Abstract: A fluid flow regulating valve using a thermal expansion material. The valve includes a body provided with inlet and outlet ports; a displacement control part in the body, the displacement control part containing the thermal expansion material and displaced toward the outlet port when the thermal expansion material expands, thereby regulating a degree of opening of the outlet port; and a heater for heating the thermal expansion material within the displacement control part. The displacement control part includes a container containing the thermal expansion material, the container being coupled to the body and an expansion plate for regulating the degree of opening of the outlet port by being expanded in accordance with an expansion of the thermal expansion material, the expansion plate being hermetically coupled to the container.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring and compensating for the impact of environmental effects on industrial processing units. A thermal test element having a low thermal mass and high conductivity is exposed to the environment. Ambient air temperature is sensed at a nearby location, and a differential temperature controller determines how much energy is required to maintain the test element at a desired temperature differential from ambient temperature. Duty cycle and wattage outputs enable feedforward compensation for environmentally induced process unit control disturbances.

Abstract: An engine cooling system, structure therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the system comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and a thermostat construction disposed in the housing between the inlet and the outlet for controlling the degree of fluid flow therebetween, the thermostat construction comprising a valve seat unit, a valve closure unit for opening and closing the valve seat unit, a spring operatively interconnected to the valve closure unit to tend to close the same against the valve seat unit, and a temperature responsive device comprising a piston member and a cylinder member that are adapted to provide relative movement therebetween when the device senses certain temperatures, one of the members being interconnected to the valve closure unit to move the same in unison therewith in opposition to the force of the spring when the other of the members is fixed from movement relative to the housing, and a movable stop carried by the housing and having a plurality of different

Abstract: An electromechanical device for vehicle climate control and air conditioning systems. The valves in said systems are actuated by one or more plungers incorporated in electrothermoactuators associated with mechanisms which transmit and, if required, transform the linear movement generated by plungers causing the opening/closing of the system's valves.

Abstract: An improved control system for controlling the heating and cooling of a building or home including an improved control device forming a component of the control system. The control device includes a lever which can pivot about a central axis intermediate the ends of the lever, each end of the lever having a bimetallic element adjacent to and above a resistance heating element. The outer end of the bimetallic element coupled to one end of the lever engages an adjustable stop. The other bimetallic element is in engagement with a resilient blade which, depending upon its operative position, controls the flow of a fluid through a tube, the fluid flow through the tube being a function of the operative condition of the adjacent bimetallic element. The fluid flow through the tube determines how a fluid-actuated controller is operated to control a valve which provides heating and cooling fluid for heating and cooling a space.

Abstract: A ventilator opener for a livestock house having an electrically powered fan for ventilation utilizes a tubular electrical heater, connected to the same power source as the fan, to heat an expandable bi-metallic latch finger which thereby engages the inner surface of the tubular heater. The latch finger is operatively connected to a conventional winch which is used to lower at least one closure or curtain thereby uncovering one or more screened ventilation openings along the walls of the house. The latch finger secures the winch with the curtains in their closed positions while the finger is engaged by the heater. The latch finger is released from engagement with the tubular heater by cooling of the heater and latch finger subsequent to either electrical power failure or an excessive temperature within the livestock house, thereby releasing the winch and opening the ventilation openings.

Abstract: The invention relates to a valve assembly for a refrigeration plant of the kind used for controlling the flow of refrigerant from the evaporator to the compressor. The closure member for the valve unit is controlled directly or indirectly by a movable wall of an expansible chamber filled with a refrigerant medium having vapor and liquid phases. The pressure exerted by the vapor phase of the medium provides a bias in a valve opening direction which is directly related to the temperature of the liquid phase and is opposed by a spring bias in the valve closing direction. A heat transfer element such as a heating resistor in the liquid phase is heated or allowed to cool in a controlled manner by an external control unit. A temperature responsive sensor element in the liquid phase of the medium is part of a feedback system for the control unit which allows a selected temperature to be maintained in the chamber which results in a desired constant pressure in a valve opening direction to be maintained in a chamber.