Dryer control

Claim 2

In a fabric dryness sensing circuit, the combination comprising: manually actuatable means for initiating a dryness sensing operation; electrode means engageable with fabrics for completing an electrical current path to said fabrics during said dryness sensing operation; resistance means and capacitance means in circuit with said electrode means; electrical supply means connected in circuit with said electrode means, said resistance means, and said capacitance means; a normally non-conductive electronic discharge device in parallel connection to said capacitance means and operable to a conductive condition at a predetermined voltage, said capacitance means being chargeable to said predetermined voltage at a preselected dryness condition of the fabrics engageable with said electrode means and operable at said predetermined voltage for energizing said discharge device; and control means including a control member for operating said manually actuatable means and a thyristor having a gate portion in circuit with said discharge device and an anode-cathode portion in circuit with said control member, said thyristor being operable at said predetermined voltage from a normally nonconductive posture across said anode-cathode portion to a conductive posture for in turn energizing said control member to operate said manually actuatable means for terminating said dryness sensing operation.

Claim 3

In a fabric dryness sensing circuit, the combination comprising: manually actuatable means for initiating a fabric dryness sensing operation; electrode means engageable with fabrics for completing an electrical current path to said fabrics during said fabric dryness sensing operation; resistance means and capacitance means in circuit with said electrode means; electrical supply means connected in circuit with said electrode means, said resistance means, and said capacitance means; a normally non-conductive electronic discharge device in parallel connection to said capacitance means and operable to a conductive condition at a predetermined voltage, said capacitance means being chargeable to said predetermined voltage at a preselected dryness condition of the fabrics engageable with said electrode means and operable at said predetermined voltage for energizing said discharge device; and control means for terminating said dryness sensing operation at said prEselected fabric dryness condition and including electromechanical actuation means for operating said manually actuatable means and a thyristor for energizing said actuation means, said thyristor having an anode-cathode portion in series with said actuation means and a gate portion electrically connected to said discharge device and responsive to said predetermined voltage for triggering said thyristor to terminate said dryness sensing operation through energization of said actuation means for operating said manually actuatable means.

Claim 4

In a fabric dryness sensing circuit, the combination comprising: manually actuatable means for initiating a fabric dryness sensing operation; electrode means engageable with fabrics for completing an electrical current path to said fabrics during said fabric dryness sensing operation; resistance means and capacitance means in circuit with said electrode means; electrical supply means connected in circuit with said electrode means, said resistance means, and said capacitance means; a normally non-conductive electronic discharge device in parallel connection to said capacitance means and operable to a conductive condition at a predetermined voltage, said capacitance means being chargeable to said predetermined voltage at a preselected dryness condition of the fabrics engageable with said electrode means and operable at said predetermined voltage for energizing said discharge device; and control means for terminating said dryness sensing operation at said prEselected fabric dryness condition and including electromechanical actuation means for operating said manually actuatable means and a thyristor for energizing said actuation means, said thyristor having an anode-cathode portion in series with said actuation means and a gate portion electrically connected to said discharge device and responsive to said predetermined voltage for triggering said thyristor to terminate said dryness sensing operation through energization of said actuation means for operating said manually actuatable means.

Claim 5

In a fabric dryness sensing circuit as defined in claim 2 wherein said actuation means includes a solenoid controlled by said thyristor and operable for effecting termination of said dryness sensing operation.

Claim 6

In a fabric dryness sensing circuit as defined in claim 2 wherein said thyristor is in the form of a normally non-conductive SCR operable to a conductive condition responsive to energization of said discharge device.

Claim 7

In a fabric dryness sensing circuit as defined in claim 2 wherein said actuation means includes a solenoid having a coil and wherein said thyristor is in the form of a normally non-conductive SCR in series with said solenoid coil and responsive to energization of said discharge device for energizing said solenoid coil.

Claim 8

In a fabric dryness sensing circuit as defined in claim 4 wherein said discharge device is in the form of a neon tube.

Claim 9

In a fabric dryness sensing circuit, the combination comprising: manually actuatable means for initiating a fabric dryness sensing operation; electrode means engageable with fabrics for completing an electrical current path to said fabrics during said fabric dryness sensing operation; resistance means and capacitance means in circuit with said electrode means; electrical supply means connected in circuit with said electrode means, said resistance means, and said capacitance means; a normally non-conductive electronic discharge device in parallel connection to said capacitance means and operable to a conductive condition at a predetermined voltage said capacitance means being chargeable to said predetermined voltage at a preselected dryness condition of the fabrics engageable with said electrode means and operable at said predetermined voltage for energizing said discharge device; solenoid means energizable for operating said manually actuatable means to terminate said dryness sensing operation; and circuit means including a thyristor operable for effecting energization of said solenoid means at said preselected fabric dryness condition, said thyristor having a gate portion electrically connected to said discharge device and operable at said predetermined voltage for triggering said thyristor to energize said solenoid means for operating said manually actuatable means and terminating said dryness sensing operation.

Claim 10

In a fabric dryness sensing circuit, the combination comprising: manually actuatable means for initiating a fabric dryness sensing operation; electrode means engageable with fabrics for completing an electrical current path to said fabrics during said fabric dryness sensing operation; resistance means and capacitance means in circuit with said electrode means; electrical supply means connected in circuit with said electrode means, said resistance means, and said capacitance means; a normally non-conductive electronic discharge device in parallel connection to said capacitance means and operable to a conductive condition at a predetermined voltage said capacitance means being chargeable to said predetermined voltage at a preselected dryness condition of the fabrics engageable with said electrode means and operable at said predetermined voltage for energizing said discharge device; solenoid means energizable for operating said manually actuatable means to terminate said dryness sensing operation; and circuit means including a thyristor operable for effecting energization of said solenoid means at said preselected fabric dryness condition, said thyristor having a gate portion electrically connected to said discharge device and operable at said predetermined voltage for triggering said thyristor to energize said solenoid means for operating said manually actuatable means and terminating said dryness sensing operation.

Claim 11

In a fabric dryness sensing circuit, as defined in claim 7 wherein said thyristor is in the form of an SCR in series with said solenoid means and responsive to said discharge device for energizing said solenoid means.

Claim 12

In a fabric dryness sensing circuit as defined in claim 8 wherein said discharge device is in the form of a neon cm 10. In a drying apparatus control circuit, the combination electrode means engageable with fabrics for completing an electrical current path to said fabrics during a fabric dryness sensing operation; resistance means and capacitance means in circuit with said electrode means; electrical supply means connected in circuit with said electrode means, said resistance means, and said capacitance means; a normally non-conductive electronic discharge device in parallel connection to said capacitance means and operable to a conductive condition at a predetermined voltage, said capacitance means being chargeable to said predetermined voltage at a preselected dryness condition of the fabrics engageable with said electrode means and operable at said predetermined voltage for energizing said discharge device; SCR means inclUding a gate portion electrically connected to said discharge device and responsive to energization of said discharge device for actuating said SCR means to a conductive condition; solenoid means connected in series with said SCR means and operable to an energized condition upon actuation of said SCR means; and preselection means manually actuatable for initiating a drying operation of said drying apparatus and for initiating said dryness sensing operation and further operable to a reset condition responsive to energization of said solenoid means for initiating termination of said drying and said dryness sensing operations.

Claim 13

In a drying apparatus control circuit as defined in claim 10 wherein said preselection means includes a plurality of switches operable between open and closed positions for providing a plurality of selectable drying operations and wherein said switches are responsive to said manual actuation for initiating a selected one of said drying operations and responsive to energizaton of said solenoid means for action to said reset condition for terminating the selected drying operation.