# US 4,399,940 A · Automatic stove damper control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,399,940 A - Document ID: US4399940A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/371,065 - Filed: 1982-04-23 - Granted: 1983-08-23 - Earliest claimed: 1982-04-23 - Inventors: Donald E. Stiles - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4399940A ## CPC - G05D 23/08: with bimetallic element - F23N 3/047: {using mechanical means} - F23N 2235/04: in stacks - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - F23N: REGULATING OR CONTROLLING COMBUSTION (control devices specially adapted for combustion apparatus in which combustion takes place in a fluidised bed of fuel or other particles F23C10/28; condition responsive controls for regulating combustion in domestic stoves with open fires for solid fuel F24B1/187) ## Abstract An automatic stove damper having a temperature responsive element which activates a damper plate, the temperature responsive element being oriented by a movable adjustment means. The device allows for easy adjustment of the relative amount of damping provided by the device by shifting the adjustment means, but if the damper plate reaches and is stopped at a fully closed position the adjustment means is allowed to shift, preventing further temperature increases from permanently deforming the temperature responsive element. The adjustment means can release the temperature responsive element to quickly shift the damper plate to a fully damped position. In other aspects of the application a metal ring is attached to a stove pipe, with a magnet being positioned thereupon for orienting the temperature responsive element to provide the desired amount of relative damping. A counterweight urges the damper plate to a fully closed position when the magnet releases the temperature responsive element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An automatic stove damper assembly, comprising: a damper plate disposed to damp a stove pipe; a temperature responsive element having a configuration which changes when the temperature surrounding said response element changes, said temperature response element being operatively connected to said damper plate to change damping position thereof, so that as said configuration of said thermal response element changes the position of said damper plate is changed; adjustment means movably related to said temperature response element for releasably and movably orienting said temperature response element, to that moving said adjustment means changes the orientation of said temperature responsive element in relation to said damper to change the position of said damper at predetermined different temperatures for calibrating the operation of said damper. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An automatic stove damper assembly as described in claim 1, further comprising a counterweight related to said damper plate so that when said adjustment means releases said temperature responsive element said counterweight activates said damper plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2) An automatic stove damper assembly as described in claim 1 or 2 wherein: said adjustment means comprises a magnet and a metal base element, said magnet being magnetically attachable to said base element and also being magnetically attachable to said temperature response element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) An automatic stove damper assembly as described in claim 3, wherein: said damper plate is mounted on an axle; and said base element is a metal ring which encircles said axle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) An automatic stove damper assembly as described in claim 3, wherein: said temperature response element is a bimetallic strip having a first end attached to said axle and a second end extending away from said axle to said magnet; said magnet being magnetically attached to said metal base and said second end simultaneously. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) An automatic stove damper assembly as described in claim 4, wherein: said temperature response element is a bimetallic strip having a first end attached to said axle and a second end extending away from said axle to said magnet; said magnet being magnetically attached to said metal base and said second end simultaneously. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An automatic stove damper assembly as described in claim 1, wherein: said temperature responsive element is a bimetallic strip having a free end and said adjustment means relates to said free end of said strip. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An automatic stove damper assembly as described in claim 7, further comprising a counterweight related to said damper plate so that when said adjustment means releases said temperature responsive element said counterweight activates said damper plate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7, 8) An automatic stove damper assembly as described in claim 7 or 8, wherein: said adjustment means comprises a magnet and a metal base element, said magnet being magnetically attachable to said base element and also being magnetically attachable to said temperature response element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) An automatic stove damper assembly as described in claim 9, wherein: said damper plate is mounted on an axle; and said base element is a metal ring which encircles said axle. ### Claim 11 An automatic stove damper assembly, comprising: a damper plate disposed to damp a stove pipe; a temperature responsive element having a configuration which changes when the temperature surrounding said response element changes, said temperature response element being operatively connected to said damper plate to changing damping position thereof, so that as said configuration of said thermal response element changes the position of said damper plate is changed; adjustment means movably related to said temperature response element for releasably and movably orienting said temperature response element, so that moving said adjustment means changes the orientation of said temperature responsive element, said adjustment means being moved sufficiently easy that said changes in configuration of said temperature response element will move said adjustment means if said damper plate is restrained from movement; whereby changes in temperature surrounding said temperature responsive element cause said damper plate to be moved, but if said damper plate is restrained from activation changes in temperature cause said adjustment means to move, and said adjustment means allows for the release of said temperature responsive element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) An automatic stove damper assembly as described in claim 11, further comprising a counterweight related to said damper plate so that when said adjustment means releases said temperature responsive element said counterweight activates said damper plate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11, 12) An automatic stove damper assembly as described in claim 11 or 12, wherein: said adjustment means comprises a magnet and a metal base element, said magnet being magnetically attachable to said base element and also being magnetically attachable to said temperature response element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) An automatic stove damper assembly as described in claim 13, wherein: said damper plate is mounted on an axle; and said base element is a metal ring which encircles said axle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) An automatic stove damper assembly as described in claim 13, wherein: said temperature response element is a bimetallic strip having a first end attached to said axle and a second end extending away from said axle to said magnet; said magnet being magnetically attached to said metal base and said second end simultaneously. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) An automatic stove damper assembly as described in claim 14, wherein: said temperature response element is a bimetallic strip having a first end attached to said axle and a second end extending away from said axle to said magnet; said magnet being magnetically attached to said metal base and said second end simultaneously. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1, 11) The automatic stove damper assembly of claims 1 or 11 in which: said stove pipe has two stop means for limiting said damper plate from pivoting beyond said full open and full closed positions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 3) The automatic stove damper assembly of claim 3 in which: said stove pipe has two stop means for limiting said damper plate from pivoting beyond said full open and full closed positions. ### Claim 19 (depends on 5) The automatic stove damper assembly of claim 5 in which: said stove pipe has two stop means for limiting said damper plate from pivoting beyond said full open and full closed positions. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The automatic stove damper assembly of claim 15 in which: said stove pipe has two stop means for limiting said damper plate from pivoting beyond said full open and full closed positions. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The automatic stove damper assembly of claim 16 in which: said stove pipe has two stop means for limiting said damper plate from pivoting beyond said full open and full closed positions.