Apparatus for controlling the mean value of current supplied by an alternating current source to an electric apparatus

Claim 3

An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each stage of said counter means provides first or second complementary outputs, and said first gating means includes a first AND gate for each stage of said counter means, connected thereto so as to provide an output only when the first output of the stage corresponding thereto is the only first output provided by the stages of said counter means.

Claim 4

An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said control means includes second gating means selectively connecting said N output signals to said current control means in one of 2N combinations for controlling actuation thereof.

Claim 5

An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said control means further includes gating control means selectively providing a control signal on N outputs in one of 2N combinations for controlling operation of said second gating means.

Claim 6

An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said second gating means includes N second AND gates, each connected to one output of said gating control means and one output of said first gating means, and an OR gate connected to each second AND gate and having its output connected to said current control means.

Claim 7

An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said gating control means includes computer means selectively providing first and second output and additional binary counter means having N stages providing N outputs in one of 2N combinations as determined by the count registered therein, said first and second outputs of said computer means being connected to said additional binary counter means for increasing and decreasing the count thereof, respectively.

Claim 8

Apparatus for controlling the mean value of the current supplied to an electrical apparatus comprising an alternating current source and a rectifier device having a control electrode connected in series with the said apparatus, detector means connected to said current source for detecting the passage of the voltage generated thereby through a predetermined value and for emitting a pulse of calibrated value at each passage of the said value, computer means having N outputs capable of representing any number between 1 and 2N, the adjustment of the mean value of the current passing through the said apparatus being effected in accordance with a program fed to the computer means by rendering the said rectifier device conductive for a number r of current cycles, each of a duration equal to T, distributed over a duration 2NT, the value r being determined in accordance with the program established by said computer means, the output of the said detector means emitting calibrated pulses of period T being connected to the input of an electronic device comprising a first counter of the binary type having N bistable flip-flops each of which has a first output and a second output, and N AND circuits having 2, 3, ..... N + 1 inputs, respectively, the N first inputs of the said AND circuits being connected to the output of said detector means, and the other inputs of each circuit being connected, respectively, to the first output of the flip-flop of like order and to the second outputs of the flip-flops of lower order having N outputs capable of producing at its respective outputs trains of pulses of periods 2T, 4T, ..... 2NT time-delayed in relation to the first calibrated pulse of the train of pulses of period T by times O, T, 2T, 2N- 1 T respectively, the N outputs of said electronic device being connected respectively to N first inputs of N AND circuits each having two inputs and one output, the N second inputs being connected Respectively to the N outputs of said computer means, each of the outputs of the aforesaid N AND circuits being connected to each of the N inputs of an OR circuit whose output is connected to the control electrode of the aforesaid rectifier device.

Claim 9

Apparatus for controlling the mean value of the current supplied to an electrical apparatus comprising an alternating current source and a rectifier device having a control electrode connected in series with the said apparatus, detector means connected to said current source for detecting the passage of the voltage generated thereby through a predetermined value and for emitting a pulse of calibrated value at each passage of the said value, computer means having N outputs capable of representing any number between 1 and 2N, the adjustment of the mean value of the current passing through the said apparatus being effected in accordance with a program fed to the computer means by rendering the said rectifier device conductive for a number r of current cycles, each of a duration equal to T, distributed over a duration 2NT, the value r being determined in accordance with the program established by said computer means, the output of the said detector means emitting calibrated pulses of period T being connected to the input of an electronic device comprising a first counter of the binary type having N bistable flip-flops each of which has a first output and a second output, and N AND circuits having 2, 3, ..... N + 1 inputs, respectively, the N first inputs of the said AND circuits being connected to the output of said detector means, and the other inputs of each circuit being connected, respectively, to the first output of the flip-flop of like order and to the second outputs of the flip-flops of lower order having N outputs capable of producing at its respective outputs trains of pulses of periods 2T, 4T, ..... 2NT time-delayed in relation to the first calibrated pulse of the train of pulses of period T by times O, T, 2T, 2N- 1 T respectively, the N outputs of said electronic device being connected respectively to N first inputs of N AND circuits each having two inputs and one output, the N second inputs being connected Respectively to the N outputs of said computer means, each of the outputs of the aforesaid N AND circuits being connected to each of the N inputs of an OR circuit whose output is connected to the control electrode of the aforesaid rectifier device.