Patent ID: 8327867

Claim:
An antifreezing valve device for hydraulic and/or water storage systems, comprising: a hollow valve body ( 11 ) comprised of a peripheral wall that encloses a chamber ( 14 ), a first end of the valve body ( 11 ) having an inlet ( 12 ) in communication with the chamber ( 14 ), a second end of the of the valve body ( 11 ) having an outlet ( 18 ′) in communication with the chamber ( 14 ), the peripheral wall of the valve body extending between the first end and the second end and comprising air inlet apertures ( 18 ″) that penetrate therethrough such that the chamber ( 14 ) is in fluid communication with air surrounding the valve body ( 11 ) and such that the thermostatic actuator ( 15 ) is exposed to said surrounding air; a thermostatic actuator ( 15 ) located inside the chamber ( 14 ); a valving member ( 17 ) operatively connected to and movably supported by the thermostatic actuator ( 15 ) to axially slide inside the chamber ( 14 ); an annular sealing valve seat ( 16 ) located at an interface between the chamber ( 14 ) and the inlet ( 12 ), the valve seat being configured to receive the valving member ( 17 ) thereby to close the valve seat ( 16 ), the valve seat ( 16 ) being normally closed by said valving member ( 17 ); a first biasing spring ( 24 ) between a surface at an upper side of the chamber ( 14 ) and a surface of the valving member, the first biasing spring ( 24 ) configured to urge the valving member ( 17 ) away from the valve seat ( 16 ); a second biasing spring ( 26 ) between the thermostatic actuator and a surface at the bottom side of the chamber ( 14 ), the second biasing spring ( 26 ) configured to urge the valving member ( 20 ) toward the valve seat ( 16 ), wherein the thermostatic actuator ( 15 ) is configured, in a first mode in which the thermostatic actuator is exposed to an air temperature higher than a predetermined value, to extend against the first biasing spring and to cause the valving member ( 17 ) to press against the valve seat ( 16 ) to close the valve seat and prevent fluid flow from the inlet ( 12 ) into the chamber ( 14 ), and wherein the thermostatic actuator ( 15 ) is further configured, in a second mode in which the thermostatic actuator is exposed to an air temperature lower than the predetermined value, to retract the valving member ( 17 ) from the valve seat ( 16 ) and thereby to open the valve seat ( 16 ) and permit fluid flow from the inlet ( 12 ) into the chamber ( 14 ) and to the outlet ( 18 ).