High temperature sensing apparatus effective over extensive lengths

Claim 2

The combination of an elongated heater, means operatively connected thereto to cause it to heat, a work means operatively associated therewith and effective when actuated to perform a work operation appropriate to overheating on the part of said heater, and means for actuating said work means, in which said actuating means comprises an elongated element of material, means operatively connected to said element for mounting it to extend along said heating element and in operative heat transfer relation thereto with the ends of said element normally separated by a first distance, said element being formed of material having the characteristic that sections along its length when subjected to temperatures below a predetermined temperature will tend to retain their configuration but when subjected to said predetermined temperature will tend to change their configuration, thereby to tend to alter the separation between the ends of said element, said element being operatively connected to said work means and effective to actuate said work means when said ends of said element tend to be separated by a second distance different from said first distance, said work means comprising a part movable between first and second positions means biasing said part to one of said positions, said element moving said part to the other of said positions when a section of said element changes its shape in response to said predetermined temperature, a member mounted opposite said part, said member and said part being mounted for relative movement respectively into and out of engagement with one another, biasing means active on one of said member and said part and effective to cause said relative movement in one sense, said element being operatively connected to only one of said member and said part and effective to cause relative movement between them in the opposite sense, in which one of said member and said part is mounted independently of the other in a first position where it is engaged by the other when the other moves in one direction, said one of said member and said part being mounted so as to then be movable in said one direction out of said first position as the other of said member and said part moves further in said one direction.

Claim 3

The combination of an elongated heater, means operatively connected thereto to cause it to heat, a work means operatively associated therewith and effective when actuated to perform a work operation appropriate to overheating on the part of said heater, and means for actuating said work means, in which said actuating means comprises an elongated element of material, means operatively connected to said element for mounting it to extend along said heating element and in operative heat transfer relation thereto with the ends of said element normally separated by a first distance, said element being formed of material having the characteristic that sections along its length when subjected to temperatures below a predetermined temperature will tend to retain their configuration but when subjected to said predetermined temperature will tend to change their configuration, thereby to tend to alter the separation between the ends of said element, said element being operatively connected to said work means and effective to actuate said work means when said ends of said element tend to be separated by a second distance different from said first distance, said work means comprising a part movable between first and second positions a member mounted opposite said part, said member and said part being mounted for relative movement into and out of engagement with one another, biasing means active on one of said member and said part and effecTive to cause said relative movement in one sense, said element being operatively connected to only one of said member and said part and effective to cause relative movement between them in the opposite sense, in which one of said member and said part is mounted independently of the other in a first position where it is engaged by the other when the other moves in one direction, said one of said member and said part being mounted so as to then be movable in said one direction out of said first position as the other of said member and said part moves further in said one direction.

Claim 4

The combination of an elongated heater, means operatively connected thereto to cause it to heat, a work means operatively associated therewith and effective when actuated to perform a work operation appropriate to overheating on the part of said heater, and means for actuating said work means, in which said actuating means comprises an elongated element of material, means operatively connected to said element for mounting it to extend along said heating element and in operative heat transfer relation thereto with the ends of said element normally separated by a first distance, said element being formed of material having the characteristic that sections along its length when subjected to temperatures below a predetermined temperature will tend to retain their configuration but when subjected to said predetermined temperature will tend to change their configuration, thereby to tend to alter the separation between the ends of said element, said element being operatively connected to said work means and effective to actuate said work means when said ends of said element tend to be separated by a second distance different from said first distance, said work means comprising a part movable between first and second positions a member mounted opposite said part, said member and said part being mounted for relative movement into and out of engagement with one another, biasing means active on one of said member and said part and effecTive to cause said relative movement in one sense, said element being operatively connected to only one of said member and said part and effective to cause relative movement between them in the opposite sense, in which one of said member and said part is mounted independently of the other in a first position where it is engaged by the other when the other moves in one direction, said one of said member and said part being mounted so as to then be movable in said one direction out of said first position as the other of said member and said part moves further in said one direction.

Claim 5

The combination of an elongated heater, means operatively connected thereto cause it to heat, a work means operatively associated therewith and effective when actuated to perform a work operation appropriate to overheating on the part of said heater, and means for actuating said work means, in which said actuating means comprises an elongated element of material, means operatively connected to said element for mounting it to extend along said heating element and in operative heat transfer relation thereto with the ends of said element normally separated by a first distance, said element being formed of material having the characteristic that sections along its length when subjected to temperatures below a predetermined temperature will tend to retain their configuration but when subjected to said predetermined temperature will tend to change their configuration, thereby to tend to alter the separation between the ends of said element, said element being operatively connected to said work means and effective to actuate said work means when said ends of said element tend to be separated by a second distance different from said first distance, said heater being electrically energized, said work means comprises a switch movable between open circuit and closed circuit positions and operatively connected to said heater, and said actuating means is operatively connected to said switch to move the same from one of said positions to the other in response to the presence or absence of said tendency on the part of said element when subjected to said predetermined temperature, said actuating means comprising a part movable between first and second positions a member mounted opposite said part, said member and said part being mounted for relative movement into and out of engagement with one another, biasing means active on one of said member and said part and effective to cause said relative movement in one sense, said element being operatively connected to only one of said member and said part and effective to cause relative movement between them in the opposite sense, in which one of said member and said part is mounted independently of the other in a first position where it is engaged by the other when the other moves in one direction, said one of said member and said part being mounted so as to then be movable in said one direction out of said first position as the other of said member and said part moves further in said one direction.

Claim 6

The combination of an elongated heater, means operatively connected thereto cause it to heat, a work means operatively associated therewith and effective when actuated to perform a work operation appropriate to overheating on the part of said heater, and means for actuating said work means, in which said actuating means comprises an elongated element of material, means operatively connected to said element for mounting it to extend along said heating element and in operative heat transfer relation thereto with the ends of said element normally separated by a first distance, said element being formed of material having the characteristic that sections along its length when subjected to temperatures below a predetermined temperature will tend to retain their configuration but when subjected to said predetermined temperature will tend to change their configuration, thereby to tend to alter the separation between the ends of said element, said element being operatively connected to said work means and effective to actuate said work means when said ends of said element tend to be separated by a second distance different from said first distance, said heater being electrically energized, said work means comprises a switch movable between open circuit and closed circuit positions and operatively connected to said heater, and said actuating means is operatively connected to said switch to move the same from one of said positions to the other in response to the presence or absence of said tendency on the part of said element when subjected to said predetermined temperature, said actuating means comprising a part movable between first and second positions a member mounted opposite said part, said member and said part being mounted for relative movement into and out of engagement with one another, biasing means active on one of said member and said part and effective to cause said relative movement in one sense, said element being operatively connected to only one of said member and said part and effective to cause relative movement between them in the opposite sense, in which one of said member and said part is mounted independently of the other in a first position where it is engaged by the other when the other moves in one direction, said one of said member and said part being mounted so as to then be movable in said one direction out of said first position as the other of said member and said part moves further in said one direction.

Claim 7

The combination of an elongated heater, means operatively connected thereto to cause it to heat, a work means operatively associated therewith and effective when actuated to perform a work operation appropriate to overheating on the part of said heater, and means for actuating said work means, in which said actuating means comprises an elongated element, means operatively connected to said element for mounting it to extend along said heating element and in operative heat transfer relation thereto with the ends of said element normally separated by a first distance, said element being formed of material having the characteristic that sections along its length when subjected to temperatures below a predetermined temperature will tend to retain their configuration but when subjected to said predetermined temperature will tend to change their configuration in a given sense, thereby to tend to alter the separation between the ends of said element, said element being operativelY connected to said work means and effective to actuate said work means when said ends of said element tend to be separated by a second distance different from said first distance, a second work means having an actuating means operatively connected thereto, and means operatively connecting said element to said actuating means for said second work means and effective to actuate the latter if said element continues to tend to change its configuration in a given sense after said first work means has been actuated by a change in configuration of said element in said given sense.

Claim 8

The combination of an elongated heater, means operatively connected thereto to cause it to heat, a work means operatively associated therewith and effective when actuated to perform a work operation appropriate to overheating on the part of said heater, and means for actuating said work means, in which said actuating means comprises an elongated element, means operatively connected to said element for mounting it to extend along said heating element and in operative heat transfer relation thereto with the ends of said element normally separated by a first distance, said element being formed of material having the characteristic that sections along its length when subjected to temperatures below a predetermined temperature will tend to retain their configuration but when subjected to said predetermined temperature will tend to change their configuration in a given sense, thereby to tend to alter the separation between the ends of said element, said element being operativelY connected to said work means and effective to actuate said work means when said ends of said element tend to be separated by a second distance different from said first distance, a second work means having an actuating means operatively connected thereto, and means operatively connecting said element to said actuating means for said second work means and effective to actuate the latter if said element continues to tend to change its configuration in a given sense after said first work means has been actuated by a change in configuration of said element in said given sense.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 4, in which said first and second work means are respectively connected to said element at points spaced along the length of said element, said actuating means for said first work means being more easily actuatable than is said actuating means for said second work means.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 4, in which said element is connected to said first work means and is effective when change in configuration occurs to move said first work means, said actuating means of said second work means being located in the operative path of movement of said first work means to be operatively engaged and actuated thereby when said first work means is moved a predetermined amount.

Claim 11

Apparatus for sensing excessive temperature at points along an extended length comprising an elongated element the length of which corresponds to said extended length, said element having the characteristic that individual sections along its length will tend to assume a substantially straight line condition when subjected to temperatures below a predetermined temperature but when subjected to said predetermined temperature will tend to assume a non-linear condition, thereby acting to reduce the end-to-end length of said element, means operatively connected to said element for mounting it to extend with its sections in substantially straight line condition along said extended length, a work means effective when actuated to perform a work operation appropriate to the sensing of overheating at points along said extended length, and means operatively connecting said elongated element and said work means to actuate said work means when said elongated element is subjected to said predetermined temperature at least over a section thereof, whereby said section tends to assume said non-linear condition, a second work means effective when actuated to perform a work operation appropriate to the sensing of overheating at a point along said extended length, and means operatively connecting said elongated element and said second work means and effective to actuate said second means after said first work means has been actuated if sections of said elongated element continue, after actuating said first work means, to tend to assume said non-linear condition.

Claim 12

Apparatus for sensing excessive temperature at points along an extended length comprising an elongated element the length of which corresponds to said extended length, said element having the characteristic that individual sections along its length will tend to assume a substantially straight line condition when subjected to temperatures below a predetermined temperature but when subjected to said predetermined temperature will tend to assume a non-linear condition, thereby acting to reduce the end-to-end length of said element, means operatively connected to said element for mounting it to extend with its sections in substantially straight line condition along said extended length, a work means effective when actuated to perform a work operation appropriate to the sensing of overheating at points along said extended length, and means operatively connecting said elongated element and said work means to actuate said work means when said elongated element is subjected to said predetermined temperature at least over a section thereof, whereby said section tends to assume said non-linear condition, a second work means effective when actuated to perform a work operation appropriate to the sensing of overheating at a point along said extended length, and means operatively connecting said elongated element and said second work means and effective to actuate said second means after said first work means has been actuated if sections of said elongated element continue, after actuating said first work means, to tend to assume said non-linear condition.

Claim 13

The combination of an elongated heater, means operatively connected thereto to cause it to heat, a work means operatively associated therewith and effective when actuated to perform a work operation appropriate to overheating on the part of said heater, and means for actuating said work means, in which said actuating means comprises an elongated element of material, means operatively connected to said element for mounting it to extend along said heating element and in operative heat transfer relation Thereto with the ends of said element normally separated by a first distance, said element being formed of material having the characteristic that sections along its length when subjected to temperatures below a predetermined temperature will tend to retain their configuration but when subjected to said predetermined temperature will tend to change their configuration, thereby to tend to alter the separation between the ends of said element, said element being operatively connected to said work means and effective to actuate said work means when said ends of said element tend to be separated by a second distance different from said first distance, in which said work mEans includes a part movable between first and second positions, a support, said work means being operatively mounted on said support, and a mechanical connection between said part and said element comprising a member mounted on said support operatively opposite said part, at least one of said work means and said member being articulately mounted on said support for relative movement in first and second directions respectively into and out of engagement with the other, means for biasing said at least one of said work means and said member for movement in one of said directions, said element being connected to said one of said work means and said member for moving it in the other direction when a section of said element changes its configuration in response to said predetermined temperature, in which said member is fixed to said support against movement in at least one direction, said work means is articulately mounted on said support, and said biasing means biases said work means so as to move said part out of engagement with said member.

Claim 14

The combination of an elongated heater, means operatively connected thereto to cause it to heat, a work means operatively associated therewith and effective when actuated to perform a work operation appropriate to overheating on the part of said heater, and means for actuating said work means, in which said actuating means comprises an elongated element of material, means operatively connected to said element for mounting it to extend along said heating element and in operative heat transfer relation Thereto with the ends of said element normally separated by a first distance, said element being formed of material having the characteristic that sections along its length when subjected to temperatures below a predetermined temperature will tend to retain their configuration but when subjected to said predetermined temperature will tend to change their configuration, thereby to tend to alter the separation between the ends of said element, said element being operatively connected to said work means and effective to actuate said work means when said ends of said element tend to be separated by a second distance different from said first distance, in which said work mEans includes a part movable between first and second positions, a support, said work means being operatively mounted on said support, and a mechanical connection between said part and said element comprising a member mounted on said support operatively opposite said part, at least one of said work means and said member being articulately mounted on said support for relative movement in first and second directions respectively into and out of engagement with the other, means for biasing said at least one of said work means and said member for movement in one of said directions, said element being connected to said one of said work means and said member for moving it in the other direction when a section of said element changes its configuration in response to said predetermined temperature, in which said member is fixed to said support against movement in at least one direction, said work means is articulately mounted on said support, and said biasing means biases said work means so as to move said part out of engagement with said member.

Claim 15

In the combination of claim 8, a positive stop for said member, biasing means urging said member against said stop toward but short of said work means, thereby to fix said member to said support against movement toward said work means but permit said member to move with said work means when said work means continues to move after its part engages said member.