Thermal device having rotatable heater and flexing actuator

Claim 1

A THERMALLY RESPONSIVE DEVICE COMPRISING A SUPPORTING MEANS, AN ELONGATED BIMETALLIC ELEMENT MOUNTED ON AND EXTENDING FROM SAID SUPPORTING MEANS FOR ACTUATING A FIRST SWITCH, AND ELECTRIC HEATER COIL HAVING AN ELONGATED TUNNEL THERETHROUGH, SAID TUNNEL BEING OF GREATER CROSS SECTIONAL DIMENSION THAN SAID BIMETALLIC ELEMENT, A PORTION OF SAID BIMETALLIC ELEMENT EXTENDING FROM SAID SUPPORTING MEANS, SAID COIL SUPPORTED ON SAID BIMETALLIC ELEMENT FOR LIMITED MOVEMENT THEREON AND IN THERMAL ASSOCIATION THEREWITH, A HEATER SWITCH HAVING A MOVABLE CONTACT AND A MATING CONTACT, SAID MOVABLE CONTACT BEING CARRIED BY SAID HEATER FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH, SAID HEATER SWITCH CONNECTED IN CIRCUIT WITH SAID HEATER, BIASING MEANS URGING SAID HEATER INTO A FIRST POSITION ABOUT SAID ELEMENT, SAID ELEMENT ENGAGING WITH THE WALLS OF SAID TUNNEL AND EFFECTING A MOVEMENT OF SAID HEATER AGAINST THE BIAS OF SAID BIASING MEANS AND AWAY FROM SAID FIRST POSITION WHEN SAID BIMETALLIC ELEMENT''S WARPAGE EXCEEDS A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT, SAID HEATER ABUTTING SAID MOVABLE SWITCH CONTACT AGAINST SAID MATING CONTACT OF SAID HEATER SWITCH WHEN SAID HEATER IS IN ITS FIRST POSITION AND SEPARATING SAID MOVABLE CONTACT FROM THE MATING CONTACT WHEN SAID HEATER IS MOVED AWAY FROM SAID FIRST POSITION TO PROTECT SAID BIMETALLIC ELEMENT FROM DAMAGE.