Condition responsive control devices

Claim 2

A condition responsive control device comprising a housing; control valve means including a projecting valve seat formed in said housing, a valve member having a soft valve face cooperating with said valve seat to control flow therethrough, and rigid shoulder means disposed adjacent said valve seat; condition responsive means including an actuator member movable with changes in the condition being sensed; lever means pivotally mounted in said housing to engage said actuator member and having a rigid operating end carrying said valve member and defining a rigid abutment surface; said operating end having an aperature for receiving the projecting valve seat and having an underside surface portion surrounding the aperature; a valve clip secured to the underside of the operating end for sandwiching an edge portion of the soft valve face against the underside surface portion over the aperature; and magnetic means including an armature carried by said lever means and a magnet mounted in said housing adjacent said control valve means, said abutment surface engaging said shoulder means when said control valve means is closed to define a fixed gap between said magnet and said armature.

Claim 3

The condition responsive control device as recited in claim 1 wherein said lever means includes a thrust lever engaging said actuator member, first fulcrum means pivotally mounting said thrust lever in said housing, a valve lever having a first end defining said operating end of said lever means and a second end engaging said thrust lever, and second fulcrum means pivotally mounting said valve lever in said housing.

Claim 4

The condition responsive control device as recited in claim 2 wherein said lever means includes bias means applying a force to said valve lever between said second fulcrum means and said second end.

Claim 5

The condition responsive control device as recited in claim 3 wherein said second fulcrum means is disposed on a second side of said valve lever opposite a first side of said valve lever engaging said bias means.

Claim 6

A condition responsive control device comprising a housing; control valve means including a valve seat formed in said housing, a valve member cooperating with said valve seat to control flow therethrough and shoulder means disposed adjacent said valve seat; condition responsive means including an actuator member movable with changes in the condition being sensed; lever means pivotally mounted in said housing to engage said actuator member and having an operating end carrying said valve member and an abutment surface, said valve member being recessed relative to said abutment surface, said lever means including a thrust lever engaging said actuator member, first fulcrum means pivotally mounting said thrust lever in said housing, a valve lever having a first end defining said operating end of said lever means and a second end engaging said thrust lever, second fulcrum means pivotally mounting said valve lever in said housing, said second fulcrum means including first and second spaced slotted walls in said housing, said valve lever having first and second lugs received in said slots in said first and second walls, respectively, and bias means including a helical spring mounted in compression to bias said lugs against ends of said slots; and magnetic means including an armature carried by said lever means and a magnet mounted in said housing adjacent said control valve means, said abutment surface engaging said shoulder means when said control valve means is closed to define a fixed gap between said magnet and said armature.

Claim 7

A condition responsive control device comprising a housing; control valve means including a valve seat formed in said housing, a valve member cooperating with said valve seat to control flow therethrough and shoulder means disposed adjacent said valve seat; condition responsive means including an actuator member movable with changes in the condition being sensed; lever means pivotally mounted in said housing to engage said actuator member and having an operating end carrying said valve member and an abutment surface, said valve member being recessed relative to said abutment surface, said lever means including a thrust lever engaging said actuator member, first fulcrum means pivotally mounting said thrust lever in said housing, a valve lever having a first end defining said operating end of said lever means and a second end engaging said thrust lever, second fulcrum means pivotally mounting said valve lever in said housing, said second fulcrum means including first and second spaced slotted walls in said housing, said valve lever having first and second lugs received in said slots in said first and second walls, respectively, and bias means including a helical spring mounted in compression to bias said lugs against ends of said slots; and magnetic means including an armature carried by said lever means and a magnet mounted in said housing adjacent said control valve means, said abutment surface engaging said shoulder means when said control valve means is closed to define a fixed gap between said magnet and said armature.

Claim 8

The condition responsive control device as recited in claim 5 wherein said valve lever has an aperture in said operating end with said abutment surface extending marginally around said aperture, and said valve means includes a soft valve face mounted on said operating end across said aperture, said aperture having a configuration to receive said valve seat therein to seal with said valve face.

Claim 9

The condition responsive control device as recited in claim 5 wherein said operating end of said lever means has an aperture therein with said abutment surface extending marginally around said aperture, and said valve means includes a soft valve face mounted on said operating end across said aperture, said aperture having a configuration to receive said valve seat therein to seal with said valve face.

Claim 10

The condition responsive control device as recited in claim 6 wherein said valve lever is made of a ferromagnetic material to form said armature and said magnet is adjustably mounted in said housing to permit adjustment of the gap between said magnet and said valve lever.

Claim 11

The condition responsive control device as recited in claim 8 wherein said valve lever has a lateral slot therein, said first fulcrum means includes a fulcrum bracket having a base mounting said helical spring, an upstanding leg extending through said lateral slot in said valve lever, and a bent tongue at the end of said leg, and thrust lever has a first end supported on said bent tongue and a second end engaging said second end of said valve lever, said actuator member engaging said thrust lever between said first and second ends thereof closer to said first end.

Claim 12

The condition responsive control device as recited in claim 9 wherein said condition responsive means includes a hydraulic temperature sensing assembly including a sensing bulb, a capillary tube and a power element filled with a thermally expansible fluid.

Claim 13

The condition responsive control device as recited in claim 9 wherein said condition responsive means includes a bimetal member having a pair of spaced legs interconnected by a curved body.

Claim 14

The condition responsive control device as recited in claim 11 wherein said condition responsive means includes a spring mounted in compression between said spaced legs, the ends of said spaced legs being closer together when said spring is removed than when said spring is mounted therebetween.

Claim 15

The condition responsive control device as recited in claim 1 wherein said condition responsive means includes a hydraulic temperature sensing assembly including a sensing bulb, a capillary tube and a power element filled with a thermally expansible fluid.

Claim 16

The condition responsive control device as recited in claim 1 wherein said condition responsive means includes a temperature adjustment screw spaced from said actuator member and a bimetal member having a pair of spaced legs engaging said adjustment screw and said actuator member, respectively, and a curved body interconnecting said spaced legs.

Claim 17

The condition responsive control device as recited in claim 14 wherein said condition responsive means includes a spring mounted in compression between said spaced legs, the ends of said spaced legs being closer together when said spring is removed than when said spring is mounted therebetween.

Claim 18

A condition responsive control device comprising a housing; control valve means including a valve seat formed in said housing, a valve member cooperating with said valve seat to control flow therethrough and shoulder means disposed adjacent said valve seat; condition responsive means including an actuator member movable with changes in the condition being sensed; lever means pivotally mounted in said housing to engage said actuator member and having an operating end carrying said valve member and an abutment surface, said valve member being recessed relative to said abutment surface; and magnetic means including an armature carried by said lever means and a magnet mounted in said housing adjacent said control valve means, said abutment surface engaging said shoulder means when said control valve means is closed to define a fixed gap between said magnet and said armature, said operating end of said lever means having an aperture therein with said abutment surface extending marginally around said aperture, and said valve means including a soft valve face mounted on said operating end across said aperture, said aperture having a configuration to receive said valve seat therein to seal with said valve face.

Claim 19

A condition responsive control device comprising a housing; control valve means including a valve seat formed in said housing, a valve member cooperating with said valve seat to control flow therethrough and shoulder means disposed adjacent said valve seat; condition responsive means including an actuator member movable with changes in the condition being sensed; lever means pivotally mounted in said housing to engage said actuator member and having an operating end carrying said valve member and an abutment surface, said valve member being recessed relative to said abutment surface; and magnetic means including an armature carried by said lever means and a magnet mounted in said housing adjacent said control valve means, said abutment surface engaging said shoulder means when said control valve means is closed to define a fixed gap between said magnet and said armature, said operating end of said lever means having an aperture therein with said abutment surface extending marginally around said aperture, and said valve means including a soft valve face mounted on said operating end across said aperture, said aperture having a configuration to receive said valve seat therein to seal with said valve face.

Claim 20

The condition responsive control device as recited in claim 16 wherein said lever means includes a thrust lever engaging said actuator member, first fulcrum means pivotally mounting said thrust lever in said housing, a valve lever having a first end defining said operating end of said lever means and a second end engaging said thrust lever, and second fulcrum means pivotally mounting said valve lever in said housing.

Claim 21

The condition responsive control device as recited in claim 17 wherein said lever means includes bias means applying a force to said valve lever between said second fulcrum means and said second end, said second fulcrum means being disposed on a second side of said valve lever opposite said first side of said valve lever engaging said bias means.