Electrical control apparatus

Abstract

An electrical controller, such as a controller timer for a home lighting circut, is connected so that a power switch like a triac controlled thereby replaces a conventional toggle switch operating in conjunction with another toggle switch in series therewith which can operate the controller. The timer is continuously coupled to the AC power system by permanent connections between the movable pole of the remaining toggle switch station and the load terminal of the triac of the controller and the power system. A stationary contact of the switch forms a control signal terminal which extends to a control input terminal of the controller. The controller may also include a depressible pushbutton or other on-off control switch which when successively operated generates pulses which toggle a control circuit to alternately render the triac conductive and non-conductive, and to program a controller-timer. The controller includes a voltage change pulser circuit whose input is coupled through the control input terminal of the timer to the stationary control contact of the single-pole switch, and which preferably generates the identical signal as is generated by depression of the pushbutton, when the signal condition on the stationary control contact either changes from a no-signal to a signal condition, or from a signal to a no-signal condition.