Burner ignition control system

Claim 2

A control for combustion apparatus, the combustion apparatus including electrically operated fuel supply means and means for establishing an electric arc for igniting the fuel, said control comprising: transformer means, said transformer means having a primary winding connected in series with the means for establishing an electric arc whereby a current commensurate with the arc current will be induced in the secondary winding of said transformer means; means connected across the secondary winding of said transformer means for generating a signal commensurate with the current induced therein; means connected to said means for generating a signal commensurate with induced current for providing a control signal commensurate with arc current; and switch means repsonsive to said control signal for interrupting the supply of electric power to the fuel supply means during periods when no arc current is sensed.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said transformer means comprises: a step-down transformer.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for generating a signal commensurate with the current induced in the secondary winding of said step-down transformer comprises: rectifier means connected across the secondary winding of said step-down transformer, a direct current signal commensurate with ignition arc current being provided by said rectifier means.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said control signal providing means comprises: means connected to said rectifier means for generating a magnetic field commensurate with said direct current signal commensurate with ignition arc current; and means responsive to the generation of said magnetic field for producing a control signal.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said magnetic field responsive means comprises: a current source; and normally open magnetic field responsive switch means connected in series with said current source.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said switch means for interrupting the supply of power to the fuel supply means comprises: normally open relay means, said relay means having a solenoid connected in series with said magnetic field sensitive switch and current source.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control signal providing means comprises: field generating means connected to said means connected across said transformer means secondary winding, said field generating means producing a magnetic field commensurate with said signal commensurate with the induced current commensurate with arc current; and means responsive to the generation of said magnetic field for producing a control signal.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said magnetic field responsive means comprises: a current source; and normally open magnetic field responsive switch means connected in series with said current source.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said switch means for interrupting the supply of power to the fuel supply means comprises: normally open relay means, said relay means having a solenoid connected in series with said magnetic field sensitive switch and current source.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control further comprises: a step-up transformer, the primary winding of said step-up transformer being connected across an alternating current source; and means connecting high voltage terminals of the secondary winding of said step-up transformer to a pair of electrodes whereby a continuous arc may be established between the electrodes, the primary winding of said transformer means being connected between one of the electrodes and a first high voltage terminal of said Step-up transformer secondary winding.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said step-up transformer means comprises: a ferro-resonant transformer having a primary winding and a pair of secondary windings; and means interconnecting first ends of the secondary windings of said ferro-resonant transformer means.

Claim 13

A control for combustion apparatus, the combustion apparatus including electrically operated fuel supply means and means for establishing a continuous electric arc between a pair of electrodes for igniting the fuel, said control comprising: step-up transformer means, the primary winding of said transformer means being connected across an alternating current source; means connecting the high voltage terminals of the secondary winding of said step-up transformer means to the pair of electrodes whereby a continuous arc may be established between the electrodes; arc current sensing transformer means, said arc current sensing transformer means having a primary winding connected between one of the electrodes and a first high voltage terminal of said step-up transformer means secondary winding; means connected to the secondary winding of said arc current sensing transformer means for providing a control signal commensurate with arc current; and switch means responsive to said control signal for interrupting the supply of electric power to the fuel supply means during periods when no arc current is sensed.

Claim 14

A control for combustion apparatus, the combustion apparatus including electrically operated fuel supply means and means for establishing a continuous electric arc between a pair of electrodes for igniting the fuel, said control comprising: step-up transformer means, the primary winding of said transformer means being connected across an alternating current source; means connecting the high voltage terminals of the secondary winding of said step-up transformer means to the pair of electrodes whereby a continuous arc may be established between the electrodes; arc current sensing transformer means, said arc current sensing transformer means having a primary winding connected between one of the electrodes and a first high voltage terminal of said step-up transformer means secondary winding; means connected to the secondary winding of said arc current sensing transformer means for providing a control signal commensurate with arc current; and switch means responsive to said control signal for interrupting the supply of electric power to the fuel supply means during periods when no arc current is sensed.

Claim 15

A control for combustion apparatus, the combustion apparatus including electrically operated fuel supply means a pair of electrodes and means for establishing an electric arc between the electrodes for igniting fuel, said control comprising: step-up transformer means, said transformer means having a primary winding adapted to be connected across an alternating current source and a secondary winding, a high arc producing voltage being established across said step-up transformer secondary winding; a first step-down transformer, the primary winding of said first step-down transformer being connected between a first end of said step-up transformer means secondary winding and one of said electrodes; a second step-down transformer, the primary winding of said second step-down transformer being connected between a second end of said step-up transformer means secondary winding and the second of said electrodes; rectifier means connected across the secondary winding of each of said step-down transformers, direct current signals commensurate with ignition arc current being provided by each of said rectifier means; means connected to each of said rectifier means for providing a control signal commensurate with the arc current induced in the secondary winding of each of said step-down transformers; and switch means responsive to said control signals for interrrupting the supply of electric power to the fuel supply means during periods when both of said rectifier means are not providing direct current signals commensurate with ignition arc current.

Claim 16

A control for combustion apparatus, the combustion apparatus including electrically operated fuel supply means a pair of electrodes and means for establishing an electric arc between the electrodes for igniting fuel, said control comprising: step-up transformer means, said transformer means having a primary winding adapted to be connected across an alternating current source and a secondary winding, a high arc producing voltage being established across said step-up transformer secondary winding; a first step-down transformer, the primary winding of said first step-down transformer being connected between a first end of said step-up transformer means secondary winding and one of said electrodes; a second step-down transformer, the primary winding of said second step-down transformer being connected between a second end of said step-up transformer means secondary winding and the second of said electrodes; rectifier means connected across the secondary winding of each of said step-down transformers, direct current signals commensurate with ignition arc current being provided by each of said rectifier means; means connected to each of said rectifier means for providing a control signal commensurate with the arc current induced in the secondary winding of each of said step-down transformers; and switch means responsive to said control signals for interrrupting the supply of electric power to the fuel supply means during periods when both of said rectifier means are not providing direct current signals commensurate with ignition arc current.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said control signal providing means comprises: means connected to each of said rectifier means and responsive to the direct current signal provided thereby for generating magnetic fields commensurate with said signals commensurate with arc current; normally open magnetic field responsive switch means positioned in operative relationship to each of said field generating means; a current source; and means for connecting said normally open field responsive switch means and said current source in series whereby the closing of both of said switch means will cause generation of said control signal.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said switch means for interrupting the supply of power to the fuel supply means comprises: relay means, said relay means having a pair of normally open contacts and a solenoid, said relay means solenoid being connected in series with said series connected field responsiVe switch means and current source whereby generation of said control signal causes closing of the normally open contact of said relay means by permitting current to flow through said relay means solenoid, said relay means contacts being connected in series with the fuel supply means and a source of energizing current therefore.