Claims
- 1. A spark generating arrangement for producing sparks to ignite gaseous fuel, comprising electrode means, oscillator means operable when energized for activating said electrode means to produce sparks, said oscillator means having a feedback control path, timing means including resistance means and capacitance means, switching means operable when enabled to couple a source of direct current power to said feedback control path for energizing said oscillator means and to connect said resistance means and said capacitance means to said source of power to permit said capacitance means to charge over said switching means and said resistance means for a predetermined interval of time for causing said switching means to be maintained enabled during said time interval and to be disabled when said capacitance means has charged to a given value whereby said switching means uncouples said source of power from said feedback control path of said oscillator means thereby deenergizing said oscillator means after said interval of time.
- 2. A spark generating arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said oscillator means includes second switching means and a transformer having a first winding energizable by said source of power, a second winding coupled to said electrode means, and a third winding disposed in said feedback control path and energized whenever said first-mentioned switching means couples said source of power to said feedback control path to provide signals for controlling said second switching means to effect periodic energization of said second winding for activating said electrode means.
- 3. A spark generating arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said timing means further includes a discharge circuit having a bistable device and further resistance means for providing a discharge path for said capacitance means, said bistable device being disabled to interrupt said discharge path whenever power is connected to said timing means, and said bistable device being enabled to complete said discharge path to enable the capacitance means to discharge quickly when power is disconnected from said timing means.
- 4. A spark generating arrangement for producing sparks to ignite gaseous fuel, comprising electrode means, oscillator means operable when energized to generate output signals for application to said electrode means to effect the generation of sparks, enabling means including a semiconductor device interposed between a source of DC power and an input circuit of said oscillator means, timing means including a timing circuit having a capacitor and a resistor connected in a control circuit for said semiconductor device, said semiconductor device being operable when enabled to connect said input circuit of said oscillator means to said source of DC power for energizing said oscillator means and to provide a charging path for said capacitor to permit said capacitor to charge over said semiconductor device and said resistor for maintaining said semiconductor device enabled until said capacitor has charged to a predetermined value and for causing said semiconductor device to be disabled when said capacitor has charged to said predetermined value to thereby disconnect said oscillator means from said source of DC power, deenergizing said oscillator means to inhibit the generation of further sparks.
- 5. A spark generating arrangement according to claim 4 wherein said enabling means further includes activate means operable to connect said semiconductor device and said timing means to said source of DC power for enabling said semiconductor device, said timing means further including circuit means connected between said capacitor and said activate means to provide a discharge path for permitting said capacitor to discharge upon operation of said activate means to disconnect said semiconductor device and said timing means from said source of DC power.
- 6. A spark generating arrangement according to claim 5 wherein said circuit means includes a diode and resistance means connected between one side of said capacitor and said activate means, and further resistance means connected between said activate means and another side of said capacitor, said diode being reverse biased to interrupt said discharge path when said activate means connects said timing means to said source of DC power, and said diode being forward biased to complete said discharge path when said activate means operates to disconnect said timing means from said source of DC power.
- 7. A spark generating arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said oscillator means includes a switching device, a transformer having a first winding connected in an output circuit of said oscillator means and energizable by said source of DC power, a second winding connected in said input circuit and coupled to said first winding, said second winding being energized whenever said semiconductor device connects said input circuit to said source of DC power to provide signals for controlling said switching device to provide said output signals over said first winding in said output circuit, and a third winding coupled to said electrode means and to said first winding for coupling said output signals to said electrode means.
- 8. A spark generating arrangement for producing sparks to ignite gaseous fuel, comprising electrode means, oscillator means operable when energized to generate signals for application to said electrode means to effect the generation of sparks, control means operable when enabled to effect the energization of said oscillator means for a predetermined timing interval, and activate means operable to connect a source of DC power to said control means for enabling said control means, said control means including switching means and timing means for controlling said switching means, said timing means having capacitance means which charges during said timing interval for enabling said switching means to connect said oscillator means to said source of DC power for energizing said oscillator means, said capacitance means being charged to a value which causes said switching means to be disabled at the end of said timing interval to thereby disconnect said oscillator means from said source of power, said control means further including discharge means having circuit means for providing a discharge path for said capacitance means, said circuit means including further switching means for interrupting said discharge path whenever said activate means connects power to said control means and for completing said discharge path, responsive to said activate means disconnecting power from said control means, for discharging said capacitance means.
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 422,692, filed Dec. 7, 1973, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,937.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1,049,403 |
Nov 1966 |
UK |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
422692 |
Dec 1973 |
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