Microprocessor based control circuit for washing appliances with overfill protection

A control circuit for permitting a user to selectably operate a washing appliance having electro-mechanical means for filling, circulating and draining water in said appliance, said circuit comprising:

• (a) control means for controlling said electromechanical means,
• (b) connecting means adapted for connecting said control means to an external power supply,
• (c) input means permitting user selection of desired operating cycles and including means for communicating with said control means to permit said control means to determine the cycles selected by the user for controlling said electro-mechanical means in accordance therewith,
• (d) overfill means for detecting excess water in said appliance and producing an electrical signal indicative thereof, said control means including means for detecting said signal and responsive thereto
• said overfill means being operative to produce said signal and said control means being operative in response thereto to initiate operation of the draining means at any time provided said connecting means is operatively coupled to the external power supply;
• the duration of the period in which draining is enabled by said control means in response to said signal being determined by the duration of said signal.