Abstract: A microvalve has at least two pressurized-medium connections means forming a valve seat between the connections, a closure member cooperating with the valve seat, an electrical actuating unit deflecting the closure member, and a membrane which moves the closure member in opposition to he electrical actuating unit and adjoins a space which can be loaded with pressurized medium. The membrane has an area which is substantially reduced relative to the valve seat and is firmly joined to the membrane and also has a pressure-loaded area. The closure member has a ring-shaped pressure-compensation area which is opposite to the membrane and extends radially outwardly of the reduced surface of the membrane and counteracts the pressure loaded area of the membrane, the pressure-loaded area of the membrane and the pressure-compensation area of the closure member are essentially equally large.

Abstract: A battery-powered, liquid-detection alarm and shut-off system includes an elongated sensor, an electronic controller, and a spring biased shut-off valve assembly. The sensor comprises two partially exposed conductors separated by protruding ridges of insulation. The protruding-ridge configuration enables the sensor to detect small quantities of surface water and yet be insensitive to humidity. The electronic controller maximizes battery life and protects against false alarms caused by electrical interference. The shut-off valve assembly comprises a 1/4 turn ball valve and a valve-actuating assembly. The valve is set by being manually cocked to an open position, engaging a lever actuated cam and preloading a valve shut-off spring. The valve is then closed by momentarily passing an electrical current through a temperature-activated memory-shaped spring located on the valve assembly. The current is supplied by the electronic controller in response to detection of liquid by the sensor.

Abstract: An normally closed-type fluid control valve, having a guide standing through a counter member on the side of an upper surface of a valve base is provided with a cylindrical member having an engaging portion at its lower end and movable up and down on an inner the side thereof. Cylindrical member is provided with an actuator therewithin so that the actuator may be held by the cylindrical member. A support member 051452225 is fixed in position by means of the counter member and the guide is inserted into a hole opened at a position below a lower end portion of the actuator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a control device for a system for regulating the ntilation of a controlled-atmosphere room. The system has at least one sensor located in the room to pick up desired information such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide level, or other similar levels, or occupancy or nonoccupancy of the room. A valve, of the deformable bladder type, is located in the ventilation duct of the room and the system is controlled by the control pressure of the valve as a function of information picked up by the sensor.

Abstract: An electronically driven control valve, in particular for refrigeration, comprises a main pipe (2) with two end pieces (4, 6) which can be made into inlet and outlet and an elastic center piece (8) which can be loaded externally with pressure to change its shape and hence its flow cross-section. The main pipe is surrounded in the zone of the elastic center piece by a perforated support tube (10) which in turn is surrounded at a distance by an enclosing tube (12), whereby an impermeably sealed enclosing space (16) is formed between the center piece (8) and the enclosing tube (12). A filling medium (18) in the saturated state is present in that enclosing space. This filling medium can be heated by a heater element to generate a desired vapor pressure and to change the shape of the elastic center piece. The change in shape of the elastic center piece is sensed using an inductive or capacitive pickup (25). The measurement signals from the pickup are analyzed to drive the control valve.

Abstract: A control device, refrigerator system utilizing the control device and methods of making the same are provided, the control device comprising a housing having a valve seat and having an inlet and an outlet interconnected together by the valve seat, a movable valve member carried by the housing and being adapted to open and close the valve seat by being respectively moved to an open position thereof and a closed position thereof, and a shape memory unit carried by the housing and being operatively interconnected to the valve member to move the valve member to one of the positions thereof by the unit sensing a temperature above a first temperature and to move the valve member to the other of the positions thereof by the unit sensing a temperature below a second temperature, the shape memory unit comprising a shape memory wire having opposed ends interconnected to the housing and having an intermediate portion thereof operatively interconnected to said valve member.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thermally controlled steam trap with a casing formed from two disk-like wall portions, with a diaphragm arranged between them and which is tightly welded at its outer edge to the two wall portions and forming with one wall portion a chamber receiving an expansion medium, and with a closure centrally fixed to the diaphragm and cooperating through a bore in the second wall portion with a valve seat. According to the invention the closure 7 is centrally connected to the diaphragm 4 and a counterpart 15 by resistance force welding. In order to obtain a clean weld, the closure 7 is specially designed for resistance forge welding.

Abstract: An annular blowout preventer control system which provides a closing hydraulic pressure to the preventer in proportion to the well-bore pressure with an additive offset equal to the pressure required to energize the preventer. The control system utilizes an annular-type blowout preventer, a hydraulic pressure regulator valve, a pneumatic pressure regulating valve, and necessary controls, all mounted above a standard blowout preventer assembly on a well casing during drilling operations, or on the existing well head during workover operations. The regulator valve includes a diaphragm which operates to establish the initial closing pressure needed to seal the annular blowout preventer. After activation, changes in pressure in the well bore are sensed by the hydraulic pressure regulator valve, which delivers regulated closing pressure to the annular blowout preventer. The regulated closing pressure is proportional to the pressure encountered in the well bore.

Abstract: A variable focal length lens integrated onto a silicon wafer. A light transmitting material such as gas or liquid is entrapped in a cavity in the wafer. The cavity has a flexible, light transmitting wall. The wall provides one surface of the lens. When the material inside the cavity is heated or cooled, the wall flexes and the focal length of the lens changes. The lens is suitable for use in temperature and pressure sensors, fiber optic communication networks, optical computers, and other applications.

Abstract: A semiconductor microactuator has a silicon semiconductor substrate having suspension means connected thereto. The suspension means has a first layer of material having a first thermal expansion coefficient and a second layer of material having a second thermal expansion different than the first thermal expansion coefficient and may be a part of a diaphragm or a pair of connecting members. A movable element, which may be a second part of the diaphragm or a boss, is connected to the suspension to be displaced thereby as the temperature of the first and second layers of material is varied. The displacement is solely irrotational with respect to the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A blowout preventer is provided with an improved sealing assembly for sealing engagement with a pipe extending through the blowout preventer into a well bore. The sealing assembly includes an elastomeric seal and a plurality of circumferentially spaced metal inserts within the seal for substantially minimizing or preventing extrusion of the seal under high fluid pressure. The BOP be reliably used for sealing engagement with pipes of varying diameters. Each insert has a substantially I-shaped configuration with an upper flange, a lower flange, and a rib fixedly interconnecting the flanges. A slot is provided within at least one of the flanges and forms a cavity for receiving a male interconnecting member extending circumferentially from an adjacent one of the inserts, such that the circumferentially spaced inserts are interconnected to minimize extrusion gaps between the inserts and to better enable the sealing assembly to form a positive seal with the pipe.

Abstract: A microminiature valve having radially spaced, layered spider legs, with each leg having first and second layers of materials having substantially different coefficients of thermal expansion. The legs include heating elements and are fixed at one end to allow radial compliance as selected heating of the legs causes flexure. Below the legs is a semiconductor substrate having a flow orifice aligned with a valve face. Flexure of the legs displaces the valve face relative to the flow orifice, thereby controlling fluid flow through the orifice.

Abstract: An improved self-locking piston for use in ram blowout preventers has a hollow cylindrical outer piston which slidably contains an inner locking piston. The inner locking piston has a tapered, frusto-conically shaped front section with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart, sloping flats formed therein. Apertures provided through the outer wall surface of the main outer piston contain radially slidable driver segments each having a sloping surface complementary to the sloping surface of the flats on the inner piston. Forward motion of the inner piston relative to the outer piston forces the driver segments radially outwards in the apertures. A plurality of locking segments, one each positioned in a groove rearward of and communicating with a separate one of each of the apertures is provided. Each locking segment has a sloping lower front surface adapted to sliding engagement by the sloping upper rear surface of a driver segment.

Abstract: A valve apparatus for controlling fluid flow comprising a substrate having a first aperture extending therethrough for defining a first fluid flow path; a beam having first and second terminal end portions mounted in fixed relationship with the substrate and having a bucklingly displaceable intermediate portion positioned in overlying relationship with the aperture for covering and uncovering the aperture for preventing or enabling fluid flow through the aperture; and a temperature control assembly for selectively controlling the temperature of the beam for selectively bucklingly displacing the intermediate portion of the beam for controlling fluid flow through the aperture.

Abstract: A blowout preventer for use on wells and especially adapted to use on a pumping well during a steam flood operation including an upper housing having oppositely disposed rams for extension and retraction between the sealing and non-sealing with a longitudinal member through the blowout preventer into a well, such a polished rod of a pump, a lower housing connected with the upper housing, and a heat responsive seal assembly in the lower housing for sealing with the polished rod during steam flooding, the heat responsive seal assembly including an elastomer seal plug designed to swell to form a seal with the polished rod during steam flooding and including means to compress the seal plug after steam flooding to return the plug to an original non-sealing volume and size below the steam flooding temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for controlling flow of liquid through an aperture. The apparatus includes a housing and a float valve disposed in and unattached to the housing. The float valve is formed to include a float chamber and is movable in the housing between an aperture blocking position and an aperture unblocking position. The apparatus further includes a mechanism for controlling movement of the float valve by selectively venting fluid from the float chamber to reduce the buoyancy of the float valve.

Abstract: A valve construction and method of making the same are provided, the valve construction comprising a housing provided with a chamber therein and with an inlet leading to the chamber and outlet leading from the chamber, a valve seat carried by the housing and leading to the outlet, a movable bimetallic lever carried by the housing and having an operating bimetallic part, a heater wire disposed in coiled relation about the operating part to heat the same when an electrical current flows through the heater wire, and a valve member carried by the bimetallic lever for opening and closing the valve seat under the control of the operating part of the bimetallic lever, the operating part of the bimetallic lever having a fastening unit operatively interconnected to the heater wire to tend to hold the heater wire in the coiled relation on the operating part of the bimetallic lever, the heater wire comprising a length of the wire doubled upon itself to define a looped end and pair of free ends adjacent each other with t

Abstract: A thermo-actuator has a steel rod, a guide member slidably mounted on the rod, a spool seal secured to the guide member, a heat conductive cylinder secured to the guide member, and wax pellets provided in the cylinder. The spool seal has a thin layer, so that the spool seal engages with the rod by a vacuum generated in the spool seal. The thickness of the spool seal is between 5% to 25% of the diameter of the steel rod.

Abstract: The temperature sensitive apparatus controls fluid flow from one line to others and includes an elongated wire of a shaped memory wire that changes in length with changes in temperature extended into a valve housing for pivotally moving valve mechanism in the valve housing against the action of a spring from a fluid flow blocking position to a position permitting fluid flow upon heating the wire. The wire is connected to the valve mechanism and extends through a tube, both of which extend exterior of the valve housing with the major portion of the length of the wire being exterior thereof. The tube extends into a connecting member housing that is attached to the exterior of the valve housing and contains mechanism surrounding the tube to heat the wire. The tube is substantially thermally insulated from the interior of the valve housing. The heating mechanism may include a generator for an electric alternating field to induce a heating current in the wire, or an A.C.

Abstract: A valve arrangement from microstructured components worked out of a basic body, for the control of fluids, include an actuation element which is movable relative to a flow path distributor and opens or closes fluid paths depending on its position. A transition from one position into the other is effected by adding an actuating drive connected to an electrical power source. The actuation element is held in its switch position. For a high fluid flow, a large force can be applied to the actuation element. The actuating drive works according to an operating principle aimed at covering the longest distance possible. A holding device is provided, which works according to an operating principle working independent of the first operating principle and provides the generation of the greatest cohesion possible.

Abstract: A control device, refrigerator system utilizing the control device and methods of making the same are provided, the control device comprising a housing having a valve seat and having an inlet and an outlet interconnected together by the valve seat, a movable valve member carried by the housing and being adapted to open and close the valve seat by being respectively moved to an open position thereof and a closed position thereof, a coiled compression shape memory spring carried by the housing and being operatively interconnected to the valve member to move the valve member to one of the positions thereof by the spring axially expanding from a closed coil bound condition thereof upon the spring sensing a temperature above a first temperature and to move the valve member to the other of the positions thereof by the spring axially contracting into the closed coil bound condition thereof upon the spring sensing a temperature below a second temperature, and an electrically operated heater having at least a portion

Abstract: The specific embodiment comprises a valve piston mounted on a shaft that is slidably disposed within an aperture in the lower housing of the blowout preventer. The valve piston and shaft may be extended into the central passage of the BOP in an open position through the use of a hydraulic operator assembly. When the valve piston and shaft have been extended into the open position, the wellbore gases enter into the annular space between the shaft and the aperture through the lower housing of the BOP. The wellbore gases are then vented from the aperture through an open vent conduit to the outside of the BOP.The hydraulic operator assembly is spring biased to keep the valve piston and shaft in closed position whenever the hydraulic operator assembly is not activated. The valve piston will therefore automatically close whenever there is a loss of hydraulic control. In normal operation, the hydraulic operator assembly will keep the valve piston and shaft in open position until the wellbore gases have been vented.

Abstract: A blowout preventer is provided with an improved sealing assembly for sealing engagement with a pipe extending through the blowout preventer into a well bore. The sealing assembly includes an elastomeric seal and a plurality of circumferentially spaced metal inserts within the seal for substantially minimizing or preventing extrusion of the seal under high fluid pressure. The BOP be reliably used for sealing engagement with pipes of varying diameters. Each insert has a substantially I-shaped configuration with an upper flange, a lower flange, and a rib fixedly interconnecting the flanges. A slot is provided within at least one of the flanges and forms a cavity for receiving a male interconnecting member extending circumferentially from an adjacent one of the inserts, such that the circumferentially spaced inserts are interconnected to minimize extrusion gaps between the inserts and to better enable the sealing assembly to form a positive seal with the pipe.

Abstract: A gas generator for inflating an inflatable article such as a safety bag or raft, has a reaction chamber (1) surrounded by a ring-shaped filter chamber (2). First gas exit openings (10 to 15) permit generated gas to flow from the reaction chamber into the filter chamber. Second gas exit openings (22) lead from the filter chamber into the inflatable article. A temperature responsive flow control is provided to make sure that the inflation efficiency or the inflation pressure inside the inflated article is substantially constant and substantially independent of the temperature of the gas generator at which the ignition of a gas generating fuel begins.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for controlling flow of liquid through an aperture. The apparatus includes a housing and a float valve disposed in and unattached to the housing. The float valve is formed to include a float chamber and is movable in the housing between an aperture-blocking position and an aperture-unblocking position. The apparatus further includes a mechanism for controlling movement of the float valve by selectively venting fluid from the float chamber to reduce the buoyancy of the float valve.

Abstract: A seal comprises a sandwich of a soft, low modulus resinous layer between two outer layers of harder, high modulus resinous material to provide an effectve high pressure seal at both low and high temperatures. The seal can be used in well head service, e.g., in a blowout preventer or stuffing box seal, in oil wells, geothermal wells of hydraulic mining pipes. The high modulus material is preferably a polybenzimidazole containing 5 to 50 wt. % short fibers. The low modulus material is preferably a thermoplastic fluorinated hydrocarbon polymer or a fluorinated synthetic elastomer containing polybenzimidazole in powder and/or short fiber form and short fibers of glass and/or carbon. For blowout preventer service, the seal can take the form of a T to be fitted with complementary metal retainers to form a cylindrical seal unit having a semicylindrical groove in the seal face to mate with the polish rod or tubing.

Abstract: A shape memory actuator for controlling the position of a control member, such as a damper plate in a duct, the actuator including first and second shape memory elements each having an austenite phase transition temperature above which each element assumes a predetermined memory shape and a lower phase which forms when said element is stretched from the predetermined memory shape, the first and second elements being connected to move the control member in different directions when one or the other of the elements are heated to a temperature above its austenite phase transition temperature and an electrical circuit for selectively raising the temperature of one or the other of the elements. The control member may be held in a position between full open and full closed by holding mechanisms which connect the actuator to the control member.

Abstract: A valve including a wire-shaped element of shape memory alloy as its driving source. The wire-shaped element is mechanically associated with a valve element so as to undergo an elongation from its original length when the valve element is moved in a predetermined direction, which can be either a direction to open a valve port or a direction to close the valve port. A biasing device biases the valve element in the predetermined direction. When the shape memory alloy is not heated to its critical temperature, it undergoes an elongation due to the biasing device, allowing the valve element to close/open the valve port. On the other hand, when heated to its critical temperature or higher, the shape memory alloy exhibits the shape memory effect contracting to its original length, whereupon the valve element opens/closes the valve port.

Abstract: A new and improved ram locking apparatus for blowout preventer rams which allows the rams to be locked in the closed position and compensates for wear on the sealing elements of the rams. The device consists of a tubular cross containing a rod extension with a tapered end attached to the ram, a hydraulically reciprocal piston with a wedging surface to coact with the tapered end of the rod extensions and hydraulic fluid ports. The tapered end of the rod and the wedge surface of the piston have serrated surfaces to increase friction between the wedging surfaces and provide a self-locking engagement and thereby provide a small compact apparatus.

Abstract: A four-way switching valve device which comprises a valve chamber provided with at least a liquid inflow port and a liquid flow-direction switching means comprising a plurality of liquid inflow and outflow ports and a first valve slidably mounted on the liquid flow-direction switching means to selectively communicate one of the liquid inflow and outflow ports to a liquid outflow port respectively.

Abstract: A valve construction and method of making the same are provided, the valve construction comprising a housing provided with a chamber therein and with an inlet leading to the chamber and outlet leading from the chamber, a valve seat carried by the housing and leading to the outlet, a movable bimetallic lever carried by the housing and having an operating bimetallic part, a heater wire disposed in coiled relation about the operating part to heat the same when an electrical current flows through the heater wire, and a valve member carried by the bimetallic lever for opening and closing the valve seat under the control of the operating part of the bimetallic lever, the operating part of the bimetallic lever having a fastening unit operatively interconnected to the heater wire to tend to hold the heater wire in the coiled relation on the operating part of the bimetallic lever, the heater wire comprising a length of the wire doubled upon itself to define a looped end and pair of free ends adjacent each other with t

Abstract: A valve construction and method of making the same are provided, the valve construction comprising a housing, a valve seat carried by the housing, a movable lever carried by the housing and having an opening passing through opposed sides thereof, a valve member for opening and closing the valve seat and having a stem projecting through the opening of the lever whereby the valve member is carried by the lever, and a tubular member disposed in the opening of the lever and telescopically receiving the stem of the valve member therein whereby the tubular member spaces the stem from the lever at the opening thereof.

Abstract: A pressure regulator integrated in a sandwich of pyrex and silicon wafers. A first integrated valve comprising a silicon wafer in which there is etched a cavity so as to leave a flexible membrane of silicon is sandwiched between two other wafers which are usually pyrex. One of the pyrex wafers has a resistor pattern etched thereon in a location such that the resistor pattern is enclosed by the walls of the cavity when the pyrex wafer is bonded to the silicon wafer. The other pyrex wafer has a valve seat etched adjacent to the membrane in the silicon wafer. The cavity is filled with a fluid which, when heated, raises the vapor pressure in the cavity so as to cause the membrane to flex and change the spacing between the membrane and the valve seat thereby regulating flow. A second integrated valve has the same structure. One of these valves is coupled to a high pressure source and the other is coupled to a low pressure sink.

Abstract: A single ram unidirectional wireline BOP system is provided having both mechanical and hydraulic sealing capability. A BOP body having a vertical flow passage and intersecting horizontal ram passages includes a single pair of opposed rams and appropriate actuators for moving the rams into sealing engagement with a wireline extending through the vertical flow passages. Each of the rams incorporates an elastomeric peripheral seal extending about a major portion of the periphery thereof and disposed for sealing engagement with internal wall surfaces of the body. The sealing system of the rams also incorporates a pair of vertically spaced inner elastomeric seals disposed for sealing engagement with one another and with the wireline. Between the upper and lower inner seals in the closed positions of the rams, is defined a small, centralized grease chamber through which the wireline extends.

Abstract: This invention relates to a screw stopper including an anti-freeze device used for water pipe valve and fitted to the lower end portion of an open/close movable valve of said water pipe valve comprises: a small perforation penetrated centrally on the lower portion of the said screw stopper; a water-through recess formed on a countersink portion of the said screw stopper; a small movable member including a small valve for opening and closing an aperture of the said small perforation, and said small movable member partially defining an water-through passage; a pair of springs for holding said small movable member, at least of which is made of shape-memory alloy; an outer cylinder for holding said pair of springs screwed and fitted to the said screw stopper; and a packing for sealing up water by a valve seat.

Abstract: An improved sealing element for variable bore ram blowout preventers of the type using two semicircular ram blocks to urge a resilient sealing member into sealing circumferential contact with the circumferential surface of a tubular drill string component includes a generally uniform thickness member having in plan view the shape of a semi-circular arch with bar-shaped legs extending laterally outwards from opposite base ends of the arch. A plurality of metal inserts forms a skeletal structure around which is molded a rubber matrix to form the sealing member. Each insert has a pair of generally flat and parallel upper and lower plates joined together by a pedestal and interleaved with and slidable with respect to the plates of an adjacent insert. Two outer generally rectangular plan-view end inserts have inner lateral edges which slidably interleave with the two outer elongated rectangular lateral ends of each of two intermediate corner inserts.

Abstract: A microprocessor-controlled gas appliance basically comprising three components: (1) a computer processor with a sensor interface, (2) a valve assembly, and (3) a human interface. The sensor interface is capable of passing the input from a series of sensors through the processor for subsequent use in controlling the operation of a burner valve in the valve assembly. Appropriate sensors are provided for connection to the sensor interface to measure, among other things, flame temperature, gas flow, carbon monoxide, combustibles, occupancy by an individual in the presence of the gas appliance, and gas composition. The valve controls the flow of natural gas through a line from a source of gas to a burner found in the appliance. The valve is controlled through a valve operator that responds to signals obtained from the computer processor via valve interface electronics.

Abstract: In an electrically operated valve, a valve closure member, which lies in the path between the inlet channel and the outlet channel, is connected to an expansion member. At the time of electrical heating, the expansion member lifts the valve closure member from the associated valve seat, due to which the path for the flowing medium is cleared. A cooling member is located in an annular channel, into which, controlled by a regulating valve, different quantities of flowing medium can be introduced. The cooling member is thermally coupled to the expansion member. In this way, the expansion member, according to the position of the regulating valve, can be cooled to different degrees, due to which the response behaviour of the valve is variable in particular after switching-off the electric current.

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 active member can deform in accordance with its temperature. The active member is connected to a mechanically-operated valve member so that the operated member is driven in accordance with deformation of the active member. The temperature of the active member is adjusted to control the operated member.

Abstract: A temperature-responsive valve comprises a pair of wax-filled thermal actuators connected in series and set to expand at different temperatures respectively at the high and low limits of a temperature range. In one version, a valve element is movable by the actuators through an orifice form one side thereof to the other, closing the orifice when in an intermediate position, and opening the orifice when one actuator expands and when the other actuator contracts. The actuators are both in contact with the fluid controlled by the valve in the first version. In a second version, one of the actuators is isolated from the controlled fluid and responsive to the ambient temperature. In a third version, the valve is a snap-action valve, in which the series actuators operate a cam which normally holds latching balls in a projecting condition in which they engage a detent to hold the valve element closed.

Abstract: A fluid level controller having a thermal expansion element in the form of cylinder made from polytetrafluoroethylene. The cylinder is located in a container which is connected to a supply of cryogenic fluid by a ball valve. When the cryogenic fluid in the container reaches the level of the cylinder and cools it, the cylinder shrinks and causes a lever to close the ball valve. When the cryogenic fluid falls below the level of the cylinder, the cylinder expands and the lever opens the ball valve and permits cryogenic fluid to flow through the valve and into the container. The cylinder has a heating element disposed in its interior to hasten the response of the cylinder to a change in the fluid level.

Abstract: An apparatus T.sub.1 for sealing a well tubing 12 including a housing 20, 21, 22 which has a channel 68 communicating with the bore of tubing 12 and a chamber 43 connected with channel 68. A seal 62 is slidably mounted in the housing and is disposed in a retracted open condition in chamber 43 to enable fluid flow through channel 68. AN actuator 41, 42 also disposed in chamber 43, includes a shape memory alloy material which is responsive to the temperature thereof rising to a predetermined level corresponding to the transition temperature of the shape memory alloy for transforming in shape to extend the seal into an extended condition within channel 68, thereby blocking fluid flow therethrough.

Abstract: An SME actuator is provided by a housing (14), a plunger (12) axially reciprocal in the housing, a compression spring (16) or Belleville washers (60) biasing the plunger in one direction, SME (shape memory effect) disc washers (18) around the plunger and thermally deformable to move the plunger in the opposite direction, and a concentric electrical resistance heater (36) and/or fluid inlet and outlet ports (8, 10 or 86, 88) for thermally actuating the SME disc washers to in turn move the plunger. Multi-position control is provided by a stack of a plurality of SME Belleville disc washers of differing transition temperatures. Alternatively, the washers can all have the same transition temperature and operate proportionally with increasing or decreasing temperatures. Another version is provided by an SME torsion bar (96) and threaded drive element (104) for axially translating the plunger (112).

Abstract: A system is disclosed which may alternatively be used as a diverter or as a blowout preventer for a drilling rig. The system comprises a blowout preventer attached above a spool having a hydraulically driven sleeve/piston. An outlet flow passage in the spool, which may be connected to a vent line, is closed off by the sleeve wall when the spool piston is at rest.Hydraulic ports are connected above and below the blowout preventer annular piston and above and below the spool annular piston. The ports below the blowout preventer piston and above the spool piston are in fluid communication with each other. A hydraulic circuit is provided having two valves between a source of pressurized hydraulic fluid and a drain.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein an apparatus for converting control signals of an electrical or optical nature of any other type or signal which may be converted to a change of temperature of a fixed volume of material trapped in a chamber to flexure of a membrane forming one wall of the chamber. Typically the device is integrated onto a silicon wafer by anisotropically etching a trench into said wafer far enough that a thin wall of silicon remains as the bottom wall of the trench. In some embodiments, polyimide is used as the material for the membrane. The trench is then hermetically sealed in any one of a number of different ways and the material to be trapped is either encapsulated during the sealing process or later placed in the cavity by use of a fill hole. Typically, a resistor pattern is etched on the face of a pyrex wafer used as a top for the trench to form the cavity. When current is passed through this resistor, the material in the cavity is heated, its vapor pressure increases and expansion occurs.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein an apparatus for converting control signals of an electrical or optical nature or any other type of signal which may be converted to a change of temperature of a fixed volume of material trapped in a chamber to flexure of a membrane forming one wall of the chamber. Typically, the device is integrated onto a silicon wafer by anisotropically etching a trench into said wafer for enough that a thin wall of silicon remains as the bottom wall of the trench. In some embodiments, polyimide is used as the material for the membrane. The trench is then hermetically sealed in any one of a number of different ways and the material to be trapped is either encapsulated during the sealing process or later placed in the cavity by use of a fill hole. Typically, a resistor pattern is etched on the face of pyrex wafer used as a top for the trench to form the cavity. When current is passed through this resistor, the material in the cavity is heated, its vapor pressure increases and expansion occurs.

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: A damper operator for use with a damper having a frame and a damper blade pivotally associated with the frame, which damper operator comprises a bi-metallic element provided with a heating pad which may be remotely activated to control the damper. The bi-metallic element is linked to the blade by a linkage which includes an over center spring which applies force in both the fully opened and fully closed blade position. The bi-metallic element and over center spring arrangement acts to snap the damper blade into position thereby providing greatly reduced response times for a bi-metallic actuated damper. The damper blade operator may also include a knee action locking arrangement to maintain the damper blade in a selected position, particularly fully opened or fully closed, when the locking members assume an over center, substantially longitudinal alignment. The bi-metallic operator may include a mechanical linkage or stop to allow blade adjustment to regulate air flow through the damper.

Abstract: The regulating valve has a heat responsive extension element which is prestressed and which extends crosswise of the gas line. The extension element biases the valve body into sealing engagement with the valve seat to maintain the valve in a normally closed position. Due to the slight deflection of the extension element, the thermal length variation of the extension element is transformed into an approximately 100-fold stroke of the valve body relative to the valve seat. The control accuracy of the valve is considerably increased.