Water cock with non-freezing valve

In a water cock having a cock body provided with a cylindrical portion, a water outlet and a water inlet, a tubular member provided with a handle and engaged with a threaded portion formed in said cylindrical portion, a partition wall separating the inner space of the cock body into two compartments, one in communication with the inlet and the other in communication with the outlet, a primary valve opening formed in the partition wall so as to be placed under the lower end of the tubular member in order to allow communication between the chambers, a cap through which said tubular member is passed and which seals the cylindrical portion by a packing system contained within the cap contacting firmly with the tubular member;

• the improvement comprising a cavity portion formed at the lower end of the tubular member, a ring-shaped main packing positioned on a circular lower edge of the cavity portion so as to be concentric with the circular lower edge in order to close said primary valve opening as a result of a turning of said handle, said cavity portion having at least one through-hole formed in its depending wall for the flow of cold water therethrough to the outlet, a thermo-element containing heat-sensitive material the volume of which changes in response to change in water temperature, a shaft partially contained in said thermo-element and adapted to be slid in and out of said thermo-element in response to said volume change, and a valve mechanism for opening and closing a central opening of said main packing in response to the action of said thermo-element, whereby water is permitted to flow through said central opening and subsequently through said through-hole to said outlet in response to a temperature change of said heat-sensitive material, said thermo-element and said valve mechanism being at least partially contained within the cavity portion.