Thermostatically operated valve assembly

Claim 2

In a thermostatic control device, the combination comprising a casing having inlet and outlet port means and a flow passage therebetween, main valve means movable between open and closed positions in said flow passage for controlling a main flow therethrough, said main valve means including a fixed valve seat in said casing and a movable valve member cooperating with said fixed valve seat, supplemental valve means carried by said main valve means to permit a supplemental flow through said flow passage when said main valve means is in its closed position, said supplemental valve means including a valve seAt on said movable member and a movable valve element cooperating therewith, snap acting means operatively disposed adjacent said main and supplemental valve means, thermal responsive means operatively connected to said snap acting means for moving the same between actuated and released positions in accordance with predetermined temperature variations, said snap acting means having an initial snap movement applying an impact force on said supplemental valve means for opening the same with a snap action and having a subsequent gradual movement applying a gradually increasing force on said main valve means for opening the same with a gradual action, and spring means biasing both said main and supplemental valve means to closed positions when said snap acting means is released by said thermal responsive means, said spring means including a pair of coil springs acting in opposition to each other on opposite sides of said valve element, one of said coil springs exerting a relatively low biasing force on said valve element and the other of said coil springs exerting a relatively high biasing force on said valve element whereby said valve element and said movable valve member are normally closed on said supplemental valve seat and said fixed valve seat, respectively.

Claim 3

The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein said movable valve member includes a stem having a flow chamber and outlet means from said chamber communicating with said flow passage downstream of said fixed valve seat, and wherein said supplemental valve means is disposed upstream of said fixed valve seat to control the supplemental flow to said flow chamber.

Claim 4

The invention as recited in claim 2 wherein said valve element includes a plunger slidably extending through the stem of said movable valve member whereby said movable valve member and said valve element are concentrically arranged.

Claim 5

In a thermostatic control device, the combination comprising a casing having inlet and outlet port means and a flow passage therebetween, main valve means including a fixed valve seat in said casing and a movable valve member cooperating with said fixed valve seat through said flow passage, said movable valve member including a stem having a flow chamber and outlet means from said flow chamber communicating with said flow passage downstream of said fixed valve seat, supplemental valve means carried by said main valve means to permit a supplemental flow through said flow passage when said main valve means is in its closed position, snap acting means operatively disposed adjacent said main and supplemental valve means, thermal responsive means operatively connected to said snap acting means for moving the same between actuated and released positions in accordance with predetermined temperature variations, said snap acting means having an initial snap movement applying an impact force on said supplemental valve means for opening the same with a snap action and having a subsequent gradual movement applying a gradually increasing force on said main valve means for opening the same with a gradual action, said supplemental valve means including a supplemental valve seat on said movable valve member defining inlet means for said chamber and a valve element cooperating with said supplemental valve seat to control the supplemental flow to said flow chamber, said valve element including a plunger slidably extending through the stem of said movable valve member whereby said movable valve member and said valve element are concentrically arranged, spring means biasing both said main and supplemental valve means to closed positions when said snap acting means is released by said thermal responsive means, said spring means including a pair of coil springs acting in opposition to each other on opposite sides of said valve element, one of said coil springs exerting a relatively low biasing force on said valve element and the other of said coil springs exerting a relAtively high biasing force on said valve element whereby said valve element and said movable valve member are normally closed on said supplemental valve seat and said fixed valve seat, respectively.

Claim 6

In a thermostatic control device, the combination comprising a casing having inlet and outlet port means and a flow passage therebetween, main valve means including a fixed valve seat in said casing and a movable valve member cooperating with said fixed valve seat through said flow passage, said movable valve member including a stem having a flow chamber and outlet means from said flow chamber communicating with said flow passage downstream of said fixed valve seat, supplemental valve means carried by said main valve means to permit a supplemental flow through said flow passage when said main valve means is in its closed position, snap acting means operatively disposed adjacent said main and supplemental valve means, thermal responsive means operatively connected to said snap acting means for moving the same between actuated and released positions in accordance with predetermined temperature variations, said snap acting means having an initial snap movement applying an impact force on said supplemental valve means for opening the same with a snap action and having a subsequent gradual movement applying a gradually increasing force on said main valve means for opening the same with a gradual action, said supplemental valve means including a supplemental valve seat on said movable valve member defining inlet means for said chamber and a valve element cooperating with said supplemental valve seat to control the supplemental flow to said flow chamber, said valve element including a plunger slidably extending through the stem of said movable valve member whereby said movable valve member and said valve element are concentrically arranged, spring means biasing both said main and supplemental valve means to closed positions when said snap acting means is released by said thermal responsive means, said spring means including a pair of coil springs acting in opposition to each other on opposite sides of said valve element, one of said coil springs exerting a relatively low biasing force on said valve element and the other of said coil springs exerting a relAtively high biasing force on said valve element whereby said valve element and said movable valve member are normally closed on said supplemental valve seat and said fixed valve seat, respectively.

Claim 7

The invention as recited in claim 4 wherein said valve element is supplied with a force by said snap acting means, when in its actuated position, engaging said plunger to supplement the relatively low biasing force to overcome the relatively high biasing force on said valve element and hold the same in an open position independently of said movable valve member.

Claim 8

The invention as recited in claim 5 wherein said stem is engaged by said snap acting means after said valve element is moved to an open position and is gradually moved relative to said fixed valve seat in accordance with the gradual movement of said snap acting means.