Gas burner ignition device

Claim 1

A gas burner ignition device for a gas-operated refrigerator, which comprises: (a) a safety valve provided in a gas line connected to a gas burner, for controlling a flow of gas supplied to said gas burner, said safety valve including a valve body having a first position in which it permits flow of gas to the gas burner and a second position in which it prevents such flow, and means biasing the valve body towards said second position; (b) an electrode disposed adjacent the gas burner; (c) ignition control means for controlling ignition of said gas burner, said ignition control means having high voltage generating means connected to said electrode and energizable to apply a high voltage to said electrode to ignite gas supplied to said gas burner, and flame detecting means connected to said electrode for detecting whether gas supplied to said gas burner is burning, said flame detecting means being connected to control said high voltage generating means so that when the gas is burning the high voltage generating means is de-energized whereas when the gas is extinguished the high voltage generating means is energized to re-ignite the gas; (d) a thermocouple positioned adjacent the gas burner so as to be heated when gas supplied to the gas burner is burning, thereby to generate a thermal electromotive force; and (e) valve actuating means connected to the thermocouple and operable by the thermal electromotive force generated thereby when gas supplied to the gas burner is burning to overcome the biasing means and hold said valve body in its first position, the valve body being released and returning to the second position when the gas is extinguished.