Acorn Engineering Company

Watts Regulator Company

James C Graves

Boris Quijada

Dejan Zivancevic

Zoltan Goncze

Thomas O'Brien

A pilot valve controlled mechanical shut-down valve. The mechanical shut-down valve includes a thermostatic motor that effectuates closing of the pilot valve when the temperature of fluid flowing through the shut-down valve is one of greater than a predetermined value, less than a predetermined value, or within a range of predetermined values. As a result thereof, flow through the shut-down valve is stopped.

Mechanical safety shut-down valve

Embodiments include thermostatic valves for showers and tubs in which the temperature is regulated by a thermostatic motor/element. Both the flow from the valve and the temperature are controlled by a rotary stem. Hot and cold water is pre-mixed by passage through the coils of a return spring into a mixing chamber and a ceramic valve at the top of the mixing chamber controls flow of mixed water from the mixing chamber into an outlet chamber where fluctuations in the water temperature are eliminated before the water is conveyed to the shower or tub.

Thermostatic shower valve

Embodiment thermostatic valves are protected against damage to the wax motor from the leakage of hot water into the valve when the hot water inlet is closed. Embodiments include an improved temperature motive means with fewer parts than conventional valves and with an improved sealing relation between the wax motor/shuttle and the water ports.

Thermostatic mixing valve

Embodiments include eyewash valves in which the temperature of the water emerging from the valve is thermostatically controlled by a wax motor which regulates the flow of hot and cold water through the valve. Embodiments include provisions for continuing water flow through the valve despite failure of the hot water supply. Embodiments also include provisions for water flow through the valve despite failure of the wax motor in the upper position or in the lower position.

Thermostatic valve with anti-failure provisions

An automatic compensating valve, e.g., for individual shower and tub/shower combination fixtures, has a valve body defining cold and hot water inlet flow passageways, a mixing chamber, a mixed temperate water outlet flow passageway, and an axial bore. The valve includes a plunger that defines, with other elements of the valve, a first orifice for communication of the cold water inlet with said mixing chamber and a second orifice for communication of hot water inlet with mixing chamber. The plunger is mounted within a mixing subassembly for axial movement within the bore, including in response to temperature of water within the mixing chamber to vary the ratio of flow of cold water through the first orifice to flow of hot water through the second orifice. The first orifice and the second orifice are arranged for flow of water transverse to axial movement of the plunger within the bore. The valve further includes a wax motor mounted axially within the bore for positioning of the plunger in response to temperature of water within the mixing chamber.

Automatic compensating valve for individual shower and tub/shower combination fixtures

A mixing valve includes a manifold, a temperature-responsive device, a first by-pass mechanism, and a second by-pass mechanism. The manifold defines a cold fluid inlet, a hot fluid inlet, a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the cold fluid inlet and the hot fluid inlet, and a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the cold fluid inlet, the hot fluid inlet, and the fluid outlet. The temperature-responsive device is capable of regulating the relative volumes of flow from the fluid inlets to the mixing chamber. The first by-pass mechanism is responsive to the pressure of cold fluid flow in the manifold to allow cold fluid to flow between the cold fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The second by-pass mechanism is associated with the temperature-responsive device and is responsive to a temperature in the manifold to allow cold fluid to flow between the cold fluid inlet and the fluid outlet.

Growing community of inventors

Lake Forest, IL, United States of America

James C Graves