BI-METALLIC STEAM TRAP

摘要

A steam trap having a thermostatically controlled bimetallic valve for discharging condensate from steam lines is disclosed. The steam trap has a housing having a fluid inlet port, a fluid outlet port, and valve means within said housing between the inlet port and the outlet port comprising a valve adapted to seat on a valve seat for controlling fluid flow through said steam trap from said inlet port to said outlet port and a bimetallic assembly responsive to temperature variations for controlling the opening and closing of said valve means. The bimetallic assembly comprises at least one primary bimetallic member mounted within said housing operably connected to said valve stem to open and close the valve on the valve seat and at least one secondary bimetallic member adapted to be supported within the housing in opposition to said primary bimetallic member, said secondary bimetallic member arranged such that said primary bimetallic member can expand during initial heating thereof without interference from the secondary bimetallic member but continued expansion of said primary bimetallic member is opposed by said secondary bimetallic member as the temperature of the fluid increases. The primary bimetallic member preferably comprises a plurality of stacked bimetallic members mounted within the housing operably connected to the valve stem to open and close the valve on the valve seat, and the secondary bimetallic member preferably comprises a plurality of bimetallic members adapted to be loosely supported in proximity to the end of said primary stacked bimetallic members, said secondary plurality of bimetallic members arranged such that said bimetallic members change configuration from a substantially planar configuration to an arcuate or dished configuration with the outer or convex side thereof facing the primary stacked bimetallic members. The primary plurality of stacked bimetallic members can be discs mounted within the housing co-axial with the valve stem and the secondary plurality of bimetallic members can be axially aligned with the said primary plurality of stacked bimetallic members.