Control circuit and adjustable valve for a gas appliance

Claim 2

A fluid valve, comprising a fluid-tight housing having an inlet and an outlet, a valve element in said housing movable between respective positions to open and to close said outlet, a valve actuator normally maintaining said valve element in one of said positions and energizable to move said valve element to the other of said positions, mounting structure extending through an opening in said housing, said mounting structure including resilient seal means providing for limited pivotal movement of said mounting structure within such opening, said valve actuator being supported by said mounting structure for pivotal movement therewith, and adjustment means operable exteriorly of said housing for effecting such pivotal movement of said mounting structure and valve actuator supported thereby.

Claim 3

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 1, said valve actuator comprising an elongated member having a deenergized condition for normally applying a mechanical bias force to said valve element to maintain said outlet closed, the magnitude of such mechanical bias force being dependent on the pivotal relation of said mounting structure and said housing.

Claim 4

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 2, said valve actuator comprising a heat warpable material and an electric heater for heating said material when energized to cause said material to bend in a direction to effect opening of said outlet.

Claim 5

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 3, said material comprising first and second bimetal elements secured at their juncture, said valve element being attached to one of said bimetal elements in its end remote from said juncture, and the other of said bimetal elements being secured at its end remote from said juncture to said mounting structure.

Claim 6

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 2, said adjustment means comprising a rigid lever in said housing connected to said mounting structure for pivoting said mounting structure with respect to said housing, and actuating means extending in fluid sealed relationship through said housing and selectively operable for adjusting the position of said lever.

Claim 7

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 5, said adjustment means further comprising a resilient member for urging said lever into engagement with said actuating means for adjustment by the latter.

Claim 8

A fluid valve actuator as set forth in claim 5, wherein said resilient seal means secures said mounting structure to said housing, and said lever includes pivot means for establishing a fulcrum in abutment with said housing and about which said mounting structure may pivot without detrimental deformation of said resilient seal means.

Claim 9

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 5, said actuating means comprising a screw having its head adapted to move said lever, and means for capturing a threaded portion of said screw externally of said housing for adjustment of said screw to effect pivoting motion of said lever and of said mounting structure.

Claim 10

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 1, said valve actuator including electrically operable means for energizing the same to move said valve element, said mounting structure including a pair of electrical terminals adapted to receive an electrical input and to provide the same to said electrically operable means.

Claim 11

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 3, wherein said mounting structure includes an insulating block within said housing carried by said resilient seal means, said valve actuator being supported by said insulating block, and means for receiving an electrical input and providing the same to said electric heater.

Claim 12

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 5, wherein said actuating means comprises a screw extending in fluid sealed relationship through said housing, and means for rotating said screw externally of said housing.

Claim 13

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 11, wherein said means for rotating said screw exteriorly of said housing comprises handle means for rotating said screw, and spaced apart stop means on said housing for limiting the extent of rotation of said handle means and thus said screw in opposite directions to effect valve calibration by engagement of said handle means with said stop means.

Claim 14

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 7, wherein said pivot means comprises semi-circular ears on said lever in abutment with said housing.

Claim 15

Thermal valve means comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet orifice, a valve element normally spring biased closed against said orifice by a support including a heat warpable section, a resistance heater for warping said support to move said valve element away from said orifice and thereby open the same, said housing enclosing said valve element and said support and open only at said inlet and said outlet orifice, pivot means mounting said support for pivotal movement with respect to said housing, and means for pivotally adjusting said support with respect to said housing from the exterior of said housing, thereby to adjust the normal orifice closing force of said valve element, said means for pivotally adjusting said support comprising a rigid lever in said housing connected to said pivot means for pivoting said support with respect to said housing, and actuating means extending in fluid sealed relationship through said housing and selectively operable for adjusting the position of said lever to pivot said support.

Claim 16

Thermal valve means comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet orifice, a valve element normally spring biased closed against said orifice by a support including a heat warpable section, a resistance heater for warping said support to move said valve element away from said orifice and thereby open the same, said housing enclosing said valve element and said support and open only at said inlet and said outlet orifice, pivot means mounting said support for pivotal movement with respect to said housing, and means for pivotally adjusting said support with respect to said housing from the exterior of said housing, thereby to adjust the normal orifice closing force of said valve element, said means for pivotally adjusting said support comprising a rigid lever in said housing connected to said pivot means for pivoting said support with respect to said housing, and actuating means extending in fluid sealed relationship through said housing and selectively operable for adjusting the position of said lever to pivot said support.

Claim 17

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 14, said means for pivotally adjusting said support further comprising a resilient member fo urging said lever into engagement with said actuating means for adjustment by the latter.

Claim 18

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 1, said housing including a canister portion and a cover for the same, said outlet being formed in said cover, a diaphragm substantially coextensive with said cover and in fluid sealed engagement with said cover and canister portion at the juncture thereof, said diaphragm having an opening substantially coextensive with said outlet and being substantially sealed with respect to said cover at the periphery of said opening, and further comprising a mounting structure extending through a further opening in said cover and a still further opening in said diaphragm in sealed relation to the latter, said valve actuator being attached to said mounting structure, and said mounting structure being pivotable with respect to said cover within such further opening.

Claim 19

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 16, said valve actuator comprising an elongated member secured at one end to said mounting structure and adapted when de-energized normally to apply a mechanical bias force to said valve element to maintain said outlet closed, the magnitude of such mechanical bias force being dependent on the pivotal relation of said mounting structure and said cover.

Claim 20

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 17, said valve actuator comprising a heat warpable material and an electric heater for heating said material when energized to cause said material to bend in a direction to effect opening of said outlet.

Claim 21

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 17, said valve actuator including electrically operable means for energizing the same to move said valve element, said mounting structure including a pair of electrical terminals adapted to receive an electrical input and to provide the same to said electrically operable means.

Claim 22

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 17, said adjustment means comprising a lever coupled to said mounting structure for pivoting the same and an adjusting member extending through said cover and operable from the exterior thereof to adjust the position of said lever by acting on the latter through said diaphragm.

Claim 23

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 20, said mounting structure further comprising support means extending beyond such further opening over part of said cover for supporting said mounting structure with respect to said cover wall permitting pivotal movement of said mounting structure in such further opening.

Claim 24

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 21, said diaphragm including resilient corrugations in the same to permit free operation of said adjusting member and to normally bias said mounting structure such that said lever is urged toward said adjusting member.