Patent ID: 6895952
Filing Date: 2005-05-24
Classification: A47J,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An appliance end fitting for connecting a gas operated appliance to a pressurized gas cylinder assembly, wherein the gas cylinder assembly includes an annular outlet having an automatic shutoff valve therein, the shutoff valve including a valve member that is biased to a normally closed position but is resiliently openable by inward pressure thereon to permit the release of gas from the cylinder assembly, the end fitting including an elongated body having a nipple at an inner end that fits into the cylinder outlet to open the shutoff valve and having an outer end that is attachable directly or indirectly in fluid communication with a gas operated appliance, the end fitting further including a connector that releasably connects the elongated body to the outlet in a position wherein the shutoff valve is opened by the inner end, the elongated body further having an interior opening therethrough that extends from an inlet in the nipple to an outlet in the outer end, the body interior opening serving as a gas conduit through the appliance end fitting, the elongated body being formed in two telescoping sections, an inner section that includes the nipple and an outer section that includes the outer end, the interior opening having an enlarged center portion between the inner and outer sections, the center portion having a valve seat at an outer end thereof, a floating valve member being positioned in the center portion and being movable into engagement with the valve seat, the valve member being normally biased away from engagement with the valve seat, gas flow from the tank urging the valve member toward the valve seat, excessive gas flow causing the valve member to overcome the bias to the point where the valve member engages the valve seat and restricts gas flow from the tank, thus serving as an excess flow control valve, the two sections of the body being fixed together in an extended axial position with respect to each other by a heat activated material positioned between the two sections, the nipple extending inwardly far enough from the outer section of the body that when the body is drawn into engagement with the cylinder outlet by connection of the connector to the outlet, the automatic shutoff valve is opened by the nipple, excessive heat in the valve chamber causing the heat activated material to release so as to permit relative axial movement of the inner and outer valve body sections, the inner section thereafter collapsing with respect to the outer section at least to the point where the nipple fails to exert sufficient pressure on the shutoff valve to hold the automatic shutoff valve open, thus permitting the shutoff valve to close under excessive heat conditions.