Thermally responsive valve assembly

Abstract

A thermally responsive valve assembly comprising a two-portion valve body, one portion of which includes two nipples each having a passage therein. One of the nipples extends generally axially of the valve body and the other nipple extends generally perpendicularly to the first nipple with the passage in one of the nipples constituting an inlet passage and with the passage in the other nipple constituting an outlet passage with communication between the passages within the first portion of the valve body, and with one of the passages having a valve seat. Valve means are provided in the valve body for movement into and out of engagement with the valve seat, thereby selectively to block communication between the passages. The valve means comprises a dish-shaped thermostatic disk which is responsive to variations in temperature and changes in curvature from a first position in which the disk is bowed away from the valve seat and a second position in which the disk is bowed toward the valve seat. Spring means bias the disk towards the valve seat when the disk is in its closed position and apply a force to the valve disk sufficient to maintain it in closed engagement with the valve seat. The first portion of the valve housing also includes an abutment against which the disk reacts to effect movement thereof from its closed to its open position. The second portion of the valve body is made of a thermally conductive material and is adapted for heat-exchange relation with an object, such as an automobile engine, for transferring heat to or from the disk to increase or decrease the temperature thereof in response to a corresponding increase or decrease in temperature of the object. In a second embodiment of this invention, the disk is modulatable for movement toward and away from the valve seat so as to smoothly vary the flow rate through the valve seat as the temperature of the disk varies.