Combined gas and electric control system for refrigerator appliances

Claim 1

IN A REFRIGERATOR HAVING A COMPARTMENT COOLED BY A REFRIGERATOR SYSTEM OPERABLE ALTERNATELY BY HEAT SUPPLIED FROM AN ELECTRIC HEATER ELEMENT ENERGIZED BY A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL POWER AND A GAS BURNER CONNECTED TO A GAS SUPPLY SOURCE THROUGH A GAS SUPPLY LINE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ALTERNATE AND SELECTIVE AUTOMATIC OPERATION OF SAID ELECTRIC HEATER ELEMENT AND GAS BURNER, SAID CONTROL SYSTEM COMPRISING A GAS CONTROL SECTION AND AN ELECTRIC CONTROL SECTION, SAID ELECTRIC CONTROL SECTION INCLUDING A FIRST ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR CONNECTING SAID ELECTRIC HEATER ELEMENT TO SAID SOURCE OF ELECTRIC POWER FOR ENERGIZATION OF SAID HEATER ELEMENT, SAID GAS CONTROL SECTION INCLUDING A MANUALLY-OPERABLE VALVE AND AN ELECTRICALLY-OPERABLE VALVE IN SAID GAS SUPPLY LINE AND INDIVIDUALLY OPERABLE TO SHUT OFF THE FLOW OF GAS TO SAID BURNER, AN ELECTRICALLY-ENERGIZED IGNITION ELEMENT POSITIONED PROXIMATE TO THE MOUTH OF SAID GAS BURNER, A SECOND ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR CONNECTING SAID IGNITION ELEMENT AND SAID ELECTRICALLY-OPERABLE VALVE TO SAID SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL POWER, WHEREBY SAID ELECTRICALLY-OPERABLE VALVE IS OPENED TO PERMIT GAS TO FLOW THROUGH SAID GAS SUPPLY LINE TO SAID BURNER AND SAID IGNITION ELEMENT IS ENERGIZED TO IGNITE THE GAS FLOWING FROM THE BURNER MOUTH, SAID CONTROL SYSTEM ALSO INCLUDING MANUALLY-OPERABLE SELECTOR MEANS HAVING A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH IT COMPLETES SAID FIRST ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT AND OPENS SAID SECOND ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT, A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH IT COMPLETES SAID SECOND ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT AND OPENS SAID FIRST ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT, AND A THIRD POSITION IN WHICH IT OPENS BOTH FIRST AND SECOND ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS, SAID SELECTOR MEANS BEING OPERATIVELY COUPLED TO SAID MANUALLY-OPERABLE VALVE FOR OPENING THE SAME WHEN SAID SELECTOR MEANS IS BROUGHT TO ITS SECOND POSITION, AND CLOSING THE SAME WHEN BROUGHT TO ITS SECOND AND THIRD POSITIONS.