Relief valve

Claim 2

A relief valve responsive to a predetermined thermal and/or pressure condition comprising: a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, an internal passage interconnecting said inlet and outlet, a valve seat within said body and about said passage, and an opening generally coaxial with said valve seat; a poppet valve within said body and normally closed against said seat, said poppet valve including a stem extending toward said opening and a pressure responsive surface directed toward the inlet side of said valve seat; a closure disposed within said opening and having a central aperture slidably and sealingly receiving said stem, said closure being formed of a thin, relatively ductile material and having an outwardly extending lip frictionally captured by said body about said opening and sealingly engaging said body about said opening, an annular convex ridge, arcuate in cross section, inwardly of said lip and within said body with its outer portion in contact with the interior of said opening, and a central pedestal directed oppositely of said ridge; a coil spring interposed between said pedestal and said poppet valve for biasing, in a predetermined amount, said poppet valve against said valve seat; a thermally responsive actuator carried by said valve body and operatively associated with said poppet valve for opening said poppet valve in response to a predetermined thermal condition; and a manual actuator connected to said valve stem externally of said closure.

Claim 3

The relief valve of claim 1 wherein said valve body is cast and is swaged over said lip.

Claim 4

A relief valve responsive to a predetermined thermal and/or pressure condition comprising: a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, an internal passage interconnecting said inlet and outlet, a valve seat within said body and about said passage, and an opening generally coaxial with said valve seat; a poppet valve within said body and normally closed against said seat, said poppet valve including a stem extending toward said opening and a pressure responsive surface directed toward the inlet side of said valve seat; a closure disposed within said opening and having a central aperture and otherwise being imperforate, said closure being formed of a thin, relatively ductile material and having an outwardly extending lip fricionally captured by said body about said opening and sealingly engaging said body about said opening, an annular convex ridge inwardly of said lip and within said body, and a central, frusto-conical pedestal directed oppositely from said ridge, said aperture being disposed in the top of said pedestal; a guide sleeve secured to said closure within said aperture and slidably and sealingly receiving said valve stem; said sleeve and the interior of said pedestal defining an annular space; a coil spring interposed between said poppet valve and said pedestal and having one end received in said annular space and its opposite end abutting said poppet valve oppositely of said valve seat to bias said poppet valve toward said valve seat; a thermally responsive actuator carried by said valve body and operatively associated with said poppet valve for opening said poppet valve in response to a predetermined thermal condition; and a manual actuator connected to said valve stem externally of said closure.

Claim 5

A relief valve responsive to a predetermined thermal and/or pressure condition comprising: a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, an internal passage interconnecting said inlet and outlet, a valve seat within said body and about said passage, and an opening generally coaxial with said valve seat; a poppet valve within said body and normally closed against said seat, said poppet valve including a stem extending toward said opening and a pressure responsive surface directed toward the inlet side of said valve seat; a closure disposed within said opening and having a central aperture and otherwise being imperforate, said closure being formed of a thin, relatively ductile material and having an outwardly extending lip fricionally captured by said body about said opening and sealingly engaging said body about said opening, an annular convex ridge inwardly of said lip and within said body, and a central, frusto-conical pedestal directed oppositely from said ridge, said aperture being disposed in the top of said pedestal; a guide sleeve secured to said closure within said aperture and slidably and sealingly receiving said valve stem; said sleeve and the interior of said pedestal defining an annular space; a coil spring interposed between said poppet valve and said pedestal and having one end received in said annular space and its opposite end abutting said poppet valve oppositely of said valve seat to bias said poppet valve toward said valve seat; a thermally responsive actuator carried by said valve body and operatively associated with said poppet valve for opening said poppet valve in response to a predetermined thermal condition; and a manual actuator connected to said valve stem externally of said closure.

Claim 6

The poppet relief valve of claim 3 wherein said valve stem is slidably received in a bore in said sleeve, and further including a radially inwardly opening groove in said sleeve about said bore, and an annular seal in said groove and engaging said valve stem.

Claim 7

A relief valve responsive to a predetermined thermal and/or pressure condition comprising: a cast valve body having an inlet, an outlet, an internal passage interconnecting said inlet and outlet, a valve seat within said body and about said passage, and an opening generally coaxial with said valve seat; a poppet valve within said body and normally closed against said seat, said poppet valve including a stem extending toward said opening and a pressure responsive surface directed toward the inlet side of said valve seat; a closure disposed within said opening and having a central aperture and otherwise being imperforate, said closure being formed of a thin, relatively ductile material selected from the group consisting essentially of brass, steel, aluminum and alloys thereof, and having an outwardly extending lip frictionally captured by a portion of said body about said opening swaged over said lip and thereby sealingly engaging said body about said opening, an annular convex ridge, arcuate in cross section, inwardly of said lip and within said body with its outer portion in contact with the interior of said opening, and a central, frusto-conical pedestal directed oppositely from said ridge, said aperture being disposed in the top of said pedestal; a guide sleeve secured to said closure within said aperture and having a bore slidably receiving said valve stem and a radially inwardly opening groove about said bore receiving an annular seal which in turn sealingly engages aid stem; said sleeve and the interior of said pedestal defining an annular space; a coil spring interposed between said poppet valve and said pedestal and having one end received in said annular space and its opposite end abutting said poppet valve oppositely of said valve seat to bias said poppet valve toward said valve seat; a thermally responsive actuator carried by said valve body and operatively associated with said poppet valve for opening said poppet valve in response to a predetermined thermal condition; and a manual actuator connected to said valve stem externally of said closure.

Claim 8

A relief valve responsive to a predetermined thermal and/or pressure condition comprising: a cast valve body having an inlet, an outlet, an internal passage interconnecting said inlet and outlet, a valve seat within said body and about said passage, and an opening generally coaxial with said valve seat; a poppet valve within said body and normally closed against said seat, said poppet valve including a stem extending toward said opening and a pressure responsive surface directed toward the inlet side of said valve seat; a closure disposed within said opening and having a central aperture and otherwise being imperforate, said closure being formed of a thin, relatively ductile material selected from the group consisting essentially of brass, steel, aluminum and alloys thereof, and having an outwardly extending lip frictionally captured by a portion of said body about said opening swaged over said lip and thereby sealingly engaging said body about said opening, an annular convex ridge, arcuate in cross section, inwardly of said lip and within said body with its outer portion in contact with the interior of said opening, and a central, frusto-conical pedestal directed oppositely from said ridge, said aperture being disposed in the top of said pedestal; a guide sleeve secured to said closure within said aperture and having a bore slidably receiving said valve stem and a radially inwardly opening groove about said bore receiving an annular seal which in turn sealingly engages aid stem; said sleeve and the interior of said pedestal defining an annular space; a coil spring interposed between said poppet valve and said pedestal and having one end received in said annular space and its opposite end abutting said poppet valve oppositely of said valve seat to bias said poppet valve toward said valve seat; a thermally responsive actuator carried by said valve body and operatively associated with said poppet valve for opening said poppet valve in response to a predetermined thermal condition; and a manual actuator connected to said valve stem externally of said closure.