Abstract: An open top refrigerated display case having an ambient air automatic defrost system and a method of operating such a case. A single air conduit extends in a U-shaped formation along opposing side walls and the bottom wall of the display case. The air conduit has openings at both ends in the location of the upper portions of the side walls. Arranged within the air conduit is at least one reversible fan and a set of refrigeration coils. During a refrigeration cycle the fan circulates air through the air conduit in a first direction towards the refrigeration coils. When frost buildup within the display case has reached a certain level, the system is switched to a defrost cycle. During the defrost cycle, the fan circulates the air in the opposite direction through the air conduit and draws in ambient air from outside of the display case. Since such ambient air is of a higher temperature than the normally refrigerated air, it serves to defrost the system.

Abstract: A temperature-responsive valve for controlling the flow of fluid comprises a housing having a chamber therein, an inlet port communicating with said outlet port communicating with said chamber and a temperature deflectable partition. When the temperature of the fluid transmitted to said partition reaches a first predetermined value, the deflectable partition snaps to restrict with its surface the flow of fluid into said outlet port and remains in that position until the temperature of said fluid transmitted to said partition reaches a second predetermined value. The deflectable partition then snaps to permit the full flow of fluid into said outlet port. The temperature-responsive valve is especially useful in showers for protecting users from discomfort or scalding in the event the temperature of the shower water rises above the desired value.

Abstract: A thermostatic steam trap having a balanced pressure thermostatic element (2,2A,2B) operated by volatile fluid (15) is disclosed in which an internal void (10) of the element is open to steam/condensate within the trap, and in which the volatile fluid fills a housing (6) outside the element when the trap is fully open thereby to support the element against high pressure within the element. In the trap fully-closed condition the element adopts a nearly nesting condition so that if the element is then subjected to higher pressure externally it adopts a fully nesting condition in which it can withstand great external pressure.

Abstract: In a diver heating system of the type in which a fluid being circulated in he circulation passage of the diver's clothing is heated by the controlled combustion of a reducing metal in an oxygen atmosphere, a temperature control system in which a gas flow control valve controls the oxygen flow to the reaction to automatically maintain a preset temperature of the circulating fluid and a gas shut-off valve serves as a backup to quickly shut-off the oxygen flow if the temperature of the circulating fluid exceeds a preset value. In both the gas flow control valve and the gas shut-off valve, the heated water is fed through a heat exchanger where it is in thermal contact with a thermofluid so that heat is transferred between the two fluids. The change in volume of the thermofluid with temperature is coupled to a motion bellows which operates to control the flow of oxygen through an orifice.

Abstract: Air flows to the conditioned space through a cool air duct and a warm air duct which feed a common delivery duct. The inlet of the cool air duct is connected to a cool air supply duct of a parent system; and inlet of the warm air duct communicates with the return air plenum. Flow control components are air actuated and are controlled by actuators responding to a varying air pressure control signal, which is the output of a thermostat in the conditioned space producing a varying signal pressure signal related to varying temperatures. Dampers in the cool air duct and warm air duct provide for alternative air flow from either of these ducts to the delivery duct. The volume of air flow in the cool air duct is controlled by a modulating damper which responds to a selected signal pressure range. The air flow in the warm air duct is controlled by a fan and dampers, controlled through change of the signal pressure in either direction relative to a selected signal level.

Abstract: A draft control arrangement for use with a gas-fired heating apparatus. The flow of waste gas through a draft hood of the apparatus is throttled by bimetal element means which responds to temperature change for reducing or enlarging the throttle area. Control means is provided for causing the rate of throttle area change during a certain phase of operation to vary from the rate of throttle area change during other phases of operation.

Abstract: Control devices for heating installations are disclosed, which heating installations are provided with thermostat controls. The control devices sense the temperature of the heating medium, e.g., water, to be passed to the heating installation and to be returned therefrom. The temperature difference actuates a control for mixing or directing the flow of the medium in the desired volumes. Use is made of control pistons and expansion material to provide control devices which are particularly capable of optimum energy utilization.

Abstract: Cube or flake ice is provided by spraying atomized water against the bottom of a mechanically refrigerated plate or against a revolving disc disposed in facing contact with such a suface or with a wall of a freezing compartment of a household refrigerator, the water mist impinging on the surface freezing on contact to coat the surface and fill any concavities with ice, which is loosened to drop into a collecting bin by a defrosting cycle effected either by causing the flow of refrigerant in refrigeration tubing embodied in a stationary plate to be reversed in periodic, sequential order among several sectors in the plate, or by the action of a revolving disc carrying ice formed thereon continuously past a sector which is heated electrically or by incorporation of refrigerant condensing coils to produce in continuous or semi-continuous manner cubes, chips or flakes of ice.

Abstract: The present application discloses a control device for an ice making machine to make ice by circulating ice-making water to an ice making member having a refrigerating system, said control device comprising a timer circuit to be operated simultaneously with or with a delay after the start of an ice making operation and adapted to control a period of time during which an ice making operation is performed, a temperature sensing element whose impedance varies with the variations of the ambient temperature around the refrigerating system, so that an input voltage applied to the timer circuit may vary with the variations of an impedance of the temperature sensing element, thereby to automatically control the period of time during which an ice making operation is performed, whereby the thickness of ice made when one cycle of an ice making operation is completed, may be maintained constant at all times.

Abstract: A variable air flow volume conditioned air distribution system of the kind having an air flow duct for supplying conditioned air to a room and a valve in the duct for regulating the volume of air flowing through the duct has a controller which senses the flow velocity in the duct and the room temperature in the room.The controller combines a temperature signal with a flow velocity signal through a velocity spring. A temperature change resets the flow velocity set point and produces a corresponding change in the volume flow through the duct.The controller includes an adjustable bias for the velocity spring for varying the rate of the velocity spring from a low spring rate for control at a low maximum permitted flow velocity in the duct to a higher spring rate for control at a higher permitted maximum flow velocity flow in the duct and vice versa.

Abstract: For a material processing operation having at least one stage requiring heating and at least one stage requiring cooling, heating is provided by a first heat pump 24 and cooling is provided by a second heat pump 26, with two storage tanks of different temperatures 60 and 62 being provided, the second tank 62 serving as a heat sink for the condensing section 42 of the second heat pump, and serving as a heat source for the evaporator section 38 of the first heat pump, the first tank 60 providing a cooler fluid for the condenser section 42 of the second heat pump, and receiving a cooled fluid from the evaporator section 38 of the first heat pump.

Abstract: The invention relates to a manually setable, knob-type thermostatic control assembly for radiator valves. The knob normally has a fixed or usual setting to provide a desired temperature for a room. Occasionally the setting is temporarily changed for one reason or another and the unit must be reset to its usual setting. This is facilitated herein and in the prior art by providing index markings on the relatively rotatable members. The novelty herein, however, is in providing a cap for the rotatable knob member which carries the index marking and the cap is readily adjustable relative to rotatable member in a simple manner without detaching the cap from the knob member.

Abstract: A refrigerator comprises a primary refrigerating system and a secondary refrigerating system in heat-exchanging contact with each other. The secondary refrigerating system is connected to a reservoir containing a control gas getter which can be heated to vary the amount of free control gas in the secondary refrigerating system and thereby to control the temperature of the secondary refrigerating system. The reservoir includes an initially breakable seal for aiding in assembling the reservoir to the secondary refrigerating system.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring ice cubes and the like from a first location to a remote second location, the apparatus including a conduit system communicating the two locations and a source of air for causing ice to be moved through the conduit system between the two locations; the apparatus further including diverter means whereby ice cubes being transmitted from the first location to the second location may be diverted via the conduit system to a third location. The invention further includes means for preventing damage to the ice cubes being transmitting through the conduit system due to the high velocity of air being utilized therein and also means for disposing of any melt water which may exist within the conduit system as the ice cubes are being communicated between the various remote locations.

Abstract: A thermostatic control valve for maintaining an essentially constant set value of an operating temperature of a liquid coolant conductible through a cooling jacket of an internal combustion engine with a valve chamber open to a first valve connection and with a valve controlling the coolant connection between a second valve connection and the valve chamber and a further valve controlling the coolant connection between a third valve connection and the valve chamber. A thermostatic adjusting element, responsive with adjusting movements to temperature changes, is operatively connected with the valves so as to selectively actuate the same. One of the valves is actuatable for suppression of a coolant flow in the cooling jacket by a spring means abutting a fixed thrust bearing mounted on the valve chamber with the other valve being actuatable by the adjusting element into a closed position.

Abstract: A valve body member and various insert assemblies usable with the body member to form steam traps of different types are disclosed in this application. The body member includes an internally threaded, generally cylindrical recess extending inwardly from an outer surface and terminating in an end face, an inlet passage communicating with the recess thrugh a passageway terminating in the end face of the recess, and a discharge passage also communicating with the recess. An annular rib is formed on the end face of the recess around the passageway and includes a surface on which is seated a first sealing ring clamped in place by a first bearing surface of the particular insert assembly used to form the steam trap; an annular seat is formed on the outer surface of the body member around the cylindrical recess and this seat receives a second sealing ring which is clamped in place by a second bearing surface of the insert assembly.

Abstract: A thermally responsive valve device having non-linear flow characteristics. The valve device is particularly adapted to control fluid flow in an automotive coolant system. The thermally responsive valve device includes movable and stationary valve structure. A movable valve member is movable to create a flow passage and to adjust the open area thereof, but movement of the movable valve member provides a non-linear relationship between the area of the flow passage created and the distance of travel of the movable valve member. The stationary valve member is provided with a valve seat having a sloping encompassng wall so that with slight opening movement of the movable closure member a very limited volume of fluid flow is permitted. As the movable valve member continues to move in an opening direction, the non-linear relationship between the distance of movement of the movable valve member and the flow area created continues. The fluid flow gradually increases until a specific maximum flow rate is achieved.

Abstract: An apparatus for mixing high and low pressure air from a jet engine and introducing the air to an air duct of the air conditioning system of an aircraft. The apparatus provides a plurality of high pressure nozzles inside an air-mixing chamber. By controlling the opening and closing of the nozzles individually, a stepped area ratio of high pressure air with low pressure air is provided for regulating the temperature of the mixed air to the air conditioning system of the aircraft while the aircraft is taking-off, climbing, cruising at various altitudes and landing.

Abstract: An ice dispenser storage assembly for use in a freezer compartment of a refrigerator including a motor-driven ice dispenser. There is provided a cover secured to the inside of the freezer compartment and an ice storage receptacle movable from a first ice storage position to a second ice transfer position along and below the cover. Provision is made to stop the ice storage receptacle in the second ice transfer position and provision to energize the ice dispenser when the ice storage receptacle is in the second position and deenergize the ice dispenser when the ice storage is not in the second position.

Abstract: A three-port thermally responsive valve for alternately valving an intermediate fluid port with adjacent upper and lower fluid ports. A single valve member is movably contained within a housing fluid passageway and spring-biased in a first position so that a sealing surface at each end of the valve member is respectively engageable with and spaced from corresponding valve sealing surfaces in the fluid passageway. The sealing surfaces on the valve member are spaced with respect to the valve sealing surfaces in the housing fluid passageway to maintain isolation of the upper and lower fluid ports until valving of the intermediate fluid port with either the upper or lower fluid port is completed. When predetermined temperatures are encountered, a thermally responsive actuator connected to the valve member by a rod overcomes the biasing force generated by the spring and moves the valve member to the second valved position.