Thermal-electrical control device having thermally expansive material as a switch actuator

Claim 1

AN ELECTRICAL CONTROL DEVICE COMPRISING A HOUSING OF INSULATIVE MATERIAL CLOSED AT ONE END BY A FIXED WALL, A MIXED MATERIAL WITHIN SAID HOUSING, A FIRST CONSTITUENT OF SAID MATERIAL BEING ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE, A SECOND CONSTITUENT OF SAID MATERIAL BEING ELECTRICALLY INSULATIVE AND THERMALLY EXPANSIVE WHEREBY SAID MATERIAL EXPANDS IN RESPONSE TO CURRENT FLOW THROUGH SAID MATERIAL, A PAIR OF SPACED CURRENT CONTACTS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID MATERIAL AND ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF POWER, ONE OF SAID CURRENT CONTACTS COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAGM POSITIONED OVER THE OPEN END OF SAID HOUSING AND BEING MOVABLE UPON EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION OF SAID MATERIAL, THE OTHER OF SAID CURRENT CONTACTS BEING POSITIONED THROUGH AN OPENING IN SAID FIXED WALL OF SAID HOUSING A RESILIENT CONTACT ARM POSITIONED IN MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAGM, AN ELECTRICAL CONTACT SECURED TO SAID ARM, AND A FIXED CONTACT ARRANGED TO BE ENGAGED BY SAID LAST-NAMED CONTACT WHEN SAID MATERIAL IS IN A NONEXPANDED CONDITION.