Thermostat for controlling a liquid mixer

• US 3,929,282 A
• Filed: 01/28/1974
• Issued: 12/30/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Franz Doll
• Original Assignee: Franz Doll
• Inventors: Doll, Franz
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yuen, Henry C.
• Application Number:
  US05/436,895
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 236/12R,93A,99R,99D,DIG.11 73/368.2 137/114
• US Class Current: 236/12.14
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/056 with ball-shaped valve members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/00 Arrangements of valves and flow lines specially adapted for mixing fluids multiple-way valves F16K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1326 details of the sensor

Abstract

A thermostat for regulating temperature in a liquid, wherein the mixer comprises a chamber with separate hot and cold liquid entrances; a floating ball valve seated on the hot liquid entrance; a slit opening connection between the cold liquid entrance and the chamber, which slit is so directed as to cause the cold flow to assist in raising the ball off the hot flow inlet seat; a cylindrical, hydraulic fluid containing, flexible, elastic jacket surrounded chamber, wherein the fluid volume varies as to water temperature and a mechanical connection between the elastic jacket of the fluid containing chamber and the ball valve to force the ball toward the seat upon heating of the fluid in the temperature sensitive chamber.

Claims

1. A combination of a thermostat and a mixer for liquids of different temperatures, comprising:

said mixer comprising;

a housing, a mixing chamber in said housing, a cold liquid inlet to said mixing chamber, a separate hot liquid inlet to said mixing chamber, a mixed liquid outlet from said mixing chamber;

a shiftable temperature regulating element in said mixing chamber, which said element is shiftable to various positions which block at least one said liquid inlet;

a seat at said hot liquid inlet;

said temperature regulating element being shiftable toward and away from said seat, and said seat and said regulating element being cooperatively so shaped that when said regulating eLement is on said seat, flow through said one liquid inlet is blocked;

said temperature regulating element comprising a floatable ball, which floats in the presence of a liquid in said mixing chamber;

said cold liquid inlet communicates into said mixing chamber through inlet ports oriented to direct inflow at said ball and in a direction which raises said ball off said seat;

said thermostat comprising an enclosed thermostat chamber that is in communication with said mixing chamber and that is surrounded and defined by an elastic, flexible diaphragm-like jacket;

said thermostat chamber being filled with a heatsensitive, heat-expansive, hydropneumatically acting material;

said jacket being in engagement with said temperature regulating element, thereby to shift the position of that said element as the temperature varies and as the volume of the material in said thermostat chamber varies.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said cold liquid inlet also communicates into said mixing chamber through second inlet ports, which are positioned so that inflow through said second inlet ports influences said ball after it has risen a distance from said seat.

3. A combination of a thermostat and a mixer for liquids of different temperatures, comprising:

said mixer comprising;

a housing, a mixing chamber in said housing, a cold liquid inlet to said mixing chamber, a separate hot liquid inlet to said mixing chamber, a mixed liquid outlet from said mixing chamber;

a shiftable temperature regulating element in said mixing chamber, which said element is shiftable to various positions which block at least one said liquid inlet;

a seat at said hot liquid inlet;

said temperature regulating element being shiftable toward and away from said seat, and said seat and said regulating element being cooperatively so shaped that when said regulating element is on said seat, flow through said one liquid inlet is blocked;

said thermostat comprising an enclosed thermostat chamber that is in communication with said mixing chamber and that is surrounded and defined by an elastic, flexible diaphragm-like jacket;

said thermostat chamber being filled with a heat-sensitive, heat-expansive, hydropneumatically acting material;

said jacket being in engagement with said temperature regulating element, thereby to shift the position of that said element as the temperature varies and as the volume of the material in said thermostat chamber varies;

said jacket being surrounded by a rigid protective means having a first opening therethrough;

said first opening being positioned such that said temperature regulating element can communicate therethrough with said jacket, and said rigid protective means having a second opening therethrough through which passes a thermostat chamber volume controlling element;

a thermostat chamber volume controlling element supported on said mixer and movable through said protective means second opening and movable against said thermostat chamber jacket to vary the volume of said thermostat chamber to a preselected extent, thereby to vary the extent which said jacket moves said temperature regulating element.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said material in said thermostat chamber comprises a heat-sensitive liquid and a gas cushion.

5. The combination of claim 3, wherein said material in said thermostat chamber comprises a heat-sensitive paste containing gas inclusions.

6. The combination of claim 3, further comprising a seat at said at least one liquid inlet;

said temperature regulating element being shiftable toward and away from said seat, and said seat and said regulating element being cooperatively so shaped that when said regulating element is on said seat, flow through said at least one liquid inlet is blocked.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein said at least one liquid inlet is the said hot liquid inlet.

8. The combination of claim 3, wherein said thermostat chamber volume control element coMprises an eccentric disc having a periphery engageable with said jacket and comprises a fixed axis supported on said mixer and about which said disc is rotated.

9. The combination of claim 3, wherein an intermediate element is interposed between said temperature regulating element and said jacket to transmit force therebetween.

10. The combination of claim 3, further comprising an outer jacket surrounding said thermostat chamber jacket and spaced therefrom and also being located within said protective means and pressure forced against said rigid protective means;

both said jackets being comprised of highly elastic, flexible material;

the space defined between said jackets being sealed and filled with a liquid.

11. The combination of claim 10, wherein said liquid in said space between said jackets is one of glycerin, glycol and Frigen.

12. The combination of claim 10, wherein said material in said thermostat chamber inner jacket is a low boiling point, light hydrocarbon.

13. The combination of claim 12, wherein said material in said thermostat chamber inner jacket is one of propane, n-butane and isobutane.