Automatic sequential control system and method for sugar pan operation

Claim 1

AN AUTOMATIC SEQUENTIAL CONTROL SYSTEM FOR SUGAR PAN OPERATION, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A PUSHBUTTOM FOR ENERGIZING SAID CONTROL SYSTEM, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID PUSHBUTTOM TO ACTIVATE SAID SYSTEM CONTROL ELEMENTS, AN ABSOLUTE PRESSURE PROGRAMMER OF PROGRAMMING ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WITHIN SAID SUGAR PAN AFTER SAID CONTROL ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED, A SIRUP CHARGE VALVE FOR ADMITTING SIRUP TO SAID SUGAR PAN AFTER A PRESELECTED ATMOSPHERIC CONDITION HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED, A TONNAGE TRANSMITTER FOR CONTROLLING THE AMOUNT OF SAID SIRUP CHARGE, MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE RATE OF EVAPORATION OF SAID CHARGE, A BOILING POINT ELEVATION TRANSMITTER FOR DETERMINING THE SATURATION LEVEL OF SAID CHARGE DURING EVAPORATION, A SEED HOPPER AND CONTROL VALVE FOR SEEDING SAID CHARGE AT APRESELECTED SATURATION POINT, MEANS FOR TIMING THE DURATION OF SAID SEEDING OPERATION, MEANS FOR DETERMINING THE COMPLETION OF CRYSTAL GROWTH FROM SAID SEEDING OPERATION, MEANS FOR DEACTIVATING ALL SYSTEM CONTROL ELEMENTS AFTER SAID CRYSTAL GROWTH IS COMPLETE, A DUMPING VALVE FOR TRANSFERRING SAID CRYSTAL GROWTH AFTER ALL SAID CONTROL ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN DEACTIVATED, LOCKING MEANS FOR PREVENTING SAID TRANSFER BEFORE CERTAIN PRESELECTED FUNCTIONS HAVE BEN PERFORMED, SPRAY NOZZLES AND A CONTROL VALVE FOR WASHING RESIDUE CRYSTALLS FROM SAID SUGAR PAN TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION OF A SUBSEQUENT CHARGE, MEANS FOR TIMING SAID TRANSFER AND RESIDUE REMOVAL, AND MEANS FOR SEQUENTALLY CONTROLLING ALL THE ABOVE SAID MEANS IN PROPER SEQUENTIAL ORDER.