Control system and method and control device therefor

Claim 2

A control system comprising a source of energy means, heater means, indicator means, and thermostatically operated control means having selector means for setting said control means in a heater means non-temperature producing "off" setting or in a heater means temperature producing "on" setting, said control means having a single temperature responsive device operatively interconnected to said means to interconnect said heater means to said energy means when the output temperature effect of said heater means is below a predetermined "on" setting of said control means and to disconnect said heater means from said energy means when the output temperature effect of said heater means is above said predetermined "on" setting of said control means, said single temperature responsive device of said control means operating said indicating means to indicate that the output temperature effect of said heater means is above a certain value only when said control means is in said "off" setting thereof, said control means having switch means continuously operating said indicating means independently of said temperature responsive device and regardless of the output temperature effect of said heater means to indicate that said selector means is set in said "on" setting thereof only when said selector means is set in said "on" setting thereof.

Claim 3

A control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said indicating means comprises a first indicator and a second indicator, said first indicator being operated by said temperature responsive device, said second indicator being operated by said switch means.

Claim 4

A control system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said source of energy means comprises a source of electrical power, said heater means comprises an electrically operated heater means, and said first and second indicators comprise first and second light bulbs.

Claim 5

A control system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said switch means interconnects said source of power to said second bulb when said selector means is set in said "on" setting thereof.

Claim 6

A control system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said control means includes a second switch means and a third switch means, said second switch means being operatively associated with said temperature responsive device to interconnect said power source to said first bulb only when said selector means is set in said "off" setting thereof and said output temperature effect of said heater means is above said certain value, said third switch means being operatively associated with said temperature responsive device to interconnect said power source to said heater means only when said selector means is set in said "on" setting thereof and said output temperature effect of said heater means is below said predetermined "on" setting of said control means.

Claim 9

A method as set forth in claim 6 and including the steps of forming said indicating means from a first indicator and a second indicator, causing said first indicator to be operated by said temperature responsive device, and causing said second indicator to be operated by said switch means.

Claim 10

A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said source of energy means comprises a source of electrical power and said heater means comprises an electrically operated heater means, and including the step of forming said first and second indicators respectively from first and second light bulbs.

Claim 11

A method as set forth in claim 8 and including the step of interconnecting said source of power to said second bulb with said switch means when said selector means is set in said "on" setting thereof.

Claim 12

A method as set forth in claim 9 and including the steps of forming said control means to include a second switch means and a third switch means, operatively associating said second switch means with said temperature responsive device to interconnect said power source to said first bulb only when said selector means is set in said "off" setting thereof and said output temperature effect of said heater means is above said certain value, and operatively associating said third switch means with said temperature responsive device to interconnect said power source to said heater means only when said selector means is set in said "on" setting thereof and said output temperature effect of said heater means is below said predetermined "on" setting of said control means.

Claim 13

A control device for a system having a source of energy means, heater means, and indicator means, said control device having thermostatically operated control means, said control device having a selector means for setting said control means in a heater means non-temperature producing "off" setting or in a heater means temperature producing "on" setting, said control means being provided with a single temperature responsive device for operatively interconnecting to said means to interconnect said heater means to said energy means when the output temperature effect of said heater means is below a predetermined "on" setting of said control means and to disconnect said heater means from said energy means when the output temperature effect of said heater means is above said predetermined "on" setting of said control means, said single temperature responsive device of said control means being adapted to operate said indicating means to indicate that the output temperature effect of said heater means is above a certain value only when said control means is in said "off" setting thereof, said control device having switch means adapted to operate said indicating means independently of said temperature responsive device and regardless of the output temperature effect of said heater means to indicate that said selector means is set in said "on" setting thereof only when said selector means is set in said "on" setting thereof.

Claim 14

A control device for a system having a source of energy means, heater means, and indicator means, said control device having thermostatically operated control means, said control device having a selector means for setting said control means in a heater means non-temperature producing "off" setting or in a heater means temperature producing "on" setting, said control means being provided with a single temperature responsive device for operatively interconnecting to said means to interconnect said heater means to said energy means when the output temperature effect of said heater means is below a predetermined "on" setting of said control means and to disconnect said heater means from said energy means when the output temperature effect of said heater means is above said predetermined "on" setting of said control means, said single temperature responsive device of said control means being adapted to operate said indicating means to indicate that the output temperature effect of said heater means is above a certain value only when said control means is in said "off" setting thereof, said control device having switch means adapted to operate said indicating means independently of said temperature responsive device and regardless of the output temperature effect of said heater means to indicate that said selector means is set in said "on" setting thereof only when said selector means is set in said "on" setting thereof.

Claim 15

A control device as set forth in claim 11 wherein said indicating means comprises a first indicator and a second indicator, said first indicator being adapted to be operated by said temperature responsive device, said second indicator being adapted to be operated by said switch means.

Claim 16

A control device as set forth in claim 12 wherein said source of energy means comprises a source of electrical power, said heater means comprises an electrically operated heater means, and said first and second indicators comprise first and second light bulbs.

Claim 17

A control device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said switch means is adapted to interconnect said source of power to said second bulb when said selector means is set in said "on" setting thereof.

Claim 18

A control device as set forth in claim 14 wherein said control means includes a second switch means and a third switch means, said second switch means being operatively associated with said temperature responsive device so as to be adapted to interconnect said power source to said first bulb only when said selector means is set in said "off" setting thereof and said output temperature effect of said heater means is above said certain value, said third switch means being operatively associated with said temperature responsive device so as to be adapted to interconnect said power source to said heater means only when said selector means is set in said "on" setting thereof and said output temperature effect of said heater means is below said predetermined "on" setting of said control means.