Voltage and frequency-controlled AC wave modifier

An AC voltage wave modifier for use in a system of the type comprising an AC power source and an AC load to control the energization of said AC load from said AC power source, said wave modifier comprising controllable AC power switching means having a control terminal for controlling the conductivity of said power switching means, said AC power switching means being connected between said AC power source and said AC load;

• means for providing an AC reference signal;
• a multiple trigger pulse generator synchronized to said AC reference signal and operative selectively to produce a continuous train of short duration, rapid rise-time voltage pulses during each cycle of said AC reference signal;
• means for providing a DC control voltage;
• means responsive to the amplitude of said DC control voltage for controlling the starting of said multiple trigger pulse generator;
• means responsive to voltage zero crossings of AC reference signal and operative to terminate said continuous train of trigger pulses from said multiple trigger pulse generator at each of said zero crossings, said last-named means including rectifier means rendered conductive after each of said voltage zero crossings by the increasing voltage of each alternation of said reference signal and rendered nonconductive before each of said voltage zero crossings by the decreasing voltage of each of said alternations, said rectifier means comprising a transistor, a full wave diode assembly energized by said reference signal and having an output connected to the base of said transistor, and a forward bias voltage source also connected to the base of said transistor, whereby said diode assembly, when conducting, provides a reverse bias voltage opposing said forward bias and operative to keep said transistor cut off until shortly before, during and slightly after said voltage zero crossings of said AC reference signal, and switch means coupled to said transistor and to said multiple trigger pulse generator for turning said multiple trigger pulse generator off and on in accordance with the conductive or nonconductive state of said transistor, whereby said multiple trigger pulse generator produces a plurality of voltage pulses for each cycle of said AC reference signal with the number of said pulses produced being a joint function of the amplitude of said DC control voltage and the frequency of said AC reference signal;
• and means coupled to the output of said multiple trigger pulse generator for transforming said train of voltage to a continuous stream of current pulses and for coupling said stream of current pulses to said control terminal of said controllable AC power switching means thereby to cause said power switching means to be rendered conductive for a time duration, during each cycle of said AC reference signal, which is a joint function of the amplitude of said DC control voltage and the frequency of said AC reference signal.