Abstract: A self-venting cargo container for transporting temperature and moisture sensitive cargo having a tight enclosure for retaining bulk cargo with one of the end walls being openable for loading and unloading cargo and side walls which have longitudinally-extending and outwardly projecting moldings with each side wall having at least one section for admitting and exhausting air into and out of said container. Each of the side wall sections having an upper portion with a series of openings and an intermediate portion with a series of openings for air passage therethrough. Baffle means are secured to each section directly above the openings in the upper and intermediate portions of the side wall sections forming a canopy over the openings to exclude rain water and sea water from entering the openings in the side wall sections.

Abstract: An air conditioner of a vehicle having a selectively controlled conditioned air blowing outlet system using a shift actuator (20) equipped with a number of negative pressure supplying ports (a, b, c, d), in which selection of the operation mode of the conditioner is represented by the supply of a negative pressure signal to any one of the supplying ports, which causes displacement of a piston (31) of the shift actuator (20). The displacement is conveyed to selected one or more of doors provided at the outlets via a link mechanism to control the outlets according to a predetermined program.

Abstract: A mixing valve is provided with modular self contained units for controlling the volume, controlling mixtures ratio, and providing pressure balancing. Each unit may be separately replaced.

Abstract: A refrigerated display case having a display section within a cabinet and a movable door covering a front access opening to such display section. A refrigeration air conduit extends along the top, bottom and rear walls of the cabinet. The air conduit has an outlet opening and an inlet opening at opposing ends thereof with the openings being in alignment so that air leaving the outlet opening will be directed towards and received by the inlet opening thereby forming an air curtain across the front opening of the cabinet along the path inside the door. During a refrigeration cycle of operation of the display case, refrigerated air is circulated through the air conduit and a refrigeration mechanism arranged within the conduit so as to establish a refrigerated air band and a refrigerated air curtain across the front opening in the cabinet. During a defrost cycle of operation, the refrigeration mechanism is turned off and the door covering the front access opening is slightly opened.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine coolant system having a radiator for receiving coolant into an inlet thereof from an outlet of the engine through a thermostat that is disposed intermediate the outlet of the engine and the inlet of the radiator and having a coolant pump for circulating the coolant through the engine from an inlet of the engine to the outlet thereof, the pump having a first inlet interconnected to the outlet of the engine upstream of the thermostat and a second inlet interconnected to the outlet of the radiator while having its outlet interconnected to the inlet of the engine.

Abstract: A thermostat comprising a valve and a wax container connected to the valve. A drive rod projects from the end face of the wax container and is connected to the casing of the thermostat. The drive rod is actuated by the expanding operation of the wax contained in the wax container. A hollow cylindrical sealing sleeve is arranged on the end face of the wax container and has a hole through which the drive rod passes. A plurality of triangular shaped projections is formed on the inner wall of the hole of the sealing sleeve. A spring cap is fitted onto the sealing sleeve for pressing the triangular shaped projections onto the drive rod due to the spring force of the spring cap.

Abstract: A multichamber gas control valve modulates and controls the flow of gas to the burner of an instantaneous water heater. Flow of gas from an inlet chamber to a first chamber of the valve is controlled by a thermostatic valve and gas flow from the first to a second chamber is controlled by a temperature controller. Gas flow from the second chamber to an outlet chamber is controlled by a spring biased valve actuated by a diaphragm actuator operated in response to flow of water through a venturi in the water supply of the heater. The several chambers are in a common valve body closed by a removable cover to provide easy access to the components of the assembly.

Abstract: A timed rate control applies to a system having a device 12 for varying a medium 14, a sensor 13 for detecting variation in the medium, and a pneumatic line 11 for varying the device 12 in response to the sensor. This includes many pneumatic control systems that the invention can effectively stabilize to reduce fluctuation and improve operating accuracy and efficiency. The pneumatic line is opened and closed by a solenoid valve 17, and a setable timer 18 variably determines both closed and open intervals for the solenoid valve. The timer is connected to the solenoid valve to control alternate operation between the closed and open intervals while the system operates. This limits each adjustment to a brief duration separated by inactive periods that allow the system to stabilize.

Abstract: The invention resides in a method of producing artificial snow directly from ice, for ski slopes. Ice is formed on a surface exposed to an ambient temperature at or below the freezing temperature of water by flowing water onto the surface. The rate of water deposition is controlled such that all of the water deposited on the surface freezer before additional water is deposited thereon. The ice is then comminuted into snow-like particles and distributed onto the slope.

Abstract: A thermal by-pass valve with integral pressure relief including a body having an inlet port and a pair of aligned outlet ports and a T-shaped passage connecting the ports, a temperature sensitive valve element movably mounted in said passage adapted to close one of the outlet ports in one position and the other of the outlet ports in another position, a pressure sensitive valve element in the passage adjacent the first inlet port and contacting the temperature sensitive valve element to close that port when the temperature sensitive valve element is in the one position, and means movably mounting the pressure sensitive valve element to break the contact whenever the pressure exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: A thermostatic expansion valve assembly, particularly for a refrigerant cycle which includes a compressor, a condensor and an evaporator, operates in response to suction gas of the cycle and the valve assembly includes a housing defining a suction line for passage of the suction gas through the valve assembly. A valve tappet is acted upon by the suction gas for actuation of the valve assembly and a control member responsive to pressure and temperature receives the upper end of the valve tappet, with the suction gas acting on the valve tappet through the control member. The control member is formed in a cup-shaped configuration opening toward the suction line and includes a rim region projecting into the suction line and a circumferential region having a greater wall thickness than the rim region. An annular shoulder is formed on the control member and a cover plate is provided for the valve housing.

Abstract: An ice cube forming tray for an ice making machine consisting of a plurality of side-by-side corrugated plates having alternating ridges and grooves, straight plates separating the corrugated plates and also providing outer borders to the corrugated plates, and triangular evaporator coils located in complementary mating engagement in the apices of the ridges and passing through complementary mating openings in the plates. The plates which are not corrugated, instead of being straight, may be of hollow diamond-shape to also carry refrigerant.

Abstract: A refrigeration apparatus having an ice making mechanism and structure for operating the mechanism to deliver ice therefrom at timed intervals. The apparatus includes means for defrosting the apparatus. Further structure is provided for causing the length of the timed ice making intervals to be increased to include the amount of time required to effect the defrosting of the apparatus plus a preselected amount of time. In the illustrated embodiment, a timer, including a timer motor, is provided for controlling operation of the ice making mechanism. An electrical circuit is provided for electrically interconnecting components of the apparatus whereby the timer motor is energized concurrently with the operation of the compressor of the refrigeration apparatus and is de-energized concurrently with the operation of the defrost heater of the apparatus.

Abstract: A thermostatic expansion valve is disclosed for a refrigerant system that modulates the fluid flow with a capsulated refrigerant pressure that is temperature regulated through direct heat conduction from the evaporator outlet and further controls the flow with evaporator inlet pressure modulated by a venturi effect.

Abstract: A draft control plate, which automatically opens or closes to provide efficient draft conditions in a furnace, is provided with both horizontal and vertical counterbalance devices which respectively permit adjustment of the initial position of the plate and the sensitivity of its movements. Initially, the plate is partially open where it remains while the furnace is operating under normal conditions. It is then capable of opening or closing in response to changes in the pressure differential across it. Preferably, the plate is horizontally mounted in an auxiliary flue channel which is adjacent to and in connection with the main flue of the furnace.

Abstract: A refrigeration system comprised of a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator, wherein the expansion valve includes a means for separating a gaseous phase refrigerant generated within the valve from a liquid phase refrigerant so as to feed the liquid phase refrigerant to an inlet of the evaporator and the gaseous phase refrigerant to an outlet of the evaporator.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine air intake temperature control system a pivotal valve is movable between two extreme positions of angular movement to open one and close the other of a cold air inlet and a warm air inlet to an engine air intake passage, said valve being biased in a direction to close said cold air inlet, and a thermo-responsive device in said intake passage includes an actuator constructed so as, in response to increasing temperature in said intake passage, to engage said valve and move it against said bias to open said cold air inlet and close said warm air inlet, said valve also being movable to open said cold air inlet, against said bias, in response to a predetermined pressure differential across said valve, and said thermo-responsive device including a stop member constructed so that, when the temperature sensed by said thermo-responsive device is below a predetermined value, the stop member is positioned so as to prevent complete closure of said warm air inlet by said valve.

Abstract: An improvement in a refrigerated display case in which an air flow restriction baffle is positioned adjacent to the discharge end of the air conduit containing the defrost ambient air band. The baffle increases the linear velocity of the air band and the air momentum sufficiently to cause the band to flow away from the access opening of the display case whereby continuous recirculation of the defrost air is avoided. The baffle can form a restricted air flow cross-sectional area which is about 50% to 90% of the cross-sectional area of the air flow conduit immediately proceeding the position of the baffle. A restricted air flow area of these amounts enable a linear velocity increase of about 10% to 100% based on the air band velocities normally used during defrost cycles.

Abstract: The waste water from an ice cube making machine, both from the cube unit itself and from the bin where the ice cubes are stored is supplied to an insulated heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is divided into two sections with a first cold input section being separated from the remaining portion of the unit by a baffle to avoid undue mixing of the water, and to maintain the water at the input section at a low temperature, near freezing. A heat exchange coil is located in the first section of the heat exchanger and water to be formed into ice is precooled by circulation through this coil. Additional coils are located in the remaining portion of the heat exchanger to further cool refrigerant liquid which has been condensed and is under pressure ready for return to the ice-making units. The temperature in the input section of the heat exchanger is in the order of 34 degrees F.

Abstract: A steam trap has a control member which includes a bimetallic element at the prepressure side and a locking element, which is biased by the prepressure in an opening direction relative to a valve seat provided for the locking element. The bimetallic element is supported at one end on an abutment and it actuates the locking element with its other end. At least one snap spring which is supported on the abutment is effective on the control member in the direction of the locking element stroke axis, and it has a spring constant which is numerically larger than the spring constant of the bimetallic element.