Moisture responsive actuator

Claim 1

A MOISTURE RESPONSIVE ACTUATOR COMPRISING: AN ELONGAGE HOUSING HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN TO ADMIT AMBIENT MOISTURE; A PLUG CLOSING ONE END OF THE HOUSING; A VALVE BODY AT THE OTHER END OF SAID HOUSING AND HAVING A CHAMBER AND A VALVE SEAT THEREIN; MEANS CARRIED BY SAID VALVE BODY AFFORDING COMMUNICATION WHTI A FLUID SUPPLY LINE; , SAID BODY HAVING AN OUTLET AND MEANS THEREIN PROVIDING A FLOW PASSAGE FOR CONVEYING FLUID FROM SAID SUPPLY LINE THROUGH SAID SEAT AND TO SAID OUTLET; A RESILIENT DIAPHRAGM VALVE MEMBER; MEANS SECURING SAID DIAPHRAGM VALVE MEMBER BETWEEN SAID CHAMBER AND SAID HOUSING TO FORM A FLUID TIGHT SEAL THEREBETWEEN WITH SAID DIAPHRAGM VALVE MEMBER NORMALLY SPACED FROM SAID SEAT AND DISPOSED TO BE MOVED AGAINST SAID SEAT; AND AN ABSORPTIVE MOISTURE RESPONSIVE MEMBER HAVING OPPOSED EXTREMITIES ENGAGED WITH SAID PLUG AND SAID DIAPHRAGM VALVE MEMBER; SAID MOISTURE RESPONSIVE MEMBER HAVING THE QUALITY OF EXPANDING IN A DIRECTION TOWARD SAID VALVE MEMBER ACCORDING TO THE MOISTURE CONTENT THEREOF TO MOVE SAID VALVE MEMBER AGAINST SAID SEAT TO ARREST THE FLOW THROUGH SAID PASSAGE.