Claims
- 1. Apparatus for igniting fuel in a solid fuel furnace having a firebox and electrically controllable fuel supply means for feeding fuel to the firebox, said apparatus comprising:
- an electrically controllable heating element for igniting fuel in the firebox,
- means adapted to be connected to the fuel supply means and the heating element for energizing both the fuel supply means and the heating element, whereby both the fuel supply means and the heating element are energized throughout a predetermined activation time, and
- means for supplying power to the fuel supply means after said activation time has expired.
- 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for supplying power to the fuel supply means after said activation time has expired comprise a low limit temperature switch, a second switch connected in series with the low limit temperature switch, and thermostat means for controlling the state of the second switch.
- 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the thermostat means comprise a timer and a thermostat switch that overrides the timer, the second switch being conductive when the thermostat means demand heat and being intermittently conductive when the thermostat means do not demand heat.
- 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a switch for preventing supply of current to said heating element after said activation time has expired.
- 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for energizing said fuel supply means and said heating element comprise a triac for controlling power to the fuel supply means and the heating element, and a circuit for enabling the triac.
- 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the circuit for enabling the triac includes a manually operable switch.
- 7. Apparatus for igniting fuel in a solid fuel furnace having a firebox and electrically controllable fuel supply means for feeding fuel to the firebox, said apparatus comprising:
- an electrically controllable heating element for igniting fuel in the firebox, the heating element being displaceable between a position inside the firebox and a position outside the firebox,
- means for displacing the heating element from its position outside the firebox to its position inside the firebox,
- means for activating the displacing means, the heating element and the fuel supply means for a predetermined activation time, and
- means for supplying power to the fuel supply means after said activation time has expired.
- 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the means for activating the displacing means, the heating element and the fuel supply means comprise a triac for controlling power to the fuel supply means, the heating element, and the means for displacing the heating element, and a circuit for enabling the triac.
- 9. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the means for displacing the heating element from its position outside the firebox to its position inside the firebox comprise an electrically activated solenoid.
- 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the means for supplying power to the fuel supply means after said activation time has expired comprise a low limit temperature switch, a second time switch connected in series with the low limit temperature switch, and thermostat means for controlling the state of the second switch.
- 11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the thermostat means comprise a timer and a thermostat switch that overrides the timer, the second switch being conductive when the thermostat means demand heat and being intermittently conductive when the thermostat means do not demand heat.
- 12. Apparatus according to claim 10, comprising a switch for preventing supply of current to the solenoid and the heating element after said activation time has expired.
- 13. Apparatus for igniting fuel in a solid fuel furnace having a firebox, said apparatus comprising:
- an electrical resistance heating element positioned for igniting fuel in the firebox,
- regulatable power supply means for energizing said heating element,
- a temperature sensor for sensing temperature in the firebox, and
- means for controlling said power supply means in accordance with the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor, whereby said power supply means energize said heating element at a first, second or third power level depending on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.
- 14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the regulatable power supply means comprise a triac for controlling power to the heating element, and the means for controlling said power supply means comprise a circuit for controlling the amount of power said triac connects to said heating element.
- 15. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the means for controlling said power supply means comprise at least one voltage comparator responsive to a temperature signal produced by the temperature sensor.
- 16. Apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:
- electrically controllable draft inducer means for aiding combustion of fuel in the firebox, and
- means for activating said draft inducer means in accordance with the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.
- 17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the means for activating said draft inducer means comprise at least one voltage comparator responsive to a temperature signal produced by the temperature sensor.
- 18. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the means for activating said draft inducer means comprise a triac for controlling the connection of power to the draft inducer means, and a circuit for enabling said triac.
- 19. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the regulatable power supply means comprise a second triac for connecting power to the heating element, and a circuit for controlling the amount of power said second triac connects to said heating element.
- 20. Apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising means for activating the heating element in dependence on temperature existing outside the furnace.
- 21. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the means for activating said heating element comprise a room thermostat switch.
- 22. Apparatus for igniting fuel in a solid fuel furnace having a firebox, said apparatus comprising:
- an electrically controllable heating element for igniting fuel in the firebox,
- regulatable power supply means for energizing said heating element,
- a temperature sensor for sensing temperature in the firebox,
- electrically controllable draft inducer means for aiding combustion of fuel in the firebox, and
- control means for both controlling said power supply means and activating said draft inducer means in accordance with the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.
- 23. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the control means comprise at least one voltage comparator responsive to a temperature signal produced by the temperature sensor.
- 24. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the control means comprise a triac for controlling the connection of power to the draft inducer means, and a circuit for enabling said triac.
- 25. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the regulatable power supply means comprise a triac for connecting power to the heating element, and a circuit for controlling the amount of power said triac connects to said heating element.
- 26. Apparatus according to claim 22, comprising means for providing a first signal when the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor reaches a first threshold value and for providing a second signal when the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor reaches a second threshold value, and wherein the control means activate the draft inducer means in response to the first signal and de-energize the heating element in response to the second signal.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation-in-part of co-pending patent application Ser. No. 07/621,067 filed Nov. 29, 1990, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
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621067 |
Nov 1990 |
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