Condition change indicator

Claim 2

A temperature indicator comprising: a pair of chambers; channel means extended between said chambers to provide communication therebetween; valve means to be placed in two positions in said channel means, in a first position of which it closes the channel means and in the second position of which it does not, said valve means comprising non-return means to prevent placing the valve means in the first position after it has been placed in the second position; and means responsive to different temperatures to permit or prevent entry into one chamber of substance supplied from the other chamber via the channel means.

Claim 3

The temperature indicator of claim 1 wherein the valve means is a body with an internal passage, displaceable from the first position in which the passage is not in alignment with the channel means to the second position in which it is in alignment.

Claim 4

The indicator of claim 2 wherein the valve means comprises two bodies spaced along the channel means, each having a passage and each being displaceable from a position in which its respective passage is not in alignment in one in which it is in alignment with the channel means.

Claim 5

The indicator of claim 2 wherein the body is displaceable by sliding the body in a plane that is angularly oriented relative to the longitudinal axis of the channel means.

Claim 6

The indicator of claim 2 wherein the body is displaceable by rotation of at least a part of the body within the channel means.

Claim 7

The indicator of claim 2 wherein the non-return means comprises a compressible flange, at least a portion of said flange being compressed within the channel means when the valve means is in the first position.

Claim 8

The indicator of claim 6 wherein one of said chambers contains, while the valve means is in non-aligned position, the first substance which is capable of changing between the solid and the fluid states at a predetermined temperature.

Claim 9

The indicator of claim 7 wherein the other chamber contains, while the valve means is in its non-aligned position, a second substance distinctively different from that in the one chamber.

Claim 10

The indicator of claim 8 wherein the first and second substances are such that their mixture is distinctively different from the first substance.

Claim 11

The indicator of claim 8 wherein the second substance is capable of flowing into the second chamber at temperatures above and below the predetermined temperature.

Claim 12

The indicator of claim 6 wherein at least a portion of the flange expands into one of said chambers when the valve means is in the said second position to prevent the valve means from being returned to the first position.

Claim 13

The indicator of claim 7 wherein the first substance changes from a solid to a fluid at the predetermined temperature.

Claim 14

The indicator of claim 7 wherein the first substance changes from a fluid to a solid at the predetermined temperature.

Claim 15

A temperature indicator comprising: a pair of chambers; means to provide communication between said chambers; means to be placed in two positions with respect to the communication providing means in one position of which it closes the communication providing means and in the other of which it does not, the two-position means comprising a body with an internal passage, displaceable from a position in which the passage is not in alignment with the communication providing means to one in which it is in alignment, means for making the displacement irreversible; means responsive to different temperatures to permit or prevent entry into one chamber of substance supplied from the other chamber via the communication means; a first of said pair of chambers containing, while the two-position means is in non-aligned position, a first substance which is capable of changing between the solid and the fluid states at a predetermined temperature; the second of said pair of chambers containing, while the two-position means is in its non-aligned position, a second substance distinctly different from that in the first chamber, the second substance is capable of flowing into the second chamber at temperatures above and below the predetermined temperature, the second substance being a finely divided solid as colored sand or fine glass beads.

Claim 16

A temperature indicator comprising: a pair of chambers; means to provide communication between said chambers; means to be placed in two positions with respect to the communication providing means in one position of which it closes the communication providing means and in the other of which it does not, the two-position means comprising a body with an internal passage, displaceable from a position in which the passage is not in alignment with the communication providing means to one in which it is in alignment, means for making the displacement irreversible; means responsive to different temperatures to permit or prevent entry into one chamber of substance supplied from the other chamber via the communication means; a first of said pair of chambers containing, while the two-position means is in non-aligned position, a first substance which is capable of changing between the solid and the fluid states at a predetermined temperature; the second of said pair of chambers containing, while the two-position means is in its non-aligned position, a second substance distinctly different from that in the first chamber, the second substance is capable of flowing into the second chamber at temperatures above and below the predetermined temperature, the second substance being a finely divided solid as colored sand or fine glass beads.

Claim 17

A temperature indicator comprising: a pair of chambers; channel means to provide communication between said chambers; valve means to be placed in two positions with respect to the channel means, a first position of which it closes the channel means and in the second position of which it does not, said valve means comprising a body with an internal passage, said body being displaceable from the first position in which the passage is not in alignment with the channel means to the second position in which it is in alignment, said valve means further comprising a plug positioned in the passage and constructed so as to be solid below a predetermined temperature and fluid above that temperature; and means responsive to different temperatures to permit or prevent entry into one chamber of substance supplied from the other chamber via the channel means.

Claim 18

A temperature indicator comprising: a pair of chambers; channel means to provide communication between said chambers; valve means to be placed in two positions with respect to the channel means, a first position of which it closes the channel means and in the second position of which it does not, said valve means comprising a body with an internal passage, said body being displaceable from the first position in which the passage is not in alignment with the channel means to the second position in which it is in alignment, said valve means further comprising a plug positioned in the passage and constructed so as to be solid below a predetermined temperature and fluid above that temperature; and means responsive to different temperatures to permit or prevent entry into one chamber of substance supplied from the other chamber via the channel means.

Claim 19

A temperature indicator comprising: a pair of chambers; channel means to provide communication between said chambers; valve means to be placed in two positions with respect to the channel means, a first position of which it closes the channel means and in the second position of which it does not, said valve means comprising a body with an internal passage, said body being displaceable from the first position in which the passage is not in alignment with the channel means to the second position in which it is in alignment, said valve means further comprising a plug positioned in the passage and adapted to be expelled therefrom by expansion the substance in one of said chambers; and means responsive to different temperatures to permit or prevent entry into one chamber of substance supplied from the other chamber via the channel means.

Claim 20

A temperature indicator comprising: a pair of chambers; channel means to provide communication between said chambers; valve means to be placed in two positions with respect to the channel means, a first position of which it closes the channel means and in the second position of which it does not, said valve means comprising a body with an internal passage, said body being displaceable from the first position in which the passage is not in alignment with the channel means to the second position in which it is in alignment, said valve means further comprising a plug positioned in the passage and adapted to be expelled therefrom by expansion the substance in one of said chambers; and means responsive to different temperatures to permit or prevent entry into one chamber of substance supplied from the other chamber via the channel means.

Claim 21

A temperature indicator comprising: a pair of chambers; channel means to provide communication between said chambers; valve means to be placed in two positions with respect to the channel means, a first position of which it closes the channel means and in the second position of which it does not, said valve means comprising a body with an internal passage, said body being displaceable from the first position in which the passage is not in alignment with the channel means to the second position in which it is in alignment, said valve means comprising two bodies spaced along the channel means, each having a passage and each being displaceable from a position in which its respective passage is not in alignment to one in which it is in alignment with the channel means, said valve means comprising a plug positioned between the two bodies in channel means and constructed to be solid below a predetermined temperature and fluid above that temperature; and means responsive to different temperatures to permit or prevent entry into one chamber of substance supplied from the other chamber via the channel means.

Claim 22

A temperature indicator comprising: a pair of chambers; channel means to provide communication between said chambers; valve means to be placed in two positions with respect to the channel means, a first position of which it closes the channel means and in the second position of which it does not, said valve means comprising a body with an internal passage, said body being displaceable from the first position in which the passage is not in alignment with the channel means to the second position in which it is in alignment, said valve means comprising two bodies spaced along the channel means, each having a passage and each being displaceable from a position in which its respective passage is not in alignment to one in which it is in alignment with the channel means, said valve means comprising a plug positioned between the two bodies in channel means and constructed to be solid below a predetermined temperature and fluid above that temperature; and means responsive to different temperatures to permit or prevent entry into one chamber of substance supplied from the other chamber via the channel means.