Gas valve

Claim 2

A fluid valve, comprising a fluid-tight enclosure having an inlet and an outlet; a valve element supported for movement to respective positions to open and to close said outlet; actuator means for moving said valve element from one of said positions to the other of said positions, said actuator means including a thermally responsive means for producing a mechanical displacement output, and over-center mechanical energy storage means for moving said valve element from one to the other of said positions in response to such mechanical displacement output within a predetermined normal range; and means for closing said outlet in response to such mechanical displacement output of said actuator means in a direction normally to effect opening of said outlet exceeding such predetermined normal range.

Claim 3

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 1, further comprising deflectable, supportive carrier means for supporting said valve element, and said means for closing comprising respective portions of said actuator means and said supportive carrier means, said respective portions being in interfering alignment with each other, whereby upon producing such excessive mechanical displacement output said actuator means interferingly engages said supportive carrier means to move the latter and said valve element to close said outlet.

Claim 4

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 1, said actuator means further comprising electric heater means for heating said thermally responsive means, and said thermally responsive means comprising a bi-metal element, such excessive mechanical displacement occuring in response to a supply of excessive electric power to said electric heater means.

Claim 5

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein said energy storage means is loaded by such mechanical displacement output to store potential energy and releases at least some of such potential energy as kinetic energy upon movement past an over-center condition, thereby to move said valve element.

Claim 6

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 1, further comprising supportive carrier means for supporting said valve element, said energy storage means comprising a resilient member supported between said thermally responsive means and said supportive carrier means.

Claim 7

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 5, said thermally responsive means including an arm movable relative to said supportive carrier means in response to a change in temperature of said thermally responsive means, said resilient member having a first and second support points movable respectively with said arm and with said supportive carrier means and thus having two different stable positions depending on the relative locations of said supportive points, and said resilient member tending in each of said stable positions to urge said support points and thus said arm and said supportive carrier means away from each other, whereby in one of said stable positions said resilient member urges said supportive carrier means and thus said valve element to a position to close said outlet and in the other one of said stable positions said resilient member urges said supportive carrier means and thus said valve element to a position to open said outlet.

Claim 8

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 6, further comprising holder means for coupling said resilient member to one of said arm and said supportive carrier means, said holder means being pivotably mounted on the respective one of said arm and said supportive carrier means to which it couples said resilient member to induce over-center travel of one of said first and second support points with respect to the other as said arm moves said first support point to a center position with respect to said second support point.

Claim 9

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 7, said resilient member comprising a wire spring including first and second arm means for support thereof, said supportive carrier means comprising first means for holding said first arm means for relative constrained pivotal movement and said holder means comprising second means for holding said second arm means for relative constrained pivotal movement.

Claim 10

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 7, said arm having a cut-out at one end thereof, and said holder means having a peripheral groove to fit in said cut-out for pivotal support of said holder means by said arm.

Claim 11

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 9, said means for closing comprising respective portions of said actuator means, including said holder means, and said supportive carrier means in interfering alignment with each other, whereby in response to such excessive mechanical displacement output said holder means interferingly engages said supportive carrier means to move the latter and said valve element to close said outlet.

Claim 12

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein said inlet and outlet are located generally at opposite ends of said enclosure, and said thermally responsive means is positioned in the fluid flow path between said inlet and said outlet for exposure to the cooling effect of fluid flowing through said enclosure.

Claim 13

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 1, further comprising calibrating adjustment means for adjusting the valve to set the required magnitude of such mechanical displacement output to effect movement of said energy storage means to an over-center condition.

Claim 14

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 12, wherein said enclosure comprises a container and a cover mounted thereto, said cover being bowed convexly with respect to said container, said valve further comprising means for supporting said actuator means from said cover, and said calibrating adjustment means comprising means for deforming said cover.

Claim 15

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means for compensating valve operation with respect to ambient temperature.

Claim 16

A fluid valve, comprising a fluid-tightenclosure having an inlet and an outlet; a valve element supported for movement to respective positions to open and to close said outlet; actuator means for moving said valve element from one of said positions to the other of said positions, said actuator means including thermally responsive means for producing a mechanical displacement output, and over-center mechanical energy storage means for moving said valve element from one to the other of said positions in response to such mechanical displacement output within a predetermined normal range; electric heater means for heating said thermally responsive means to effect such mechanical displacement output to open said outlet in response to an electric power input to said electric heater means within a normal operating power range; and means for effecting closure of said outlet during application of a greater electric power input to said electric heater means in excess of such normal operating power range.

Claim 17

A fluid valve, comprising a fluid-tightenclosure having an inlet and an outlet; a valve element supported for movement to respective positions to open and to close said outlet; actuator means for moving said valve element from one of said positions to the other of said positions, said actuator means including thermally responsive means for producing a mechanical displacement output, and over-center mechanical energy storage means for moving said valve element from one to the other of said positions in response to such mechanical displacement output within a predetermined normal range; electric heater means for heating said thermally responsive means to effect such mechanical displacement output to open said outlet in response to an electric power input to said electric heater means within a normal operating power range; and means for effecting closure of said outlet during application of a greater electric power input to said electric heater means in excess of such normal operating power range.

Claim 18

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 15, further comprising supportive carrier means for supporting said valve element, and said means for closing comprising respective portions of said actuator means and said supportive carrier means in interfering alignment with each other, whereby in response to excessive heat from said over powered electric heater means said actuator means interferingly engages said supportive carrier means to move the latter and said valve element to close said outlet.

Claim 19

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 15, wherein said means for effecting closure of said outlet is responsive to a mechanical displacement output of said thermally responsive means greater than required to open said outlet to close said outlet.

Claim 20

A fluid valve, comprising a fluid-tight enclosure having an inlet and an outlet; a valve element supported for movement to respective positions to open and to close said outlet; actuator means for moving said valve element from one of said positions to the other of said positions; said actuator means including a thermally responsive means for producing a mechanical displacement output, and over-center mechanical energy storage means for moving said valve element from one to the other of said positions in response to such mechanical displacement output of said thermally responsive means; means for compensating valve operation with respect to ambient temperature; and supportive carrier means for supporting said valve element, said energy storage means comprising a resilient member having respective support points mounted between said thermally responsive means and said supportive carrier means, and said means for compensating comprising temperature sensitive means for varying the normal spacing of said support points when said outlet is closed by said valve element.

Claim 21

A fluid valve, comprising a fluid-tight enclosure having an inlet and an outlet; a valve element supported for movement to respective positions to open and to close said outlet; actuator means for moving said valve element from one of said positions to the other of said positions; said actuator means including a thermally responsive means for producing a mechanical displacement output, and over-center mechanical energy storage means for moving said valve element from one to the other of said positions in response to such mechanical displacement output of said thermally responsive means; means for compensating valve operation with respect to ambient temperature; and supportive carrier means for supporting said valve element, said energy storage means comprising a resilient member having respective support points mounted between said thermally responsive means and said supportive carrier means, and said means for compensating comprising temperature sensitive means for varying the normal spacing of said support points when said outlet is closed by said valve element.

Claim 22

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 18, further comprising means mounting said valve element for limited movement relative to said supportive carrier means, said means for compensating being interposed between said valve element and said supportive carrier means for varying the spacing between said supportive carrier means and said outlet to vary the normal spacing of said support points when said outlet is closed by said valve element in response to variations in ambient temperature.

Claim 23

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 19, wherein said means for compensating comprises a thermally responsive washer, said valve element having a poppet and a stem projecting therefrom, said washer circumscribing said stem and bearing against said poppet and said supportive carrier means.

Claim 24

A fluid valve, comprising a fluid-tight enclosure having an inlet and an outlet; a valve element supported for movement to respective positions to open and to close said outlet; actuator means for moving said valve element from one of said positions to the other of said positions, said actuator means including a thermally responsive means for producing a mechanical displacement output, and over-center mechanical energy storage means for moving said valve element from one to the other of said positions in response to such mechanical displacement output within a predetermined normal range; supportive carrier means for supporting said valve element, said energy storage means comprising a resilient member supported between said thermally responsive means and said supportive carrier means, said thermally responsive means including an arm movable relative to said supportive carrier means in response to a change in temperature of said thermally responsive means, said resilient member having first and second support points movable respectively with said arm and with said supportive carrier means and thus having two different stable positions depending on the relative locations of said support points, and said resilient member tending in each of said stable positions to urge said support points and thus said arm and said supportive carrier means away from each other, whereby in one of said stable positions said resilient member urges said supportive carrier means and thus said valve element to a position to close said outlet and in the other one of said stable positions said resilient member urges said supportive carrier means and thus said valve element to a position to open said outlet; and holder means for coupling said resilient member to one of said arm and said supportive carrier means, said resilient member comprising a wire spring including first and second arm means for support thereof, said supportive carrier means comprising first means for holding said first arm means for relative constrained pivotal movement and said holder means comprising second means for holding said second arm means for relative constrained pivotal movement.

Claim 25

A fluid valve, comprising a fluid-tight enclosure having an inlet and an outlet; a valve element supported for movement to respective positions to open and to close said outlet; actuator means for moving said valve element from one of said positions to the other of said positions, said actuator means including a thermally responsive means for producing a mechanical displacement output, and over-center mechanical energy storage means for moving said valve element from one to the other of said positions in response to such mechanical displacement output within a predetermined normal range; supportive carrier means for supporting said valve element, said energy storage means comprising a resilient member supported between said thermally responsive means and said supportive carrier means, said thermally responsive means including an arm movable relative to said supportive carrier means in response to a change in temperature of said thermally responsive means, said resilient member having first and second support points movable respectively with said arm and with said supportive carrier means and thus having two different stable positions depending on the relative locations of said support points, and said resilient member tending in each of said stable positions to urge said support points and thus said arm and said supportive carrier means away from each other, whereby in one of said stable positions said resilient member urges said supportive carrier means and thus said valve element to a position to close said outlet and in the other one of said stable positions said resilient member urges said supportive carrier means and thus said valve element to a position to open said outlet; and holder means for coupling said resilient member to one of said arm and said supportive carrier means, said resilient member comprising a wire spring including first and second arm means for support thereof, said supportive carrier means comprising first means for holding said first arm means for relative constrained pivotal movement and said holder means comprising second means for holding said second arm means for relative constrained pivotal movement.

Claim 26

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 21, wherein said holder means is pivotably mounted on the respective one of said arm and said support carrier means to which it couples said resilient member to induce over-center travel of one of said first and second support points with respect to the other as said arm moves said first support point to a center position with respect to said second support point.

Claim 27

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 22, wherein said arm has a cut-out at one end thereof, and said holder means has a peripheral groove to fit in said cut-out for pivotable support of said holder means by said arm.

Claim 28

A fluid valve, comprising a fluid-tight enclosure having an inlet and an outlet; a valve element supported for movement to respective positions to open and to close said outlet; actuator means for moving said valve element from one of said positions to the other of said positions, said actuator means including a thermally responsive means for producing a mechanical displacement output, and over-center mechanical energy storage means for moving said valve element from one to the other of said positions in response to such mechanical displacement output within a predetermined normal range; supportive carrier means for supporting said valve element, said energy storage means comprising a resilient member supported between said thermally responsive means and said supportive carrier means, said thermally responsive means including an arm movable relative to said supportive carrier means in response to a change in temperature of said thermally responsive means, said resilient member having first and second support points movable respectively with said arm and with said supportive carrier means and thus having two different stable positions depending on the relative locations of said support points, and said resilient member tending in each of said stable positions to urge said support points and thus said arm and said supportive carrier means away from each other, whereby in one of said stable positions said resilient member urges said supportive carrier means and thus said valve element to a position to close said outlet and in the other one of said stable positions said resilient member urges said supportive carrier means and thus said valve element to a position to open said outlet; and holder means for coupling said resilient member to one of said arm and said supportive carrier means, said holder means being pivotably mounted on the respective one of said arm and said supportive carrier means to which it couples said resilient member to induce over-center travel of one of said first and second support points with respect to the other as said arm moves said first support point to a center position with respect to said second support point.

Claim 29

A fluid valve, comprising a fluid-tight enclosure having an inlet and an outlet; a valve element supported for movement to respective positions to open and to close said outlet; actuator means for moving said valve element from one of said positions to the other of said positions, said actuator means including a thermally responsive means for producing a mechanical displacement output, and over-center mechanical energy storage means for moving said valve element from one to the other of said positions in response to such mechanical displacement output within a predetermined normal range; supportive carrier means for supporting said valve element, said energy storage means comprising a resilient member supported between said thermally responsive means and said supportive carrier means, said thermally responsive means including an arm movable relative to said supportive carrier means in response to a change in temperature of said thermally responsive means, said resilient member having first and second support points movable respectively with said arm and with said supportive carrier means and thus having two different stable positions depending on the relative locations of said support points, and said resilient member tending in each of said stable positions to urge said support points and thus said arm and said supportive carrier means away from each other, whereby in one of said stable positions said resilient member urges said supportive carrier means and thus said valve element to a position to close said outlet and in the other one of said stable positions said resilient member urges said supportive carrier means and thus said valve element to a position to open said outlet; and holder means for coupling said resilient member to one of said arm and said supportive carrier means, said holder means being pivotably mounted on the respective one of said arm and said supportive carrier means to which it couples said resilient member to induce over-center travel of one of said first and second support points with respect to the other as said arm moves said first support point to a center position with respect to said second support point.

Claim 30

A fluid valve as set forth in claim 24, wherein said arm has a cut-out at one end thereof, and said holder means has a peripheral groove to fit in said cut-out for pivotable support of said holder means by said arm.