
| 4359315 | Apparatus for fuel ignition system including complete cycling of flame relay prior to trial for ignition When a call for heat is established, a flame relay is actuated for a predetermined time by means of a cycling timer. Upon this initial actuation, the flame relay inhibits a checking relay and initializes a trial-for-ignition (or simply "ignition") timer. ... | 11/16/1982 |
| 4325427 | Dual thermostat control apparatus with dead band response A dual thermostat apparatus includes two thermostats which generate fluid control signals proportional to room air temperature. The thermostats are matched leakport pressure sensors having a signal orifice and a bimetal lid element to generate back pressu... | 04/20/1982 |
| 4325690 | Gas pilot assembly for universal application and method of making same A pilot assembly includes a base having a cylindrical side wall which holds an electrode subassembly and glass preforms in place for fusing the glass to secure the electrode subassembly to the base. Prior to fusing, a spark electrode is assembled by inser... | 04/20/1982 |
| 4321030 | Fuel ignition and stack damper control circuit A control circuit for a fuel supply and ignition control system controls the operation of pilot and main valves of the system and of a motor which controls the positioning of a vent stack damper plate to normally close the vent stack and to open the vent ... | 03/23/1982 |
| 4314578 | Fluid signal transmitting apparatus A fluid signal inverting unit includes a motion balance unit having a lever which operates a valve. The balance lever is supported at the opposite ends by a pilot signal chamber and a feedback signal chamber and an intermediate pivot support is coupled to... | 02/09/1982 |
| 4304545 | Fuel supply and ignition control system employing flame sensing via spark electrodes A fuel supply and ignition control system for controlling the operation of pilot and main valves in an intermittent pilot type system. At the start of an ignition cycle, the pilot valve is operated to supply fuel to a pilot outlet for ignition by sparks g... | 12/08/1981 |
| 4303385 | Direct ignition system for gas appliance with DC power source An ignition system for use with a source of dc (or full-wave-rectified) power without the need for an inverter includes a flame sensing relay and a checking relay interlocked to achieve lockout if the proper starting sequence or timing are not met or if a... | 12/01/1981 |
| 4300184 | Conformal coating for electrical circuit assemblies A printed circuit board with electronic components wired thereto has a conformal insulating coating consisting of a single component of essentially pure urethane formulation and a minor amount of fumed colloidal silica powder. The insulating coating cover... | 11/10/1981 |
| 4283007 | Multiple load integrated fluid control units A mixed air conditioning controller is formed as a factory assembled and adjusted unit in a compact housing, with simple and direct input/output field connectors. Various temperature and humidity input devices are field connected to produce a sequenced co... | 08/11/1981 |
| 4270693 | Electronic thermostat with heat anticipation and control method incorporating same An electronic thermostat includes digital electronic apparatus for simulating heat anticipation so that in operation, the temperature of the room being heated or cooled does not exhibit excessive overshoot. A sensor generates a signal representative of te... | 06/02/1981 |
| 4269589 | Solid state ignition control A control arrangement for a fuel ignition system having pilot and main valves in which the energization of the operate windings of the pilot and main valves, which are connected in series, is controlled by a silicon controlled rectifier. The SCR is enable... | 05/26/1981 |
| 4268383 | Flow system control with time delay override means A vacuum operated sewage system includes a static pressure sensor establishing a trigger signal at a selected first level in a standpipe. The sensor is connected upstream of a discharge control valve and actuates a trigger and timer controller at the sele... | 05/19/1981 |
| 4267965 | Oil burner control system with flue damper adapter circuit An adapter circuit for retrofitting an oil burner control system with a flue damper includes a source of energy in circuit with the thermostat for energizing the damper motor in response to a call for heat to open the damper. A first relay in the adapter ... | 05/19/1981 |
| 4266257 | Motor over-heating protection circuit A motor overheating protection circuit includes an enabling circuit which responds to a trigger signal provided by a reset circuit upon application of power to the protection circuit to enable a motor drive circuit to effect energization of the motor. A t... | 05/05/1981 |
| 4266104 | Switch mechanism with independent toggle actuators A switch mechanism includes a fixed contact bar on which two or more contacts may be mounted. A movable contact is associated with each of the fixed contacts. Two independent toggle mechanisms are provided, each responsive to a different pressure-responsi... | 05/05/1981 |
| 4264331 | Charged non-conductive polar gas sensing element and detection system An air pollutant and/or fire combustion sensing apparatus includes a charged insulating sensing electrode layer establishing an electric field as the result of electric dipoles and/or electric monopoles in or on the sensing layer. The layer has a high sur... | 04/28/1981 |
| 4263931 | Multiple load integrated fluid control units A mixed air conditioning controller is formed as a factory assembled and adjusted unit in a compact housing, with simple and direct input/output field connectors. Various temperature and humidity input devices are field connected to produce a sequenced co... | 04/28/1981 |
| 4261509 | Pneumatic switch control for pneumatic actuator in air conditioning control systems Heating, ventilating and air conditioning control systems commonly use pneumatic actuators. A digital logic control has first and second output ports applied to control the actuator through dual channels, including an air supply channel and an air exhaust... | 04/14/1981 |
| 4260362 | Fuel ignition control arrangement having a timing circuit with fast reset An arrangement for a direct ignition type fuel ignition system includes a capacitive timing network which enables a flame relay to operate during a trial for ignition interval, energizing a fuel valve to supply fuel to a burner for ignition, and a flame s... | 04/07/1981 |
| 4258747 | Flow system with pressure level interlock control apparatus A vacuum operated sewage system includes a static pressure sensor establishing a trigger signal at a selected first level in a standpipe. The sensor is connected upstream of a discharge control valve and actuates a trigger and timer controller at the sele... | 03/31/1981 |
| 4258696 | Passive thermal energy phase change storage apparatus A passive thermal energy storage cell includes a container formed of suitable material. The container is filled substantially with a supercoolable material such as ethylene carbonate or a phase change material for storage of solar energy or the like. The ... | 03/31/1981 |
| 4254906 | Thermostat with simulated heat anticipation The illustrated embodiment is electronic. It includes circuitry for simulating heat anticipation so that in operation, the temperature of the room being heated or cooled does not exhibit excessive overshoot. A signal is generated representative of a desir... | 03/10/1981 |
| 4247299 | Non-conductive polar gas sensing element and detection system An air pollutant and/or fire combustion sensing apparatus includes a sensing electrode having an electrically non-conductive or dielectric sensing layer which has a surface resistivity in excess of 1×1010 ohms/square (and preferably 1×10... | 01/27/1981 |
| 4242079 | Fuel ignition control system A fuel ignition control system including a control arrangement for operating pilot and main valves of the system the pilot valve being operated to permit a pilot flame to be established, and the main valve being operated by a pilot flame sensing circuit w... | 12/30/1980 |
| 4239477 | Furnace ignition system with draft control and loss-of-draft protection A furnace ignition and draft control system includes a damper plate movable under control between a closed and an open position. When a call for heat signal is generated, a holding relay is actuated to energize a damper motor to open the damper provided t... | 12/16/1980 |
| 4236307 | Method of making a nitrogen dioxide sensing element A method of making an element for sensing the presence of nitrogen dioxide gas in the environment. The element is formed by heating a film of an electrically non-conductive polyaromatic polymer to a temperature sufficiently high to pyrolyze the polymer an... | 12/02/1980 |
