RADIATOR THERMOSTAT VALVE WITH THEFT PREVENTING MEANS

CLAPET THERMOSTATIQUE DE RADIATEUR, AVEC DISPOSITIF ANTIVOL

English Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure
A resilient element which is essentially ring-
shaped is arranged within the interior of a screw cap.
A fastening end of he resilient element is inserted
into a radially directed bore so that the resilient
element with respect to the screw cap is secured against
twisting. The resilient element comprises a warped end
in order to form a resilient tongue which, during screwing
on the thermostat by means of the screw cap, slips over
webs of the thermostat housing. When unscrewing the
screw cap, the resilient tongue of the element abuts
against the webs and prevents removal of the thermostat.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A radiator valve thermostat equipped with theft
preventing means, said thermostat carrying a screw cap which is
adapted to be threadedly secured to the radiator valve, said screw
cap closely surrounding a sleeve-shaped resilient housing portion
of the thermostat, said resilient housing portion being provided
with slots parallel to its axis, a resilient element being
arranged within and secured against rotation with respect to said
screw cap, said resilient element having at least one warped end
which extends in the peripheral direction and angularly inwardly
to project into one of said slots to prevent said cap from
rotation relative to said housing portion in one direction.
2. A thermostat according to claim 1, wherein said
resilient element consists of a wire.
3. A thermostat according to claim 1, wherein said
resilient element consists of a spring plate.
4. A thermostat according to claim 1, wherein said
resilient element is ring-shaped and lies against the inner wall
of said screw cap.
5. A thermostat according to claim 4, wherein a mounting
end of said resilient element is inserted into a radial bore of

said screw cap.
6. A thermostat according to claim 1, wherein said
resilient element is ring-shaped and is arranged within a
circumferential groove formed in the interior wall of said screw
cap.
7. A thermostat according to claim 6, wherein a mounting
end of said resilient element is inserted into a groove extending
parallel to the axis of the screw cap in the internal wall
thereof.
8. A thermostat according to claim 3, wherein a plurality
of tongues are bent off from said spring plate along its
circumference, each tongue comprising one said warped end.
9. A thermostat according to claim 8, wherein the spacing
between said tongues is matched to the spacing of said slots
within said resilient housing portion of said thermostat.

Description

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9660-11
The present inventlon relates to theft preventing means
for radiator thermostat valves.
The need for such theft preventing means in particular
exists if such thermostats are mounted in buildings which are
accessible to the public. Therefore, thermostats comprising such
theft preventing means are practically offered by all manufacturers
as so-called authority models.
Theft preventing means are known in various forms.
German Application DE-OS 31 02 335 discloses theft preventing means
wherein the screw cap fastening the radiator thermostat to the
radiator valve is surrounded by two halves of shell-shaped rings.
The shell-shaped rings are secured in position by means of a closed
metallic guard ring slipped over them. This known theft preventing
means in its design is relatively complex and expensive, and it
furthermore negatively influences the appearance of the radiator
thermostat.
The present invention provides a theft preventing means
which is extremely simple and cheap in its design and which does
not impair the outer appearance of the thermostat.
The principle of a ratchet as a theft preventing means
is basically known from German Application DE-OS 27 50 956. How-
ever, in the prior art model shown, the radiator thermostat is not
fastened to the radiator valve means of a screw cap; instead of
this a special design is used. A ring-shaped disc with at least
one clutch projecting from said disc is fastened at a socket to
prevent its rotation and where the thermostat housing is provided
with a ring having internal toothing. In screwiny the thermostat
housing provided with an internal thread onto the socket, the
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69660-11
clutch yrips into the toothing and therefore prevents removal of
the thermostat housing from the socket. With respect to this
known design, the present invention design shows the advantage
that without any essential modification each commercially
available radiator thermostat may be provided with theft
preventing means. According to the invention only a modification
of the screw cap is necessary.
Specifically, the invention provides a radiator valve
thermostat equipped with theft preventing means, said thermostat
carrying a screw cap which is adapted to be threadedly secured to
the radiator valve, said screw cap closely surrounding a sleeve-
shaped resilient housing portion of the thermostat, said resilient
housing portion being provided with slots parallel to its axis, a
resilient element being arranged within and secured against
rotation with respect to said screw cap, said resilient element
having at least one warped end which extends in the peripheral
direction and angularly inwardly to project into one of said slots
to prevent said cap from rotation relative to said housing portion
in one direction.
With respect to the embodiments shown in ~he figures of
the attached drawing, the invention shall be further explained.
Figure la is a radiator thermostat together with a screw
cap;
Figure lb is a first section in Figure 1 for showing a
first embodiment of the invention;
Figure lc is a second section in Figure 1 for showing a
second embodiment of the invention; and
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Figure ld is a third section in Figure 1 for showing a
third embodiment of the inventlon.
According to Figure la a radiator thermostat housing 5
comprises a sleeve-shaped housing portion 9
2a
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~25~3
being provided with slot 7 parallel to its axis and
having an outwardly extending collar 8. The housing
portion 9 as w911 as tho thermostat hou~ing 5 generally
consi~ts of plastics 90 that webs 4 formed by the slots 7
S are flexible in radial direction and allow ~lip over of a
screw cap 1 being provided with a counter collar 10 which
extand~ inwardly.
The screw cap 1 with its internal thread 11 acts
together with an external thread of a socket enclosing
the radiator valve not being further shown here.
Within the screw cap 1 and between the collar 8
and the counter collar 10 a re~ilient element 2 i8 arranged
and secured against axial displacement. According to
Figure lb the resilient element 2 consists of a wire which
over an essential portion rests against the inner
circumference of the screw cap 1. The wire is warped at
one end in order to form a resilient tongue 3. The other
end 12 of the wire is rectangularly warped and is ins~rted
in a radial groove 13 within the screw cap in order to
secure it against twisting. As may be taken from Figure lb,
the resi}ient tongue 3 in screwing on the screw cap 1 slips
over the webs 4. Unscrewing the screw cap 1 is prevented
since the resilient tongue then abuts against the webs 4.
According to Figure lc the resilient element 2
consisting of spring wire is inserted in an inner
circumferential groove 14 within the screw cap 1 and
twisting of the wire i8 prevented by deflecting its ona
end 12 rectangularly and inserting it into a groove 15
extending parallel to the axis.
According to Figure ld the resilient element 2
consists of a spring plate from which a plurality of
resilient tongues 6, 6', 6'' and 6 "' are bent off,
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where tho3e resilient tongues are spaced by a distance
which is matched to the distance of the webs 4. The
clamping end 12 of the spring plate 2 i~ rectangularly
bent off and i~ inserted into a slot 16 within the
screw cap 1 which extend~ parallel to the axi3 of the
screw cap.
.