Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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_eld of the Invention
The invention relates to a thermostatic radiator valve
having a spring loaded thermostat located in a rotatable member,
with the said spring bearing against the said thermostat and the
said rotating member.
Prior Art
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The rotatable member in the valve has one or more passages
through which ambient air may flow and thus reach the thermostat.
The rotatable mem~er is connected by means of a thread to the
radiator valve, or to an extension secured thereto. As a result
of this, the surface supporting the loading spring at the
rotatable member end executes a movement either towards or away
from the valve seat, depending upon the direction in which the
said rotatable member is rotated. This applies a load to, or
relieves the load from, the loading spring, which means that
more or less force is required to open the valve. The said
loading spring thus assumes the function of a s~afety device
against overheating.
Assembly of the thermostat and loading spring requires
special tools and accessories and is therefore costly and time
consuming, and any repairs to previously known thermostat
radiator valves, especially to the thermostats thereof, are
therefore complicated. Furthermore, if the thermostat is
replaced, the rotating member is often damaged or even destroyed.
Summary of the Invention
It is therefore the purpose of the present invention to
provide a thermostat radiator valve of the type described above,
in which the thermostat and the loading may be assembled or
replaced simply, quickly and without expensive tools.
It is proposed to achieve this purpose by means of a
thermostat radiator valve in which the arms of the rotatable
member preferably run approximately parallel with the valve stem
and the longitudinal axis of the thermostat. The latter is
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a~sembled, for example, after the rotatable member has been
screwed in, in a connecting piece fitted to the radiator valve,
above the aperture defined by the free ends of the arms. After
the thermostat has been connected to the valve stem, or to an
extension thereof, the loading spring is mounted, in the same
direction as was the thermostat, in the space defined by the arms,
As so~n as the spring has passed right by the extensions fitted
to the free ends of the arms, the spring is released, whereupon
the outer end thereof bears against the inwardly projecting
exten~ions- of the arms, the said thermostat being thus securely
held in the rotating member. However, the thermostat and the
loading spring may be also assembled before the rotatable member
is screwed in, since if the rotatable member is removed, or not
screwed in very far, the thermostat bears against the said
rotatable member. Upon insertion, the spring should be radially
compressible; instead of, or in addition to, this, the free ends
of the arms may be sprung resiliently outwards ~or assembly of
the spring and, possibly, of the thermostat. In this connection,
it is particularly desirable for the arms and the rotatable
member to be in one piece, more particularly in the form of a
~lastic in,jection moulding.
Two arms at 180 to each other, each with an inwardly
~rolecting extensionl suffice to support the outer end of the
spring. In ~ractice, however, at least three and preferably
2~ more arms with inwardly projecting extensions will be used, and
it is desirable that each arm is so fitted. The width of the
said arms, and the distance between them in the peripheral
direction of the rotatable member, are governed by thermostat
ventilation requirements.
According to a further configuration of the invention, a
pressure disc is interposed between the loading spring and the
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extensions on the arms of the rotatable member. This pressure
disc may be inserted into the space in the rotatable member
aefined by the arms in the same way as the thermostat and the
loading spring were previously inserted. In assembling at least
the loading spring and the pressure disc, it is particularly
desirable that the free ends of the arms be provided with
chambers by means of which the said arms may easily be expanded
radially. Furthermore, the inwardly projecting extensions need
not necessarily be located at the free ends of the arms.
Instead, should other requirements make it necessary, the said
extensions may be located at a greater or lesser distance from
the said free enas.
According to still another configuration of the invention,
the pressure disc has a central bore serving to guide the
thermostat or an element connection thereto. The thermostat
is thus guided in the direction of displacement at both ends,
and the said pressure disc therefore fulfills two functions.
According to another variant of the invention, the free
end of each arm has an extension projecting radially outwards
and engaging in an annular groove in a rotatable knob. The
; outwardly projecting extensions on the free ends of the arms
make it possible to snap this knob onto the rotatable member,
upon which it may be secured against rotation by means of
serrations, for example. Naturally, the rotatable knob also
; 25 has corresponding apertures preferably arranged as radial
extensions of the spaces between the arms of the rotating
member. Here again, it is highly desirable for the outwardly
projecting extensions to be chamfered. If a pressure disc is
used, this chamfering must not prevent the rotating knob from
being snapped on.
According to still another characteristic of the invention,
; the loading spring may be in the form of a conical coil spring,
with the larger diameter end bearing against the inner extensions
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to the arms. It is desirable for the thermos-tat to be supported
on three lugs, cams, or the like on the rotatable member, upon
which it rests, for example, when the unit consisting of the
rotatable knob, the rotatable member, the thermostat, and the
loading spring, is removed or pre-assembled. The said thermostat
may also rest upon the said lugs when the rotatable member is
screwed only slightly onto the valve or onto an intermediate
part.
Description of the Drawings
The invention will now be described in relation to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a vertical section through the thermostat
radiator valve according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a detail from Figure 1, on an enlarged scale;
Figure 3 is also a detail from Figure 1, on an enlarged
sacle, with an additional pressure disc.
Description of a Preferred Embodiment
Housing 1 of the thermostat radiator valve, valve stem 2
with its valve plate 3, and all-parts contained in neck area 4
for sealing inner chamber 5 of the valve, and for guiding and
sealing the valve stem, may be of conventional design. The
same applies to cap 6 which is secured to threaded ring 7
by means of a snap connection 8. Tubular part 9 of cap 6
has an internal thread 10 into which threaded connector 11 of
a rotatable member 12 is screwed to a greater or lesser extent.
Thermostat 13 passes through a central bore 14 in rotatable
member 12, working piston 15 of the said thermostat engaging
in a slot, or central opening, in pin-shaped stem extension 16.
In Figure 1, collar 17 of the thermostat lies flat on bottom 18
of rotatable member 12, whereas in Figure 2 it rests upon
three cams 19 distributed uniformily in the peripheral direction,
being kept in this position by loading spring 20 in the form
of a conical coil spring, the smaller diameter inner end of which
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bears against collar 17, whereas the larger diameter outer end
bears against a plurality of inwardly projecting extensions 21
of arms 22 distributed uniformily around the periphery. As
shown in Figure 3, this support may be effected indirectly by
means of a pressure disc 23.
Arms 22 are manufactured in one piece with rotatable
member 12, and they run preferably parallel with the longitudinal
axis of valve stem 2 and thermostat 13. Rotatable member 12
preferably has at least three arms 22 distributed uniformily
around the periphery thereof, each of the said arms being
provided with an inner extension 21 and a radially outwardly
projecting extension 24, the purpose of which will be explained
hereinafter. Arms 22 are adapted to bend resiliently in the
direction of arrow 25. Inwardly projecting extensions 21
have chamfers 26 and outwardly projecting extensions 24 have
chamfers 27.
Thermostat 13 is inserted, in the direction of arrow 28,
into the interior 29 of rotatable member 12. Journal- shaped
extension 30 of the said thermostat is held in central bore
14 of rotatable member 12. Loading spring 20 is then introduced
in the same direction, until it engages under inner extensions
21, to which end arms 22 may be forced radially outwards and
then allowed to spring back again. The introduction of the
spring, and possibly that of pressure disc 23, is facilitated
by chamfers 26 on inner extensions 21. A cup shaped rotatable
knob 31 is thenslipped over rotatable member 12, at which time
outer extensions 24 snap into annular groove 32. The said
rotatable ~nob is also connected positively to, and secured
against rotation on, rotatable member 12 by means of serrations
33 or the like.
The medium, for example hot water, flows into housing 1
in the direction of arrow 34, at which time the valve is
opened by the lifting of valve plate 3. As a result of this,
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thermostat 13 is lifted from bottom 18, or cams 19, against
the force of loading spring 20. When collar 17 of the said
thermostat rests upon floor 18 or cams 19, the force of the
loading spring can no longer act upon valve stem 2. For this
reason, a closing spring 36 is also provided for valve plate
3. By screwing in rotatable member 12 to a greater or lesser
extent, it is possible to achieve a connection without play
between thermostat 13, stem extension 16, and stem 2, even when
collar 17 is resting upon floor 18 or cams 19. Ambient air,
the temperature of which controls the thermostat radiator
valve, reaches the housing of thermostat 13 through radial
slots in rotatable knob 31 and the spaces between arms 22.
Upon being heated, the thermostat housing moves upwardly in
relation to piston 15, against the force of spring 20.
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