US 4,678,117 AGranted

Temperature responsive gas controller apparatus

OwnerWesley J. Trahan, Albert B. Montandoninventors

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Abstract

A system working in conjunction with a regulator having a diaphragm for controlling gas pressure within a gas system, wherein there is provided a spring system to control the diaphragm of the regulator, maintaining the regulator at a constant pressure upon adjustment of the spring. There is further provided an actuator mechanism, operating in conjunction with a sensing means comprising a closed cylindrical container containing gas, such as, butane, propane, or the like where upon expansion of the gas due to ambient temperature would activate the actuator mechanism for reducing the spring pressure on the diaphragm, and thus the gas pressure within the system. Likewise, where there is to be a reduction in ambient temperature, the concommitant contraction of a gas within the sensing means, allows increased pressure on the diaphragm for providing increased gas pressure within the regulator.

Claims7

Dependent claims

An apparatus responsive to a change in ambiant temperature, for regulating the pressure of gas within a gas pressure regulator of the type having a gas supply means, including a gas inlet and a gas outlet, said gas supply means further including a flexible diaphram member housed in the gas supply means movable between a first position for achieving maximum pressure within the system, and a second position for achieving the minimum pressure within the system, the apparatus comprising:

a. spring means including a base associated with the diaphram member for normally maintaining the diaphram member in the first position achieving the maximum pressure within the system;
b. means for contracting the spring to move the diaphram member toward a position to decrease the pressure within the system, said means further comprising:
i. sensing means, including a fluid expandable through an increase in ambiant temperature;
ii. a piston member receiving a fluid from said sensing means and movable upward in response to the expanse of said gas;
iii. a lever member, connectable on a first end to said piston member and movable in conjunction with said piston member;
and
iv. means extending between an arm member and the base of the spring member, so that upon movement of the arm member to the up position in response to the upward movement of the piston member, the base of the spring is pulled in the up direction, imparting movement of the diaphram toward the second position decreasing the pressure in the system, and upon the arm member returning to the down position, the spring member returns to its normal first position for achieving the maximum pressure within the system.

4 more elements

An apparatus responsive to a change in ambiant temperature, for regulating the pressure of gas within a gas pressure regulator of the type having a gas supply means, including a gas inlet and a gas outlet, said gas supply means further including a flexible diaphram member housed in the gas supply means movable between a first position for acheiving maximum pressure within the system, and a second position for acheiving the minimum pressure within the system, the apparatus comprising:

a. a spring member cooperating with the flexible diaphram member;
b. an arm hingedly mounted its first end and movable between up and down positions at its second end;
c. a piston member attachable to the movable end of the mounting arm;
d. sensing means, including a gas expandable upon the increase in ambiant temperature;
e. means for supplying the expandable gas into the piston chamber for moving the piston to the up position and likewise moving the arm member to the up position;
and
f. means extending between the arm member and the base of the spring member, so that upon movement of the arm member toward the up position in response to the upward movement of the piston member, the base of the spring is pulled upwardly, imparting movement of the diaphram member toward the second position decreasing the pressure in the system, and upon the arm member moving toward the down position, the spring member returns to its normal position for acheiving the maximum pressure within the system.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.