Pilot operated fluid control valve

Claim 2

A pilot operated fluid control valve comprising a valve body including a base section and a closure section, said base section having an inlet and an outlet with a valve seat therebetween, a flexible diaphragm cooperating with said seat to control the flow of fluid from said inlet to said outlet and having means defining a bypass port, a movable valve member supported by said closure section for movement between an open position and a closed position relative to said port to control the movement of said diaphragm by differential pressure across said diaphragm, an elongated actuating lever, means including a flexible seal on said closure section of said valve body for supporting an intermediate portion of said lever for pivotal movement of said lever, means connecting the inner end portion of said lever to said valve member, a bimetallic actuating element supported entirely by said closure section of said valve body, means for heating said actuating element to effect movement of an actuating portion of said element between a normal position and a heated position, means for moving the outer end portion of said lever in response to movement of said actuating portion of said element between said normal and heated positions to effect movement of said valve member between said open and closed positions, said latter means including a spring connected to said lever and effective to cause relatively rapid movement of said lever and said valve member in response to slower movement of said actuating portion of said element, and said spring is supported entirely by said closure section of said valve body.

Claim 3

A valve as defined in claim 1 including means on said closure section of said valve body for forming a protective surface for said bimatallic actuating element in said normal position.

Claim 4

A valve member as defined in claim 2 wherein said closure section includes a substantially flat wall adjacent said actuating element to provide said protective surface.

Claim 5

A valve as defined in claim 1 wherein said spring extends between said lever and said actuating portion of said actuating element.

Claim 6

A valve as defined in claim 1 wherein said closure section includes means forming a pivotal support for a first portion of said spring, and said spring has a second portion pivotally connected to said outer end portion of said lever.

Claim 7

A valve as defined in claim 1 wherein said lever has a diameter less than 1/16 inch.

Claim 8

A valve as defined in claim 1 wherein said spring comprises a curved sheet metal leaf spring.

Claim 9

A valve as defined in claim 1 wherein said closure section of said valve body includes a set of generally parallel spaced flange portions, and said actuating portion of said actuating element projects between said flange portions when moving between said normal and heated positions.

Claim 10

A pilot operated fluid control valve comprising a valve body including a base section and a closure section, means for removably securing said closure section to said base section, said base section having an inlet and an outlet with a valve seat therebetween, a flexible diaphragm cooperating with said seat to control the flow of fluid from said inlet to said outlet and having means defining a bypass port, a valve member supported by said closure section for movement between an open position and a closed position relative to said port to control the movement of said diaphragm by differential pressure across said diaphragm, an elongated actuating lever, means including a flexible seal on said closure section of said valve body for supporting an intermediate portion of said lever for pivotal movement of said lever, means connecting the inner end portion of said lever to said valve member, an elongated bimetallic actuating element including a set of leg portions connected by a head portion, means for securing said leg portions to said closure section of said valve body, means for connecting said actuating element as a resistance within an electrical circuit to effect heating of said element and movement of said head portion between a normal position and a heated position, means for moving the outer end portion of said lever in response to movement of said head portion of said actuating element between said normal and heated positions to effect movement of said valve member between said open and closed positions, said latter means including a spring connected to said lever and effective to cause relatively rapid movement of said lever and said valve member in response to slower movement of said head portion of said actuating element, and said actuating element and said spring are adapted to be carried by said closure section when said closure section is removed from said base section of said valve body.

Claim 11

A pilot operated fluid control valve comprising a valve body including a base section and a closure section, means for removably securing said closure section to said base section, said base section having an inlet and an outlet with a valve seat therebetween, a flexible diaphragm cooperating with said seat to control the flow of fluid from said inlet to said outlet and having means defining a bypass port, a valve member supported by said closure section for movement between an open position and a closed position relative to said port to control the movement of said diaphragm by differential pressure across said diaphragm, an elongated actuating lever, means including a flexible seal on said closure section of said valve body for supporting an intermediate portion of said lever for pivotal movement of said lever, means connecting the inner end portion of said lever to said valve member, an elongated bimetallic actuating element including a set of leg portions connected by a head portion, means for securing said leg portions to said closure section of said valve body, means for connecting said actuating element as a resistance within an electrical circuit to effect heating of said element and movement of said head portion between a normal position and a heated position, means for moving the outer end portion of said lever in response to movement of said head portion of said actuating element between said normal and heated positions to effect movement of said valve member between said open and closed positions, said latter means including a spring connected to said lever and effective to cause relatively rapid movement of said lever and said valve member in response to slower movement of said head portion of said actuating element, and said actuating element and said spring are adapted to be carried by said closure section when said closure section is removed from said base section of said valve body.

Claim 12

A pilot operated fluid control valve comprising a valve body including a base section and a closure section, means for removably securing said closure section to said base section, said base section having an inlet and an outlet with a valve seat therebetween, a flexible diaphragm cooperating with said seat to control the flow of fluid from said inlet to said outlet and having means defining a bypass port, a valve member supported by said closure section for generally linear movement on an axis between an open position and a closed position relative to said port to control the movement of said diaphragm by differential pressure across said diaphragm, an elongated actuating lever extending generally normal to said axis, means including a flexible seal on said closure section of said valve body for supporting an intermediate portion of said lever for pivotal movement of said lever, means connecting the inner end portion of said lever to said valve member, an elongated bimetallic actuating element supported by said closure section of said valve body and positioned generally normal to said axis of said valve member, means for heating said actuating element to effect movement of an actuating portion of said element between a normal position and a heated position, means for moving the outer end portion of said lever in response to movement of said actuating portion of said element between said normal and heated positions to effect movement of said valve member between said open and closed positions, said latter means including a spring connected to said lever and effective to cause relatively rapid movement of said lever and said valve member in response to slower movement of said actuating portion of said element, and said actuating element and said spring are adapted to be carried by said closure section when said closure section is removed from said base section of said valve body.

Claim 13

A pilot operated fluid control valve comprising a valve body including a base section and a closure section, means for removably securing said closure section to said base section, said base section having an inlet and an outlet with a valve seat therebetween, a flexible diaphragm cooperating with said seat to control the flow of fluid from said inlet to said outlet and having means defining a bypass port, a valve member supported by said closure section for generally linear movement on an axis between an open position and a closed position relative to said port to control the movement of said diaphragm by differential pressure across said diaphragm, an elongated actuating lever extending generally normal to said axis, means including a flexible seal on said closure section of said valve body for supporting an intermediate portion of said lever for pivotal movement of said lever, means connecting the inner end portion of said lever to said valve member, an elongated bimetallic actuating element supported by said closure section of said valve body and positioned generally normal to said axis of said valve member, means for heating said actuating element to effect movement of an actuating portion of said element between a normal position and a heated position, means for moving the outer end portion of said lever in response to movement of said actuating portion of said element between said normal and heated positions to effect movement of said valve member between said open and closed positions, said latter means including a spring connected to said lever and effective to cause relatively rapid movement of said lever and said valve member in response to slower movement of said actuating portion of said element, and said actuating element and said spring are adapted to be carried by said closure section when said closure section is removed from said base section of said valve body.

Claim 14

A valve as defined in claim 10 wherein said spring has one portion engaging said outer end portion of said lever and a second portion engaging said actuating portion of said actuating element.

Claim 15

A pilot operated fluid control valve comprising a valve body including a base section and a closure section, said base section having an inlet and an outlet with a valve seat therebetween, a flexible diaphragm cooperating with said seat to control the flow of fluid from said inlet to said outlet and having means defining a bypass port, a movable valve member supported by said closure section for movement between an open position and a closed position relative to said port to control the movement of said diaphragm by differential pressure across said diaphragm, an elongated actuating lever, means including a flexible seal on said closure section of said valve body for supporting an intermediate portion of said lever for pivotal movement of said lever, means connecting the inner end portion of said lever to said valve member, a bimetallic actuating element supported by said valve body, means for heating said actuating element to effect movement of an actuating portion of said element between a normal position and a heated position, means for moving the outer end portion of said lever in response to movement of said actuating portion of said element between said normal and heated positions to effect movement of said valve member between said open and closed positions, said latter means including a spring extending between said lever and said actuating portion of said element and effective to cause relatively rapid movement of said lever and said valve member in response to slower movement of said actuating element.

Claim 16

A pilot operated fluid control valve comprising a valve body including a base section and a closure section, said base section having an inlet and an outlet with a valve seat therebetween, a flexible diaphragm cooperating with said seat to control the flow of fluid from said inlet to said outlet and having means defining a bypass port, a movable valve member supported by said closure section for movement between an open position and a closed position relative to said port to control the movement of said diaphragm by differential pressure across said diaphragm, an elongated actuating lever, means including a flexible seal on said closure section of said valve body for supporting an intermediate portion of said lever for pivotal movement of said lever, means connecting the inner end portion of said lever to said valve member, a bimetallic actuating element supported by said valve body, means for heating said actuating element to effect movement of an actuating portion of said element between a normal position and a heated position, means for moving the outer end portion of said lever in response to movement of said actuating portion of said element between said normal and heated positions to effect movement of said valve member between said open and closed positions, said latter means including a spring extending between said lever and said actuating portion of said element and effective to cause relatively rapid movement of said lever and said valve member in response to slower movement of said actuating element.

Claim 17

A pilot operated fluid control valve comprising a valve body including a base section and a closure section, means for securing said closure section to said base section, said base section having an inlet and an outlet with a valve seat therebetween, a flexible diaphragm cooperating with said seat to control the flow of fluid from said inlet to said outlet and having means defining a bypass port, a movable valve member supported by said closure section for movement between an open position and a closed position relative to said port to control the movement of said diaphragm by differential pressure across said diaphragm, a bimetallic actuating element supported by said closure section of said valve body, means for heating said actuating element to effect movement of an actuating portion of said element between a normal position and a heated position, means for moving said valve member between said open and closed positions in response to movement of said actuating portion of said element between said normal and heated positions, and said latter means having a spring actuation effective to cause snap-like movement of said valve member at least to said closed position.

Claim 18

A pilot operated fluid control valve comprising a valve body including a base section and a closure section, means for securing said closure section to said base section, said base section having an inlet and an outlet with a valve seat therebetween, a flexible diaphragm cooperating with said seat to control the flow of fluid from said inlet to said outlet and having means defining a bypass port, a movable valve member supported by said closure section for movement between an open position and a closed position relative to said port to control the movement of said diaphragm by differential pressure across said diaphragm, a bimetallic actuating element supported by said closure section of said valve body, means for heating said actuating element to effect movement of an actuating portion of said element between a normal position and a heated position, means for moving said valve member between said open and closed positions in response to movement of said actuating portion of said element between said normal and heated positions, and said latter means having a spring actuation effective to cause snap-like movement of said valve member at least to said closed position.