Thermostatic valve construction and the like

Claim 2

A thermostatic valve construction comprising a support means having a valve seat, a temperature-responsive device having a first part fixed to said support means and having a second part movable relative to said support means in response to temperature sensed by said device, a movable valve member for opening and closing said valve seat, first compression spring means disposed between and against said first part of said device and said valve member to tend to move said valve member to its closed position, and second compression spring means disposed between and against said valve member and said second part of said device to tend to move said valve member to its open position when said second spring means is under compression, said second part of said device being adapted to compress said second spring means a predetermined amount before causing said valve member to open in opposition to the force of said first spring means when said device senses a predetermined temperature and a particular pressure differential exists across said valve member.

Claim 3

A thermostatic valve construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second spring means comprises a spider spring.

Claim 4

A thermostatic valve construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second spring means is adapted to bottom out against said valve member when said second spring means is compressed a certain amount.

Claim 5

A thermostatic valve construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first part of said temperature-responsive device carries an outwardly directed spring retainer, said first spring means having one end thereof bearing against said retainer.

Claim 6

A thermostatic valve construction comprising a support means having a valve seat, a temperature-responsive device having a first part fixed to said support means and having a second part movable relative to said support means in response to temperature sensed by said device, a movable valve member for opening and closing said valve seat, first compression spring means disposed between said first part of said device and said valve member to tend to move said valve member to its closed position, and second compression spring means disposed between said valve member and said second part of said device to tend to move said valve member to its open position when said second spring means is under compression, said second part of said device being adapted to compress said second spring means a predetermined amount before causing said valve member to open in opposition to the force of said first spring means when said device senses a predetermined temperature and a particular pressure differential exists across said valve member, said first part of said temperature-responsive device carrying an outwardly directed spring retainer, said first spring means having one end thereof bearing against said spring retainer, said valve member having a cylinder portion, said spring retainer being disposed in said cylinder portion and sealing the same on opposite sides of said spring retainer.

Claim 7

A thermostatic valve construction comprising a support means having a valve seat, a temperature-responsive device having a first part fixed to said support means and having a second part movable relative to said support means in response to temperature sensed by said device, a movable valve member for opening and closing said valve seat, first compression spring means disposed between said first part of said device and said valve member to tend to move said valve member to its closed position, and second compression spring means disposed between said valve member and said second part of said device to tend to move said valve member to its open position when said second spring means is under compression, said second part of said device being adapted to compress said second spring means a predetermined amount before causing said valve member to open in opposition to the force of said first spring means when said device senses a predetermined temperature and a particular pressure differential exists across said valve member, said first part of said temperature-responsive device carrying an outwardly directed spring retainer, said first spring means having one end thereof bearing against said spring retainer, said valve member having a cylinder portion, said spring retainer being disposed in said cylinder portion and sealing the same on opposite sides of said spring retainer.

Claim 8

A thermostatic valve construction as set forth in claim 5 wherein said spring retainer carries an annular sealing member bearing against said cylinder portion for said sealing purposes while permitting movement therebetween.

Claim 9

A thermostatic valve construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first part of said temperature-responsive device projects through said valve seat.

Claim 10

A thermostatic valve construction comprising a support means having a valve seat, a temperature-responsive device having a first part fixed to said support means and having a second part movable relative to said support means in response to temperature sensed by said device, a movable valve member for opening and closing said valve seat, first compression spring means disposed between said first part of said device and said valve member to tend to move said valve member to its closed position, and second compression spring means disposed between said valve member and said second part of said device to tend to move said valve member to its open position when said second spring means is under compression, said second part of said device being adapted to compress said second spring means a predetermined amount before causing said valve member to open in opposition to the force of said first spring means when said device senses a predetermined temperature and a particular pressure differential exists across said valve member, said first part of said temperature-responsive device having a shoulder means, said support means having an abutment means abutting said shoulder means to prevent movement of said first part of said temperature-responsive device in one direction relative to said support means.

Claim 11

A thermostatic valve construction comprising a support means having a valve seat, a temperature-responsive device having a first part fixed to said support means and having a second part movable relative to said support means in response to temperature sensed by said device, a movable valve member for opening and closing said valve seat, first compression spring means disposed between said first part of said device and said valve member to tend to move said valve member to its closed position, and second compression spring means disposed between said valve member and said second part of said device to tend to move said valve member to its open position when said second spring means is under compression, said second part of said device being adapted to compress said second spring means a predetermined amount before causing said valve member to open in opposition to the force of said first spring means when said device senses a predetermined temperature and a particular pressure differential exists across said valve member, said first part of said temperature-responsive device having a shoulder means, said support means having an abutment means abutting said shoulder means to prevent movement of said first part of said temperature-responsive device in one direction relative to said support means.

Claim 12

A thermostatic valve construction as set forth in claim 8 wherein said first part of said temperature-responsive device has another shoulder means spaced from said first-named shoulder means, said first spring means effectively bearing against said second shoulder means to tend to prevent movement of said first part of said temperature-responsive device in the opposite direction to said one direction relative to said support means.

Claim 13

A thermostatic valve construction as set forth in claim 9 wherein a spring retainer is carried by said first part of said temperature-responsive device and is disposed between said first spring means and said second shoulder means.

Claim 14

In combination, a housing means having an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber interconnected together by a passage means, a thermostatic valve construction carried by said housing means and having a support means spanning said passage means, said support means Having a valve seat for interconnecting said inlet chamber with said outlet chamber, a temperature-responsive device having a first part fixed to said support means and having a second part movable relative to said support means in response to temperature sensed by said device, a movable valve member for opening and closing said valve seat, first compression spring means disposed between and against said first part of said device and said valve member to tend to move said valve member to its closed position, and second compression spring means disposed between and against said valve member and said second part of said device to tend to move said valve member to its open position when said second spring means is under compression, said second part of said device being adapted to compress said second spring means a predetermined amount before causing said valve member to open in opposition to the force of said first spring means when said device senses a predetermined temperature and a particular pressure differential exists across said valve member.

Claim 15

In combination, a housing means having an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber interconnected together by a passage means, a thermostatic valve construction carried by said housing means and having a support means spanning said passage means, said support means Having a valve seat for interconnecting said inlet chamber with said outlet chamber, a temperature-responsive device having a first part fixed to said support means and having a second part movable relative to said support means in response to temperature sensed by said device, a movable valve member for opening and closing said valve seat, first compression spring means disposed between and against said first part of said device and said valve member to tend to move said valve member to its closed position, and second compression spring means disposed between and against said valve member and said second part of said device to tend to move said valve member to its open position when said second spring means is under compression, said second part of said device being adapted to compress said second spring means a predetermined amount before causing said valve member to open in opposition to the force of said first spring means when said device senses a predetermined temperature and a particular pressure differential exists across said valve member.

Claim 16

A combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein said second spring means comprises a spider spring.

Claim 17

A combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein said second spring means is adapted to bottom out against said valve member when said second spring means is compressed a certain amount.

Claim 18

A combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein said first part of said temperature-responsive device carries an outwardly directed spring retainer, said first spring means having one end thereof bearing against said retainer.

Claim 19

In combination, a housing means having an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber interconnected together by a passage means, a thermostatic valve construction carried by said housing means and having a support means spanning said passage means, said support means having a valve seat for interconnecting said inlet chamber with said outlet chamber, a temperature-responsive device having a first part fixed to said support means and having a second part movable relative to said support means in response to temperature sensed by said device, a movable valve member for opening and closing said valve seat, first compression spring means disposed between said first part of said device and said valve member to tend to move said valve member to its closed position, and second compression spring means disposed between said valve member and said second part of said device to tend to move said valve member to its open position when said second spring means is under compression, said second part of said device being adapted to compress said second spring means a predetermined amount before causing said valve member to open in opposition to the force of said first spring means when said device senses a predetermined temperature and a particular pressure differential exists across said valve member, said first part of said temperature-responsive device carrying an outwardly directed spring retainer, said first spring means having one end thereof bearing against said spring retainer, said valve member having a cylinder portion, said spring retainer being disposed in said cylinder portion and sealing the same on opposite sides of said spring retainer.

Claim 20

In combination, a housing means having an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber interconnected together by a passage means, a thermostatic valve construction carried by said housing means and having a support means spanning said passage means, said support means having a valve seat for interconnecting said inlet chamber with said outlet chamber, a temperature-responsive device having a first part fixed to said support means and having a second part movable relative to said support means in response to temperature sensed by said device, a movable valve member for opening and closing said valve seat, first compression spring means disposed between said first part of said device and said valve member to tend to move said valve member to its closed position, and second compression spring means disposed between said valve member and said second part of said device to tend to move said valve member to its open position when said second spring means is under compression, said second part of said device being adapted to compress said second spring means a predetermined amount before causing said valve member to open in opposition to the force of said first spring means when said device senses a predetermined temperature and a particular pressure differential exists across said valve member, said first part of said temperature-responsive device carrying an outwardly directed spring retainer, said first spring means having one end thereof bearing against said spring retainer, said valve member having a cylinder portion, said spring retainer being disposed in said cylinder portion and sealing the same on opposite sides of said spring retainer.

Claim 21

A combination as set forth in claim 15 wherein said spring retainer carries an annular sealing member bearing against said cylinder portion for said sealing purposes while permitting movement therebetween.

Claim 22

A combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein said first part of said temperature-responsive device projects through said valve seat.

Claim 23

In combination, a housing means having an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber interconnected together by a passage means, a thermostatic valve construction carried by said housing means and having a support means spanning said passage means, said support means having a valve seat for interconnecting said inlet chamber with said outlet chamber, a temperature-responsive device having a first part fixed to said support means and having a Second part movable relative to said support means in response to temperature sensed by said device, a movable valve member for opening and closing said valve seat, first compression spring means disposed between said first part of said device and said valve member to tend to move said valve member to its closed position, and second compression spring means disposed between said valve member and said second part of said device to tend to move said valve member to its open position when said second spring means is under compression, said second part of said device being adapted to compress said second spring means a predetermined amount before causing said valve member to open in opposition to the force of said first spring means when said device senses a predetermined temperature and a particular pressure differential exists across said valve member, said first part of said temperature-responsive device projecting through said valve seat, said first part of said temperature-responsive device having a shoulder means, said support means having an abutment means abutting said shoulder means to prevent movement of said first part of said temperature-responsive device in one direction relative to said support means.

Claim 24

In combination, a housing means having an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber interconnected together by a passage means, a thermostatic valve construction carried by said housing means and having a support means spanning said passage means, said support means having a valve seat for interconnecting said inlet chamber with said outlet chamber, a temperature-responsive device having a first part fixed to said support means and having a Second part movable relative to said support means in response to temperature sensed by said device, a movable valve member for opening and closing said valve seat, first compression spring means disposed between said first part of said device and said valve member to tend to move said valve member to its closed position, and second compression spring means disposed between said valve member and said second part of said device to tend to move said valve member to its open position when said second spring means is under compression, said second part of said device being adapted to compress said second spring means a predetermined amount before causing said valve member to open in opposition to the force of said first spring means when said device senses a predetermined temperature and a particular pressure differential exists across said valve member, said first part of said temperature-responsive device projecting through said valve seat, said first part of said temperature-responsive device having a shoulder means, said support means having an abutment means abutting said shoulder means to prevent movement of said first part of said temperature-responsive device in one direction relative to said support means.

Claim 25

A combination as set forth in claim 18 wherein said first part of said temperature-responsive device has another shoulder means spaced from said first-named shoulder means, said first spring means effectively bearing against said second shoulder means to tend to prevent movement of said first part of said temperature-responsive device in the opposite direction to said one direction relative to said support means.

Claim 26

A combination as set forth in claim 19 wherein a spring retainer is carried by said first part of said temperature-responsive device and is disposed between said first spring means and said second shoulder means.